With a backdrop of emerald green rolling mountains on one side and the picturesque Pacific on the other, the Organik music festival is worth the pilgrimage to Hualien this weekend. In its sixth year, the festival has established itself as a two-day musical odyssey in an isolated paradise.
Smoke Machine, the organizers, are perhaps best known for having a penchant for techno and their minimalist Taipei parties heavily channel a European rave vibe, assisted by the fact that a big portion of the DJs they book come from Germany, the de facto techno capital of the world.
Organik is no different; they’ve just moved the party outdoors.
Photo courtesy of Ostgut Tun
The lineup for Organik this year is a melting pot of names from all over the world. Boris (Real name: Boris Dolinski), from the venerated Berlin club Berghain and associated Ostgut Ton record label, is one of the star attractions. His days as a DJ span over three decades, starting at the legendary Paradise Garage, around the time the underground music scene was born in New York City.
Boris has come to be defined by marathon sets of brooding techno. But Boris is excited to take his set — which is scheduled to start at 1am and has no definitive end time — outdoors.
“It is always a great experience to play outside, without the confinement of a club... Outside you have a lot of energy coming from the surroundings and everybody is fresh and ready to go bang. That’s what I’m looking forward to,” he said, adding that he’s looking forward to his first gig in Taiwan.
The rest of the lineup also reflects the magic of Germany’s underground music scene, some home-grown acts and those from the UK and France. Be sure to check their Organik’s Facebook page for the complete line up.
Think of the festival as camping with a soundtrack and a bucket list experience for all local and international discerning music and nature lovers. But don’t forget your boots!
■ Organik Festival 2015 is tomorrow from 1pm and goes until late on Sunday in Huting (牛山呼庭), Hualien County, Shoufeng Hsiang, Shueilian Tsuen, Niushan, 39-5 (花蓮縣壽豐鄉水璉村牛山39-5號). Advance tickets are sold out but there is still admission at the door for NT$3,000. For detailed event and transportation information, visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/events/1596078383962171/ or email info@smkmachine.com.
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