The NJ festival Bamboozle is finally happening! For the first time in a decade, Bamboozle, one of the world’s classic “nostalgic emo” festivals, is returning to the big scene to celebrate the festival’s twentieth anniversary on May 5-7, 2023, at Bader Field in Atlantic City. 

Earlier today, the NJ festival finally released the theme of the festival (Class of 2023) and shared its phase-one lineup. Keeping with the academic theme, each band/group is given a designated class ranking. Limp Bizkit, Rick Ross, Steve Aoki, and Yung Gravy are billed as “seniors,” and the “alumni” includes Boys Like Girls, E-Town Concrete, Finch, Jax, Mayday Parade, Saosin, Say Anything, The Spill Canvas, Valencia, and We The Kings. Babytron, Diablo, Gideon, Kaonashi, Left To Suffer, Scowl, Sueco, Tallah, Teddy Swims, and The Wrecks are the freshmen, and finally, Puddles Pity Party is featured as Bamboozle’s very own “class clown.” The festival even incorporates a “clubs” section that advertises a dance competition, Game Changer Wrestling, and Jersey Loud. 

However, many fans found this initial lineup somewhat disappointing, given the massive hype built up from anticipation since the festival’s first announcement back in May. Andrew Sacher of Brooklyn Vegan writes that “There’s obviously some good stuff on there, but — especially in this era where “emo nostalgia festivals” reign supreme — I dunno who was expecting the comeback of an actual 2000s emo festival to be headlined by…Limp Bizkit and Steve Aoki? Maybe there’s more good stuff to come, but given the anticipation for this announcement, kinda underwhelming!” 

Nevertheless, many classic 2000s artists such as Say Anything, Mayday Parade, and others are sure to make every night of the festival just as nostalgic and unforgettable as die-hard fans would ever hope to expect. 

Tickets for the festival go on sale Friday, November 25, and can be purchased here.

Check out the announcement for Bamboozle’s revival here.

In other news, Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak recently returned to Cinespace, otherwise known as The Bourbon Room, for the first time in nine years.

Photo Credit: Jenna Houchin