I moved to Bombay in the year 1986, precisely 30 years back, in between I traveled across the country sometime due to official compulsion on the next due to personal reasons. Music scene was predominated by release of Bollywood film music, small time pop singers like Alisha Chinoy, Shweta Shetty or Ghazal albums of Jagjjt Singh, Rajendra Mehta, Chandan Das, Ghanshyam Vaswani, Bhajan Albums of Anup Jalota, Hari Om Sharan on many occasion followed by live performances organized by music companies and the entry by invitation only. Mumbai Rock or Pop scene was not very encouraging either with lone exception of one Michael Jackson concert at Andheri Sports Complex, thanks to Thakerey family’s fascination of his dance and songs.
But lot has changed on music front in India, now less conventional releases of music CDs/DVDs of performing artists and growing number of music festivals with different themes and genres. Another big change is jam packed music festivals in tier II tier III cities including far remote non descriptive towns. Says Vijay Nair, CEO, Only Much Louder (OML), ‘ In the recent years there is a huge change. With 35% population of India below 25 years of age, there is clearly changing consumption patterns. Gone are the days when people used to make endeavor to grab free passes for music concerts, no more, the young generation feel proud to buy tickets, it is our experience that the front row tickets are sold first. At Shilong Music Festival there was an audience of 15000 odd music lovers on the very first day. People traveled from across the country, there were very limited hotel rooms in Shilong, locals made makeshift arrangements at their homes and overnight converted into dormitory. Leave aside metros, festivals are doing so well in smaller cities like Jaipur and Belgam.’
There is a huge change in the way now the music is created and recorded. Kartik Shah, Co-Founder, Maati Baani says,’ Gone are the days when only option to be exposed in music industry was to record for Bollywood. Now situation is completely changed, entire world is opened for collaboration, without traveling to far flung places, it is possible to create diverse music, we now rehearse with others and record the music online. We tried to find out gypsy jazz performers, you will not believe that when we started searching online, we could be able to find out as many as 15 artists in the genre. Believe me created a very different world class music sitting at Mumbai.’
We spoke to Manj Musik, Bhangra singer from Canada. He says, ’Digital has provided huge opportunity in terms of creativity, visibility and earning for artists. Even Bollywood has started taking notice of artists who are present in digital space. My own song kabhi saddi gali khul ke bhee aaya karo was recorded by me some time in the year 2007 and in the year 2014, I received a request from the makers of Tanu Weds Manu seeking permission to use this song in their movie and it became an instant hit.’
Over the last few years, the country has witnessed emergence of all genre music festivals. Goa has suddenly, become Mecca of Electronic music thanks to Sunburn Festival. More than 500 artists are enlisted with this festival ! Now a sleepy nest amid Nainital Hills called Naukuchiatal in Uttarakhand has emerged on music map of India with its Escape festival. I had been lashed by a storm and the sky was still overcast. All around me, the sounds of synthesisers and heavy bass lines meshed in an animated frenzy as I lay on the grass at the Escape Festival, discovering new music. I experienced something similar in Jodhpur. The Rajasthan International Folk Festival had been highly recommended. It was the first time I’d travelled alone to a music festival. To make the trip doubly daunting, having been brought up on a staple diet of rock ’n’ roll, I knew next to nothing about folk music. The first thing I thought to do was to look around for interesting people, which is amazingly simple at the music festival. The company of friends, old or new, is essential because even for someone with eclectic tastes, it’s hard to love all the bands playing at a festival. You pick the ones you like, and when the ones you don't like are performing, you need friends for deep conversations and drunken adventures.
While listening to music is often a solitary activity, it takes on a different aspect when it becomes a shared pleasure. I’ve always thought that music sounds best when heard at a concert. While the performers respond to the pulse of a crowd, the energy of the audience is in a state of constant change, mounting with each strum of the guitar, each beat of the drum, each trill of a singer. It’s something that no solitary listening experience can replicate. Fans plan months in advance and congregate from across the world with the same delirious ecstasy that is seen at religious gatherings. Some festivals cater to specific interests and genres of music, but the best are those that offer the temptation of the unknown.
It wasn’t just music that I bonded over with my new friends—it was mutual love of books, art, travel, and all the things that make life beautiful. This led to a camaraderie and some of us ended up travelling together to other music festivals. Like Naukuchiatal, Jodhpur felt transformed during the festival—especially the venue, Mehrangarh Fort. Shorn of its usual tourist traffic, the fort witnessed spectacular displays of folk music and dance, presented in a manner that would have once been the privilege of the royals. I wouldn’t ever choose folk music over rock ’n’ roll, but I wouldn't blink an eye before agreeing to go for RIFF again.
It’s hard to put a finger on what makes travelling to a music festival so fulfilling. It’s not just the musicians. It's not just the people who turn up. It's not just the destination. It’s how much of yourself you add to it all, how much you are willing to venture into a new world of music with the spirit of discovery that is so essential for enjoyable travel.
Over the last decade, India’s western music scene has evolved from revolutions of rock to the current craze for electronic dance music. The demand for different genres has led to numerous well-organised festivals. The biggest ones are usually in the biggest cities. However, there are many smaller, more intimate festivals spread across scenic locales that are perfect for a melodious getaway.
Take a look on various genre Music Fests in India :
Scenic Fests
World Sufi Spirit Festival, Jodhpur and Nagaur
Around February
Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur and Ahhichatragarh Fort, Nagaur, provide inspiring backdrops for performers of this festival. Artistes from mystic traditions like Sufism, theyyam, and Bheth, take part.
Kasauli Rhythm & Blues Festival, Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh
Around March
The festival is headlined by established Indian R&B artists. Attendees buy donor cards and proceeds help the underprivileged.
The Big Gig, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand
Around May
The Big Gig features Indian acts, including school and college bands. Part of the proceeds are donated to charity.
Escape Festival, Nubra Valley, Jammu and Kashmir
Around August
One of the first festivals to allow onsite camping, Escape is a relaxed music festival in an idyllic setting. Previous editions were organised at Naukuchiatal in Uttarakhand.
Ziro Festival, Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh
Around September Northeast India has traditionally fostered a vibrant alternative indie music scene. The Ziro Festival was the first to get Indian bands to perform with local musicians.
Rajasthan International Folk Festival,
Around October Few festivals have a venue as majestic as the Jodhpur RIFF. Held within the Mehrangarh Fort, this festival showcases Rajasthan’s best folk musicians. The inclusion of world musicians adds to the diversity.
Hornbill Festival,Kisama, Nagaland
Around December
Traditional drummers take centre stage as performers from Naga tribes dance to the beats all day. As the sun sets, the new generation takes over. The crowd gets noisier at the Hornbill Rock Contest.
Sunburn Festival, Goa
Around December
With a large line-up of electronic music, this festival is one of India’s most successful. Before this year's festival in Goa, there will be city editions in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi in November.
Ragasthan, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
Around February
Ragasthan kicked off in December 2012 with performances by folk and indie artists. It included stages, movie screens, and tents pitched on the desert sand dunes.
City Fests
Festivals like NH7 Weekender have many stages, attracting fans of various music genres.
Freedom Jam, Banglore
Around August
Freedom Jam is free and the performers don’t charge either as its a “for the musicians, by the musicians” initiative. Genres range from jazz to blues, and Kannadiga rock to avant garde electronica. It is celebrated on a weekend near Independence Day.
Madras Music Season, CHENNAI
Around December
Six weeks each year, 3,000 small and large Carnatic music concerts are organised by various sabhas. Most day time performances are free, evening ones feature well-known artistes and are ticketed.
Delhi International Jazz Festival
Around March-April
The Delhi International Jazz Festival brings together Indian collectives with musicians from countries as varied as Israel, France, Russia, Spain, and South Africa.
Jazz Utsav
Around December
Previously known as Jazz Yatra, this long-running festival brings together jazz musicians from India and the world. In past editions, it has travelled to Mumbai and Pune, and has featured big-ticket acts.
Dover Lane Music Conference, KOLKATA
January
Tickets to this long-running festival are usually sold out within days of being announced. The four-day festival features established classical musicians, but also has a stage where young musicians are encouraged to perform.
Mahindra Blues Festival, Mumbai
Around February
The Mahindra Blues festival is one the biggest highlights of Mumbai’s music calendar. Held annually at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, the soulful festival is attended by jazz novices as well as connoisseurs, and has gathered a faithful following over the years.
Ruhaniyat, Mumbai
November-March
Set beneath the beautiful trees of Hanging Gardens, Ruhaniyat puts the music of mystics in the spotlight. The two-day evening festival features Sufi, Baul, and Qawwali performances. The festival also takes place in cities across the country.
Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav, Pune
December
Started by venerated musician Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, this classical music festival has been celebrated in Pune since 1953. The agenda includes artists predominantly from the khayal and bhakti traditions of Hindustani classical music.
NH7 Weekender Multiple Cities
October-December
The NH7 Weekender has expanded from its birthplace, Pune, to include festivals in Delhi, Bengalore, Kolkata and now Shillong as well. Easily one of the largest music festivals in India right now, NH7 Weekender offers visitors a crash course in the Indian indie music scene, and a chance to experience some stellar international acts as well.
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