Shambhala Music Festival has a curious magic to it. You not often meet individuals who’ve solely attended the legendary music pageant as soon as. Shambhala leaves an unshakeable impression on visitors, encompassing not solely attendees however artists as properly.
Shambhala has welcomed world-class musicians, launched prospects to stardom, and even sparked the genesis of artists who’ve carried out there. The Farm, because it’s affectionately known as, holds numerous reminiscences. Its roots run deeper than Fractal Forest’s towering tree. These timber can’t converse to us, however fortuitously, the artists can.
Under you’ll find love tales shared with EDM.com from six famend artists who, like many readers, have been irreversibly touched by Shambhala.
REZZ’S TRANSFORMATIVE 2016 PERFORMANCE
The pageant is further particular to me for a number of causes. Firstly, Shambhala is iconic, basically, from the stage designs to the ambiance of the entire occasion. It’s at all times been a pageant I’ve heard of and needed to play. In 2016, my efficiency turned many heads. It was a catapult, one of many causes my profession gained main traction. The pageant is particular to me, and I’m excited to be again!
– REZZ
THE FUNK HUNTERS WERE BORN AT SHAMBHALA
Shambhala will at all times really feel like dwelling for us. Individuals are at all times shocked after we clarify how lengthy we have been going to the pageant. I began stepping into my late teenagers, lengthy earlier than I might ever even purchased turntables or collected vinyl. At the moment, festivals and raves have been nonetheless very a lot underground; it was all phrase of mouth. A number of years later, I introduced Duncan [Smith] up for his first time. We each could not consider a spot like Shambhala existed. And actually, the remainder is historical past. We finally purchased turntables, mixers, and began amassing a ton of vinyl. The Funk Hunters have been born–a pal gave us our title whereas we have been on the pageant!
We began DJing round British Columbia. Every summer season, we might make the journey again as much as the Kootenays to be at Shambhala. It was our can’t-miss journey of the summer season. Enjoyable reality, I went on to work for the pageant for a few years as occasion employees earlier than we bought booked on the pageant. You possibly can think about how thrilling it was to lastly get to make our pageant debut. I feel we performed Fractal Forest and the Rock Pit on the identical weekend in 2010. That was our first 12 months; it was a dream come true. I have been attending the pageant for properly over 20+ years now, and we have performed the pageant for about 15 years straight!
The truth that the pageant has remained really unbiased since day one is an unbelievable testomony to the model, tradition and group Shambhala has constructed. The founders and stage administrators ought to be actually happy with the impression and legacy they’ve had on the whole digital music group worldwide. We’re fortunate to journey to a number of superb locations to play music. The dialog in each nook of the globe with followers and DJs at all times comes again to Shambhala.
“Someday I wanna come see you guys play at Shambhala!” or “Shambhala is my bucket record journey, I am coming to Canada subsequent 12 months to expertise it!” folks inform us. How cool is that!? Everybody is aware of about it and it is nonetheless going sturdy 25 years in!
– Nick Middleton, The Funk Hunters
WHAT SO NOT DID NOT EXPECT THAT
An extended mountain drive, a stilt strolling elephant man, and bare folks within the chilly valley creek welcomed me.
Coming from Australia, it was nothing like I might seen–or would see once more, other than Burning Man. My first go to was additionally my first 12 months in North America. I am going to always remember it. I keep in mind there was drone footage of the set that leaked a bunch of the then-unreleased Gemini EP!
One in all its fundamental perks is that it is in Canada, which means you do not want a U.S. visa, which takes a lot cash, effort and time that almost all artists cannot carry out till one-and-a-half years after they begin blowing up. The bookers have nice style, so you could have this melting pot of all of the cool and bizarre music blowing up in Europe, Australasia and North America. I am unable to wait to be again!
– What So Not
BIG GIGANTIC’S INCLUSION
Shambhala is a kind of pageant experiences that may’t be discovered wherever else on the planet. Simply an epic throughout pageant with superb surroundings, nice folks operating the occasion and crowds who’re 100% invested within the expertise. On the similar they’ve been capable of make the pageant really feel grass roots all through the various years we have performed it. Simply an superior expertise throughout!
STICKYBUDS REPS FRACTAL FOREST FOR LIFE
It is onerous to place into a number of quick paragraphs what Shambhala means to me. It is the place I developed as an artist and the place I met a number of my mates. I attended for a number of years earlier than I used to be invited to play there in 2005. I got here early for a number of years earlier than the fest began, the place I re-painted the good Chewbacca and constructed some ponds with JPOD. I’ve performed yearly since 2005, minus the COVID years. From 2007 to 2009, JPOD and I carried out three-hour, two-by-four units because the Stickypod Connection, and we began releasing our units.
In 2010, I began performing on my own once more. After releasing my 2011 set, my profession took off. Shambs was my year-end celebration, the place I poured my coronary heart and soul into my set–making customized songs, dubplates and crafting the very best multi-genre journeys I may. I’m approaching 20 years of taking part in at Shambhala, 18 at present, and I’ve attended for about 23 years. I’ll at all times be glad about the alternatives that Wealthy-E-Wealthy, the Fractal and Shambhala introduced me, however I additionally made it occur; I gave it the whole lot I had.
I do know that the collective DJs who’ve frequented the Fractal Forest over the previous few many years have influenced music tradition worldwide. It is a particular group, and I am very proud to be part of it. Fractal Forest for all times.
– Stickybuds
FATHER FUNK FOUND HIMSELF AND SO MUCH MORE
Nicely, the place do I start? It’s onerous to understate how a lot Shambhala means to me. I fairly actually wouldn’t be right here proper now with out it. I first heard of Shambhala round 2012, when a pal performed me Stickybuds’ 2011 Fractal Forest combine. On the time, I used to be a number of years into studying methods to DJ and produce, and I used to be predominantly targeted on Drum & Bass, though my style in music was at all times very eclectic. Stickybuds’ set spoke to me on a degree that no different digital music ever had. It mixed all of the music I liked: funk, soul, reggae, hip hop, dubstep, and drum & bass. It was a fusion of genres I had by no means skilled earlier than. It despatched me down a path of discovering numerous superb artists who carried out on the Fractal Forest, corresponding to Featurecast, A.Skillz, Slynk, The Funk Hunters, and plenty of extra. Earlier than lengthy, I used to be making music impressed by these artists below the title Father Funk, and the whole lot began to click on.
In these days, taking part in a Shambhala set was actually my wildest dream. An unfathomable actuality. Quick ahead to 2016, and I performed my first one as a fresh-faced 22-year-old. I’ve had numerous unforgettable experiences at Shambhala since. This 12 months will probably be my seventh 12 months performing and my ninth attending. Nothing compares to the magic of the farm. You possibly can think about how a lot it means to me to play at Shambhala. It modified the trajectory of my life. Not solely did it encourage me to start out Father Funk, however I now reside in Canada, residing off my music my complete grownup life. Who is aware of what my life would seem like if it weren’t for a way Shambhala and the Fractal Forest impressed me all these years in the past.
Thanks, Shambhala, for saving my life, for giving me goal, a profession, and for introducing me to my household and, most significantly, my dwelling.
– Father Funk
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