Darude, DJ Chuckie & Michael Brun set to storm Guyana for STORM25 on August 16th

Aug 10, 2025 Features / Columnists, News, Waterfalls Magazine, Xtra Entertainment

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Kaieteur News- Five months ago, we chronicled the ambitious journey of Tariq Dakhil and BPM Guyana as they worked to introduce electronic dance music culture to a nation dominated by soca and dancehall. Today, that vision reaches its crescendo as Darude Storm25 Music & Arts Festival prepares to make history at the Marriott Parking Lot on August 16th.

What began as intimate gatherings of 50 people at The Vintage Wine Bar has evolved into Guyana’s biggest EDM experience, set to welcome thousands for an 11-hour musical odyssey that runs from 1 PM to midnight.

“This moment has been 15 years in the making for me,” Dakhil reflected months ago, recalling his first encounter with Darude’s “Sandstorm” in a commercial. Now, as final preparations unfold, that teenage dream becomes reality, marking not just a personal milestone but a cultural turning point for Guyana’s entertainment landscape.

The scale of STORM25 represents everything Dakhil envisioned when he founded BPM Guyana. The festival promises world-class stage production with perfectly synchronized lights, flames, CO2 effects, and immersive special effects that will transform Georgetown into an international EDM destination.

Elevated VIP platforms will offer premium viewing experiences, while the festival grounds will feature international cuisine vendors and interactive entertainment including paintball, axe throwing, and archery. Brand activations, including surprise elements from partners like Space Gym, will keep energy levels soaring throughout the day-long celebration.

This ambitious production comes at significant financial risk, with costs nearly ten times higher than BPM Guyana’s previous events and a venue capacity four times their largest crowd to date. Yet for Dakhil, the gamble represents something greater than entertainment.

“As a nation, it’s time for us to compete on the global stage, and this is our moment,” he stated when announcing the festival, channeling the same determination that saw him through years of building EDM culture from the ground up.

The festival’s lineup reads like a who’s who of international EDM, headlined by Finnish DJ/producer Darude, whose 1999 track “Sandstorm” became a global phenomenon and remains one of electronic music’s most recognizable anthems. Celebrating the song’s 25th anniversary, STORM25 represents a full-circle moment for both the artist and the movement Dakhil has championed.

Joining Darude are Dutch house music legend DJ Chuckie and British singer-songwriter Sarah de Warren, known for her collaborations with major EDM artists. In a thrilling last-minute addition, Michael Brun, the Haitian-American producer who previously performed with BPM Guyana, returns as a special guest DJ, adding Caribbean flair to the international lineup.

This carefully curated selection reflects Dakhil’s philosophy of making “EDM relatable” by featuring artists with Caribbean foundations alongside world-renowned performers, ensuring Guyana’s cultural essence remains at the forefront while delivering an authentic international EDM experience.

The journey to STORM25 hasn’t been without challenges. When BPM Guyana began, EDM was considered taboo in many circles, misunderstood as merely a scene fueled by stimulants rather than the transformative musical experience Dakhil knew it could be.

“From the outside, EDM and rave culture are often misunderstood,” he explained in our previous interview. “But when you step inside, you realize the real euphoria comes from something else, the music itself.”

Years of consistent programming, from hosting international acts like Michael Brun and DJ Chuckie for crowds of 500, to weathering pandemic restrictions through live streams and intimate sessions, have gradually shifted public perception. The result is evident in the excitement surrounding STORM25 and the broader acceptance of EDM within Guyana’s entertainment ecosystem.

For Tariq Dakhil and BPM Guyana, the festival represents both an arrival and a beginning; proof that dreams backed by persistence can reshape entire cultures, one beat at a time. As he puts it: “BPM Guyana isn’t just about music. It’s about daring to dream, to create, and to push past fear.”

Come Saturday August 16, as the storm rages from afternoon until midnight, Guyana will witness the full realization of that dream and perhaps glimpse the future of Caribbean entertainment.

 

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• Caribbean flair, EDM experience, Guyana's entertainment landscape, Marriott Parking Lot, Vintage Wine Bar

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