We love music festivals that boast of an inherent idea that makes them individualistic in nature. So, we rounded up the best concept music festivals of the year!
While music festivals are one to aplenty, several of them are aiming for the big guns by offering themes and concepts that stand out dramatically, making them real winners. This year rounded up with some truly one-of-a-kind festivals with themes that weren’t just arty, but also truly immersive, not to mention as diverse from each other as possible.
The Sherp picks the most stellar concept music festivals of 2015!
1. Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
Where: Amsterdam
When: October
Fans of electronic music may find their dream haven at Amsterdam during the Amsterdam Dance Event; a gathering designed for the music producer, promoter, artist manager, upcoming musician and fan, alike. At its heart, the festival is an electronic music conference, as it brings together the most prominent players from the scene in discourse to further the genre in itself, it also makes way for some incredible performances at many of the most incredible venues in the city of Amsterdam. Encouraged exclusively by the Amsterdam Dance Event university, a programme for aspiring music professionals, ADE is an event that is scouted by professionals and enthusiasts from the electronic music industry from around the world, making the city one of the world’s musical hotspots during the 5-day period.
(source: Patrick van Beek | ADE Facebook)
2. Hard Day of the Dead
Where: California, USA
When : October-November
While Halloween calls for major celebration and fancy dress parades around the world, no one quite fuses it with music the way Hard Day of the Dead does. Inspired from the Mexican tradition of ‘Día de Muertos’, where participants dress up and face paint in the most eccentrically creepy manner, Hard Day of the Dead is an electronic music-inspired version of the same. Every year, the festival manages to turn up with quite the festivities, involving artists such as Skrillex, DeadMau5, Flying Lotus and Marshmellow, even as attendees don the most awe-inspiring Halloween makeup there is. For fans of the scary and the bass, this is it.
(Source: Hard Presents Facebook)
3. Sweetlife Festival
Where: Columbia, USA
When: May
You know what’s better than food and music? Food and music, together. East Coast organic food chain Sweetgreen gets this absolutely right with Sweetflife Festival. As a food brand, Sweetgreen has ascended the level of mere provision to a lifestyle that promotes health, sustenance and values farmer relationships.Sweetlife began as a local food festival, armed with indie, underground bands. Over the years it has grown into a full-fledged event, featuring some of the biggest musical acts of the year. In its sixth edition, the festival had Kendrick Lamar, Calvin Harris, Pixies, The Weekend, Billy Idol, Tove Lo, Phantogram, Banks and St. Paul and the Broken Bones. It’s a full-fledged musical affair, with a legitimate food line-up to hoot with.
4. Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
Where: Manipur, India
When: May
There may not be an experience more profound than one spent in the lap of nature, nurturing with it. Where Have All The Flowers Gone? is dedicated to the music and environmental messages of the legendary artist Pete Seeger, and is thus celebrated for three days, culminating on this birthday, the May 3 in the scenic green expanse of Imphal. The artists performing at the festival all have incredibly strong environmental activism leanings. The festival, initiated by singer-songwriter and activist Akhu Chingangbam also collaborated with Jadav Payeng – the man who raised an entire forest all by himself in Assam in 1979.
With climate change spearheading global discussion, Where Have All The Flowers Gone? is a community-involved environment celebrating festival. With the universality that Pete Seeger’s music has always enjoyed, it definitely has the potential to become a groundbreaking event that can be held the world over, bringing back the emphasis on forestation and greenery.
(Source: Where Have All The Flowers Gone? Facebook)
5. Dirtybird Campout
Where: Oak Canyon Park, California
When: October
Ruminative of the scouts who venture into the wild terrain, and self-sustain, the Dirtybird Campout is the music-fueled version of the same, proving to be the most distinctively fun scout experience ever. The DoLab who are now one of the most notorious music collectives in the world, having organised Lightning in a Bottle and curated a stage at Coachella organise the Dirtybird Campout at Oak Canyon Park, California. Calling out camping enthusiasts to participate in activities such as tug-of-war, dodge-ball, boat races, and even a s’mores pit, Dirtybird Campout sought to resurrect your fondest memories of camping and create a completely new experience.
(Source: Dirtybird Campout Facebook)
6. Festival No. 6
Where: Portmeirion, Wales
When: August
Backed by scenic natural beauty, resplendent town architecture, a healthy number of art connoisseurs and fierce dedication to exhibiting the best kind of talent, has made Festival No. 6 one of the finest boutique music gatherings. The perfect destination for backpackers and travellers, Festival No 6 has earned itself more than a few accolades for being intimate, stylish and awe-inspiring. The festival, which brings together the whole town, is also a healthy alternative to over-crowded and hedonistic EDM festivals, with its family-friendly camping areas and activities. In addition to being a boutique festival to reckon with, featuring artists from the families of folk rock, folktronic and techno such as James Blake, The Smiths and Manic Street Preachers have all made Festival No. 6 a truly immersive experience.
(Source: Festival No. 6 website)
7. Envision
Where: Costa Rica
When: February
What could be a better location to host a festival than a beach-side jungle? This Costa Rican festival is all about teaching yourself about environment, community and cultures from all over America. Envision has all the elements of a perfect experience – music, art, culture and communal living on a beach. Among the activities, apart from the music, there’s some amazing stuff to do like drum circles, healing workshops, yoga, permacultures, art and even plant healing. The location sets the whole concept off perfectly. Envision Festival is an event deeply invested in community and social spirit, as it brings people together in a whirlwind of activities surrounding yoga, music and dance, to elevate the mind-body connection. On the pacific coast of Costa Rica, Envision Festival is a stripped down gathering of wellness enthusiasts, as it has the reputation of bringing down world famous yoga teachers.
8. Day For Night
Where: Houston, USA
When: December 19 to 20
While Day for Night is yet to debut this year, all eyes are on the festival that is all set to change the winter music festival landscape. An audio-visual revolution that it promises to be, the festival aims to combine music and digital art in a manner that has never been done before. The incredibly compelling visual that comes to fore when light meets rhythm, where lighting and projections, visuals and grand sets play the perfect backdrop to live music, creating wonderful juxtapositions. With artists like Kendrick Lamar, New Order, Flying Lotus, and Nicolas Jaar all set to perform to the light play, it definitely makes it to this list for its concept!
9. Landmark Music Festival
Where: Washington, USA
When: September
The aging National Mall has been a monumental place for some of the most historical events in America. It is the site where the famous Martin Luther King ‘I have a dream’ speech took place, and also houses the country’s most recognizable monuments, historical buildings built in the memory of various American heroes. But unfortunately, the place hasn’t been renovated for over 40 years.
The Landmark Music Festival has been kick-started to direct attention and possible funds towards the heritage site, by using music as the instrument of togetherness. The Sherp thinks that music festivals act as great tools to support causes of cultural importance, and more and more festivals can rally their support to the preservation of Historical artifacts.
(Source: Landmark Music Festival Facebook)
10. Holy Ship
Where: Miami, USA
When: January / February
There are very few cruise festivals around the world that can match up to the quality of music that Hard Events’ Holy Ship puts together. From signing some of the best names in the electronic music industry to curating beach parties across Miami, Holy Ship is the finest electronic music sailing adventure you can come across. The massive three-night, four-day electronic dance music festival is held aboard a 4,000 people capacity cruise ship, which leaves out of Port Miami in Miami, Florida, and has two sailings a year, one in January and the other in February. The cruise leaves out of Port Miami and travels to Bahamas, making a stop on a private island for an all-night beach party and is thereby a truly unique festival by itself.
(Source: Holy Ship)