5 Music Festivals You Just Can’t Skip This Year
No matter how busy you are with work or personal commitments, you need to make time for yourself to relax, unwind and have some fun. And nothing helps you kick back and let your hair down better than some amazing music and close friends for company. With festival season having well and truly kicked in in the country, the next few weeks are going to be a whirlwind of aural activity with some fantastic music festivals and international and Indian artists headlining stages from Pune to Goa. Plus, the weather will be awesome! Have you booked your getaway yet? Here are our top 5 favourite festivals to attend before the year ends!
1. NH7 Weekender
If you couldn’t make it for the first edition of Weekender in Shillong last month, there’s no reason to be depressed. You can still catch artists like Mark Ronson, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, SBTRKT and festival regulars The Raghu Dixit Project, Nucleya, Nicholson, Soulmate and Madboy/Mink at NH7 Weekender when it hits Delhi, Pune and Bangalore in the next few weeks. Here’s a look at their complete city-wise line up if you’re still on the fence about going. Did we mention that AR Rehman is also performing? We’ll see you on the grass in Pune!
Dates & Location:
Delhi — November 28th-29th
Pune — December 4th-6th
Bengaluru — December 5th-6th
Tickets: Get them here.
2. Enchanted Valley Carnival
Enchanted Valley Carnival — or EVC, as it’s better known — is truly an enchanting festival as it’s held bang in the middle of Aamby Valley City in Lonavala, a short drive out of Mumbai. If you’re the adventurous sort, book yourself a tent or two with friends on the festival’s camping ground. Trust us when we tell you it’s probably one of the best parts about the festival! That’s second only to the line-up, which includes names like Tiesto, Fat Boy Slim, Dubfire and Ferry Corsten this year. Don’t forget to carry some super warm clothing when you go — evenings get super chilly, even when you’re dancing the night away!
Dates & Location: December 18th-20th, Aamby Valley City – Lonavala
Tickets: Get them here.
3. Magnetic Fields Festival
Choose between a fully furnished tent or a luxury palace suite for your accommodation and spend the rest of your time sipping on cocktails and lazying around with your friends in the bedouin village dens. Along with some fantastic multi-genre music including electronica and grunge rock, this festival also hosts morning yoga sessions. Now who wouldn’t want some genuine relaxation on a weekend getaway? Among the line-up are international acts like Brooklyn-based rocktronica band RATATAT, Objekt from Berlin, and Soul Clap from Boston, along with some of our favourite Indian names like Blot!, Jitter, Donn Bhatt and The F16s. This is an alternative festival that should definitely be on your must-visit list.
Dates & Location: December 18th-20th, Alsisar Mahal – Rajasthan
Tickets: Get them here.
4. Sunburn Festival
This year, Sunburn will be a four-day event to make room for an increasing number of revellers and artists that include David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Seth Troxler, Tube & Berger and Liquid Soul, among so many others. Besides attending this action-packed festival, you can extend your holiday and unwind on the beaches in Goa. There isn’t a better way to bringing in the New Year, we think.
Dates & Location: December 27th-30th, Vagator – Goa
Tickets: Get them here.
5. Supersonic Festival
Supersonic is a worthy competitor to Sunburn in Goa every year, and this year they’ve upped the ante by bringing down artists like Disclosure, Axwell and Adam Beyer, as well as homegrown stars like Arjun Vagale, Lost Stories and Kohra. A less commercial and more relaxed vibe than Sunburn, this is probably the Goa festival we’ll pick to party at this year.
Dates & Location: December 27th-30th, Candolim – Goa
Tickets: Get them here.
