We visited this year’s edition of the Enchanted Valley Carnival, this past weekend. The multi genre fest and camping festival saw a gamut of campers revel in the fun with artists such as Alan Walker, Flo Rida, Farhan Akhtar, Blasterjaxx and many more.
Here are the 10 things we learned.
1. Bollywood dance music is set for a big 2017
What is Bollywood dance music?
Bollywood dance music or BDM as it’s referred to, is a fusion of Bollywood elements fused together with electronic sounds. 2016 has been some sort of a launch phase for Bollywood dance music with a lot of artists (KSHMR, Lost Stories etc.) experimenting with this fusion. Considering there were fans who adhere to electronic music, pop and Bollywood present at the festival, this seemed the perfect opportunity for BDM and boy was it well-received. Seems like it can be an important focus area for EDM festivals in India next year, in order to further maximize their audience, while ensuring that there’s some sort of a tie-back to electronic music.
2. EVC is truly more than just music
Chances are that you might have come across communication which portrays Enchanted Valley Carnival as one of those festivals that has a lot to offer other than just music ie. camping, adventure sports etc.
And having attended EVC 2016 this past weekend, we can safely say that it lived up to all the expectations. It was really refreshing to see the crowd explore all the various activities on offer. The Quad Bike and Bungee Jumping turned out to be a big crowd-pleaser with a majority of visitors trying their thrill out with the sport.
3. Deniz Koyu AKA KO:YU is back!
If you have followed Deniz Koyu throughout his career, you may have noticed the highly successful period between 2012-2015 enjoyed by the Turkish/German DJ. He seemed to be at the peak of his career with hits after hits filling up his discography. Hence, it was all the more surprising to see 2016 be some sort of a lull period for Deniz. Fans have been raising concerns with respect to the career direction that Deniz Koyu seemed to be headed for.
However, he banished all doubts with his performance at the Enchanted Valley Carnival, especially more so with the delay for Alan Walker’s set. Fans were treated to over 2 hours of the sounds that made us fall in love with his music, in the first place. Even the energy he showcased behind the decks was infectious as the crowd seemed to jump at his every command.
4. Alan Walker’s debut was sensational, despite a delay of 90 minutes!
This was Alan Walker’s debut on the Indian shores and frankly, that itself was a reason for the high anticipation on the day of his set. What ensued probably added to it! Due to unforeseen circumstances, Alan (previously scheduled to play at 8:30 pm) ended up playing at around 10 pm!
However, Alan more than made up for it with his set which was bomb, to say the least. The Norwegian artist got the crowd grooving to his hit tracks ‘Faded’ ‘Sing Me To Sleep’ and newly released track ‘Alone’. Fans went crazy when Indian DJ/Production duo, Lost Stories joined him on stage for a surprise guest performance (played their remix of ‘Faded’).
Needless to say that Alan Walker’s debut was worth the long wait. We managed to capture his intro, watch it below.
5. India can’t ‘Tech-No’ for an answer!
The AKVA stage played host to some of the best Techno artists and the vibes that were felt throughout the two days were a testament to their DJing abilities and the crowd enthusiasm it ensued. While the artist lineup (likes of Juliet Sikora, Chris Liebing, Hot Since 82 & more) was responsible for driving the crowd crazy, the energy showcased by the fans was equally responsible for the brilliant vibe that was set during the two days. Yes, India loves techno and that’s great news.
6. A tale of two temperatures
Aamby Valley City, home to Enchanted Valley Carnival is known to get really chilly during the winter season. What’s surprising is that while the nights used to get really cold and nippy, the mornings were blazed with hot sun! For those of us who stayed in regular tents at the campsite, mornings felt as if we were inside a microwave. Only good thing about that was that we didn’t need an alarm clock to get up early!
7. The party never stops!
Considering Enchanted Valley Carnival is primarily a outdoor festival, sets were scheduled to get over by 10 pm. The excitement just did not stop here. With so much on offer, there was no reason for fans to retire early and call it a night. There were three after parties including a silent Party by the campsite for every kind of music lover. There was also a bonfire where people could sit around and have a singing session. It was brilliant!
8. Cashless system is the way to go
With demonetization recently employed by the Indian government, cash in hand was always going to be an issue at EVC 2016. EVC’s cashless system worked seamlessly and was a treat, for campers who planned on enjoying the 24 hr food and beverage services provided at the Culinarium. Maybe, we will see this feature being implemented by more festivals next year.
9. Culinarium – Food fiesta!
The Culinarium, a section of the venue dedicated to all the food stalls featured multiple cuisines from across the globe. There was something for every foodie!
10. Enchanted Valley Carnival is for everybody
After all, a tribe is filled with people who have different tastes, interests and likes/dislikes. EVC’s multi-genre (in every sense be it music, food or adventure/sports activities) approach ensured that there’s something for every member of the tribe, so that everyone can have a good time.
With 2017 set to witness the 5th edition of the Enchanted Valley Carnival, it will be interesting to see how the organizers plan to top this year’s edition.
