Averting Supersonic, Sunburn clash? Great idea, say music lovers

Two of the biggest music festivals of the country -- Vh1 Supersonic 2015 and Sunburn music festival 2015 - have a date clash every year. This may change starting 2016, and Indian talent, international artistes and residents of Goa have given a thumbs up to the idea, which they feel will be a bonanza for music lovers.

Several reports last week had suggested that the Goa government has decided to not allow Supersonic and Sunburn electronic dance music (EDM) festival, which is held at Candolim and Vagator respectively, during the peak season -- December 15 to January 15. The step is said to be a possible way to smoothen the traffic congestion and to improve security in the state.

There were also reports over Islamic State (IS) attack scare at the EDM fests here this year, though the state government denied any threat by a terror outfit.

Organising Sunburn and Supersonic -- both of which attract international artistes and music fans from across the world -- on different dates makes sense, says DJ Vachan Chinnappa.

"There is too much traffic, over-congestion... Two different time frames could work," Vachan Chinnappa told IANS on the sidelines of the third edition of Vh1 Supersonic 2015 here.

DJ Tuhin Mehta said music lovers get torn between the two galas, and shifting the dates could also mean "double money".

The four-day-festivals, held from December 27-30, ended on Wednesday.

Vh1 Supersonic, conceptualised by popular DJ Nikhil Chinapa and Live Viacom 18, celebrated its three years of existence this year, and Sunburn, incepted by Shailendra Singh, completed its ninth edition.

The fests have earned a reputation of being livewire pre-New Year's party. However, the residents of Goa rue traffic glitches and crowded areas.

Raj Sheikh, who hails from Goa and runs a cab, says he hopes dates of the fests are changed because crowd gets divided. In fact, sometimes fans can't decide which one to attend and which one to skip.

In the same vien, Jade Finan, who came from England to attend Sunburn but reached Supersonic by mistake, feels having separate dates will be a good idea.

"The crowd won't have two places to go. Music lovers won't be split between the two, and won't have to take a tough decision over which one to go to," Finan said.

While traffic and other problems are logical, but there is a political angle to it as well.

A police officer said on condition of anonymity: "Elections to state assembly will be held in December next year and that is why the plan to postpone or prepone the fest".

The officer added that there also are problems with traffic handling and parking, and hence two fests on different timings can work.

Netsky, a foreign artist, told IANS that holding the fest in two parts of the year will be a fine decision.

Jaideep Singh, senior executive vice president and business head - LIVE Viacom18, said it's early for him to say anything as they have not had any formal discussions with the government.

But Aneesh Gera, who has travelled from his humble beginning in Goa to Britain, has a different viewpoint.

"It would be a loss for fans as it has became a custom for the whole country, and part of the world to come down to Goa at this time of the year. So if we take away the two biggest things that are happening, then it will be a mistake."

"The weather is best during this time of the year, people come here anyway due to holiday vacations, so why would you tarnish that," Gera said.

(The writer's trip is at the invitation of Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in)