On January 6, FriendShip 2024 set sail from Miami, taking the sea route to Belize for a 24-hour private island party before docking back in Florida on the 11th. For six days and five nights, Destructo and friends carried the luxurious Norwegian Joy to the ultimate journey.
Operated by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the ship features a wide variety of restaurants and culinary delights to please every palate, spacious bars and lounge areas throughout, a two-level race track, an award-winning casino and outdoor laser games. , mini golf, slides and spa, among other amenities. Without forgetting the implementation of five unique stages for the festival: FriendZone, Spice H2O, Atrium, Q and Joy Theatre.
Unlike a typical festival, once you're aboard FriendShip, you're all set. You don't need to worry about where to camp, where the nearest bathrooms are, what to make for dinner, where to park, or even what music to play during downtime.
Destructo, whose real name is Gary Richards, has thought of everything.
“I've been a festival promoter for most of my life and pretty much all of the logistics that make a festival miserable are eliminated,” Richards explained in an intimate interview with EDM.com ahead of this year's festival.
With everything you could want or need available, the event fosters a safe and inclusive environment where attendees can indulge in every moment and enjoy the journey. “This is the only place you can make a fool of yourself and no one will care,” Richards added. “They're going to like it more.”
To encourage self-expression, FriendShip 2024 had three themed nights and Ship Fam pulled out all the stops. One day it was “Pretty in Pink”, after Belize it was “Slumber Party” and the last night it was “Destructo Had a Farm”.
Each morning, classmates received an updated itinerary list with daily activities such as “Twerk Shop,” “Salvador Daldo” strap painting competition, shuffling class, “Shit Show Rodeo” and more. Not to mention headlining performances from artists like Bob Moses, Boys Noize, Chris Lake, Chris Lorenzo, Dr. Fresch, and Rusko, among others.
Aside from what's listed, it's important to always keep an eye out for pop-up parties, as Dial-a-DJ cards are given out selectively, ensuring that those in the right place at the right time can live a unique experience. time.
You could end up partying with Mikey Lion and Boys Noize in Dita Von Tease's suite.
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One of the many notable aspects of FriendShip is that all artists remain on board for the duration of the festival. This adds a layer of depth to the experience, considering there's a good chance you'll run into some of the DJs while you're in an elevator, heading out to eat, or in a venue enjoying a renegade set.
This year, however, was a milestone not only for FriendShip, but also for Richards, who was finally able to make his vision of a 24-hour island party a reality.
“In all the years I've been doing this, we go to islands and we have the island to ourselves and we can have a party there, but you always have to leave at 4 p.m. because you can't really drag people back.” and coming in the dark with the boat on an island is just a matter of safety,” he said.
By opting to sail to NCL's Harvest Caye in Belize, the ship was able to dock overnight.
The idyllic island takeover was soundtracked by artists including Chris Lake, Bob Moses, Justin Martin and the night's pièce de résistance, Skrillex, who performed a host of new releases and fan classics, including a fiery mix of “Chicken Soup” and “Bangarang.” And to finish off aBelize-able day, Destructo delivered his exclusive “Sunrise Sermon” set for the first time on FriendShip.
A common joke among previous FriendShip attendees was “Skrillex confirmed” as he was often rumored to be there. But finally 2024 was the year. And not only did he perform, but he and Boys Noize returned to the stage as Dog Blood for the first time in over four years.
Taking an island cruise of that caliber is no small feat. She required a longer trip, extensive preparation and additional staff and production, plus an unshakeable dream.
We were impressed by the inclusivity of all festival attendees. The term “Ship Fam” rings true. It's a family of like-minded people who come together with the same deep-rooted passion for the electronic dance music scene.
Hot on the heels of FriendShip 2024, Destructo has since revealed that the fifth edition of its flagship festival will take place February 21-26, 2025. And Ship Fam will once again travel from Miami to Belize's private Harvest Caye island to aboard the Norwegian Joy.
For returning shipmates, pre-booking is now available. Prospective attendees can get exclusive pre-book access to the festival on Tuesday, January 23 at 9 a.m. PT at join the waitlist here. Waitlist members will have the early opportunity to secure their cabin with a $250 deposit. Cabin depots will open to the public later that day.
c/o Press
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