Set against the backdrop of a magical nine-cornered lake with two distinct stages and three blissful days of music and art, the Escape Festival of Arts and Music, 2013 was an unmatched experience. The eclectic atmosphere, near perfect weather and diverse musical genres at the festival made for a memorable time for all festival goers.
The festival featured some unforgettable performances by artistes from across the country as well as from International shores with the likes of Blackstratblues, Skinny Alley, Tough on Tobacco (TOT) Vachan Chinnappa, Sanchal Malhar, Shantanu Pandit, Toshanbor Singh Nongbet, Faridkot, Thermal And A Quarter, Fuzz Culture, Tadayan, Audiogramme and many more.
A highlight of this edition of Escape was the tribute to Gyan Singh- one of India’s most respected bassists and the member of the iconic Kolkata based band, Skinny Alley/Pink Noise- titled- The Gyan Connection.
Skinny Alley has been a regular feature at the Escape Festival since the past few editions and the entire Escape family came together for this including Skinny Alley vocalist and wife Jayashree Singh. Lew Hilt (HFT), Bruce Lee Mani (Thermal And A Quarter) and Warren Mendonsa (Blackstratblues) joined her on paying rich musical tributes to the stalwart.
Another high point of the festival, was the first ever collaboration between a music festival and a fashion designer. Nitin Bal Chauhan brought a dose of fashion to the festival with his latest eclectic collection –Bhootsavar. Bhootsavar paid ode to the different cultures and subcultures which have made escape such a unique festival, using as models artistes and members of the audience from the festival itself. Bhootsavar clothing is about real people and real stories.
Lovers of art and culture were in for a visual treat with film screenings and live painting by artists at the venue. This edition of Escape featured Shamiana, Asia's largest and fastest growing short film club with award winning short films. Every film had either won an award or secured a nomination in the Oscars. Some of the films screened were - Asad (Oscar nomination 2013), Death of the Shadow (Oscar nomination 2011), Curfew (Oscar winner 2013) and more.
Escape not only created fond memories for participating artistes and festival goers, but evoked a feeling of belonging amongst all who were a part of it. Commenting on the entire experience, Jayashree Singh from Skinny Alley said, ‘Escape this year for me was pleasure mixed with pain as I was missing Gyan a lot. It was painful but satisfying as we performed a lot of Gyan’s songs with his friends, Escape family. Working with Mama and the other kids was a good experience for me.’
Warren Mendonsa from Blackstratblues said, ‘The idea of getting away from the hustle & bustle of city life always appealing. I lived in New Zealand for a few years and grew used to spending time in natural surroundings, and it inspires good music. Naukuchiatal – the scenic beauty, the stage with the backdrop of the lake is just fantastic. Escape 2013 was fun and a great relief from the mundane world.’
Bruce Lee Mani of Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ) said, ‘The festival is like a positive step for the growing music in India. This was our first ever performance at Uttrakhand. And it was a great experience, music full of 3 days amidst nature and most importantly the beautiful lake.’
In the words of festival director L Tochhawng also known as Mama, ‘The Escape experience this year was encouraging, the music, food and ambiance/vibe and art was well received by the attendees of the festival. The response this year was bigger than the previous years and judging from what some of the attendees and artists had to say it was quite a memorable experience.’
The Escape Festival of Art and Music started in May 2009 when a few musicians and like-minded people decided to get away from New Delhi for a few days. They chose a picturesque resort at Naukuchiatal, at the foothills of The Himalayas which became their Escape. Escape has made a benchmark as a creative retreat that features established and upcoming musicians and creative artistes like photographers, painters, graffiti artistes etc in a mélange of talent that by its true definition can only be described as an ‘Escape’ from the humdrum.