May 2018 opened with excitement as SHVR Ground Festival 2018 (SGF18) returned for its third edition.
The festival went back to its original venue at Allianz Ecopark Ancol, Jakarta, and expanded into a two-day celebration held on 4–5 May.
Before the event started, the rundown revealed strong reasons to stay mostly at the Chilling Square Stage.
Day 1 leaned into Techno and Progressive sounds with Apsara, Indra7, Bondax, and the much-anticipated FKJ.
Day 2 focused on Trance, featuring Syndromatic, Karelino Tahmme, LTN, Marquee, Gareth Emery, and Aly & Fila.
With a lineup like this, we knew we wouldn’t miss a second.
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Day 1: A Night of Techno, Grooves, and Live Magic
We arrived around 7 PM when Tantra was already warming up the stage.
Their set built the tone for the rest of the night, and MC Joey lifted the crowd even higher.
Apsara followed with a smooth selection that matched the early-evening atmosphere, playing lighter than her usual signature.
We moved briefly to the Arctic Diamond Stage to catch Dimbo’s mix of popular hits before returning for Indra7.
After his set, the crew prepared the stage for FKJ, placing multiple instruments across the platform.
Thirty minutes later, FKJ stepped out to loud cheers.
He played live using keyboards, guitar, bass, and saxophone.
His performance captivated the entire crowd.
When he finished, we stopped again at Arctic Diamond to see Diskopantera.
The Uprising DJ Paranoia Awards 2017 winner drew even more attention with a set packed with ’80s and ’90s hits, both Indonesian and international.
The crowd sang along to every track.
The biggest surprise came when he played the intro to Barakatak’s iconic dance hit “Maju Maju Maju,” which sent the crowd into a frenzy.
We returned to Chilling Square for Bondax, who energized the audience with their full set.
Zimmer followed with heavy basslines and darker tracks.
Near the end, Bondax and FKJ joined him on stage, and Bondax even jumped into a quick B2B session.
The night closed with a joint performance from Indra7 and Apsara.
Their Techno and Progressive selections kept the crowd dancing non-stop—a perfect ending to Day 1.
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Day 2: A Full Trance Experience
We arrived earlier on Day 2 around 6 PM and headed straight to Chilling Square.
Syndromatic and MC Rongkie opened the evening, followed by Karelino Tahmme.
Roni Joni and Attila Syah continued with sets that lifted the energy even higher.
LTN and Marquee took over next and maintained the momentum without holding back.
Khomha followed with a high-energy performance that never slowed.
When Gareth Emery finally stepped on stage, the energy shifted.
He delivered a set that moved through many styles and kept the crowd guessing.
Then came the surprise: a new remix of Groove Coverage’s “God Is A Girl.”
The moment hit us with a wave of nostalgia and lifted the night even higher.
For the first time in Indonesia, Will Atkinson and Standerwick performed together.
Their Tech Trance set lived up to expectations and delivered track after track of adrenaline.
Fadi of Aly & Fila closed the festival with his signature style.
Fadi chose not to play major anthems like “Control The Sunlight” or “Other Shore.”
Instead, he focused on ID tracks, giving the crowd a fresh experience.
He used the opportunity to tease unreleased music, including some featured at SGF18.
The crowd begged for one more, but the night had to end.
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Three Stages, Bigger Ambition of SHVR Ground Festival
HYPE Music Asia and HYPE Festival elevated SGF18 by expanding it into a two-day event with three stages.
The Frozen Galaxy main stage stood out with its massive structure and astronaut-themed DJ booth.
Arctic Diamond acted as a transition area between Frozen Galaxy and Chilling Square.
While waiting for performances, festival-goers enjoyed games at sponsor booths.
Visitors could also write down their wishlist of DJs for the next edition.
The only drawback came from the venue’s uneven terrain.
For example, at Arctic Diamond, the ground contour made jumping or dancing difficult and sometimes risky.
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Looking Ahead to the Next Edition SHVR Ground Festival
Rita Ora added a refreshing twist to this year’s lineup.
Many attendees still hoped Martin Garrix would return the following year.
At the same time, we had our own wish.
We wanted the organizers to keep bringing in fresh names and diverse artists from different genres.
See you next year at another thrilling edition of SHVR Ground Festival!
