Donned in white, Hyderabad had their senses blown off with a massive second edition of the Sensation Festival at Gachibowli Stadium, on 27th October, 2018.
It is plausible to say that few festivals get us as excited as the idea of Sensation does. Thousands of people dressed in white, spread about as ground witnesses to a massive, enticing stage, with a lineup of the hottest talents blaring their tunes paired with the mesmerising visuals, pyrotechnics, and stage antics – what’s not to love about such a paradise. Budweiser Experiences X Sensation RISE 2018 was nothing short of this paradise and has quite possibly set a good standard for other music festivals to beat this year.
Getting There
Come 27 October, and the Sherp was all set for a quick flight down to Hyderabad in the morning. Touching down at 12:40pm to gorgeous weather and a beautiful city, the Sensation-al journey was only beginning when the Sherp was warmly welcomed by hosts, Budweiser Experiences at arrival.
No stone was left unturned, as Budweiser Experiences ensured absolute attention to detail in making this a mind-blowing experience, as was evident when we arrived at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel which was transformed into the Bud Hotel. From the larger than life Budweiser typeface outdoor display, to the uber-cool lobby cum experiential zone, and a music video worthy reception desk, the initial wave of euphoria and excitement definitely had us excited for the evening at Sensation RISE 2018.
Check out the absolutely amazing hotel room welcome that the Sherp had – a dream come true for anyone hooked to goodies and the finer life.
Music Credits: Rockstar by Post Malone
Bud & Burgers Lunch
The Budweiser & Burgers luncheon was a relaxed experience and one that had all our senses engaged as our taste buds were on overdrive, courtesy Chef Rohan D’Souza. Trust us when we say that there’s no better pairing than Buds & Burgers. Add to that a phenomenal DJ, the likes of DJ Tasneem, and you might as well call it heaven. Fueled by the delicious grub and music, it was now time for some light rest and preparations for the experience that was to come in the evening.
Schedule below:
The Venue
The Sherp entered the grounds of Gachibowli Stadium at 6:45pm to the din of excited fans, and the lull of music. As we entered the venue, it was almost criminal to not stop and gaze at the massive stage before us. Overpowering in its art appeal, size, and artist lineup, fans would marvel at the grand stage all through the night.
The crowd was scarce at the start but started pouring in as the acts progressed. All clad in white, Hyderabad turned up for a good time, and were ensured one. The venue was spread out to utilise the space of the entire stadium. Fans with GA passes were also ensured a good view of the stage and the artists.
Stadium toilets and porta systems were set up. A number of cleaning volunteers moved around the venue to ensure all waste found their way to the nearest bin, thus ensuring a clean and friendly concert.
Food stalls were placed around the boundary zone, offering up kathi rolls, biryanis, pizzas, and more, to satiate any foodie’s hunger pangs.
An LDA verification band was required to be able to purchase alcohol, at the multiple bar setups at the venue. The cool weather was a welcome change and made for a perfectly great night to be sipping on a Budweiser while dancing along to the phenomenal acts that kept surprising the crowd with some great beats.
The Budweiser Maze
A key attraction and a visually stunning experience zone, the Budweiser Maze was a hub for everyone from influencers to attendees, to get insta-worthy pictures clicked and also load up on a bunch of Budweiser Experience X Sensation RISE branded merchandise.
The Music
Owing to traffic and delays in entry, the Sherp had entered the arena only just in time to catch the closing bits of Mr. White. However, the energy could be felt as soon as one stepped into the grounds which was testament to the great acts put up by WHOISJODY and Mr. White. Sam Feldt had the crowd up and dancing to instantly recognizable commercial hits and set the pace for a good night of music.
As Sander Van Doorn took to the stage, the crowd was almost at its peak capacity for the night and had a lot of anticipation for the Dutch DJ. What followed was quite possibly one of the Sherp’s most memorable performances as Sander belted out a killer set of his chart-toppers, and even went on to sample music from his alter-alias, Purple Haze. His act had the crowd punching through the air and geared up for the later acts.
Robin Schulz and Nicky Romero followed up with equally energizing acts and even had the crowd crooning to popular commercial numbers. The soaring uproar was signal enough for the next act, which was Mumbai’s own Bass Raja, and Indian Dance Music sensation, Nucleya. Kicking off in typical style the old-school Bollywood meets hip-hop meets electronic beats, sent the crowd into a dance frenzy that lasted for almost as long as the duration of his set. Brilliant fireworks lit up the sky and lazers reached out to touch every person and object that was witness to the magical spectacle that was Sensation RISE 2018.
As the closing act winded down, and the last echo had ceased, it was time to keep the memories of a moving experience and bid adieu until next time to Sensation RISE 2018. The party however wasn’t over as we had a lot more in store at the Budweiser After Party which was held at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel itself. The most enthusiastic lot powered through all the weariness to join WHOISJODY and Sander Van Doorn at the after party, which thumped on till the wee hours.
After an experience that if you blinked you would miss something brilliant, the Sherp had to make his way back to home base, with a heavy heart, but a million memories.
Commenting on the association with Sensation, Kartikeya Sharma, VP Marketing– India, AB InBev said, “It was a surreal feeling watching thousands of fans unite at one place, one time, to revel in the euphoric energy of music. At Budweiser, our association with Sensation for its second edition in India only reaffirms our intent of going above and beyond to nurture music culture in India. We are excited to carry on this thrilling journey, as we continue to introduce India to world-class music experiences.”
Budweiser Experiences presents Sensation RISE 2018 gave a good feel for the massive troves of music that’s lined up for the 2018-2019 festival season, and it couldn’t have kicked off with a better start.
For all those who were there, you’ll know what we’re talking about. Until next time Sensation.
The Sherp’s rating of Budweiser Experiences X Sensation RISE 2018: 9/10
Media & Partnership Info:
- Event Organisers – Highbrow and Air Live
- Event Executed by – Percept Live
- Bar handled by – Bar Solutions LLP
- Ticketing Partner – BookMyShow
- Public Relations – MSL
- Digital Partner – Digitas India
- Digital Influencers – Sonali Malhotra, Bhavya Monga, Sarang Patil, Natasha Shrotri, Jatinn Jay, Karron S Dhinggra, Deepa Maben, Divya Maben, Himanshi Goel, Dimpi Sanghvi, Asif Bin Moidutty, Rohit/Shalini Chopra, Aishwarya Sharma