This yearโs Johnnie Walker The Journey boasts of a gravity-numbing artist,ย post-rock giants, an ambient wizard, a synth pop legend and a cinematicย masterpiece. And, that’s just the beginning.
After the brilliant turn with trip hop genius Bonobo and jazz virtuosos Snarky Puppy,ย Johnnie Walker The Journey is back with an even more promising lineup this year.ย Clearly setting the bar for all Indian cultural festivals to follow suit, JWTJ is back withย some of the most iconic names whether itโs contemporary music, performance art orย cinema. With legendary synth icon Giorgio Moroder post-alternative crusadersย Explosions in the Sky, downtempo ambient producer Tycho, performance and theatreย whiz Leo for their very first performances in India, along with the compellingย documentary โListen to Me Marlonโ on the life and times of the great Marlon Brando, toย be premiered in India for the first time, 2015โs Johnnie Walker The Journey is qualityย on the go.
We look at the five artistes deserving of your presence at JWTJ on December 12 andย 13 at Mehboob Studios, Bandra.
Giorgio Moroder
(Source: Officialcharts.com)
If youโre a fan of synth, then look no further, for you have Giorgio Moroder to thank.
Also known as the father of Disco, Giorgio Moroder has made his mark as an influentialย Italian producer, songwriter, performer and DJ. If you remember queen of disco, Donnaย Summer sauntering to Hot Stuff, then you have obviously had a long standingย association with Giorgio Moroderโs retrogressive tunes. If you havenโt, then hereโs aย better picture. Remember the era of disco that you now love courtesy Daft Punk? Yes,ย Giorgio Moroder was probably one of the first few pioneers of it. The winner of 3 Oscars,ย 4 Grammyโs and 5 Golden Globes has seen it all โ from Donna Summerโs late 70s discoย hits, to having produced for artists such as David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Blondie, andย Bonnie Tyler to his new age dance productions with pop sensations like Britney Spears,ย Charlie XCX, Mikky Ekko and Sia.
The godfather of modern dance technology as he is most popularly known will swingย some serious nostalgia at Johnnie Walker The Journey this year. If you call yourself aย connoisseur of the genesis of the electronic music revolution prevalent today, Giorgioย Moroderโs an act you absolutely cannot skip.
Explosions in the Sky
(Source: billions.com)
If music could expand to spatial measures, sounding both symphonic and innate,ย scopious and indigenous, then it would probably sound like the kind of musicย Explosions in the Sky are adept at. The post-rock group, in their 15 year-long career,ย have managed to create a distinctive, experimental sound that screams out theirย uniqueness from the depth of their mellow rhythms and exuberant instrumentals.
Have you ever had a pop song tap into your attention in the very first listen, makingย catchy repetitions in your playlists? Explosions in the Sky achieves just that, with mereย instrumentals. By holding your feelings with emotionally stirring harmonies, the bandย needs no words to fill any gaps. Synchronously, the bandโs furtherance into popularย culture can be attributed to their OST presence on numerous shows such as Fridayย Night Lights (including its prequel film with the same name), One Tree Hill, and CSI: Crime Investigation, along with movies like Theย Kite Runner, Foo Fighters: Sonic Highway and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.
With six voluminous albums behind them, the band is likely to perform an all-inclusiveย set at Johnnie Walker The Journey, from songs like Your Hand In Mine from theย constantly evolving The Earth is not a Cold Dead Place to Let Me Back In, from theย extremely skillful Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. With Explosions in the Sky, theย chasm of instruments remains unmissable.
Tycho
If you found yourself overjoyed at Bonoboโs presence at Johnnie Walker The Journeyย last year, then this year, fans of ย a similar kind of down-tempo electronic beats will beย satiated with the music of the ambient genius, Tycho aka Scott Hansen. Music headsย that find music in visual stimulation will be duly rewarded with Tychoโs perceptiblyย expansive compositions.
The ambient sounds with experimental techno find the perfect fit in Tychoโs often largerย than life musical pieces that seem to transport the audience to another world. Fromย performing to large scale festivals such as Coachella, Firefly Music Festival andย Hopscotch, to smaller, more intimate venues, itโs music that is as adaptable as it can be.ย Having had his albums continually feature in the strongest electronic pieces, hisย workmanship with music is bound to leave fans of ambient musicย in awe; right from hisย ability to dive right in when the timeโs right, to his ability to play along the fringes, itโsย music that fits in comfortablyย with the mood.
Leo
(Source:ย arts.byu.edu)
In the last several years, physical theatre has been gaining prominence with its ability toย transfix the audience; if not with just words, then with the mere movement and illusionย capable with the human body. Of them, Leo, the gravity defying performance theatre actย stands tall. Leo, a transfixing stage piece is one where an ordinary manโs life is foundย suddenly altered with change in gravity, causing him to persist at a 90 degree angle. Theย piece has performed to sold-out shows at numerous iconic venues such as the Sydneyย Opera House, as well as wowed audiences and critics alike at New York, Melbourne,ย Berlin, Moscow, London and Hong Kong. This origamic, mind-numbing physicalย theatre is one that is not just awe-inspiring but tizzying to say the very least. Experienceย acrobatic magic in the most wonderful ways with Leo.
Listen To Me Marlon
The documentary, โListen to me Marlonโ, offers a fascinating look at the inner life ofย Hollywood icon Marlon Brando, told in his own words. While the screen legend Brandoย may be the most famous and iconic movie actor that ever lived, he may also be the mostย misunderstood. Award winning British film director, producer, editor and writer Stevanย Riley has charted Marlon Brandoโs exceptional career as an actor and his extraordinaryย life away from the stage and screen through exclusive access to his extraordinary unseenย and unheard personal archive. The documentary utilizes hundreds of hours of audioย that Marlon Brando recorded over the course of his life to tell his story, revealing a manย more humane and compelling than anyone could have ever imagined.
Johnnie Walker The Journey, a cultural confluence
While other festivals allow audiences to watch artists perform live, and only that,ย Johnnie Walker The Journey wows audiences with an extraordinary experience. Fansย and enthusiasts get to engage with the performers in an interactive session, bringing toย the fore an engagement of the most candid and informative kind. So when we sayย Johnnie Walker The Journey is truly a one-of-a-kind experience, we mean it.
You absolutely do not want to miss this incredible lineup! Grab your tickets for Johnnieย Walker The Journey here.
