On a seemingly relaxed Sunday morning in late September, I woke as much as a textual content that learn ‘We’re counting you in for the Coldplay live performance’, and thus started the rollercoaster trip of pleasure, and anticipation, adopted by disappointment and indifference. Hundreds of individuals across the nation went by way of the identical feelings. Reside music gigs and festivals have gained reputation lately with followers travelling throughout borders to catch their favorite artistes like Ok-pop band BTS, Taylor Swift, Think about Dragons and extra carry out dwell. These concert events are as a lot concerning the expertise as they’re concerning the music. 

Attending a live performance or a music pageant the place just a few songs or a few bands or artistes from the line-up is an effective way to find new music, whereas making recollections. Whereas many people have missed the window to ebook tickets to look at Coldplay or Diljit Dosanjh carry out dwell, there may be nonetheless time to seize tickets to Maroon 5’s debut performance in India. Other than that, listed here are some music festivals and performances that you can strive your luck with. 

Lollapalooza – March 8-9, 2025, Mumbai: A music pageant that has seen highs and lows for the final 30 years, Lollapalooza pioneered the idea of bringing numerous musical genres collectively in a single line-up, changing into the primary to broaden to a number of days, introduce a second stage, and mix artwork with activism. After its first and second stint in India have been a roaring success, the third version was introduced in September with a line-up that includes American punk rock band Inexperienced Day (headlining the pageant), and 35 different artistes together with Shawn Mendes, Louis Tomlinson, Humankind, Glass Animals, Isabel LaRosa and plenty of others taking on 4 phases over two days.

Sting acting at Lollapalooza 2024
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

“Our groups dedicate practically a whole 12 months to this effort, considering the worldwide touring routes of artistes, discovering new sounds and performers, and researching to match potential artiste names with the Indian shopper palate and urge for food,” says Owen Roncon, chief of enterprise, dwell occasions, BookMyShow, including that innovation performs an important function in elevating the pageant expertise.

“We launched the VerTech Stage System final 12 months. It’s a cutting-edge system that allows larger-than-life performances and enhances each the viewers’s and artistes’ experiences,” he provides. The VerTech Stage System is an all-steel, high-capacity stage construction with built-in towers for further stability. It helps as much as 50 tonnes, making it well-suited for large-scale dwell occasions in demanding environments. As anticipated, the tickets for the upcoming version of Lollapalooza bought out 5 months earlier than the pageant.

Echoes of the Earth — December 7-8, 2024, Bengaluru: Thought of the greenest music pageant in India, Echoes of the Earth is internet hosting its seventh version this 12 months with an eclectic mixture of genres, devices, and cultural influences. “The youthful generations have turn into extra conscious of the setting. There’s a pattern amongst them to be extra eco-conscious and accountable, and now we have been talking about being eco-conscious for the reason that starting. Now, we cater to a big group of music fans and the quantity retains rising yearly,” says Roshan Netalkar, pageant director, Echoes of the Earth, including that the sixth version of the pageant noticed 23,000 atendees. This 12 months’s music line-up options artistes like Mount Kimbie, Satori, French 79, Yīn Yīn and extra. 

Echoes of the Earth
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

The theme this 12 months is Symphony of Seasons. The pageant grounds can be divided into zones, every representing a season’s temper. The Electro Reside Stage will symbolise summer time’s power, whereas the Digital Stage displays monsoon’s renewal. The Massive Tree Stage will embody spring’s awakening, and the World Fusion Stage will evoke winter’s resilience. These zones will characteristic modern waste-to-art installations and designs by a number of artists. For instance, one of many installations is a community-crafted bee sanctuary produced from repurposed supplies equivalent to corks and reclaimed wooden.

Tickets on insider.in

Magnetic Fields — December 6-8, 2024, Rajasthan: If there ever was a pageant only for the sake of discovering new digital and adjoining types of music and artwork, it must be Magnetic Fields. Often called some of the stimulating modern music and artwork pageant in India, it should host its tenth season this 12 months amidst the golden sands of Alsisar, a small city in North Rajasthan. The pageant takes place inside a palace and numerous venues within the desert throughout city. Over 40 bands and artistes will carry out on three phases at this pageant. “Persons are chasing experiences now. Clearly the line-up is one thing individuals come for, however the expertise is what sells the tickets, and our expertise is exclusive. We curate the day for all of the pageant goers and plan the place they begin their day and the place they finish it,” says Munbir Chawla, co-founder and pageant director, Magnetic Fields.

The BUDx North Stage at Magnetic Fields 2023
| Photograph Credit score:
Abhishek Shukla

This 12 months’s highlights embody a efficiency by Ecuadorian producer Nicola Cruz, a dwell set by German-Italian composer David August, and a five-hour closing set from DJ Midland. Jane Fitz, Ahadadream, Sofia Kourtesis, Nikki Nair, and Tom VR are among the many different notable acts.

Tickets on tickets.magneticfields.in

Bandlands — November 23-24, Bengaluru: That is an up-and-coming metallic and rock music pageant that’s stirring up fairly the storm in Bengaluru. This 12 months, the sophomore version of the pageant options an electrifying line-up of 14 worldwide and Indian artistes from throughout genres, acting on two phases. The headliners embody the American metallic band Avenged Sevenfold and the funk rock veterans Excessive. Alongside these main acts, the pageant can even showcase performances from bands like All the pieces All the pieces and Bloodywood, Lebanese blues rockers The Wanton Bishops, amongst others. The pageant can even introduce rising acts like Massive Particular, recognised for his or her uncooked and modern sound, and Sutej Singh, a guitar virtuoso from Himachal Pradesh.

Deep Purple took the stage as headliners on the first version of Bandland
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

“Curation is on the coronary heart of Bandland’s success. When deciding on artistes, we focussed on acts that not solely embody the spirit of rock and metallic but additionally convey one thing distinctive to the desk,” says Owen Roncon, chief of enterprise, dwell occasions, BookMyShow. “Final 12 months, 57% of Bandland attendees got here solo, however left with newfound connections by way of a shared love for music, showcasing the highly effective sense of togetherness that festivals like Bandland can foster. Count on uncooked, contemporary, genuine and unfiltered music, surrounded by like-minded followers soaking all of it in.”

Tickets on Bookmyshow

Cherry Blossom — November 15-16, Shillong: Yearly, winter paints the state of Meghalaya pink and vacationers from throughout the nation come to witness the magic of the cherry blossoms. Organised in collaboration with the Tourism Division of Meghalaya, the Cherry Blossom music pageant celebrates the area’s love for music. Headlining the pageant’s fourth version can be famend worldwide singer and songwriter Akon, together with German-based pop and disco group Boney M, Dutch-Moroccan DJR3HAB, and Hong Kong rapper Lucas amongst others.

Cherry Blossom 2023
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

“This 12 months, now we have themed it because the Yr of Legends and are having worldwide and nationwide legends coming over to play,” says Jason Manners, CEO, Rockski Group which organises the Cherry Blossom pageant. “We even have a Japanese village in collaboration with the Japanese Embassy. The zone will embody all issues Japanese from culinary specialists and artisans to sumo wrestlers and cosplayers to provide an immersive expertise to everybody,” he provides.

Tickets on Bookmyshow

Now that the place to go to your musical fixes, tell us if you happen to lucked out in securing a cross to a number of the largest musical occasions of the 12 months. Better of luck, as a result of you’re going to want it!