MOGA is one of those festivals that makes for the ultimate travel and music experience. It happens in the Moroccan coastal town of Essaouira and is blessed with great weather, stunning architecture, and an abundance of culture and color. It collides rich musical traditions from local artists as well as top international talents and boasts slick organization and a friendly welcoming crowd.
The action takes place on five stages at the Sofitel Essaouira, a beautiful open-air setup with two pools, a souk market, yoga to get involved with and so much more. Each stage proffers excellent sound systems, and a host of stunning views to take the breath away. Three are plenty of bars and food stalls available around the hotel, with rugs on the floors and tables around to chill at.
A most magical moment was the collaborative sunset performance on The Pool Stage of local artist Maalem Khalid Sansi, singer Lala Tamar and Portuguese DJ and producer Moulinex, orchestrated by the organizers. Every MOGA Festival there is a collaboration between an electronic artist and traditional musicians. The artists enter the studio together in the days before MOGA and create music, and then perform it live at the festival. This was a truly moving performance and seemed to sum up exactly what the event is about: a coming together of sounds, energies, and nationalities.
Habibi Funk dropped a killer set on the Terrasse Stage playing classic French rap tunes such as ‘113’ by Tonton du Bled that got great reactions. Other sets from the likes of Sonja Moonear who took things deep and minimal, DJ Python’s high-energy genre-bending, Francesco Del Garda’s ever-revered selections, and Acid Arab taking us on a psyched-out 303 trip will all stick long in the memory.
The festival felt very safe at all times; both intimate and well-organized. The food is also as good as you could hope with oysters, seafood pizzas, paëllas, and Vietnamese food, and the souk was fun to check out, where you could also enjoy a makeover with makeup, hair braiding, bodypaint, and more. Or simply chill by the pool and soak up the amazing sunsets.
As well as the main festival, there are amazing off events happening throughout the five days. These go beyond music with art, wellness, talks, food, and more, all enriching for your life and soul. Overall, the vibe was really enjoyable and the festival was magical on many levels. It is a place to meet like-minded people and have the time of your life. Roll on next year.
