Having a rum time

Mumbai might be a city that was formed after the joining of seven islands, but our culture is worlds apart from that of, say, the Caribbean. We are way too pressed for time here to spend our days lazing on the beach or sipping on piña coladas in the middle of the afternoon. But that's the vibe that a festival slated for this weekend promises to bring to the heart of Bandra. It's called Casa Bacardi, and the idea is to ensure a day that involves DJs spinning dancehall, reggae and Afrobeat tracks among other genres, along with activities like workshops on Caribbean beat-making, sessions with mixologists and food counters that serve a mix of dishes inspired by island cuisines.

The festival will also have a Caribbean-themed menu with dishes like jerk chicken

Even the venue where it will be held, a 200-year-old bungalow in Bandra, lends itself perfectly to the occasion. The place has a wide courtyard with palm trees, an indoor space where the workshops can be held and a rooftop that will also be opened up for the festival. There are going to be two stages where Indian DJs like SickFlip and Spindoc will perform along with Leandro and Emanuel, both of whom grew up in the island country of Sri Lanka and whose music reflects their upbringing. The workshops will focus on niche art forms like soca, a modern offshoot of calypso music, and baile, a style of rap that originated in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. And when it comes to food, Versova eatery Nomada has been roped in to curate a menu that reflects the food of the Caribbean, meaning that it will have dishes like jerk chicken, plantain wafers, corn on the cob with a spicy jerk glaze, BBQ ribs with pickled pineapple habanero pico, and jackfruit and barbacoa taco.

Sameeksha Uniyal

Sameeksha Uniyal, a member of the festival's core team, adds that there will also be an element of fashion, with brands displaying their wares at pop-up stalls. She says, "This is more than an invitation to just have a dance and a party. We want the attendees to enjoy the whole island culture that we want to showcase. We want them to feel like this is not your usual, run-of-the-mill festival, and will try and ensure that they get involved with the workshops and sessions with mixologists."

DJ Leandro

Uniyal also says that this is going to be a yearly property that will be launched in Mumbai, before travelling to Bengaluru. But apart from the island-themed festival, it also has other verticals like spin-off events on the same lines at non-metro cities like Indore, Jaipur, Mysore and Kochi, and a tour planned with Ritviz, one of the biggest artistes in the Indian electronic music circuit. But in the meantime, it's the event in Bandra that will mark the festivities being kicked off. So, head down there this weekend to get a taste of what it actually means to imbibe the Caribbean spirit, which involves a lot more than just sipping on piña coladas while lazing on the beach.

DJ Emanuel

There are going to be two stages where Indian DJs like SickFlip and Spindoc will perform along with Leonardo and Emmanuel, both of whom grew up in the island country of Sri Lanka and whose music reflects their upbringing.

ON November 9, 3 pm to 1 am
AT Pioneer Hall, Pioneer House, 9, St John the Baptist Road, Mount Mary, Bandra West.
LOG on to https://rb.gy/b78c25 to register
Free

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