Come the weekend and the northern half of Goa gears up to head down to Vanilla to get into retro mood. I went there over a month ago for the first time, not knowing too many people there, but now, you see familiar faces and they nod and smile back.
The summer months are hot and sweaty in the day and it turns out to be quite similar at night, but, on the sands of Candolim beach, with the River Princess in the background, you really don’t mind it. I think back to when we used to party in Mumbai, or play for parties where everyone wanted to swing to a different beat, barring the occasional hip-hop or house hit, people love to go retro. It’s fun! Shaking a leg to Madonna, the Bee Gees and some Shakin’ Stevens, who would’ve ever thought that Goa would love it so. When I first came here, a lot of people told me that retro wasn’t ‘in’, even a few Goans in Mumbai were of the opinion that hip-hop and house, trance and rock, that kind of music sells in Goa more than anything else. “Retro? Nah, it won’t work that well.” Well, you tell that to the hundreds of people who jump up and down around me every weekend.
Well, I’ve seen a different side to Goa, in fact, I’ve met a few people who drive down all the way from the South, to party here and get a different vibe. I guess, you never really know how well it will work until you actually go ahead and do it.
It takes me back to my younger days, not that I’m not young now (ahem!) I’d still like to think of myself, in some ways, as an unruly teenager out to live it up. Then I look in the mirror and see a few gray hairs and get a little subdued. But, that’s all behind me now. I’ve found a nice place to feel at home, dance the night away and get nostalgic at the same time. I’ll often turn to a friend and say, “This track, I heard it way back in ……” or perhaps I’ll talk about how often I used to play the track when I was a DJ.
In a track called Mrs Potters Lullaby, Adam Duritz sings, “If dreams are like movies, then memories are films about ghosts.” I’ve made a lot of films then I guess, about ghosts and whatever else. Sometimes, our memories are all we have, sometimes not.
There are a lot of things that I do now, which take me back to the days when I was crazy and wild, long-haired with a care-a-damn attitude. I figure, that part of me never died, because it’s back with a bang! I’m usually the type of guy, who takes a while to get used to something. I like to feel comfortable wherever I am; I like to feel at home. Vanilla’s also one of my favourite flavours of ice cream, but then that’s not what I’m actually talking about. I’m talking about the place where the faces are familiar, the people smile all the time and the music plays all night long, well, for most of it.
I’ve this strong urge to head down to the place during the week sometime, put my feet up and gaze at the stars. It’ll give me a chance to feel the vibe when there are fewer people around. Might even see a different side to the lounge. Then again, I might just get up and cut a rug on the dance floor. Who knows, the place brings out my wild side. Grrrr!
May 3, Gomantak Times, Goa
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