ZoukOut: Raving hard 10 years on



What do 200,000 party goers from 30 different nationalities dancing to 150 different acts and drinking 55,000 liters of alcohol, 23,000 liters of energy drinks and 75,000 liters of water have in common?

ZoukOut.

The above figures represent the accumulation of 10 ZoukOuts, the large dance fest that has mushroomed since its debut in 2000 as a simple homage to the beach parties in Ibiza, Spain.

Over the past decade, despite rumors of it moving to a regional location, or it not being staged at all, ZoukOut has grown from strength to strength.

Attracting more than 20,000 party goers every year, the festival line-up sees a who's who of the DJ world taking charge of its decks: Armin Van Burren, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Gilles Peterson and Carl Cox are just some of the spin masters who've kept the festival buzzing.

Along the way, the DJs have been complemented with everything from a 50-meter long Euro Slide, a live music stage promoting local musicians, art installations, mobile massage stations and a cast of outlandishly clad revelers ensuring the party vibe is kept live, raw and jumping.

As ZoukOut turns a decade young on December 11, here's a look at some highlights.

ZoukOut 2000: The birth of ZoukOut

ZoukOut 2000

Singapore's first big outdoor dance music festival debuts at Sentosa's Siloso Beach. Marred by an unfortunate drowning incident, swimming is banned at at all future ZoukOuts. The first festival takes S$400,000 to organize and attracts 9,000 people with a lineup that includes Brit DJ Dave Seamen and Detroit-based Richie Hawtin.

ZoukOut 2001: One year old and bringing in the big names

ZoukOut 2001

Same same but different, the second ZoukOut on Sentosa's Tanjong Beach is a tour de force, flying in Gilles Peterson, Norman Jay, Darren Emerson and DJ Pippi to helm the decks. Pippi, who returned to spin at ZoukOut in 2004 and 2006, has since been quoted as saying it is a "highlight in the global music festival calendar."

ZoukOut 2003: Back after a one-year hiatus

ZoukOut 2003

Due to the Bali bombings, there was no ZoukOut in 2002. For 2003, the festival is given an overhaul, changing locations to the Marina Bay Waterfront, moving the event up to July instead of December and stretching itself across two days.

While response for the first day is poor, the second night sees 15,000 people rock up to dance to the music of Dirty Vegas and the Stereo MCs. House music legend Sasha brings the event to an unforgettable close as strobe lights bounce off the mirrored skyscrapers located across from the venue.

ZoukOut 2004: The year ZoukOut went regional

ZoukOut 2004

With the advent of low-cost airlines, the festival becomes more than just a Singaporean affair. Tourists from all over the region fly down and represent 30 percent of the crowd. It's a electro/trance heavy affair with Paul van Dyk, Seb Fontaine and Timo Mass spinning. But it is DJ Jazzy Jeff and Zouk's resident tabla player MS Maniam who are the runaway hits of the night.

ZoukOut 2005: Going live

ZoukOut 2005

An expanded line-up, 2005 sees the inclusion of a Live Music stage, bringing the stage total to four strong. The festival roll-call of DJs is packed with the requisite big names, Armin Van Buuren, Nick Warren, Sven Väth, Martin Solveig, Peter Kruder of Kruder and Dorfmeister fame, Stephane Pompougnac and Cash Money, leaving revelers with more choice than time to dash between stages, hardly getting the opportunity to admire design collective Lichtfront VJ’s synchronized live visuals.

ZoukOut 2006: Local talent rules

ZoukOut 2006

The Singaporean flag is flown high at the sixth installation of ZoukOut with art installations from the Singapore Art Museum scattered about and the Live Stage showcasing the best of local music: Electrico, Astreal and The Great Spy Experiment. Star billlers for the night include Ferry Corsten, dance legend Steve Lawler and the highly anticipated return of DJ Jazzy Jeff.

ZoukOut 2007: Of fun and games

ZoukOut 2007

The legendary Carl Cox headlines at ZoukOut’s Main Arena but the larger-than-life DJ faces stiff competition from the 50-meter inflatable Euro Slide that sees snaking lines all night long, party goers unable to resist the urge to get wet, slip and slide.

ZoukOut 2008: A smaller affair

ZoukOut 2008

2008 sees only three stages and the dance fest coming to a close at 6:30 a.m., instead of the regular 8 a.m. end. Elaborate fireworks and the presence of French collective Nouvelle Vague however add pizazz to the festivities.

ZoukOut 2009: Of lasers and alien beings

ZoukOut 2009

Branching out to include the nearby WaveHouse into the fold, party goers get the chance to ride the FlowRider to the beats of Martin Solveig and Bob Sinclair. A laser show is added and the 40 percent tourist make-up is evident by a large number of elaborately costumed up-for-anything individuals.

ZoukOut 2010: A perfect 10

ZoukOut 2010

It's hard to believe a decade has passed since ZoukOut first landed on Singapore's shores. To celebrate, this year's roll call includes the first ever appearance of famous Dutch DJ Tiesto and crowd pleaser David Guetta -- good luck deciding which tent you'll prefer to be bopping at -- and 20 other foreign jocks and live acts such as Dennis Ferrer, Cash Money and Booka Shade.



Read more: ZoukOut: Raving hard 10 years on | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/play/zoukout-raving-hard-10-years-851395#ixzz17gnYEVjS




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