It is hard to say no when an opportunity such as this presents itself at such a great time. Hitting the beaches of Goa in December and watching some of the most talented geniuses of our time perform – There’s no turning that down. As a result of which, we found ourselves amongst the thousands that thronged to Goa – at the busiest and brightest time of the year. Welcome to the second edition of VH1 Supersonic.Β
Just to see how much work went in to setting up the venue, check out the video of the location (before any work was done) that Nikhil Chinappa posted here
Andβ¦ Hereβs what it ended up looking like.
The time we spent on the beach was mystical. The festival was well organized and everyone attending was well taken care of. It did come with its share of hiccups, but that’s just a matter of perspective. Here are The Sherp’s hits and misses from the second edition of Vh1 Supersonic, Goa:
HitsΒ
1. Parking and Shuttle Service
There was ample parking albeit a little further away from the venue, but there was no worrying about that exhausting long walk, as there were shuttle services taking you there free of charge so you could spend your energy jumping!
2. Separate smoking zoneΒ
Smoke is welcome at festivals as long as itβs coming from those CO2 guns Rohit Barker and Nikhil seemed to have such a great time with. For those with their cancer sticks, they had a designated a fairly large smoking zone. This definitely helped keep the beach clean. As quoted by one of the many cops at the place, βYe fine se government ko bahuth faida huaβ Everybody wins. The beach stays clean, the cops are happy. Here’s the ticket they were issuing at the venue:
Β 3. Iron Heart!
At the very epi-centre of it all was this beauty of a stage. Intricate, massive and fully functional with gears and exquisite clockwork. An absolute big hit, this. We hope it makes a return the following year, bigger and better.
4. Women Power
What really stood out was the DJs asking all the women to step up front, and reiterating that everyone at the festival had to keep a look out and protect each other. Women safety!
Pearl, Maya Jane Coles, Ayesha Premanik, Eli and Fur, Magda β Spectacular sets and special shout outs.
Β 5. MC STRETCH
This voice is still ringing in our heads. His voice to a set had gotten almost as essential as the bass line itself. Brudas and sistas unite!
6. Dash Berlin β the 4 count sway
for the first time ever – Dash Berlin got the crowd to jump 4 steps to the left and 4 steps to the right all while swaying their arms. In unison, it was an amazing sight.
7. Gareth Emery
Nikhil spoke about how Emery has been a great friend of the Indian dance music community. Since Gareth recently announced that he is going to be off touring for the rest of the year, he certainly played a set that we all take along with us.
8. Β Zane WillmansΒ
No, heβs not a DJ. But equally as important to the festival. Youβve heard Nikhil talk about him prior to the fest. Youβve probably even seen him walk around like a Navy Seal. Heβs the man behind all the security – ensuring that things move on nice and safe. Big ups!
(Image Courtesy: Nikhil Chinapa Facebook)
9. VIP enclosure
Most VIP enclosure are side-lined, quite literally. The one near the Iron Heart had a great view and multiple levels. Free booze and food, too! Yay.
10. Nikhilβs Tribute to Pearl
Most of us take it for granted that Nikhil is the face of electronic music in India. But it was heart-warming to see Nikhil take centre stage and attribute all his success to Pearl. We all know the story when Pearl and Nikhil got back from Ibiza and wanted to bring that vibe to India. Step by step, they have ensured that their dreams edge so much closer to reality.
MissesΒ
1. Entrance
A single entrance was alright for the footfall that Supersonic received this year. But if theyβre going to grow, it would be advisable to have multiple entrances just to keep the flow smooth.
2. BartendersΒ
Although there were enough bartenders to cater to all orders, they seemed more into the music and throwing their hands up in the air, than peopleβs drinks in their hands.
3. SoundΒ
There were times when the sound from Spectrum stage and Iron Heart would overlap one another. When Jono closed his set with the acoustic version of On a Good Day, you could hear the bass line from the adjacent Spectrum Stage.
4. FREE WATER?
Itβs important to stay hydrated at festivals. Supersonic advertised on their page about free water at the festival, which was a nice thought. But most of us ended up paying 50 bucks for a bottle at every bar. Maybe there was some lapse in communication regarding this. On a closing note, Supersonic has a lot of promise and hereβs hoping that it becomes one of the largest festivals in Asia. See you next year!
(All Images Courtesy: Vh1 Supersonic Facebook)