Wonderfruit Festival 2017

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  • Wonderfruit is now in its fourth year, but this was my first time. For many, it's the main event in the Southeast Asia festival calendar, attracting a large contingent of farangs (Thai slang for foreigners), affluent locals and party people from across the region. The diversity was mirrored in the music policy, which at times felt slightly muddled and old-fashioned. There were legacy acts like South London rapper Roots Manuva and Richie Hawtin alongside contemporary favourites such as the Malian outfit Songhoy Blues and the Thai funk-influenced Texan band Khruangbin. Smaller dance floors were kept moving by regional party crews such as Bangkok's More Rice and Hong Kong’s ALTN8, and it was here that some of the funnest and most inspiring moments went down. Music was only one part of Wonderfruit. The food was among the best I've ever had at a festival, drawing on local suppliers such as the popular Bangkok restaurant Marcel (whose plot even had its own dance floor). Its eco-friendly ethos was also a much-publicized feature, with a zero-plastic policy, bio-degradable cups and stages built from recycled bamboo. There was even industrially filtered fresh water from a nearby lake—quite a feat in a country with largely undrinkable tap water. I also heard that some of the acts and collaborators were paid via an eco-friendly cryptocurrency called TREE that gives economic value to natural capital; each coin represented a mangrove tree in Myanmar's Thor Heyerdahl Climate Park.
    Friday began at Living Stage, where Khruangbin played tracks from their debut album, including the standout "Mr. White." The atmosphere hinted at a wonderful night ahead, until heavy rain sent much of the crowd running for cover. The number of rained-off stages suggested a lack of preparation, though many took shelter in the well-covered Ziggurat Tent, where people danced to African disco. A few hours later, once the rain had subsided, I made my way away from the main site down the long path that opened out onto Quarry Stage, a wide dust bowl fitted with two enormous speaker stacks. Bangkok DJ Sarayu warmed up with a mix of classics (Jaydee's "Plastic Dreams") and records with big build-ups, like Pearson Sound's "XLB." With the crowd bubbling, Gui Boratto took the stage but was unable to maintain the same sense of fun with his melody-tinged washing-machine rhythms. Richie Hawtin also missed the mark, closing with a set of bland tech house that eventually slid into more acid-y stuff.
    The music on Saturday was much better. In Quarry, Craig Richards was as solid as you'd expect, ranging from Detromental's bleepy hit "Rewind" to Omar-S's jazzy anthem "The Shit Baby." After seemingly winding down, he surprised everyone with Emperor Machine's psychedelic remix of Laurent Garnier's "Gnanmankoudji" for one last bonus boogie. From there, I headed to Solar Stage. The impressive structure—a replica of a popular stage at Burning Man—consisted of a raised tier of trampolines and cocoon-like cubby holes held together by a central core. No nuts or bolts had been used, only interlocking wooden panels strong enough to support the many revellers who hung from every corner. At one end there was a DJ booth, where Nicola Cruz soundtracked a breathtaking sunrise. Dropping Populous's "Caparica" and a nice edit of Chicco's "I Need Some Money," it was a near-perfect combination of good music in an amazing setting. Photo credit / Noah Campeau
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