The Sherp speaks to Nikhil Chinapa about his involvement ย in the Amsterdam Dance Event, this year.
Sherp: When did you first hear aboutย ADEย and when did you first attend the event?
Nikhil Chinapa: I was invited as a part of a delegation from India on a focus panel on this country and the music market here. This was 3 years ago.
Sherp: As a member ofย (AFEM), is there something special you will be doing atย ADE?
NC: We have a board meeting and Iโve also been asked to be on a panel discussion atย ADE.ย The aim of the panel is to identify the issues facing Electronic Music as a business at the moment and how we can collectively (as an association) tackle them.
Sherp: What have you brought back here from your previous experiences atย ADEย ?
NC: Thereโs a phenomenal buzz around music at everyย ADEย event. I try and catch artists that I havenโt heard before and also close some projects for India for the next 6 โ 8 months. Last year atย ADE, weโd confirmed Richie Hawtinโs first India tour as well as Arminโs ASOT600 for Mumbai.
Sherp: ADEย is a five day long event, what is your favourite part of it? Why is it important for promoters like you to attendย ADEย ?
NC: The music is, of course. The least favorite part is meetings in the mornings after weโve been at parties tillย 6 am! ย Itโs important for promoters to attend ADE, just so they can get a feel of where the music is at. There are also some fantastic panel discussions that happen that are very informative and give you insights into the working of the music industry at a global level. Itโs also important to attend the showcase events and spot who the โnext big thingโ is going to be.
Sherp: Do you think there is scope for something likeย ADEย in India?
NC: Absolutely! Thereโs a need for an effective music forum for electronic music that covers the south-east Asia and Australia regions. However, this needs to be curated thoughtfully, with music as its focus and should not (as weโve seen sometimes) be a brand building exercise.