AXE Ceremonia is a music festival that takes place in Mexico City. Once a one day-festival, it became a multi-day festival showcasing major international and local alternative acts.[1] Throughout the years since its inception in 2013, attendance has rapidly increased and Ceremonia is now one of Mexico's biggest music festivals, and one of the most important alternative music festivals in Latin America.[2] The musical style of Ceremonia is similar to European festivals such as Primavera Sound and Roskilde, focusing on alternative rock, electronica, contemporary R&B, neo soul and hip hop,[3] with prominent figures of alt-reggaeton and corridos tumbados being featured as well.[4]
The festival was created by Diego Jiménez, who came up with the idea of holding a festival of alternative music with inclusive activities and spaces.[3][7] The name Ceremonia comes from the Joy Division-written song "Ceremony", which Jiménez considered as a "reference to alternative music".[8] After being originally planned to be held at Parque Ecológico of Xochimilco in Mexico City, the first edition of the festival was held on September 14, 2013, at Centro Dinámico Pegaso in Toluca.[9]
Following seven editions and a two years absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the site of Ceremonia was moved further to the Parque Bicentenario in Mexico City for the eighth edition in 2022.[10] Additionally, the 2023 edition became the first year of the festival to take place over two days.[11]
Line-ups by year
2013
The first edition of the festival took place on September 14, 2013.[9]
The fifth edition of the festival took place on April 2, 2017. It was originally scheduled to take place the day before, but it was rescheduled due to weather conditions.[15]
The 2020 edition of the festival was due to take place on April 25 with The Chemical Brothers, Thom Yorke and FKA Twigs announced as headliners. The site for the festival this year was planned to be moved to Campo Marte in Mexico City.[18] However, on March 16, 2020, it was announced that Ceremonia had been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and had been rescheduled for the second half of the year.[19] On October 1, it was announced that the 2020 event would not take place, and had been rescheduled for 2021.[20] Neverthless, the festival had to be wrapped up until the eighth edition in 2022.[21]
2022
The eighth edition of the festival took place on April 2, 2022. For the first time, the festival was held in Mexico City, specifically at the Parque Bicentenario.[21]
The ninth edition of the festival took place on April 1 and 2, 2023. It was the first edition of the festival to take place over more than one day.[11]
Festival Ceremonia 2023 line-up by date and stage schedules
^Castro, Iván (20 December 2017). "Mira el cartel completo de Ceremonia 2018" [Check out the complete line-up of Ceremonia 2018]. Indie Rocks! (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 October 2024.
