This edition drew in so much more than just our imagination.
With a location as beautiful as an actual palace (The Alsisar Mahal) in the desert state of Rajasthan, Magnetic Fields Festival lived up to every possible expectation one could have over three days of celebrations, right from the 9th to the 11th of December. The festival also recorded it’s largest attendee count – with 3,000 excited music and art lovers making their way to the venue this year!
Attendees were rewarded with magnificent performances from a wide range of artists like Burudu, who went all out at the South Stage to BFR Sound System, who brought the party to the Desert Disco Oasis. The Red Bull Music Academy Stage showcased incredible talents like Matias Aguayo, Oceantied, Pinch, Dorian Concept, Helena Hauff, Roman Flügel and Floating Points.
Credits: instagram.com/tbonestakez
The highlight of the festival, though, was the sunset performance by the Manganiyars, the folk musician group who melodiously sang about Hindu deities. It was absolutely hypnotic! There was also a special performance by artists who were handpicked by The Piano Man Jazz Club’s Arjun Sagar Gupta for a two night performance at the palace dungeon that was converted into a smoky jazz bar. The secret after parties were even better with Call Super playing at the Resident Advisor party while the Desert Oasis came alive with sets by Manare and Azamat and BFR Soundsystem featuring Delhi Sultanate and Begum X.
(Credits: Polina Schapova)
The visuals at the festival were top notch as usual with stunning art installations by artists from the Vaayu Vision Collective and Shilo Shiv Suleman’s “Pulse and Boom”. This year also had the addition of Magnetic Words and storytelling sessions that featured historian William Dalrymple, comic writer Radhika Vaz and journalist Raghu Karnad. Festival goers had the chance to go through a sensory experience with workshops, yoga sessions and stargazing sessions on the palace rooftop.
(Credits: Rebecca Conway)
We can’t wait for the festival to return next year to see what else they can lure us with.