DJ Puffy Delivers a Landmark “Open to Close” 2025 Set in NYC with Cultural Power, Global Reach & Record-Breaking Energy

Caribbean music history was made once again as DJ Puffy returned to New York City for the second edition of his monumental solo event “Open to Close” – this time, even bigger, bolder, and more powerful than ever before.

Hosted at Industry City, the same venue that housed last year’s historic sold-out debut, Open to Close 2025 drew over 1,200 patrons for a one-man, 4.5-hour musical journey that celebrated global music with a deeper-than-ever spotlight on Caribbean culture and pride.

This year’s show opened as a day party at 5PM, with DJ Puffy flying in directly from a show in Calgary the night before — landing at JFK and heading straight to the stage. The set took the crowd through a rich and unpredictable blend of sounds: from hip hop and afrobeat to dancehall, soca, kompa and baile funk. True to form, Puffy masterfully controlled the energy for nearly five hours — a feat few DJs can claim — creating an immersive experience that pulsed with rhythm, passion, and purpose.

The event was also live streamed on Twitch and YouTube, attracting nearly 150,000 impressions and reaching audiences in 42 countries — a testament to DJ Puffy’s growing global influence and the universal appeal of Caribbean music. This amplification helped spotlight Caribbean storytelling on a worldwide stage — a core part of DJ Puffy’s artistic mission.

Adding to the cultural significance, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) joined the event as a proud sponsor under the VisitBarbados brand, offering fun activities throughout the day and giving attendees the chance to win flights to Barbados — an unforgettable activation that brought the island even closer to the heart of NYC.

For DJ Puffy — now proudly appointed as an official Culture and Tourism Ambassador for Barbados — this moment was deeply personal.

“Can’t wait to sit & process all these emotions I’m feeling from yesterday’s event,” Puffy wrote on Threads. “To come from a small island like Barbados  ; selling out a venue like Industry
City in a major city like New York, TWICE is mind-blowing to me  YOU DID THAT!”

A Dream Realized Through Community & Collaboration

Produced in partnership with Fun with Friends (FWF) and Carib Biz Network, the event’s production reached new heights this year, with elevated staging, sound, visuals, and patron experience — cementing Open to Close as a standout cultural moment on the New York summer calendar.

DJ Puffy’s return to Industry City wasn’t just a concert — it was a living testimony to what Caribbean excellence, global community, and bold vision can achieve when they come together