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Bali Buzz: Ultra Beach Bali
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ULTRA BEACH BALI 2016SUPERSTAR DJS AND VIVACIOUS FESTIVALGOERS MAKE A CASE FOR A BORDERLESS WORLD UNITED BY MUSICIt was barely 7 p
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ULTRA BEACH BALI 2016
SUPERSTAR DJS AND VIVACIOUS FESTIVALGOERS MAKE A CASE FOR A BORDERLESS WORLD UNITED BY MUSIC
It was barely 7 p.m. in the evening and the fading glow of the sunset was still illuminating the farthest part of Seminyak Beach in Bali, yet thousands of people, Westerners and Indonesians alike, had already crowded into the open arena of Potato Head Beach Club, jumping and dancing to the buoyant set of tropical house tunes crafted by Australian DJ Thomas Jack.
The theatrical performance of music, lighting and atmospheric and flame effects working in unison left spectators with no choice but to enjoy themselves.
It was a strong start for the two-day Ultra Beach Bali electronic music festival, which ran from Sept. 15 to 16. The premier annual international music festival is being held in more than 20 cities across the globe throughout 2016.
Naturally, Ultra Beach Bali was headlined by royalty of the electronic dance music kingdom, including Afrojack, deadmau5, Dubfire, and the kingdom’s crown prince: 20-year-old Dutch DJ and producer Martin Garrix.
In a supporting, but no less energetic role were Anna, Galantis, Gryffin, Jauz, Marshmello, Matador, Nic Fanciulli, Nicole Moudaber, Reboot, Technasia and Thomas Jack.
These 15 artists represent nearly all imaginable genres in the electronic dance music landscape.
Thomas Jack left the stage and Marshmello entered the stage spectacularly with his signature full-head marshmallow helmet. It took him only a few seconds to bring the crowd back to life with his synthesizer and bass-heavy remix.
It was very clear, however, that the first night of the festival belonged to Dutch DJ and record producer Afrojack. For more than 60 minutes, he mesmerized the audience with scores of thrilling tunes, which included his own number “Ten Feet Tall”, KIIDA’s “Balangala”, Larry Tee & Roxy Cottontail’s “Let’s Make Nasty”, Rihanna & Drake’s “Work”, Garmiani’s “Bomb A Drop” and Major Lazer’s “Cold Water”.
The way festival-goers danced and screamed throughout Afrojack’s powerful performance, even after heavy rain battered the arena, was a testament to his musical mastery.
Yet, it was the way the festival-goers treated each other during the concert that clearly showed that Ultra is more than just a celebration of music.
Using handheld-fans, three young and vibrant New Yorkers spent most of the night dancing and helping the other spectators escape, albeit temporarily, the suffocating humidity of the night.
“It’s not about me, it’s about you guys. Be good,” one of them said, frantically waving the fans.
This spirit of generosity and friendship could be seen all over the arena, from a crowd offering help to a drunken stranger to a massive bloke who smilingly lent his Indian chief headgear to a curious Jakartan.
It was a truly remarkable sight, seeing thousands of people, some proudly waving the flags of their countries of origin, gathered at a single place acknowledging their kinship.
“No matter what your skin color is, what your creed is, or which country you came from, we are united under music, we are Ultra nation,” the announcer and some of the performers declared that message repeatedly.
The number of spectators swelled significantly on the second night, obviously in anticipation of Martin Garrix’s performance.
Garrix’s set was a dazzling pop-EDM (electronic dance music) selection, featuring recent singles showcasing his transition toward more traditionally-structured vocal songs. It included stunning pieces such as AREA21’s “Spaceships”, Designer’s “Panda”, Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness”, as well as his own “Wizard”, “Helicopter” and the highly popular “Animals”.
Currently ranked 3rd in the world by DJ Mag, Garrix signed to legendary dance music label Spinnin’ Records as a manager-less teenager, creating his breakthrough 2013 hit ‘Animals’ from his bedroom while in his first year studying music production at the Herman Brood Academie.
After splitting with Spinnin’ last year over a rights dispute, Garrix started his own label STMPD Records. Pronounced ‘stamped’, Garrix possibly drew inspiration from his father, who owns an auction company specializing in stamps. With his own label, he said, he wanted to promote new artists.
“I’m going to use my platform, my network, my reach, to push new talent into the world. There’s so much great music out there I want the people to hear but which isn’t famous yet, isn’t on the Spotify top list,” Garrix said before the show.
