Dil Chahta hai EDM
the goan I network
PANAJI
Strongly strumming for hosting electronic, dance, music (EDM) festivals in Goa, Tourism Minister Manohar ‘Babu’ Azgaonkar said he would try to get ‘Sunburn’ back in the interest of Goa’s tourism.
He was responding to a question whether he would be interested in hosting ‘Sunburn’ in the coastal State.
“I will try. I want tourism to flourish in Goa. Goa’s revenue has to increase. We have to organise such festivals, but at the same time protect Goa’s culture and Goemkarponn”, he said adding, “As far as Goa is concerned, music and liquor are a part of the tradition and culture. It cannot be stopped.”
Organised by Percept Company, Goa hosted nine editions of Sunburn EDM festival in Goa since 2007. While during the first edition, the festival was held for merely two days; from 2008 onwards the festival was extended to three days from December 27-29. However, in 2014 and 2015, it was extended for four days from December 27-10. Though, till 2012, Sunburn was held at Candolim beach, it was shifted to Vagator in 2013 and continued at the same place till its ninth edition in 2015.
Nonetheless, Goa simultaneously hosted another EDM festival organised by Viacom 18 “ Supersonic from 2013. However, it was shifted out of Goa after three editions.
When asked if he was in support of holding two festivals in the State simultaneously, Azgaonkar said, “I have to still study the issue and see how things could be taken forward.”
Though Sunburn organisers had keen interest in holding the tenth edition of the festival in Goa, they had decided to shift outside the State as they had not received an official response to the application that they had moved to the State Government; while former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar as well as former tourism minister Dilip Parulekar were on record stating that organisers of both festivals would be allowed to host the festival on condition that they clear their dues pending with the State Government. However, both would not be allowed to be hosted simultaneously.
A post on Sunburn 10’s official page had recently stated, “Dear Sunburners, 9 years at the SUNBURN Festival home in #Goa have been amazing. We have had full support from the state & everyone there..and each & everyone one of you. This year the story changed a bit, maybe due to infrastructure constraints or forthcoming elections. With months having passed since our application was filed for #Sunburn10 to be held in Goa; we still wait for an official response from the Goa Government and local authorities. We have been waiting patiently for months for a clear direction to emerge but unfortunately that hasn’t happened. We did more than all we could!”
NINE EDITIONS OF SUNBURN
ORGANISER:
Percept Company
2007: The first edition of Sunburn organised at Candolim beach is a two-day affair
2008: Just into the second year, an extension makes it a three-day festival of music
2013: Venue shifts from Candolim to Vagator and stays there till ninth edition in 2015
2014 and 2015: Another extension, it’s now a four-day electronic dance music bash
OTHER EDM FESTIVAL
ORGANISER: Viacom 18
Supersonic from 2013.
Shifted out of Goa after
three editions
