Did somebody say alcohol?
Music festivals have become quite the rage in India. Starting October, fresh off the long monsoon showers, a host of festivals line-up for the best slots and locations, gearing up for their season that goes well into February. While a few return to power up another edition, several new ones vie for a coveted spot in the season, and try to lure festival goers with an artist line-up they wouldn’t want to miss.
For festival goers, there is nothing like standing right up at the front of the stage, vibing off the performing artist’s energy. While some find it relatively easy to keep their energy levels at 100% for the 7-8 hour duration of the festival, there are many who require a quick fix to put them back into their happy place. And this is where alcohol comes in.
It’s hard to imagine a festival without alcohol really. Since the times of yore, alcohol has played an important role in merry making, and music festivals are all about making merry. Without that plastic cup of your favourite spirit in one hand while wildly flaying the other to the infectious music beats, it would all seem incomplete. No offence to teetotallers here, but there is a special relationship between alcohol and music.
And here is a company that makes sure you get your fix at almost every festival in India. They go by the name of Bar Solutions.
Funny, you must be thinking, that the name ‘Bar Solutions’ never caught your eye at the festival. That is because these mixing masters do not believe in branding themselves and making a big noise of the work they do. They believe their professionalism works for itself, and rightly so. There hasn’t been a festival or concert in recent past that didn’t turn to Bar Solutions for their bar needs.
Established in 2005 by founders Vijaypal Rawat (Director) and Kishore Thapar (Director), this beverage catering and bar consultancy company was born out of the need to cater to the professional bartending requirement of the industry. They recognised that, while there did exist a few on-premise/party/event bartending services in the country, most fell short on expectations. Today, after more around 12 years in the business, Bar Solutions can boast of providing top-notch services in bar designing, menu designing, training and recruitment for various segments of the hospitality industry, and so much more. With Pranav Thakkar (Events Head) spearheading the core team, Bar Solutions has never failed to deliver, making them a favourite among the big guns in the festival and live entertainment business.
By proving their dependability, they have been able to whip up the right stuff for their clients, even at the shortest of notices. Right from the alcohol to all the accessories that go with it, they have never fallen short. Even if such a situation arises, they always make up for it in time. It’s not easy to micro-manage an array of services like the ones they undertake, but Bar Solutions has always delivered, and with style. Right from pre & post event services, to personalised menus, to designing signature cocktails, to providing equipment crafted for theme-based events; these guys guarantee to have it all ready and rearing to go.
And, what more, they have the big guns of the festival industry vouching for them.
Mr. Devraj Sanyal
Devraj Sanyal, Managing Director & CEO, Universal Music Group South Asia, EMI Music South Asia, Enchanted Valley Carnival, says, “Bar Solutions is the kind of company I wanted to be at during the start of my career – straight up, direct, hardworking and honest to the point. Even though I have people to do the kind of work they are doing, I love working with them because of the person Pranav is and the relationship management skills he possesses. It’s like he has a mini army of himself managing different operations with the same ease and élan. I always have, and will continue to only work with Pranav and his team at Bar Solutions.”
Mr. Ajay Nair
Ajay Nair, Director at Only Much Louder (OML) Entertainment Private Limited, says “It’s been fantastic to work with the Bar Solutions team across our festivals and events, including Bacardi NH7 Weekender, EDC and Invasion. The team is professional, committed and ensures that the experience for the fans coming to our festivals is smooth. Their service, to our fans, has been an important part of our overall festival experience.”
Mr. Sameet Sharma
“Bar management at festivals and concerts can make or break the show. Bar revenues add up to a significant number and it’s critical to avoid any pilferage. Bar Solutions have always maintained a high standard of service with minimum time taken at the bar, which has led to enhanced customer experience at our gigs. In fact, our auditors have rated them as an agency that ensures close to 0% pilferage,” says Sameet Sharma, VP – Live Viacom 18 & Business Head – Music IP’s.
Mr. V. G. Jairam
“In my experience of having worked with the Bar Solutions team for almost a decade, I can say, without doubt, that there is no better team than them. They are not only reliable, but also very proactive in suggestions to improve on our bar offerings and experiences. But, most importantly, they execute in style and make it look effortless,” adds V. G. Jairam, Co-Founder, Fountainhead & Oranjuice Entertainment.
Mr. Deepak Choudhary
Deepak Choudhary, Founder & Director, Event Capital, says, “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with the Bar Solutions team. We’ve worked together on both editions of the first season of the Bollywood Music Project, and I promise you that this team is the best in the business. They are extremely professional and reliable. They have set benchmarks for us and we are looking forward to working with them in the future.”
Apart from their exclusive offerings and timely executions, there is something else that greatly contributes to their trust factor, and that is the people they employ to take over bar duties at events. These guys and gals are none other than graduates from the institution that have been painstakingly trained at – ‘Cocktails and Dreams’, an institute of bar and beverage management.
‘Cocktails and Dreams’ was built from the need to impart the right training to the future crop of bartenders. Every year, fresh graduates find employment in different sectors around the world and make a living for themselves, while also proudly carrying the Bar Solutions tag along with them. Graduates make time to participate in competitions and events, winning laurels for both themselves and the institution. And what more, they are not just trained to concoct some of the most intoxicatingly delicious cocktails, but are also groomed to have a good relationship with the guest; the goal being to leave a lasting impression of service excellence on everyone attending the event. The bartending services that can be availed with Bar Solutions and Cocktails and Dreams, include performance bartending, flair and show bartending, cocktail bartenders and foreign bartenders.
Right from large-scale festivals and events to an intimate gathering at home, Bar Solutions has the answer to all your bar needs.
So, are you already on your way to planning an epic party? You know who to call.
Contact:
Bar Solutions: 8, 3rd Floor Shiv Shakti Building, 4th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai – 400052
Mobile Number: +(91)-9920200999
E-mail: info@ahta.in
Check out their Facebook page here.