The second edition of The Lost Party is well on its way, and we're telling you now, this is one festival you definitely wouldn’t want to miss.
If you’re under the impression that this is just another music festival, allow us to take you through our guide which will {hopefully} convince you otherwise.
For those who wish to come in a day early, there'll be a homecoming party of sorts on February 26th. The three stages, Idhar, Udhar, and Nukkad will be open on February 27th and 28th. Are you ready?
[cbtabs][cbtab title="The Path"]
To ensure that it lives up to its name, The Lost Party is kept far, far away from the madness of the city and finds itself in the lakeside of the Sahyadris—Salter Lake in Lonavala, to be precise. Check out the line-up before you get on to planning your travel:
There are a few ways you can get there: Catch a flight from Bangalore to Pune or Mumbai as it's almost smack in the centre of the two cities. Then book a taxi for yourself {and your group} to Salter Lake, which is about 100 kilometres away from Pune and another 15 kilometers from Mumbai. So either way, you’re looking at a two-hour drive, give or take.
Fancy the train like Sheldon Cooper does? There are plenty to choose from, but all take over 20 hours because there's no super fast trains to Lonavala. If you like a good old road trip, the drive is pretty fabulous especially if you take the route through Hubali-Belagavi-Kolhapur-Mahabaleshwar-Lonavala.
#LBBTip: The Lost Party is organising shuttles from Mumbai and Pune, plus a free bus service from Lonavala city centre to the festival site.
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So you’ve flown in {or taken the train} to one of the cities and now you find yourself staring out of your bus {or taxi} window, taking in the lush greenery and feeling the slight nip in the air.
It’s only going to get better, but before that you need your accommodation sorted. And we’ve got one word for you: Camping!
You can pick between a tent for two, which will cost you INR 7,777, and a tent for four, which is priced at INR 11,111, all for three nights and three days. These tents come equipped with mattresses, blankets, and pillows. If you’re not big on camping, we still insist you give it a shot, because that’s what makes up half the experience {we believe}.
You could make it a tad easier on yourself by booking the Maharaja tents, {the tent for two will cost you INR 27,272 and a tent for four will cost INR 36,363}, which come with a touch or two of luxury.
Want something completely basic? You can pitch your own tent for INR 2,424 too.
[/cbtab][cbtab title="To Pack"]
Your flight’s been sorted and tent has been booked; now you may want to pay attention to what you’re taking along with you for this epic three-day festival. Us folks at the LBB headquarters have been to one too many festivals, and so we present to you our list of things to pack in your backpack.
Warm clothing
Lonavala can get quite chilly in the evenings. We suggest packing a cardigan or a hoodie jacket, along with a couple of pairs of socks and a scarf.
Shades and sunscreen
Chilly it may be during the evenings, but that won’t stop the sun from blinding you in the daytime. Pack your uber-cool shades and sunscreen and fight the sun in style.
Comfy footwear
Steer clear of heels {no matter how comfy they may seem} and any kind of footwear you would hate seeing get dirty. Pack sports shoes, canvas shoes, or wellington boots to keep you up and grooving during the nights, and comfy flip flops to lounge around in during the day.
Must-haves
You’re going to be glamping, but it’s always best to be prepared. Throw in those rolls of toilet paper; there’s no telling when you’ll need them. Pack your own towels, soaps, and shampoos as well. A mini first-aid kit is in order too, because a pharmacy will be hard to find.
Bottled water and dry snacks
While food and water will be provided at the venue, it’s never a bad idea to come prepared. Pack a few bottles and a couple of packs of biscuits and tinned food that you know will not get spoilt soon.
#LBBTip: While there may be ATMs at the airport and on your drive to Lonavala, we recommend carrying a stash of cash with you, to avoid being caught in a sticky situation.
[/cbtab][cbtab title="The Sound"]
The second edition of The Lost Party brings an exciting line-up and we can’t wait to catch them all live in action. While there are 30+ artists you can catch at the venue, at two separate stages {Idhar, the experimental electronica space, and Udhar, the alternate indie space}, we’re giving you a sneak-peak at some of our favourites from both.
HVOB
HVOB {Her Voice Over Boys} comprises Australian duo Anna Muller and Paul Wallner, who combine techno and electronica to produce songs that are rather minimalist and melancholic. They’re definitely at the top of our list of artists we’re looking forward to.
Listen to them here:
Karsh Kale Sound System
Regarded widely as a pioneer of global fusion and electronica, Karsh Kale needs no introduction. We’ve grown up listening to him since Windows Media Player came pre-loaded with his music, so we’re definitely looking forward to catching him perform live at TLP.
Listen to him here:
Swanand Kirkire with Kabir Cafe
The winner of two National awards for best lyrics, Swanand Kirkire comes together with Neeraj Arya, who pioneers in the music genre called Kabir Rock, to bring you something truly spectacular.
Listen to them here:
Humble The Poet
This Toronto bred MC/spoken word artist has got the beard, tattoo, and head wrap to match his witty lyrics and choruses, along with some superb energy, and now we hear he's even an elementary school teacher.
Listen to him here:
Fakear
Hailing from Caen, France, Fakear is all about electronic music. It's hard to stop listening to them after one play; we suggest you give them a shot.
Debruit
Check out Brussel-based synth magician Debruit as he incorporates everything from Afrobeat, middle-eastern instrumentation, funk, French b-boy electro, and hip-hop. This ought to be fun!
Listen to him here:
Moglebaum
A five-piece organic electronic band from Cologne & Düsseldorf, Germany, Moglebaum has got the vocals, synths, drums, saxophone, and samples.
Listen to them here:
The Bartender
The Bartender are known for their super cool reinterpretations of old Bollywood songs. We definitely want to catch them live in action.
Listen to them here:
Lyre Le Temps
Check out this electro swing & jazz band from Strasbourg, France at The Lost Party.
Listen to them here:
Donn Bhat + Passenger Revelator
With their own brand of electro-rock psychedelic ambient sounds, Don Bhat + Passenger Revelator has established themselves as a group to reckon with in the industry. Their live shows are a combination of the haunting music and well-pointed light shows - an experience best described as transcendent.
[/cbtab][cbtab title="The Experience"]
The Lost Party is a multi-genre festival which will see attendance from the entire music community, artists from all over the country, and plenty of cool art installations! We’ve given you the lowdown on the music and now comes the other fun stuff.
Prepare yourself for an eclectic mix of art, design, and dance: Transhuman Collective, the multi-disciplinary collaborative project will bring in artists from places such as Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan, Chennai, Kolkata, and the north-east to help put together a whole range of acts for you to check out.
Remember Rob from M.A.D. Pogo days? {Oh, weren’t those fun times!}. He’ll be putting together a massive installation of galloping horses, called The Ride, for The Lost Party crowd.
There’ll be a bunch of wellness-focused activities at the venue for you to enjoy: From morning acro-yoga sessions, capoeira classes, kalaripayattu workshops, star-gazing sessions, a pillow-fight arena {we’re officially intrigued}, and a foam-pit where you can go a little crazy, there’ll be plenty to keep you entranced and occupied.
And while you’re there, do not miss the large-scale sound and animation installations, on-site 3D printing, an independent cinema tent for all you movie buffs, disco brunches with unlimited alcohol {hell yeah!}, and barbeque silent parties.
We can't wait!
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When: 26 – 28 February
Where: Salter Lake {at the foothills of the Sahyadris}
Price: Tickets for INR 1,818 for a day and INR 2,929 for the entire festival. Book your tickets here.
Follow The Lost Party on Facebook here and find out more about them here.
This story is in partnership with The Lost Party.