In line with its proven success in past editions, this year’s Earth Garden, held over the first weekend of June, once again attracted thousands of visitors who attended what was possibly one of the best editions of the festival to date.
Speaking about this year’s schedule, the organising team said they were pleased with the outcome, particularly at the success of improved set-ups in the world, blues and reggae area, which hosted performances by Kultural, Cushion, Claire Tonna, Trania and Este Mundo.
Maltese-Australian Nicky Bomba helped deliver a mighty dose of energy with his typically unpredictable performances, including a jamming session with other musicians using percussion instruments made from recycled material. He was again pivotal later when he was accompanied by a mighty gathering of various musicians, among them members of Tribali and Get Up! Stand Up!, who performed a 90-minute reggae set with Nicky Bomba.
The Greek Theatre was again a main feature of the festival, with Cygna delivering an impeccable electronic set accompanied by theatrical performance ahead of main act Tribali. Once again sold-out, the concert rated among the festival’s high points, with the band giving a solid performance that included tracks from its upcoming new album and a surprise guest appearance from Nicky Bomba.
This year, for the first time, the Festive Grove hosted the Why Not? jamming and chillout section. The sessions here never seemed to end, with an ever-changing line-up of musicians collectively providing rhythmic drumming for much of the festival’s duration. Within the grove, The Electronic Sphere hosted another of the festival’s highlights, namely Armin Boom Shankar, who once again entertained everyone with his musical selections.
Embellished by the presence of stalls brimming with handcrafted gifts, food stalls offering international cuisines and a holistic area that focused on this year’s chosen theme of Water Consciousness, the two-day music festival succeeded in bringing various elements together under one roof, realising the organiser’s efforts to instil innovative and interesting additions with each edition of Earth Garden.