Goa to host GOAT festival – an intimate music and arts experience
A cocktail of genre defying acts from across the cosmos bringing interplanetary good vibes to the shores of Goa
The GOAT festival seeks to showcase alternative India through art, design, fashion and gastronomy. The festival is presented by GOAT Music, a London-based music and events agency, founded by Dave Gaydon and Lou Birkett.
Goa’s vibrant festival calendar just got another addition in the form of an intimate and immersive boutique music and arts festival, GOAT, which will take place on the beaches of Ashvem and Morjim in south Goa from January 27.
Dave Gaydon, CEO, GOAT Music said, “After leaving The Roundhouse in the summer of 2015, never would we have imagined being able to present our own festival in Britain, let alone in India. The reception has been so encouraging. We are very grateful to be working in such a progressive and creative landscape.”
The festival will have two stages alongside three alternative performance spaces and DJ booths, and after 10 pm the festival will move to two night-time venues close to the festival grounds.
Major attractions of the festival
To define what the founders call the future of sound, the festival has a line-up of Indian producers and alternative and underground international artists.
Gilles Peterson, the festival’s artiste ambassador, is a music connoisseur who has championed a global music perspective through his radio shows and label. Peterson, who often exchanges roles between being a DJ, broadcaster, producer, compiler and label boss remarked, “I’m delighted to be working with GOAT Music on this exciting venture in this beautiful territory. The music programme promises to be a cross-fusion of cultures and sounds including some artistes which I have had the great pleasure of working with before.”
Along with Peterson, Sarathy Korwar, a US-born, Pune-educated and London-based jazz composer, percussionist and producer, will be joining the festival. Korwar’s debut album ‘Day to Day’ fuses traditional folk music of the Sidi community in India (combining East African, Sufi and Indian influences) with jazz and electronics.
When Secretsundaze founder James Priestley plays at GOAT, a flavour of one of London’s coolest parties will be found on the beaches of Goa.
Joining him will be some new talent like Dope St Jude, a socially conscious rapper from Cape Town alongside New Zealand soul electronic five-piece act Sorceress, London-based Medlar, famous for his funk-infuse strain of house music, and jazz-based duo Yussef Kamaal.
Henry Wu, a rising beat maker on the London scene and one-half of Yussef Kamal will be also making an appearance at the festival.
Janus Rasmussen of the Icelandic duo Kiasmos will present a DJ set as will Berlin-based DJ and house producer Marquis Hawkes. Dutch group blessed with the sound of the Caribbean and tambu drums Kuenta I Tambu will invoke the sounds of the carnival.
India will be represented at the festival by live electronica producer Donn Bhat with his band, Donn Bhat + Passenger Revelator, electronica DJ and producer Sandunes, acid-infused-synthpop producer Aqua Dominatrix, Mumbai-based downtempo producer Kumail and electro-cabaret and disco duo, Madboy Mink.
Other activities
Wellbeing workshops and yoga sessions will be available throughout the day alongside on-site spa therapies. This will also offer a chance of interaction between like-minded people through dance and art workshops, storytelling and pop-up restaurants, which will serve local delicacies using sustainable produce. Water sports will also be available, such as surfing, paddle boarding, kite surfing, wakeboarding and kayaking. One of the other additional add-on activities include volunteering opportunities including beach clean-ups and jungle clearance.
