When it comes to Asia’s bustling electronic music scene, Taiwan isn’t exactly the first country that comes to mind. But that’s precisely why the Goliath of dance festivals like Tomorrowland thinks the Formosa Island would be a fascinating addition to the boundless landscape of EDM.
UNITE With Tomorrowland returns to East Asia once again this year, with Taiwan being the only destination. Fans from all over the region will gather at Taipei’s Dajia Riverside Park on Saturday, July 28 and embark on a rare music journey.
AsiaLive365 speaks to Production Director Barry Huang as he gears up for the big day about early details, what sets UNITE apart from other festivals and why it’s more connected to the Belgian mothership than you think.
What is UNITE With Tomorrowland? What kind of experience can people expect from it?
UNITE With Tomorrowland is where the magic of Tomorrowland continues outside Boom, Belgium. It takes place on the second weekend of Tomorrowland in seven different countries, this year Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Spain, Malta and Mexico. They will come together to be part of the Moment, when the world connect as one to celebrate music.
Each city will host an impressive lineup of DJs who perform on the gigantic UNITE Main Stage fashioned after the one at Tomorrowland. To unite the world as one, we have a satellite connection with the Tomorrowland Main Stage in the later half of the night. It’s going to be thrilling to see because the tech team back in Boom will be controlling all the lights and special effects of all seven UNITE stages too. So even though you’re in Taipei, you will experience the same magic moments as those at Tomorrowland do.
Why is Taiwan the perfect location?
Anyone who’s been to Taiwan would agree that it has one of the best cuisines in Asia, beautiful and creative people, and the music that is well-beloved across the region. Taipei itself has a great public transport and train system. So it would take a jiffy for the Taiwanese to commute from their city to the capital. We are also expecting guests from other countries. Taiwan is well-located on the map and those visiting will find their journey smooth and convenient from the moment they set foot in Taoyuan International Airport.
Taipei is such an amazing city, so they can plan their trip around the festival to explore the city, the night markets, the food, and meet new people. With the support of the local authority and community, we will do our best to deliver what impresses and inspires.
What sets UNITE With Tomorrowland apart from other electronic music festivals in the region?
Our goal is not to organise a music festival that’s just all about big headliners. We focus on three key elements: Living the Moment, Musical Journey and Connecting the World.
A music festival is all about being in the moment. This is something you can’t get from watching videos online. We want life to be made up of moments. Too often we don’t recall our past experiences, whether because we weren’t fully aware of our surroundings or because they’re simply past the retrieving date. We want UNITE to be something that everyone remembers and what we remember is the moments that impact us the most.
Each year Tomorrowland puts together 16 stages, works with over 40 hosts or takeover DJs and enlists countless other artists. While we don’t just aim for a packed lineup of top international DJs, the Belgian HQ has been working with us to curate the best lineup for each UNITE destination and deliver the same Musical Journey.
The heart of the project is to connect everyone attending Tomorrowland and UNITE With Tomorrowland events. We want to build a magical world of peace, harmony, love and positive energy, where people come together and rejoice in this celebration of music.
Every year, fans marvel at the stage design of Tomorrowland Belgium. How are you going to deliver or translate it to UNITE attendees?
Tomorrowland has a new theme and jaw-dropping designs for its stages every year. And it will be just as impressive for UNITE With Tomorrowland. All I can say now is that our team has had a peek at the technical rider and I love all the designs and the details behind them. It will be one of the most visually pleasing and selfie-worthy stages the fans have seen for sure.
What can you tell us about the lineup?
We’ve been working hard to curate an epic talent roster and we can’t wait to reveal the details to everyone. As this is a dusk-to-dawn event, we’re making sure there won’t be a boring moment and fans will be treated to various dance genres. We’ve invited a number of international DJs from Tomorrowland to join us in Taiwan and we’re working on a special program to showcase the best of Taiwanese talent too. Fans should keep an eye out on the Facebook as we expect to drop the details soon.
