Electronic music returns to Buenos Aires

There was live electronic music in Buenos Aires last weekend for the first in almost ten months, following the lifting of the ban in late January.

DJ Dash Berlin performed in Mandarine Park on Friday 17 February, with Eelke Kleijn, Digweed and Guy J playing the same venue the following night. La Nación reports promoters are also seeking approval for two further shows: Armin van Buuren in Mandarine Park on 17 April, and Become One at the 9,000-cap. Malvinas Argentinas Microstadium (named for Argentina’s claim on the Falklands, known locally as the Malvinas) in La Paternal on 18 March.

Local authorities announced last April they were to cease issuing permits for electronic music festivals in the wake of the drug-related deaths of five people at the Time Warp festival on 16 April. The ban was designed to apply to outdoor dance music festivals, but also briefly scuppered a Kraftwerk show before being overturned by a judge.

The lifting of the ban comes with the caveat that festival organisers must dispense free drinking water, and all events will be overseen be a representative of safety agency AGC (Agencia Gubernamental de Control).

“All shows will have new safety requirements, whose compliance will be ensured by AGC inspectors”

AGC director-general Gustavo May explains: “All shows will have new safety requirements, whose compliance will be ensured by AGC inspectors. It is essential that the public take [advantage] of the free dispensing of water throughout the event.”

May says water should be distributed evenly across festival grounds, “in such a way as to enable access [to water sources] from different parts of the site”.

Promoters must also guarantee the available of medical services – which should be properly signposted and commensurate with the capacity of the event – and electronically monitor the number of festivalgoers to prevent overcrowding.

Fines of up to Ar$950,000 (US$61,000) may be levied on those found to be in noncompliance.

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