The 10th edition of the great Octoberfest (October 17-19) featured an awesome variety of acts and activities, from live-fusion-hip-hop, progressive rock/metal, to fashion shows and beer games
In no particular order, here’s some of the best that the festival had to offer!
1. Brodha V’s stunning folk-meets-hip-hop act
Hip-hop with rock seems to have fizzled out over the past decade with a huge invasion of EDM, dubstep and other other electronic styles dominating a similar demographic. Brodha V brought it back in style with the bonus element of Indian folk influences. His was one of our favourite performances at the festival.
2. Benny Dayal was the quintessential entertainer
Benny’s spectacular stage presence complemented his vocal prowess in the most amazing manner. His band exhibited great dexterity and panache as they supported the entertaining singer.
3. Bikes to go with the beer
This is a no-brainer. Beer goes well with a lot of things and bikes are especially complementary to the brews. Day two of the Octoberfest hosted a platform for bikers to show off their rides, thus adding a whole lot of character to the event. While bikers appreciated each other’s beasts, the others got a chance to take a peek into the lifestyles of bikers.
4. Mad Orange Fireworks’s kick-ass set
Mad Orange Fireworks bring their quirk to work with hilarious skwits (wit + skit = skwit; plural: skwits) and choreographed dances with super catchy melodies and lyrics. They played many tunes from their debut album as well as previewed a new tune from their upcoming album.
5. The Beer-copter
The beer drone was a highlight for the few people who happened to be around when it was sent off on a flight to take videos with the go-pro camera attached to it and drop cans of beer every now and then for someone to catch it!
6. Exivious’s slick act
This band had chops. Flawless performance and incredible musicality, Exivious proved to be masters of metal-meets-jazz sensibilities.
7. Raghu Dixit Project with Nritrutya
The Raghu Dixit Project and Nritrutya pulled this off with great energy and style, complete with trippy costumes and elaborate choreography. The collaboration between the dancers and the musicians was spellbinding and the act also offered some breathtaking mixed media compositions.
8. The Manganiyar Seduction’s inimitable act
Breathtaking stage set up and powerful folk music performed with varying groups of musicians ensures a huge impact. The Manganiyar Seduction’s performance was very surreal and had the audience captivated.
9. Lucky Ali’s nostalgia-filled tunes
Lucky had the crowd mesmerized with his tunes. There was a certain authority his performance commanded, with his clear cut delivery. The act was a hit among the crowd that sang along most of his songs.
10. Amazing Art and Installations
The venue was decked out with some fun murals and installations created by various artists for each of the areas in and around the three stages. The themes of beer were infused with various genres of art and expression. There was also some amazing installations created out of waste, such as empty beer can towers and castles.
In conclusion, the 10th edition of the great Octoberfest had some wonderful moment, some intense and some lighter vibes. Despite a few hiccups, the event, the participants and the audience had the venue alive with good times right around every corner.