[newsheader]

Conceptualising Storm

Storm Festival, renowned for its organic sensibilities and responsible camping experiences, is back. Now in its third edition, it will not be held at the usual haunt, Stormfields, Coorg. The new venue has been moved from the pristine fields to a venue closer to the busy and bustling Bangalore. soundplunge_test gets personal with the festival directors to find out reasons behind their extra added day and stage, the shift closer to a metropolitan city and the future of the festival scene in India.

Sachin Bopanna: Music is a religion. It’s meant to be enjoyed, not dragged into politics and competition

Filterheadz, who will be playing at Storm Festival

Lavin and Sachin, festival directors and the brains behind the Storm Festival, conceptualised the event and brought out its first edition in 2012. Held at the pristine ‘Stormfields’ in Coorg, the camping experience truly makes the festival a unique and inspiring experience. Amidst the lush serenity of nature, the fest emphasises on due respect to the environment and a strict no-drugs policy. Beginning with two stages and then moving up to three in 2013, the upcoming version will see a total of five stages playing host to artists from across the country and world.  We got chatting with Lavin and Sachin about the latest edition, messages of social responsibility and the camping experience.

soundplunge_test: The original concept of the DJ platform has now been stretched into a multi-genre, barrier breaking form of musical cohesion via the festival. How far do you feel your concept has panned out in action so far?

Sachin Bopanna: It’s panned out exactly as planned. Storm is a natural, peaceful, music festival. Camping and late night jams that break the barrier between genres, artistes and music lovers coupled with a beautiful natural environment…what else does one want?

Old Storm Festival campsite

soundplunge_test: What is the message that you have hoped to achieve via the festival taking place in green and natural areas? How well do you feel the ‘camping out’ music experience has been received?

Lavin Uthappa: Camping has been well received despite being in its nascent stages in India. The message is to respect and be a part of nature. To wake up to the chirping of birds makes you appreciate what we don’t get in the concrete jungles that we live in.

soundplunge_test: How effective do you feel Storm has been over the years promoting its anti-plastic campaign?

Lavin and Sachin: We practice what we preach. We try and keep the festival as plastic free as possible. Whatever minimum usage of plastic (if at all) is involved is either recyclable or re-usable and environment friendly.

Eddie Halliwell will be playing Storm Festival 2014

soundplunge_test: An extra stage and an extra day added. Tell us a little about the concept behind the new Plug N Play stage, and also the reason to shift into a three-day format.

Lavin: People loved the two day edition so we thought ‘why not give Stormers another night of their favourite festival’. Titled Namma Bengaluru- the Plug N Play stage is to promote the winners of Voice of Storm and the local talent from Bangalore.

soundplunge_test: Why the change in venue, and is it more convenient to organise being closer to a metro city? Is this going to be the permanent new residence of Stormfields?

Lavin: Storm was always envisioned to be a travelling festival. While Coorg indeed is the birthplace of Storm, our new venue is close to Bangalore city to make the festival more accessible. But Coorg is not out of the Storm map and will see another edition of Storm in the future; we’ll move with time to newer places, but will always go back to places that we love.

With this recently upcoming trend of large scale national music festivals, Storm’s message  of spreading social awareness, love and respect for the environment, minimizing usage of plastic as well as discouraging consumption of drugs, through renowned musicians via the medium of music has gained widespread approval. As Lavin puts it, ‘‘Storm has been acknowledged as a trend setter; be it the element of a refreshing destination or being India’s largest and most authentic camp-out music festival. In all modesty, we have a few things unique to just this festival, from our special collaborations, our selection of artists, to camping, to late night jams – where stars young and old, new and established and music lovers come together against the backdrop of nature…’’

Lavin Uthappa, Festival Director, Storm Festival and Managing Director, Liquidspace Entertainment and Sachin Bopanna, Festival Director, Storm Festival and Director, Liquidspace Entertainment will be holding the third edition of Storm Festival on 31Jan 2014- 2 Feb 2014.

[newsfooter]