As the sun sets on another year, the sandy beaches of Goa turn into a paradise of dancing feet and rhythmic beats. Sunburn 2011, well into its fifth year, will entrance fans with its three-day electronic music fiesta.
With more than 150 artists featuring global talent such as Pete Tong, Shaan, Laughing Buddha and Avicii. Shailendra Singh, who was the brain behind this event, says, “We have live stages and experimental stages. Sunburn is ‘Dance Music’. Hence if I can say it, dance music has no language other than the language of just pure music. Sunburn started with and shall always cater to this genre but we are expanding it further and pushing the boundaries,” he says.
Apart from the world of electronic music, the festival will also host live performances this year. “So far, Sunburn has played host to DJs from across the world as well as live performers fusing with DJs. We are looking at widening our target audience this year and extending an arm to all the dedicated live music listeners. Live performances are an extension and amplification of the musical experience,” says Shilendra.
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So, live mixing, synths and flashing lights: with an ever-expanding base of fans, the Sunburn festival hopes to draw more than 80,000 people to Goa. “India had only witnessed Psychedelic music which is synonymous to rave parties from the past, especially happening in Goa as it has been the hub for this genre. Today, the dance space has widened and grown with Sunburn. When we first started, there must have been barely 100,000 dedicated purists; now we have more than a couple of million Sunburn fans alone,” he explains
The festival will be held in Candolim, where it was born and continues to grow. “This year, we are also holding mini-festivals in different cities including Pune, Delhi and Mumbai. We will also hold mini-Sunburn festivals in the beginning of next year; two day festivals all over the country. Apart from this, we are also in talks in a few different countries to take Sunburn international.”
“Sunburn is much more than a music festival. It's an experience,” adds Shailendra, “And this year, the experience is 3 times bigger than last year. It's our fifth year celebration, after all. When you come to Sunburn, our motto is, ‘Be Who You Want to Be’. Flea market, interactive creative space with art and artists, a rock climbing wall, a bicycle take-and-return racks to travel around Candolim, library, chill out lounge; there is a lot more to do than just music. We are also introducing the ‘Leave No Trace’ initiative this year, where 40 volunteers take efforts to leave the festival venue exactly how they found it.”
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