|
Malaysia rocks to RECHARGE REVELATION 5 Global Gathering, the sound of 2007. Sun, foam, skates and daredevil thrills combined with cool cool music to make Recharge Revelation 5 Global Gathering the most electrifying music and lifestyle event Malaysia has seen. October 27 2007 should be noted as the day the ‘Music Festival’ finally came to Malaysia, specifically to the A’Famosa Resort in Melaka. After a summer season in Europe and the US that has seen the largest number of specialist festivals in living memory, the stage was set for Malaysia to join the club with Recharge Revelation 5 Global Gathering (RR5GG). And what a spectacular way to do it. The 50-metre high G-Force X sent daredevils soaring above the crowd at the TQX Freedom Amp stage and socks became the must-have accessory of the day at the Recharge Solid Gold roller disco. But what most people will remember is the size of the crowd. More than 28,000 eager party people flocked to the event, with arenas like Recharge Godskitchen, Recharge Global and TQX Freedom Electric stretched to capacity for sets by acts like Sander Van Doorn, Astro & Glyde and Jungle Brothers. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a festival without a little mud: but as the sky stayed dry and clear, the Revelators just rolled up their pants, slipped on some sandals and got with the relaxed Recharge vibe. Highlights are almost too numerous to mention. Early birds managed to catch amazing afternoon sets at the TQX Freedom Electric from acts like Hyper Live, the punk rock-electro project of veteran drum and bass producer Hyper backed by a full onstage outfit and brand new vocalist. And France’s electro-noir rockers Black Strobe amazed everyone with the versatility of their performance as front man Arnaud Rebotini darted around the stage tweaking mixers, keyboards and computers like a soul possessed. And then Simian Mobile Disco laid the tent to waste with a sundown DJ set that defied categorization. Smiling Simian Jas Shaw arrived straight from a show in Shanghai with an infectious attitude and a musical menu that created a genre stirring stew of a set. And then Futon, presenting their internationally acclaimed new album Pain Killer for the first time in Malaysia, played a powerful set of electro sleaze rock that should soon see them breaking out of the international underground and into the big leagues. And as night fell the action became more serious. In many ways Revelation belongs to Dutch trance DJ Johan Gielen, and consequently his set at Recharge Godskitchen arena felt like a homecoming celebration. Following his 2005 Revelation set was never going to be easy, but with a bagful of brand new productions and a sprinkling of hands in the air classics, his signature blend of uplifting trance made for yet another euphoric and defining performance. Earlier in the evening, fellow Dutchman Sander Van Doorn showed the crowd the skills that have seen him rocket up 15 places in the latest DJ Magazine Top 100 poll to #15. As the Recharge Godskitchen Arena throbbed to his beat, the nearby Holland Pavilion celebrated the Dutch contribution to RR5GG as His Excellency Lody Embrechts, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, hosted an informal meet-and-greet with street artists Morcky and Sitnie and VJs Eye Supply, whose work was featured at the Pavilion, as well as DJs Johan Gielen and Marcel Woods. Some of the hottest action of the night took place at the intimate Recharge Foambar. With the emphasis on fun, DJs from RaySoo to Joey G to Indonesia’s Anton Wirjono kept the tempos up and the styles flowing as the revellers covered themselves and everyone around them in soapy suds, and by the end of the evening these ‘snowmen’ were to be found at every corner of the festival site.
But the most memorable image of the night has to be the image of the AJ Hackett Swing Bungy silhouetted against the midnight firework display while Astro & Glyde shook the foundations of the Recharge Global arena below with a mightily pulsating set. Followed by a brooding, sense-numbing set from Layo & Bushwacka that few who saw it will forget. And that still misses dozens of acts out: the smiling faces in the crowd during the Plum DJs bouncing performance; the old skool cheers for Jungle Brothers. Or an entire night of demented and twisted electro at the TQX Freedom Amp stage where French pop cosied up to block rockin’ beats with acts ranging from Indonesia’s Agrikulture to Malaysia’s Twilight Action Girl crew and Futon offshoot Rehab. And despite the afternoon kick-off time, as 4am rolled around it still felt as though the festival was only warming up as 28,000 filed off to their cars and after-parties where the RR5GG vibe carried them on until dawn.
Event info:
Recharge Revelation 5 Global Gathering
A’Famosa Resort, Melaka
Saturday October 27th
2pm to 4am
Tickets (Pre-Sale) RM63 including 2 drinks
(On the Door) RM83 including 2 drinks
www.rechargeroom.com
www.globalgatheringfestival.com
(information provided by the pr company)
|
