Rare are the occasions in the nightlife and live music industry where postulation and reality meet in synonymous harmony, which makes it all the more commendable that the inaugural installation of Wakaan Music Festival 2019 was able to deliver and exceed all expectations.
A weekend of mid 70-degree temperatures, expansive blue skies and comfortable evening climate merely amplified the well-oiled mechanics of the festival, which rivaled most long-established events, and allowed every step of the experience, from first collecting your festival band to finding your camping plot for the weekend just as memorable as the next.
One aspect that truly supplemented the weekend was the friendliness and hospitality of the Wakaan Music Festival staff, which permeated each division of the event from security to live performers and contributed to the overarching familial mentality established throughout the course of the weekend.
The ample amount of space allotted at the Aura stage allowed for maximum freedom of motion, ensuring that each and every attendee have the opportunity to enjoy an undisturbed view of the performance and plentiful room to get down and dirty with their own alienesque dance moves. With the ability to walk from the back of the crowd to rail comfortably in close to a minute, personal space and the ability to take breaks were never in short supply.
Speaking of breaks, if you had been going hard for several hours straight (an easy task with how ludicrously spicy the lineup was) you could setup a home base in the middle or rear of the crowd complete with inflatable couches and chairs (an option many people took full advantage of), creating the culture’s first hybrid couchfam/crowdfam immaculate monstrosity.
For a first-year fest, the scheduling logistics and the thoughtful arrangement of daily lineup schedules were knocked clear out of this galaxy, allowing for both a natural progression of energy throughout each day as well as the minimization of potential set conflicts, which contributed to an impeccable flow, intention, and keen attention to detail that was cultivated throughout Mulberry Mountain.
Several artists consented to multiple appearances throughout the weekend, opting to reveal multiple perspectives of themselves and their musical craft, such as Kursa’s late-night Lofi set or Yheti’s multiple sunrise appearances both solo and alongside fellow constituents of The Trifinity, which presented an exceptional sensation of authenticity and musical diversity to the weekend that seldom exists elsewhere.
But what good is an extensive lineup and tactfully organized daily schedule without the proper backing and amplification of a state of the art system? Fear not, for Wakaan Music Festival featured the full strength and capacity of PK Sound at both the Aura and Chakra stages, with the dexterity and range of Hennessey Sound Design for the Halo stage and the limitless freedom for renegade courtesy of the Jaenga Bus to ensure both audible clarity and sheer voluminous force for each and every performance. The low ends were pounding and noticeably shook the ground, while the mid’s and high’s came through with the perfect amount of punch and discernibility that carried crisply throughout the festival grounds.
Liquid Stranger started the weekend off proper with an OG dubstep set to close out Wednesday night, which ended up extending nearly a full hour beyond his designated cutoff time and allowed the early arrivers on Thursday morning a serenade of throwback wobbles, a magnificent treat for longterm fans of his productions. From that night on, love and togetherness seemed to be emanating from the ground, as Mulberry Mountain was encapsulated in a magical bubble for four October days and nights. With not a single moshpit in sight, at Wakaan you were quite likely to be greeted with a high five from a random passerby, or gifted a small token of appreciation like a sticker or pin (an occurrence that happened more times than I can count on both hands).
Even during Liquid’s final set on Sunday a titanic group hug in the crowd was performed, a true testament to the feeling that the weekend wasn’t an individual having a group experience, but rather a group having an experience through the perspective of an individual.
While the conclusion of most festivals leaves patrons enthusiastic for a home-cooked meal and the ability to bathe on demand, the final hours of Wakaan Music Festival’ s debut year were pervaded with nostalgia and an already brimming anticipation for the next gathering of the Wakaan Family.
Words by Alex Bell & Sam Lewis
Photos Courtesy of Derek Munthe and whatif.photgraphy
