Strawberry Fields music festival- The SoftCopy

Strawberry Fields music fest marred by Orwellian security measures

Strawberry Fields, the National Law School of India University’s music festival, faced a lot of flak from music lovers for its stringent but poorly organized security measures.
(pic courtesy: organizers)

By Christopher Isaac

BANGALORE (Nov. 28)—The National Law School of India University celebrated the 15th edition of its annual music fest, Strawberry Fields, Friday through Sunday at its campus, with the usual plethora of rock bands from across India blowing the crowd’s minds out.

But behind the scenes of one of the largest campus fests in India, lurked a disturbing factor that’s been haunting the city’s concerts and events of late—ham-fisted organization.
With security checks that make airport security look like child’s play, the entry gates at Strawberry Fields were as welcoming as Satan’s arms himself.

A signboard next to the gates warned people not to bring in cigarettes, alcohol and intoxicating substances. That’s fair enough. But then followed a list of items that were just plain bizarre: helmets, deodorants, cosmetics—even prescription drugs.

Those that dared enter even after reading their own doom on the signboard were then made to stand in line while student organizers shoved them around and made them take off their jackets while they hand-checked each and every pocket, tear and fold on their clothing, “hand” being the keyword there.

After being reassured that their belongings (prescription medicines, cigarettes, lighters, deodorants, cosmetics, helmets, et al) would be returned when they exited the grounds, those attending then found themselves having to open up their wallets and hand them over for inspection with every nook and cranny of them being turned inside out.

Fans were left disappointed after their belongings were lost at the security counter.
(pic courtesy: organizers)

After a 10-minute security check for the men (20 minutes for the women, with all the “handling”) people thought they were finally done with being harassed.

Wrong.

Walking out, festival goers were told to look for their belongings in a small cardboard box, hoarded up with stuff collected at the entry points—if you found them, good for you. If you didn’t, better luck next time.

Apart from dozens of packs of cigarettes, women started complaining and arguing about their lost cosmetics. And the reply they received from the organizers?

“Sorry, but we kept them in this box. We can’t take responsibility for everything we took from you.” One said to a fellow organizer, “Did you take the stuff?”

About the whole sham, Darren Pereira, another disturbed music fan said: “It was badly thought out and badly executed. It could’ve been done a lot smoother. This show has been around for around 15 years now, and you just don’t expect this from such an event.”

One woman who attended the event summed up her experience by telling the organizers: “How can you guys take my stuff without claiming responsibility if it gets lost? How typical of you lawyers!”