Bamboozle Festival is planning to return in 2023 for its 20th anniversary
From 2003 to 2012, Bamboozle took over New Jersey for its annual multi-day festival. The event, which evolved out of the Skate And Surf, led to some iconic live sets from artists such as My Chemical Romance, Thrice, Paramore, Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World among many others. Now, the festival is making its long-awaited […]
Now, the festival is making its long-awaited return in celebration of its upcoming 20th anniversary. This week, Bamboozle launched a Myspace-inspired website confirming the New Jersey festival is making a comeback in 2023.
John D’Esposito, the founder of Bamboozle, also announced the news on Facebook this week. In the post, D’Esposito kept things rather cryptic but did note Bamboozle will be “inviting back some old friends [and] introducing everyone to new friends” for its 2023 event. As well, ticket prices and more information regarding the event will be released in the near future.
“Was it your space or Myspace? Either way, let the games begin,” D’Esposito writes on Facebook. “18 years ago, we created an event on Myspace. For its 20th anniversary, we are inviting back some old friends, introducing everyone to new friends and will no doubt, redefine a scene and once again rise to the top of the festival world. Welcome home, Bamboozle Festival. 10 years will be long enough. Lots of exciting Bamboozle Festival projects: I Booked Bamboozle, Lincs Special Guest podcast, the Documentary 2.0, Acoustic Christmas, B-Boy Arena, The Break Contest [and] so much more. The clowns are alive [and] excited to return in 2023. We’ll make this all official with on sale, ticket prices, trailers, teasers and more. Stay tuned.”
Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Shamrocks and Shenanigans!
As promised, today a festival website was launched. …
In honor of the first Bamboozle, which was announced on Myspace, the festival has launched a new website that truly throws it back to the ’00s. The homepage is a recreation of the original Myspace profile layout. The website doesn’t reveal too much concrete information, but the profile’s Asbury Park, New Jersey location could be a big hint Bamboozle 2023 is happening there.
Bamboozle was originally held in Asbury Park from 2003 to 2005. The festival also returned to the city for its final run in 2012. In between then, however, Bamboozle was held at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
As well, Daft Punk‘s “One More Time” has also been added as the profile’s song. Although Daft Punk recently announced they are disbanding, the song could be a clue the festival is returning for one final time in 2023. Travis Barker is also mentioned on Bamboozle’s website. Under the “who I’d like to meet” section, it reads “Friends new and old and Travis Barker.”
Bamboozle’s top friends could also be a few clues about the festival’s return. Lincs Special Guest podcast, which arrives this spring, will include interviews with the Bamboozle crew and those involved with the event.
Both Scoop and Elmo are familiar faces in the Bamboozle family. Scoop is the festival’s original reporter. In the past, Scoop’s been known to use riddles as a way of leaking information about Bamboozle to the public. Meanwhile, Elmo is another past character who was originally involved with Hoodwink Festival.
As for Jeff Menig, he is in charge of marketing for Bamboozle while Amy Burns is also part of the festival’s team. Of course, D’Esposito’s Myspace profile is also included in Bamboozle’s top friends.
Bamboozle not only has a new website, but also new social media platforms. Back in February, both @bamboozlefest on Twitter and @bamboozlefest on Instagram began teasing the return of the festival. on Feb. 1, they shared a shiny new poster of the event’s iconic clown logo.
More on Skate And Surf Festival and Bamboozle Festival
All of the way back in 2001, D’Esposito created the Skate And Surf Festival. Just two years later, however, he went to create Bamboozle Festival which took over Asbury Park. As a result, Skate And Surf Festival didn’t happen again until 2013.
“We performed two days and on the second day we performed as a secret band called the Lords of Semen,” Saporta told APP in 2014. “We dressed like a heavy metal band from the ‘80s and after a while we played our own songs and people realized it was us.”
Midtown’s performance of “Just Rock And Roll” at Skate And Surf is available below.
2014’s Skate And Surf Festival also saw the return of Saosin with original vocalist Anthony Green. They performed at the festival just after reuniting for their first set in nearly 10 years in Philadelphia.
Similarly, Armor For Sleep also reunited for a set at Bamboozle in 2012. Since New Jersey is their home state, the band thought the festival would be the perfect opportunity to officially close the chapter on the band. As well, the event’s return to Asbury Park seemed even more fitting.
“This is more of [us] just putting an end to a chapter in our lives, and we feel like Bamboozle is doing a throwback by going back to Asbury Park,” frontman Ben Jorgensentold AltPress in 2012. “In that spirit, we feel like for some people who didn’t get a chance to see our last show, this would be a great time to give them a chance because things ended so abruptly.”