The second edition of Boiler Room x Budweiser Discover What’s Brewing… in India was unreal and the Sherp has the lowdown!

From Boiler Room’s inception as a warehouse party in 2004 that was streamed from a webcam to a global audience, the property has come a long way and is, today, widely known for curating the best in underground music worldwide. For their debut gig in India, they joined hands with Budweiser and were received with much enthusiasm and fanfare at antiSOCIAL in Mumbai. After a successful first edition, it only seemed right for the second one to be equally fitting and ‘Boiler Room x Budweiser Discover What’s Brewing…’ did not disappoint us there.

The Build Up

The world’s leading online broadcaster arrived for a second edition, this time in India’s electronic city, on April 7th at The Humming Tree. As Bangalore is home to some exceptional underground electronic music producers, it didn’t take rocket science to figure out which city would, hands down, win the right to host this edition. Also, with Budweiser running the show, we knew top quality content was in store for us once again. It was also going to be the second of a 12-part global event series called ‘Boiler Room x Budweiser Discover What’s Brewing…’ that seeks to tell the story of music scenes around the globe. So, it had to be one to remember.

What resulted was a night of epic proportions that saw international players like Zora Jones b2b Sinjin Hawke and Jlin owning the console alongside local talents Kumail and Aerate Sound. Collaborations were also on the cards, with Bangalore-based choreographer Avril Stormy Unger and rapper Smokey the Ghost working with Jlin and Aerate Sound respectively.

In Anticipation

The event was packed with revellers who were lucky to get their hands on the sought-after invite. This was perfect because we knew we were going to be matching steps with people who shared our taste in music, or had some idea of it. Also, considering the built-up excitement around the event, the venue wasn’t swarmed. We had a positive feeling that we wouldn’t be gasping for breath and could concentrate on the sick beats that were in store for us. It was an intimate setting flooded with high-energy, just as Boiler Room live streams always are and should be.

And The Show Begins…

With the console bang in the centre of the venue, Bangalore-based audio-visual duo Aerate Sound – comprising of Joe Panicker and Naquash V – kicked off the show, playing tracks off their new album ‘Only For External’. A bunch of new tracks from their upcoming EP were also thrown in, and when their collaborator – local rapper Smokey the Ghost – joined them on stage for “Down Baby Down”, the crowd went ballistic.

The world-class production and ambience expected at a Boiler Room gig came to the forefront in full swing when Mumbai-based producer Kumail took over the console to emit some experimental and hip-hop vibes which were infectious and how! With his signature samples, atmospheric synths, and spot-on beats, his set was a mark of perfection.

Next up was a gorgeous set by Barcelona-based duo Zora Jones and Sinjin Hawke, the founders of audio-visual collective Fractal Fantasy. Having collaborated with the biggest artists including Kanye West, L-Vis 1990 and DJ Taye, they owned their place as the show’s headliners, and provided a stunning well-anticipated feast for ears and eyes alike.

And last but not the least, was the performance art collaboration between American footwork producer Jlin and Bangalore-based choreographer Avril Stormy Unger who set the house on fire with her rhythmic, untamed movements that went in sync with the brilliant set by Queen Jlin. The two have been collaborators for nearly two years now, having performed together for the first time at Unsound Festival in Krakow in October 2015, and ever since, have designed every show in sync with the place they are due to perform at.

All In All

We can safely say that the second edition of Boiler Room x Budweiser Discover What’s Brewing… has left Bangaloreans nursing a renewed respect for electronic music, especially in this format. We even ran into Oceantied a.k.a. Ketan Bahirat, who got his chance to woo the audience at the first edition. As he rightly put it, the music in both cities was so diverse but unique thanks to the programming and curation.

With Boiler Room x Budweiser Discover What’s Brewing…, local artists have received the rare opportunity to showcase their music to a global audience while audiences here are exposed to music that isn’t mainstream. Not to mention, watch renowned international artists live in action on our home turf. With two big brands like Budweiser and Boiler Room joining hands, we can say, with conviction, that this is just the beginning of an underground movement unlike any other.

Here’s hoping for more Boiler Room editions in the city very, very soon!

(Review Courtesy: Rohini Kejriwal)

(Edited by: Natasha Nair)

(Images Courtesy – Boiler Room & Budweiser)