Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival returns to 314 Scholes St. this Saturday for its 18th anniversary, transforming the East Williamsburg warehouse complex into a 23-hour celebration of underground dance music running from 1 p.m. on March 28 through noon the following day.
A single $40 ticket grants unlimited access to all five venues: a warehouse, rooftop, skatepark, courtyard and the adjoining Wandering Barman. Music runs continuously overnight. Attendees can come and go as they please throughout the marathon.
The lineup spans nearly 30 artists across seven curated showcases, each helmed by independent Brooklyn party crews. Chicago gets heavy representation: DJ Thadz, a ghetto house pioneer who co-founded Dance Mania, performs alongside Teklife member DJ Manny and Hiroko Yamamura, known for jacking house sets that draw from sci-fi and dark anime.
Benny Soto closes the Vigilante showcase during the sunrise hours. The Paradise Garage-era DJ worked as Keith Haring’s assistant in the 1980s and has spent decades as an NYC underground fixture, currently hosting the 718 Sessions and Dance.Here.Now parties. Soto and Vigilante co-curator Ian Orr have consulted on BEMF programming over the years and now helm the warehouse’s 4 a.m. to noon slot.
The programming reflects the festival’s stated philosophy of “intention-driven curation over algorithmic playlists.” Each showcase operates independently: Mizz Softee opens at 1 p.m. with a daytime techno-focused lineup; Body Bag takes over the skatepark at 10 p.m. with hardcore, gabber and trance; Hot Honey Sundays runs a 10-hour rooftop set through sunrise featuring soulful house from Anna Collecta, a Defected Records and Glitterbox artist.
Renegade takes over the courtyard from 4 to 10 p.m. with a lineup featuring dazegxgd, Izzy Camina, Nas Leber and an unannounced secret guest.
Support Women DJs, a global platform for women in electronic music, presents four artists in the warehouse including Brooklyn techno producer S7IK and Crossbow, a singer-songwriter who pivoted to techno and now releases on labels including Respekt and Codex.
“18 years means we’ve outlasted a lot of things: venues, trends, whole eras of Brooklyn nightlife,” said Katie Longmyer, one of the festival’s organizers. BEMF started scrappier, she said, “hopping between spots on North 6th, stacking nights.” The festival is female and minority owned and operated.
The seven showcases share equal billing across the venue complex. “Equal billing because that’s what equal contribution looks like,” Longmyer said.
Empire BBQ will serve food on the rooftop, with additional vendors to be announced. The event includes on-site harm reduction services, EMTs and trained security throughout. Coat check is available in the warehouse.
Organizers expect a few thousand attendees over the 24 hours. “Dance floors full enough to get lost in, but never so packed you can’t move,” Longmyer said. “If you want to be right up at the booth, you can get there.”
BEMF is 21 and over. Tickets are available online and at the door throughout the night.
