It was only a few years ago that the first edition of the Go:MADras drew crowds of party goers and music lovers from all corners of the city. Usually held twice a year, the electronic music festival has become something of a tradition these days. And with the first round of the fest given a miss earlier this summer, Chennai’s party peeps have been eagerly awaiting pulsing techno beats on sand and surf that is the signature of the festival. Go:MADras IV promises that the ‘mad’ in its name is about to be taken to the next level at The Global Music Village (Chariot Beach Resorts, Mahabalipuram) this weekend.
With an insane line-up of 32 top DJs across the country, as well as international acts, co-organiser Tuhin Mehta tells us that the hype has transcended the audience this time around. “Some of the artistes who have been with us from the beginning, have even rejected other bookings in order to come down for this,” reveals Tuhin, also a part of the duo Brute Force. And why wouldn’t they, considering what’s in store: two music stages and dance floors equipped with ultra thin LED walls, top-of-the-line visual effects and a number of fun stalls to pass the time as well. Think pop art, tattoos, a quirky collection of eco-friendly products and foot massages. Hey, when you’re partying from noon to midnight over two days – our guess is, you’ll need that last one.
Turning the clock back to edition one in 2009, Tuhin recalls, “It was at a time when all the music festivals were far away from Chennai.” He adds, “And anyone who was born in the 80s would remember that come rain or shine, this city knew how to party. Those were the glorious days.” So of course, the plan was to bring Chennai back on the map. Along with friends Shiv Gupta aka DJ Shiva Moon and Hema Sethuraman, Director, Notch Media Pvt Ltd – the idea for the music fest was conceptualised and has expanded tremendously since. Says Hema, “Our biggest complaint has always been a cramped dance floor and this time, we have one that’s 5,000 sq feet!” And what if it rains? “Oh that’s the best part,” she responds, “It’s water-proof.” She adds with evident enthusiasm, “We have these beautiful thatched roofs that look great with the resort set up and serve the purpose. The whole place looks like a resort in Bali!”
