Event facts
| Fact | Status |
|---|---|
| Devcon 8, Mumbai — November 3–6, 2026 | Confirmed |
| JIO World Convention Centre | Confirmed |
| Music Space registered as Culture Track — DIP #8576 (2026-04-20) | Confirmed |
| Prior activations: Devcon 6 Bogotá · Devcon SEA Bangkok · Devconnect AMS / IST / BA | Confirmed |
| Exact room / hall allocation at JIO World | TBD — Devcon production |
| Provision split: Devcon house stock vs. OSO local rental | TBD |
Space & stage — Sanctuary Tech
The stage is circular and non-directional. There is no "front." Performers face one another; the audience wraps around the music. Warmth, belonging, refuge — a home with clear boundaries and an open invitation.
| Requirement | Detail | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated open space | 100+ m², soundproof or acoustically isolated (per DIP) | Confirmed ask Allocation TBD |
| Circular stage | 6 m Ø performance circle (fits 6–10 players + floor seating), defined by rugs + low LED ring — eye-level, walk-in, no barrier | Proposed |
| Floor-seating quadrant | Rugs + cushions for Indian classical players (tabla, harmonium, bansuri) — essential, not decorative | Proposed |
| Location | Near community hubs / meal area / main circulation (per DIP) | Confirmed ask |
| Stage management corner | Facilitator desk, comms, patch access | Proposed |
| Overnight storage | Lockable, in or adjacent to the space (per DIP) | Confirmed ask Security detail TBD |
| Audience wrap | Standing ring + cushion ring; 360° circulation kept clear for convention-centre egress | Proposed Venue ops TBD |
| Room occupancy limit | For the allocated space | TBD — venue |
The circle, drawn
How to read the circle
- ◎ The performance circle — Ø 6 m proposed, defined by rugs and light, not barriers. Walk in from any side.
- 🥁 Kit & sub at one pole — the loudest source sits opposite the floor-seated classical players. Acoustic kit TBD
- 🪕 Floor-seating quadrant (teal) — tabla, harmonium, bansuri on rugs & cushions, condenser-mic'd.
- ▣ 4× powered tops at the quadrants, firing outward — even 360° coverage at low level. Proposed
- ◢ 4 wedges + side-fill: performers spread wide in a circle need their own mixes.
- ⏨ FOH at the perimeter with sightline into the ring, on hardline internet for the stream.
- ⚡ Power drops at every station — nobody runs a cable across the circle. Ever.
PA / mains — sound in the round
Distributed, modest, warm. This is a sanctuary inside a convention centre — coverage, not concert SPL.
| Item | Spec | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Mains | 4× compact powered tops (10–12" class — QSC K12.2 / d&b E-series class) on poles at the four quadrants, firing outward | Proposed |
| Alternative | 2× column arrays (Bose L1 Pro32 / Maui class) opposite — cleaner sightlines, easier load-in | Proposed fallback |
| Sub | 1× compact powered sub, placed to minimise boundary build-up; bypass switch for acoustic/classical sessions | Proposed |
| Alignment | All quadrants time-aligned to circle centre; mono-compatible — the circle is one instrument | Proposed |
| Actual provision | Depends on Devcon production house stock — this section doubles as the spec sheet | TBD |
Mixing & FOH
| Item | Spec | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Console | 32-channel digital — Behringer X32, A&H SQ-5/QU-32, or similar (32 inputs confirmed by Shaka, 2026-07-27) | Proposed · committee direction |
| Aux sends | 6–8 aux outs for individual monitor mixes | Proposed |
| FOH position | Perimeter, clear sightline into the ring; hardline network for the streaming rig | Proposed |
| Engineers | 1–2 from production provider (per DIP); OSO community engineers support alongside | Confirmed ask |
| Multitrack | Console USB/SD multitrack — feeds §11 recording | Proposed |
| Show file | One shared "Circle" safe scene + per-slot snapshots; open jams always return to Circle | Proposed |
Input list — the 32-channel Circle Patch
32 inputs per committee direction (Shaka, 2026-07-27). Channels 1–18 are the permanent community backline; 19–21 are the stewards' own voices — Shaka's stereo uke looper and Alaska's sax; 22–26 the vocal ring; 27–29 the permissionless layer — three walk-up spots, always line-checked, so a stranger is one fader away from the circle; 30–31 capture the room itself for the stream & P.I.T. archive; 32 says yes.
| Ch | Source | Mic / DI | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kick / dhol low | Beta 52A / D112 | Shared kit & dhol |
| 2 | Snare | SM57 | |
| 3 | OH L | Condenser (SM81/C414) | Also covers percussion circle |
| 4 | OH R | Condenser (SM81/C414) | |
| 5 | Percussion 1 — djembe/congas | SM57 | |
| 6 | Percussion 2 — cajon | SM57 | Float: brass/woodwind walk-ups |
| 7 | Tabla | Condenser | Floor-seating quadrant |
| 8 | Bansuri / traditional lead | Wireless HH #1 / condenser | Roaming traditional instruments |
| 9 | Bass | DI | DI primary, amp optional |
| 10 | Electric guitar amp | SM57 (float) / DI | Shares w/ ch 6 full-band |
| 11 | Keys L | DI | Electric piano / synth |
| 12 | Keys R | DI | |
| 13 | Drum machine L | DI | |
| 14 | Drum machine R | DI | |
| 15 | Laptop / DAW L | DI | Live coders · algorave |
| 16 | Laptop / DAW R | DI | |
| 17 | DJ L | Line / DI | Booth out |
| 18 | DJ R | Line / DI | |
| 19 | Shaka's ukulele looper L | DI | Stereo looper rig — 2 ch per Shaka, 2026-07-27 |
| 20 | Shaka's ukulele looper R | DI | |
| 21 | Alaska's saxophone | Clip condenser (DPA 4099 / Beta 98H/C class) | Clip keeps the circle mobile |
| 22 | Vocal 1 | SM58 | Rotating vocal ring |
| 23 | Vocal 2 | SM58 | |
| 24 | Vocal 3 | SM58 | |
| 25 | Vocal 4 | SM58 | |
| 26 | Wireless HH #2 | Sennheiser EW-class | MC / roaming performers |
| 27 | Walk-up 1 | — | Always line-checked, always hot |
| 28 | Walk-up 2 | — | |
| 29 | Walk-up 3 | — | Three walk-up spots per Shaka, 2026-07-27 |
| 30 | Room / audience L | Condenser (pair) | The sound of the circle — stream & P.I.T. archive |
| 31 | Room / audience R | Condenser (pair) | |
| 32 | Spare | — | The "yes, and…" channel |
Mics, DI & connectivity
| Qty | Type | Use | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Dynamic vocal (SM58-class) | Rotating vocalists | Proposed |
| 2 | Wireless handheld (Sennheiser EW-class) | Roaming performers, traditional instruments, MC | Proposed |
| 3 | Condenser (SM81 / C414-class) | Overheads, acoustic & traditional instruments | Proposed |
| 3 | Instrument dynamic (SM57-class) | Percussion, brass, woodwinds | Proposed |
| 1 | Kick (Beta 52A / D112) | Drum kit / dhol | Proposed |
| 1 | Clip condenser (DPA 4099 / Beta 98H/C class) | Alaska's saxophone — clip keeps the circle mobile | Proposed · per Shaka 07-27 |
| 2 | Condenser pair (room/audience) | Ch 30–31 — the sound of the circle for stream & P.I.T. archive | Proposed · per Shaka 07-27 |
| +1 ea | Spare of each class | Mic attrition at a 4-day permissionless jam is a law of nature | TBD — RIDEOSO adds |
Connectivity
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| 8–10 DI boxes (synths, drum machines, acoustic guitars, DJ gear, +2 for Shaka's stereo uke looper) | Proposed |
| 20+ XLR · 10+ ¼" instrument cables | Proposed |
| +6 spare XLR · +4 spare ¼" · 2× 3.5mm→dual-¼" walk-up adapters · gaffer/board tape at every station · spare strings/sticks/reeds basket | TBD — RIDEOSO adds |
Backline — the community instruments
Core band (rental ask per DIP)
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Drum kit — ⚠️ open question: can the room take an acoustic kit? Fallback: e-kit + hand percussion | Proposed TBD decision |
| Electric guitar + amp (Twin Reverb-class) | Proposed |
| Acoustic guitar | Proposed |
| Bass guitar + amp/DI | Proposed |
| Electric piano + synth/MIDI keyboard w/ laptop DAW (or two electric pianos) | Proposed |
| Drum machine | Proposed |
Percussion circle
| Djembe · cajon · congas · shakers/tambourines basket | Proposed |
🧺 The basket at the door — Tier One, "everyone plays" (from OSO v0 — see Circle Instruments)
Purchase, not rental — cheap, durable, shareable. This basket is what turns spectators into players.
| Item | Qty | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Kartal (करताल, hand cymbals) | 12 pairs | Proposed purchase |
| Manjira (मंजीरा, small cymbals) | 8 pairs | Proposed purchase |
| Shruti box (श्रुति बॉक्स, drone) | 4 | Proposed purchase |
| Exact quantities — set by Aakash + volunteer coordinators against expected circle size | — | TBD |
🇮🇳 Indian instruments — the cultural heart of this edition (Aakash curating)
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Tabla (pair) | Proposed |
| Harmonium | Proposed |
| Dhol | Proposed |
| Dholak (ढोलक — the dhol's gentler sibling, ideal for seated circles) | Proposed · v0 |
| Kanjira (कांजीरा — South Indian frame drum) | Proposed · v0 |
| Tanpura (तानपुरा — the eternal drone; master-provided or rental) | TBD · v0 |
| Bansuri-friendly setup (condenser + floor seating) | Proposed |
| Sitar / sarod / santoor / veena / violin — honored seats: masters of Mumbai bring their own, OSO provides secure storage + tuned-mic setups. Aakash finalises with local musicians | TBD · v0 |
DJ rig
| DJ system (XDJ-XZ or CDJ pair + mixer) · laptop stands · DJ table | Proposed |
The instruments of the circle
Merged from OSO v0 The Instruments of the Circle — who can play what, how quickly anyone can join, and why the circle has a seat for every level of every hand. A permissionless orchestra doesn't mean everyone plays everything — it means everyone holds a real seat at their own level. The master and the first-timer keep the same taal.
Tier One · Everyone plays
First sound in minutesThe basket at the door. Hand one to anyone, and within one minute they are keeping time — the most permissionless instruments in the world.
Hand cymbals of the bhajan tradition — if you can clap, you can play kartal. First sound: strike on beat one of the taal, and simply stay there. You are now the circle's pulse.
Small cymbals with a shimmering ring — the sparkle on kirtan and bhajan for centuries. First sound: small strikes, off the beat. Let the ring do the work.
Cheap, unbreakable, the most decentralized instrument there is — anyone can hold the ground. First sound: steady bellows, one note. You've become the home every melody returns to.
The eternal hum beneath all Indian classical music — an instrument meant to disappear into the whole. First sound: one slow strum, then another. The drone is not a solo — it is the ground itself.
Pure celebration — the barrel drum that makes it impossible to stand still. First sound: the basic dha-ge-na groove comes in an afternoon; mastery is lifelong. Joining is immediate.
Tier Two · An afternoon to join
Quick to join · deep to masterThe welcoming middle — folk instruments with forgiving hands. Grooving within a session; still discovering after decades.
The dhol's gentler sibling — the folk heartbeat of a thousand living-room songs, ideal for seated circles. First sound: bass with one hand, edge with the other. The groove finds you.
South Indian frame drum — one drum, one hand, endless depth. First sound: the shake-and-stroke groove comes fast; the masters turn it into water.
The great unifier — holds the key, anchors the singers, welcomes every voice that walks in. First sound: if you've ever touched a keyboard, you can hold chords for the singers within one session.
Tier Three · Masters hold these seats
Honored voices of the circleYears of riyaz behind every note. Not handed out at the door — the masters of Mumbai hold these seats as honored guests, and the circle gathers around them.
The soul of the jam — a skilled tabla player can carry a hundred strangers into one groove. In the circle: the master plays; twenty kartal and cymbals keep the same taal alongside. One rhythm, many hands.
Bamboo flute — breath itself made music, floating over any jam without overpowering it. In the circle: when the master plays, the whole jam leans in.
Luminous, singing, unmistakable — for the quiet moments when the circle leans in. In the circle: a seat of honor at the heart of the jam, offered with deep respect.
Deep, vocal, fretless — notes slide into each other like speech. In the circle: when the sarod speaks, even the dhol plays softer.
A hundred strings shimmering like rain on a rooftop — gorgeous for the ambient interludes. In the circle: the sound of the circle exhaling.
At home in the Carnatic tradition and in every Western jam culture. In the circle: the instrument that proves the bridge was always there.
The gradient is not a problem to solve. The gradient is the design.
🧺 Stock the entrance with Tier One (procurement: §7) · 🎒 portable, acoustic, forgiving wins · 🪔 Indian musicians lead in Mumbai — the chart is an invitation, never a prescription · 🕉️ the score is open: corrections from carriers of these traditions are a gift.
Monitors
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| 4× floor wedges minimum — a circular stage spreads performers wide | Proposed |
| 1× side-fill for wide-ensemble coverage · 6–8 independent mixes | Proposed |
| 2× wired headphone/IEM cue packs at FOH for live coders & DJ cue — cheap; saves the wedges from laptop-bleed wars | TBD — RIDEOSO adds |
Power
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| 20+ circuits distributed around the circle (per DIP) · strips + extensions at every performer station | Confirmed ask |
| Dedicated clean circuit for FOH console + streaming rig; UPS on console/recorder — a 4-day jam losing a multitrack to a power blip is a tragedy preventable for $40 | TBD — RIDEOSO adds |
| All cable runs ramped/taped to convention-centre egress standards | TBD — venue |
Visual & light — serving the sanctuary
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| 6–8 LED PAR cans — warm, moodable; community-glow, not concert-blast | Proposed |
| Low LED ring defining the circle's edge — the stage is the light | Proposed |
| Projector + surface for visuals / VJing / live-coding sessions (ref. Alaska's Swarm work) | Proposed |
| Crops/garden visual language on screens & signage — "we steward this stage like a garden" | Proposed |
| House state: warm dim, never off — a room people walk into, not a show they enter | Proposed |
Streaming & recording — the P.I.T. tie-in
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Board feed (stereo XLR or USB) + console multitrack of curated sets | Proposed |
| Decentralized streaming + on-chain artist donations rig (Alaska's workstream) — needs reliable hardline internet at FOH | Proposed Hardline TBD |
| P.I.T. Knowledge Transponder integration — the Devcon P.I.T. is declared (publicinform.com): the circle's sessions archived as open knowledge | Confirmed (family) Interface TBD |
| All recordings released to the community — copyleft, Creative Commons | Confirmed |
| Consent signage at all approach paths: "this circle is recorded & streamed — entering is consent," with a visible opt-out path. Pluralistic privacy is power. | Proposed |
SPL & the convention centre
A music space inside a convention centre is a negotiation with physics and neighbours.
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Soundproof / acoustically isolated room (per DIP) — the single most important line in this rider | Confirmed ask |
| Target: ≤ 85 dB(A) slow at room boundary · 90 dB(A) peaks in the circle | Proposed |
| Venue SPL policy, quiet hours, adjacent-session rules — in writing | TBD — JIO World / production |
| Sub bypass for acoustic/classical sessions · no sub before 10:00 | Proposed |
| SPL meter at FOH, logged — being able to show the number ends most complaints before they start | Proposed |
Changeover — the circle never stops
| Protocol | Status |
|---|---|
| The Vamp Rule: during any swap, hand percussion or the house DJ keeps a pulse — silence is the only failure state | Proposed |
| Curated changeovers ≤ 15 min; next act line-checks on the walk-up channels (27–29) while the current act plays | Proposed |
| Open-jam seat rotation: facilitator-guided, one-in-one-out at natural musical breaths — never mid-song | Proposed |
| Instrument checkout/return table at entrance (token system); nothing leaves the room | Proposed |
| Walk-ups: pickup → nearest free DI · acoustic → wireless HH #1 or floating 57 · walk-up channels 27–29 always hot, spare 32 says yes | Proposed |
| Daily reset: 30-min line-check to the safe Circle scene before doors | Proposed |
Crew & ops (OSO-provided — context, not an ask)
| Role | Status |
|---|---|
| Core on-site team 10–12: Shaka (artistic steward) · 3–4 local Indian musicians (cultural anchors) · 3–4 OSO international (protocol maintainers / stage managers) · 3–4 volunteer coordinators | Confirmed (DIP) |
| 2 Devcon-provided sound engineers · shift-based continuous facilitation, all 4 days | Confirmed ask |
| Volunteers ↔ free tickets via the musician sign-up form | Confirmed |
| Comms (radios vs. group chat) · engineer shift overlap · crew meal access | TBD |
Schedule skeleton
| When | What | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 1–2 | Pre-production: load-in, install, soundcheck, volunteer training, storage systems live | Confirmed |
| Daily 09:30 | Doors + 30-min line-check to Circle scene | Proposed |
| 10:00–12:00 | Ambient / acoustic morning (no sub) — bansuri, keys, soft percussion | Proposed |
| 12:00–17:00 | Open jam blocks + curated sets interleaved (facilitator-run) | Proposed |
| 17:00–19:00 | Featured circle — curated ensemble with local Indian musicians | Proposed |
| 19:00–close | DJ sets, live coders, algorave — SPL-aware wind-down | Proposed |
| Nov 6→8 | ETHGlobal Mumbai bridge — the 3am jam tradition | TBD — separate venue |
Daily grid, slot lengths & curated lineup = the committee's September–October curation workstream.
Hospitality
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Water at the circle at all times · hot chai station (Mumbai — non-negotiable) | Proposed |
| Musician green corner: 6–8 seats, shade from house lights, device charging | Proposed |
| Earplugs basket at the entrance — care is a spec | Proposed |
| Towels, gaffer, tool kit, spare consumables (strings / sticks / reeds / heads) | Proposed |
| Local musician support: transport + meals for invited artists | TBD — committee budget |
| Committee housing: accommodation for 3 committee members — Shaka, Alaska, Aakash — near JIO World, covering the full production window (Nov 1–2 pre-production → Nov 6 close) | TBD — who covers, where, how many nights |
| Instrument damage/loss policy & waiver text | TBD — Devcon legal |