Inaugural Bulladora Music Experience will rock Reverchon this weekend
Genderqueer synth-pop artist Shamir makes his third appearance in Dallas in less than a year, this time headlining his own performance Saturday night at the all-new Bulladora Music Experience.
EDITOR’S NOTE: After press time, organizers announced that the festival had been canceled due to the weather. Bulladora will be rescheduled and tickets refunded at point of purchase.
Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of Bulladora — or don’t even know what a “Bulladora” is. The Bulladora Music Experience is a three-day music festival with an indie pop vibe making its North Texas debut this weekend in Reverchon Park. And to think of it, who knew what a Woodstock, Coachella or Lollapalooza was when they started, either?
According to co-founder Josh Harris, the name was inspired by a street name as his team searched for the perfect venue and, over time, it just stuck. “Bulladora is catchy and original, but also has a vaguely ‘Texas’ feel that’s very appropriate,” says Harris about his passion project. “There’s a electric feeling around Dallas right now, we intend to harness that energy and project it back through Bulladora.”
Bulladora will be something more than a typical music or food festival. He envisions it as a “wonderland for those that want to soak up all the creative experiences, artistic elements and energetic people that make up Dallas.” Attendees can expect a wide variety of programming and opportunities ranging from interactive art and a “flea-style pop-up shop” to a pug petting zoo, a hammock village and even tethered hot air balloon rides (weather permitting). “There will be a small charge per ride, but the bird’s-eye view of the park will be well worth it,” Harris says.
Bulladora kicks off on Friday with a free screening of the film Daft Punk: Unchained, a documentary following the helmet-clad rockers from their start in the early ’90s until their Grammy win in 2014. On Saturday and Sunday, the festival vibe and music go into full effect with performances from more than 12 bands including local artists playing daily from 12:30 until 10 p.m. Among the list of headliners are London-based electronic duo AlunaGeorge, who recently announced they’ll be touring with Sia, and brother and sister Internet pop sensations XYLØ.
In addition to Bulladora sharing the same venue used during Dallas Pride, the experience has other LGBT connections, including a performance by genderqueer artist Shamir on Saturday at 5 p.m. Shamir recently played Coachella and has performed in Dallas twice this year, once opening for Marina and the Diamonds at South Side on Lamar and most recently with openly gay singer and video blogger Troye Sivan at House of Blues. Shamir released his debut LP Ratchet in May 2015.
During a recent interview, Shamir professed that he has not had much time to explore the city during his previous visits but has heard about Dallas’ amazing blues bars. For his Bulladora inauguration, he hopes to connect with a few friends from high school and just enjoy being part of a first-time, one-of-a-kind event. “I really like playing outdoors — I love nature and fresh air,” he says.
Since it is a first-time event (with ambition to becoming an annual experience), Harris provided some helpful reminders to make sure the audience has a great time at Bulladora. First, he says, “Come early — check out the bands you don’t yet know and give yourself plenty of time to soak in all of our experiences.” Next, “Avoid traffic — walk, bike, take a cab or ride share. Or with [the event] entrance off the Katy Trail, you can find a parking spot along the trail and enjoy a beautiful stroll to and from the festival.”
Lastly, Harris reminds attendees to, “Come prepared — we know June in Dallas can be hot. That means [bring] a refillable water container, sunscreen, a hat, etc.”
— Jef Tingley
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition June 3, 2016.
