Photo by Dan Medhurst, courtesy of Dimensions FestivalEven though it's only in its second edition, Dimensions Festival—held at Fort Punta Christo in Pula, Croatia—is clearly shaping up to me one of the most unmissable festivals on the Adriatic Coast this summer. Organized by the same crew behind the more UK urban/bass-driven Outlook Festival, Dimensions (September 5-9) combines bookings heavy on the more thoughtful side of techno, house, nu-disco and post-dubstep (is that still a thing?) with a surprisingly chill vibe, given the 'round-the-clock partying going on. Here are a few things which may entice you to book your next trip there.The Music Was Good As Hell
Dimensions 2013 undoubtedly collected the finest acts and DJ tastemakers currently operating in the underground, proving that the darlings of Resident Advisor and Pitchfork can also draw massive crowds. From Berlin's in-demand Ostgut Ton crew (the ladies and gentlemen behind the legendary Berghain/Panorama Bar) to Detroit techno legends like Moodyman and Theo Parrish, all the chapels were represented with a strong consistency on the stages distribution. The opening concert in an astonishing 2,000-year-old amphitheatre was a pretty sweet way to kick off the festival.
Portico Quartet, a minimalist live outfit from London, were a very nice discovery. Mount Kimbie, the kings of combining melancholy and texture with UK bass, clearly demonstrated they were not here by chance (I won't be suprised when they're named Live Act of the Year in a few months). Bonobo offered an extended show with a full band and a bunch of singers… whose appearance was a perfect cue to go grab a beer. Otherwise, disco duo Bicep killed it, Andres killed it, Daphni killed it, Mark E's set on the beach killed it, the live show from Dial's John Roberts in the Fort Arena killed it, the Hessle Audio boat party with Ben UFO and Pearson Sound killed it. Morning until night, the music quality was on point. And though the lineup was faultless, none of it would have been the same without the care taken for the soundsystem—Dimensions didn't succumb to the hype around Funktion One and it was for the best. You know the sound is good when everywhere from the stage to the camping tents the music sounds as clear and crisp as your iTunes Top 100.
Camping Is The New Communism
Karl Marx dreamt about it, Dimensions made it real. It seems like there is no real "private property" in their camping area. Everyone was scrounging off everyone over there—but the best in their category were these Belgian kids I met. They came one day before the festival to grab all the abandoned stuff left in the campground by the people who attended Outlook Festival the week before. This crew basically came with only three tees, one pair of jeans, and a toothbrush and had undeniably the best camp setup I have seen there. Okay, it wasn't that hard to compete—most everyone traveled there with a low-cost airline and didn't want to pay checked baggage fees for lots of stuff but still… Their spot was so comfy and that's probably the reason why they spent all their time there smokin' rollies while other festivalgoers were going to the beach or catch their favorite DJs. Go Belgium!
The Morning After…
Music at Dimensions stops between 6am and noon, and that's when the beach party starts. You have the choice between going to sleep or sprawling on the beach with a random group of people you've just met (and probably falling asleep there). The rest of the day will be a slow rehab from the night before until it the night reaches its peak again. You will start this routine over and over for five days. With a bit of luck, you wake up one morning next to an handsome stranger who will have a British accent 99% of the time. You won't have a lot to say to each other, except the same few things you keep saying to everyone and everyone is also saying to you (i.e "Where are you from?," "So-and-so killed it yesterday," "Croatia is such a beautiful country"). At the end of the festival, you'll feel like you know everybody, even though you can't recall any names. This is fine. Or maybe you'll be part of that elite, snobbish class who actually find the time to read books, like this French guy I saw having an engrossing time on the beach with his copy of Game of Thrones.
Volunteers Are A Bit Useless But They're Cool
I spoke with a few of the Dimensions volunteers. They often have nothing to do except standing on the beach scanning the water or watching an empty room in the middle of nowhere making sure no one goes in there. They often felt bored and hungover, and tried to discretely sleep. Every time you would ask them something, they wouldn't know the answer or wouldn't have the permission to do it. You can't get free drinks from them, even when you smile and a make up a totally believable story that your press pass gives you access to the open bar! Anyway, they're still cool kids that make you feel all mushy inside when you see they can't resist dancing even when they are supposed to be "working."
The Kuna Makes You Feel Richer
Croatia just joined this fucked-up Union we've got in Europe but lucky for them they kept their own currency, called the kuna. And there is always something more exotic about travelling in a country with a different currency. Also, as $10 is something like 55 kunas, you feel richer. Croatia is a pretty reasonable country but it's not cheap inside the festival site, where London prices apply ($10 a mojito). It's like this at every other festival, so you think it's okay… until you are asked to pay for ketchup for your fries. That's also where the dividing line emerges in Croatian public opinion about the booming festival industry—between people making money off it and those who don't. Croatian people are really proud of their well-preserved natural environment and they don't always see all these raving kids in the best light, as a very nice local security guy explained to me, also showed me a local press headline of the day about a record drugs seizure, which clearly demonstrates political tensions that festivals in new locations can bring. But whatever might be going on in town, I didn't see any tension—all the Croatian people I met seemed so nice and so psyched. But when you're raving to techno in an ancient moat, it's pretty hard not to be in a good mood. Thanks Dimensions!
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Dimensions 2013 undoubtedly collected the finest acts and DJ tastemakers currently operating in the underground, proving that the darlings of Resident Advisor and Pitchfork can also draw massive crowds. From Berlin's in-demand Ostgut Ton crew (the ladies and gentlemen behind the legendary Berghain/Panorama Bar) to Detroit techno legends like Moodyman and Theo Parrish, all the chapels were represented with a strong consistency on the stages distribution. The opening concert in an astonishing 2,000-year-old amphitheatre was a pretty sweet way to kick off the festival.
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Karl Marx dreamt about it, Dimensions made it real. It seems like there is no real "private property" in their camping area. Everyone was scrounging off everyone over there—but the best in their category were these Belgian kids I met. They came one day before the festival to grab all the abandoned stuff left in the campground by the people who attended Outlook Festival the week before. This crew basically came with only three tees, one pair of jeans, and a toothbrush and had undeniably the best camp setup I have seen there. Okay, it wasn't that hard to compete—most everyone traveled there with a low-cost airline and didn't want to pay checked baggage fees for lots of stuff but still… Their spot was so comfy and that's probably the reason why they spent all their time there smokin' rollies while other festivalgoers were going to the beach or catch their favorite DJs. Go Belgium!
Music at Dimensions stops between 6am and noon, and that's when the beach party starts. You have the choice between going to sleep or sprawling on the beach with a random group of people you've just met (and probably falling asleep there). The rest of the day will be a slow rehab from the night before until it the night reaches its peak again. You will start this routine over and over for five days. With a bit of luck, you wake up one morning next to an handsome stranger who will have a British accent 99% of the time. You won't have a lot to say to each other, except the same few things you keep saying to everyone and everyone is also saying to you (i.e "Where are you from?," "So-and-so killed it yesterday," "Croatia is such a beautiful country"). At the end of the festival, you'll feel like you know everybody, even though you can't recall any names. This is fine. Or maybe you'll be part of that elite, snobbish class who actually find the time to read books, like this French guy I saw having an engrossing time on the beach with his copy of Game of Thrones.
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I spoke with a few of the Dimensions volunteers. They often have nothing to do except standing on the beach scanning the water or watching an empty room in the middle of nowhere making sure no one goes in there. They often felt bored and hungover, and tried to discretely sleep. Every time you would ask them something, they wouldn't know the answer or wouldn't have the permission to do it. You can't get free drinks from them, even when you smile and a make up a totally believable story that your press pass gives you access to the open bar! Anyway, they're still cool kids that make you feel all mushy inside when you see they can't resist dancing even when they are supposed to be "working."
Croatia just joined this fucked-up Union we've got in Europe but lucky for them they kept their own currency, called the kuna. And there is always something more exotic about travelling in a country with a different currency. Also, as $10 is something like 55 kunas, you feel richer. Croatia is a pretty reasonable country but it's not cheap inside the festival site, where London prices apply ($10 a mojito). It's like this at every other festival, so you think it's okay… until you are asked to pay for ketchup for your fries. That's also where the dividing line emerges in Croatian public opinion about the booming festival industry—between people making money off it and those who don't. Croatian people are really proud of their well-preserved natural environment and they don't always see all these raving kids in the best light, as a very nice local security guy explained to me, also showed me a local press headline of the day about a record drugs seizure, which clearly demonstrates political tensions that festivals in new locations can bring. But whatever might be going on in town, I didn't see any tension—all the Croatian people I met seemed so nice and so psyched. But when you're raving to techno in an ancient moat, it's pretty hard not to be in a good mood. Thanks Dimensions!