Rave and the Musical Indian

An insider’s experience of the evolution of electronic dance music in India, from discreet rave parties in the 1990s to top music festivals of today

ABHIJIT MASIH

RAVE AND THE MUSICAL INDIAN

In the 1990s, discotheques mushroomed in Mumbai and other major cities in India. Every fivestar hotel had to have one, and the cover charge determined the kind of clientele it received. The most famous was 1900’s at the Taj, the nightclub patronized by film stars and the old-money residents of south Mumbai. As part of the music industry then, I didn’t have to worry about the lack of a cover charge in the pocket, or a female companion on my arm, to gain entry, even when they had a no-stag-allowed door policy. Those were when you could dance the night away and head home at 5 a.m.

The music that got the crowd moving was a mix of contemporary English pop, rock and a generous supply of remixed Punjabi pop songs.

To woo the college crowds, especially in the suburbs, the discos had an afternoon session where they catered to their preference for techno and rave music. This is where many nondescript resorts on beaches of the northern suburbs of Mumbai stepped in—to provide a safe haven for this young crowd.

In the days before social media, word of mouth was enough to fill up the resorts’ rave parties with college kids. They organized and funded these efforts, and the music was uninterrupted, loud, and electronic. Attending these gave me insight to the music of the future. It was also a precursor for the explosion of electronic music culture in the years to come. Now they are celebrated in festivals held across the country.

The most popular musical festivals in India are held in densely populated metro cities like New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Pune, and small and remote towns like Ziro in the far northeast of India. Here are some of the most iconic music festivals you should explore on your next visit to India.

NH7 WEEKENDER

The three-day festival was held in Pune towards the end of last month. The massive line-up of artists called for the organizers set up five stages for simultaneous live performances. The artists included The Lumineers, J.I.D, Berklee Indian Ensemble and Dirty Loops. The NH7 Weekender is one of the most anticipated music festivals in India and provides a platform to a wide range of artists, providing the audience a true music festival experience. The multiple stages showcase more than 40 artists and represented a a wide range of genres including hip-hop, rock, metal and electronic. The multi-genre festival that began in 2010 is now hosted in Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Shillong, Delhi, besides its home base of Pune for its 13th edition of the festival.

ZIRO FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

The northeastern states have always been a major draw for India’s music industry. This outdoor musical festival is held in Ziro, a village in Arunachal Pradesh. One has to make an arduous journey to get there. The closest airport is Dubrugarh, 185 miles from Ziro valley. The festival is hosted by the local Apatani tribe, known for its hospitality and love for music. The 2022 festival was held late September after a two-year pandemic-induced gap. India’s northeast has a rich cultural and musical lineage. This festival highlights local talent and homegrown musicians. Local bands go centerstage along with international and national artists. The four-day celebration of music, nature, and community this year had audiences swooning to artists from across the globe. The festival started in 2012 and has established a loyal fan base. The eclectic mix of artists represent genres of music from rock to blues, jazz to Indian classical and Qawwali to Sufi music. An offering of some assorted music against the beautiful backdrop of the Himalayas with lots of rice beer for the crowd to cheer into the night makes Ziro too tempting to resist.

LOCALS DISTRICT

This boutique techno festival is held in the palaces of Rajasthan. A fairly new addition to the music festivals of India, the fourth edition was held in the beginning of November after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

What sets it apart is the venue, which changes each year. What better location to have in the royal state of Rajasthan than one of the numerous palaces that the state is home to. Though one of the newest, this festival is one of the most promising music festivals of India, with more people attending it every year. This year the Locals District festival was held at the Ram Bihari Palace in Alwar, Rajasthan. The picturesque venue in the foothills of the Aravali mountains boasts a lake and the famous Sariska forest nearby. The festival is the perfect amalgamation of ancient culture and history with modern music. With five stages and more than 40 artists performing, it is 72 hours of techno bliss. This year saw renowned names in the global electronic music space make their debut in India. These include Iranian DJ-producer Armen Miran, famous French DJ-producer Justine Perry , Catz ‘N Dogs, DJuma Soundsystem, Natasha Polke, Just B, etc. Alongside them will be Indian techno stalwarts such as Reverse Osmosis, Vasvi, Reconnect and Mister.K and others. If you want to sample contemporary techno music within the confines of ancient palace walls that have stood the test of time and experience the best of both worlds, Locals District is where you should be.

ECHOES OF EARTH

Echoes of Earth claims to be India’s greenest music festival and, like most others on our list, brings together more than 40 local and international musicians who share a vision to celebrate planet Earth. The two-day festival is to be held in the beginning of this month and promises to unite people from all walks of life at a celebration of great music, art, and culture. The ecological spirit of the festival ensures the use of infrastructure adopting environmental-friendly material and practices. The sustainable musical festival is spread across 150 acres of lush greenery on the outskirts of Bengaluru. A unique festival that is pet friendly and has over 40 local and international music acts performing on four different stages. The fifth edition of Echoes of Earth has an impressive line-up, including Kerala Dust and The Yussef Dayes Experience from UK, Dauwd from Germany, Eelke Kleijn from Netherlands and a host of Indian artists, including Anyasa, Hanumankind, and Unnayanaa. The festival was first held in 2016 as an attempt to encourage people to switch to sustainable ways. In the past, musicians have utilized innovative instruments to create music from trash utensils and other reusable material. If you love nature and are a music aficionado, you surely will dig this gig.

SUNBURN

An electronic music and beach party festival, Sunburn is one of the oldest and the biggest festival for EDM (Electronic Dance Music) fans. The festival gives you another compelling reason to plan a trip to Goa. The three-day party at the end of December promises a heady combination of some excellent music, entertainments shows, food, and much more. Considered the largest EDM festival in Asia, the festival was first organized in 2007 and was conceptualized by former MTV VJ and DJ Nikhil Chinapa, who is considered to be the chief patron of EDM in India. He aims to bring talents from across the globe to shine bright on quiet Goan beaches. The festival is known for its colossal stage on which celebrity artists perform. This year is no different. As is common during the holiday season in December many people from Mumbai head to Goa to party. Many Bollywood actors make it a point to be at Sunburn. This year’s line-up includes Afrojack, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Lost Frequencies, and the Grammy-winning duo Nervo.