Let’s do the Time Warp!
A popular German-based rave is hoping to transform the Kingsbridge Armory into the bass-thumping techno Time Warp festival for two nights in November.
The 180,000-square-foot armory is slated to eventually house the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, but the weekend following Thanksgiving could see the massive space filled with ravers dancing to the beats of world famous DJs.
“This will be good for the Bronx,” said Time Warp spokeswoman Betty Kang. “We expect a lot of international people coming and that’s exciting.”
A website for the 21-and-over event promises that, “(d)iscerning dance music fans are in store for a breathtaking experience, where music, dance and technology collide, for a celebration right out of the heart of electronic music’s underground.”
The boogie down in the Bronx will be the fest’s first function in the States after 20 years of similar events held in Italy, Holland, Vienna, and Prague.
The techno-heavy rave started in Mannheim, Germany in 1994.
“After searching New York City from top to bottom, The Kingsbridge Armory was discovered and chosen to be converted into the ultimate techno haven,” a release issued by Time Warp said of the group’s choice of venue.
Tickets for the two day event are being sold for $179 per person although artists haven’t been announced. A slew of world famous DJs such as Carl Cox and Laurent Garnier have performed at the festival in the past.
The armory can be rented for events and filming purposes for as little as $5,000 a day, according to the city’s Economic Development Corporation website. But the use includes an extensive permitting process. It is unclear if Time Warp has completed the necessary paperwork.
“It’s just there empty right now, so why not?” Chris Ramos of the Kingsbridge Road Merchants Association said.
The nine-story-tall building has been used in the past for exhibitions, a Beach Boys concert, rodeos, boxing matches, and as the set for the Will Smith film “I Am Legend.”
While plans to turn the long-vacant structure into a nine-rink ice center with seating for 5,000 spectators were approved by the city council last December, the $345 million project has yet to begin construction.
“I think it’s good they have events there in the meantime,” Ramos added.
