Before we get to the core of this article, let us take a moment of silence for anyone who wore white shoes to “STORM” and “Ultra” this year. If you’re a Shanghai native, you know that those two music festivals are arguably the largest musical festivals in Shanghai this year. You may have seen Instagram pictures or Snapchat videos of your friends having fun at these places, but how do the two compare? The Echo sent out its very own in order to compare and contrast the two festivals for you, so that you can have some help in making your decision of which festival you should ruin your white shoes at!
What are these festivals?
STORM: STORM has become one of the most popular music festivals in China. Besides Shanghai, other locations include Beijing, Chengdu, Changsha and more; they’re even expanding to Australia this year!
ULTRA: Ultra, a worldwide music festival, came to Shanghai for the very first time on September 9th. Originally founded in Miami in 1999, Ultra has since expanded to become a highly anticipated event, showcasing some of the most popular DJs in the world. It has won the International Dance Music Award’s “Best Music Event” award six years consecutively. Due to Ultra's track record of hosting world class DJs like AVICII, David Guetta, Tiesto and many others, the announcement regarding its arrival in Shanghai this year garnered much excitement within the community.
Who performed?
STORM: Despite tight security checks and over-priced food, there were some amazing DJs that came to Shanghai just for 2 days, including Marshmello, Kygo, Don Diablo, Pegboard Nerds, San Holo, and some popular mainland Chinese DJs like Chace.
ULTRA: Ultra was held in the Shanghai Expo Park, featuring headliners The Chainsmokers and Zedd, along with a support of Martin Garrix, Nicky Romero, Slushii, Armin Van Buuren, and many other local DJs. With three stages, a variety of food vendors and open spaces for people to hang out, the festival’s layout ensured a fun experience for all.
Who were the last performers?
STORM: Kygo and MARSHMALLOW were the last two performers of STORM, providing a great end to a great night. Kygo even played the audience his very new release “Stargazing”, making the Shanghai crowd one of the first in the world to hear this song live. Performances were amazing despite some setbacks for some people. “STORM’s security check threw my umbrella away and the food is very expensive, causing me to go broke instantly, but it was lit because of the people I was with and MARSHMELLO,” said senior Sean Cai.
ULTRA: The Chainsmokers played for over an hour, showcasing their greatest hits. An attendee, junior Simon Nejman, said that “The Chainsmokers were lit and made this experience overall very enjoyable.” The Chainsmokers kept up the energy of the crowd by not only playing their own hits, but remixing other songs. Junior Marianne Sigouin said “the highlight of the night was definitely the hearing The Chainsmokers unexpectedly play “We Will Rock You” by Queen, which got the entire crowd hyped."
How was the overall experience?
STORM: Another STORM has passed this year, and it’s not pouring rain that has been happening during the past few days. The bright lights, heavy bass, familiar melodies, cheering crowd, delicious food and drink, and even the heavy rain and mud all over the grass made this year’s STORM Music Festival unlike any other. “Sometimes I get confused between if it’s mud or sweat on me,” said senior Cyrus Wong “never thought I’d see a mosh pit in Shanghai, but when it happened it was too late. Storm has become a place for people to experience good music, good food, see some of your favorite artists and spend an amazing time with your friends! Every DJ set is unique, and you get three stages filled with different talented artists from all around the world playing from 1PM to 10PM for 2 days. Whether this was your first year of STORM, your third year, or even if you haven’t gone yet, STORM is something worth experiencing. Even if you haven’t dove into the world of EDM yet, you’re still going to have an amazing time. It’s imaginable that STORM 2018 to be even better than it was this year, with more exciting DJs and even better sets!
ULTRA: At 12 p.m. on Saturday, EDM fans began entering the park in hopes of seeing their favorite DJs play. Throughout the day, as fans danced their hearts away, the music grew louder and the crowds grew larger. Each DJ masterfully played through their track list, keeping fans hyped despite their aching feet. All this built up to the highlight of the night: The Chainsmokers. Even though everyone was excited during the event, junior Nick Tan said that “in between switching DJs, there wasn't a lot going on and the MC wasn't pumping people up.” However, this did not affect the overall experience for most people, as the wait time did not exceed 10-20 minutes. Nejman also said that “the refreshments were on the expensive side, especially considering how much I paid for the ticket.” Despite this, the quality and variety of food offered was definitely a highlight for some. Featuring food vendors specializing in cuisines from all around the world from savory meals to sweet delights, Ultra definitely provided something to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Junior Jaz Wanamaker, who had a beef burger, said that it “was awesome with absolutely fantastic taste, and there was also a great variety of other foods as well.” Regarding the festival’s layout, Tan said that “the set up was really good, specifically in the aspect of how the music from the three stages did not overlap.” Overall, many felt that Ultra has lived up to its reputation as a world class music event, and hope that it will return next year.
Music festivals are a truly wonderful and unique way to have fun in Shanghai. If next year is one of your last years in Shanghai, you should definitely consider going to one of these festivals, or the many more great ones in Shanghai. STORM and Ultra are both unique experiences with their own perks and downsides, so find out which one fits your taste more!
Contributions:
STORM related references: Claire Yu
Ultra related references: Renee Pearce and Evian Chai
Introduction and assembly: Amy Liu
What are these festivals?
STORM: STORM has become one of the most popular music festivals in China. Besides Shanghai, other locations include Beijing, Chengdu, Changsha and more; they’re even expanding to Australia this year!
 |
| Taken by Claire Yu |
ULTRA: Ultra, a worldwide music festival, came to Shanghai for the very first time on September 9th. Originally founded in Miami in 1999, Ultra has since expanded to become a highly anticipated event, showcasing some of the most popular DJs in the world. It has won the International Dance Music Award’s “Best Music Event” award six years consecutively. Due to Ultra's track record of hosting world class DJs like AVICII, David Guetta, Tiesto and many others, the announcement regarding its arrival in Shanghai this year garnered much excitement within the community.
Who performed?
STORM: Despite tight security checks and over-priced food, there were some amazing DJs that came to Shanghai just for 2 days, including Marshmello, Kygo, Don Diablo, Pegboard Nerds, San Holo, and some popular mainland Chinese DJs like Chace.
ULTRA: Ultra was held in the Shanghai Expo Park, featuring headliners The Chainsmokers and Zedd, along with a support of Martin Garrix, Nicky Romero, Slushii, Armin Van Buuren, and many other local DJs. With three stages, a variety of food vendors and open spaces for people to hang out, the festival’s layout ensured a fun experience for all.
Who were the last performers?
STORM: Kygo and MARSHMALLOW were the last two performers of STORM, providing a great end to a great night. Kygo even played the audience his very new release “Stargazing”, making the Shanghai crowd one of the first in the world to hear this song live. Performances were amazing despite some setbacks for some people. “STORM’s security check threw my umbrella away and the food is very expensive, causing me to go broke instantly, but it was lit because of the people I was with and MARSHMELLO,” said senior Sean Cai.
ULTRA: The Chainsmokers played for over an hour, showcasing their greatest hits. An attendee, junior Simon Nejman, said that “The Chainsmokers were lit and made this experience overall very enjoyable.” The Chainsmokers kept up the energy of the crowd by not only playing their own hits, but remixing other songs. Junior Marianne Sigouin said “the highlight of the night was definitely the hearing The Chainsmokers unexpectedly play “We Will Rock You” by Queen, which got the entire crowd hyped."
How was the overall experience?
STORM: Another STORM has passed this year, and it’s not pouring rain that has been happening during the past few days. The bright lights, heavy bass, familiar melodies, cheering crowd, delicious food and drink, and even the heavy rain and mud all over the grass made this year’s STORM Music Festival unlike any other. “Sometimes I get confused between if it’s mud or sweat on me,” said senior Cyrus Wong “never thought I’d see a mosh pit in Shanghai, but when it happened it was too late. Storm has become a place for people to experience good music, good food, see some of your favorite artists and spend an amazing time with your friends! Every DJ set is unique, and you get three stages filled with different talented artists from all around the world playing from 1PM to 10PM for 2 days. Whether this was your first year of STORM, your third year, or even if you haven’t gone yet, STORM is something worth experiencing. Even if you haven’t dove into the world of EDM yet, you’re still going to have an amazing time. It’s imaginable that STORM 2018 to be even better than it was this year, with more exciting DJs and even better sets!
 |
| Taken by Claire Yu |
ULTRA: At 12 p.m. on Saturday, EDM fans began entering the park in hopes of seeing their favorite DJs play. Throughout the day, as fans danced their hearts away, the music grew louder and the crowds grew larger. Each DJ masterfully played through their track list, keeping fans hyped despite their aching feet. All this built up to the highlight of the night: The Chainsmokers. Even though everyone was excited during the event, junior Nick Tan said that “in between switching DJs, there wasn't a lot going on and the MC wasn't pumping people up.” However, this did not affect the overall experience for most people, as the wait time did not exceed 10-20 minutes. Nejman also said that “the refreshments were on the expensive side, especially considering how much I paid for the ticket.” Despite this, the quality and variety of food offered was definitely a highlight for some. Featuring food vendors specializing in cuisines from all around the world from savory meals to sweet delights, Ultra definitely provided something to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Junior Jaz Wanamaker, who had a beef burger, said that it “was awesome with absolutely fantastic taste, and there was also a great variety of other foods as well.” Regarding the festival’s layout, Tan said that “the set up was really good, specifically in the aspect of how the music from the three stages did not overlap.” Overall, many felt that Ultra has lived up to its reputation as a world class music event, and hope that it will return next year.
Music festivals are a truly wonderful and unique way to have fun in Shanghai. If next year is one of your last years in Shanghai, you should definitely consider going to one of these festivals, or the many more great ones in Shanghai. STORM and Ultra are both unique experiences with their own perks and downsides, so find out which one fits your taste more!
Contributions:
STORM related references: Claire Yu
Ultra related references: Renee Pearce and Evian Chai
Introduction and assembly: Amy Liu
