BENGALURU: At a time music festivals are popping up and disappearing at the same pace, travelling dance music showcase RESET is all set to come back to the city for its second edition.
RESET, the brainchild of artist management and booking agency UnMute and events company Phoenix, does not like to categorise as just a music festival. It aims to put fresh homegrown talent up on the stage and at the same time, gives visitors a taste of music that is unique and falls outside the oeuvre of electronic dance music (EDM). It looks to create an atmosphere that represents underground music at its best.
Apart from big guns like Arjun Vagale, Kohra, BLOT! and Pearl, the show, which will be held at Hotel Royal Orchid on Saturday, will also feature young Bengaluru-based musicians and producers.
Last year, fans were treated to musical experiences varying from warehouse-style parties to open-air soirees, complete with a Funktion One sound system and specially designed visual and light setups. “That was the first season of RESET, and with that came a lot of learning. This year, we are taking things up several notches. For Bengaluru, we have a new format with both outdoor and indoor parties. Apart from the stellar production, we also have a massive line-up that is way stronger than the one last year,” said Vagale, the country’s premier techno DJ who is also a partner at UnMute.
On the matter of curating the artist line-up, he said RESET was always meant to be a showcase for homegrown talent. “Curating the line-up is always tricky as there has to be a balance of seasoned professionals and emerging artists. I think we have managed to cover that well. We also run a DJ competition to try and find fresh acts that people may not have heard of before. It is important for us to give the next generation a platform to showcase their sounds,” he said.
Among the artists to look forward to at RESET are producer and DJ Jitter, seasoned performer and selector Murthovic, the Oozeundat duo who have been pushing the techno music envelope in Pune, Delhi-based producer and DJ SHFT_, Bengaluru’s own Praveen Achary, city-based techno duo Shash and Chaz and young local producer The Sine Painter.
According to Vagale, underground music is “deep, intelligent and evolving”. He believes it is quickly gaining popularity in India. “The enthusiasm of the crowd, the artists, promoters — everyone involved — it’s beautiful! We have come a long way and we can safely say it is a flourishing underground scene. We need to build a strong community. Together, we can truly be a force to be reckoned with,” he said.
READY TO RESET THIS SATURDAY?
RESET will begin at 3 pm at Hotel Royal Orchid on Saturday. Tickets are available for Rs 750 at resetindia.com. They can also be purchased at the venue on the day of the show.