Sunshine, warm weather, 10 stages, more than 300 of the best DJs from 20 countries and 30,000 guests. This is the recipe for the Sun Dance Music Festival. The Tallinn dance music extravaganza gets started on July 15th and, in its seventh year, promises to be bigger than ever.
SDMF's line-up varies from year to year and is, quite frankly, amazing. Public relations officer for the festival Kristina Rasu explains that in 1999, the festival started with 30 DJs and 6,000 listeners. She says that the crowds at that first festival were totally blown away by the headliners Roger Sanchez, Crystal Waters and Kenny Dope. That explosive first show seemed to set a tone for all future festivals, which have grown in size and status each year. With performers coming from all over the world to participate in this event, SDMF has seemed to develop a knack for attracting big names and big crowds. It has become the most important event of its kind in the Baltics - the only chance to contemplate the miracle of live electronic music and famous DJs on such a grand scale. The goal of the festival, "to introduce different music styles to as many people as possible" seems to be achieved year after year.
As for music styles, this festival is about variation and choice. SDMF includes everything from drum 'n' bass, hip-hop, dancehall jungle, reggae, chillout, house, trance, progressive, techno, broken beat, ambient and urban. Artists this year will include Zinc, Kool, SS, Warren G, Influx UK, Robert Owens, DJ Orlando, Zen and Estonian produced Rulers of the Deep - clearly, if there is a groove to be had, it is at Sun Dance this weekend. And music video mega-channel MTV will be on hand this year for the first time to witness the event and bring it to an even larger audience.
Girl power is prevalent at Sun Dance as festival organizers have invited some of the best women DJs. Tampax Arena World of Drum and Bass Girl Power will see the likes of Spice, Miss Trouble, Adi-J, Zemine, Liza K, B.Traits, Nes, and DJ Vxn. Clear on their goal to provide great music, this is a festival with an eye to equality as well.
SDMF's main arenas will be at Tallinn Song Square. Notorious for its loud music and big crowds, the event changes location each year to appease local residents who don't always buy into the noisy festivities. Frank about their vision, the organizers believe that this is a place where the music must be loud. At this year's location, there will be enough space to seat the thousands of music enthusiasts who flock here for that very reason 's to hear electronic music, and to hear it at high decibels.
If you are a dance music fan, Tallinn Song Square will be the place to be on July 16 and 17. Hopefully the festival will benefit from its name and the sun will truly shine. And as you groove to the music and gather energy from the enthusiastic crowds, try to look your best - you never know when an MTV cameraman might catch you dancing.
The gates open at
2 p.m. on July 16-17.
Tickets are available at the gates and from every Piletilevi or Piletimaailm terminal.
Tickets cost 100 kroons
(6.50 euros) for a one-day pass.
For more information:
www.sundancemusicfestival.com
