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Watch out for (clockwise from top) Parikrama, Indian Ocean, Euphoria and Themclones

But one sure shot indication of the widening horizon is the increasing trend of bands performing their original compositions, rather than just playing covers of international artistes. This not only points to the audience’s receptiveness but also the organisers willingness to encourage originality. Moreover, the Indian bands are in demand globally. With most of them globetrotting for shows and opening acts, it is definitely a renaissance period for contemporary Indian musicians.

That gives us enough reason to celebrate this new creative power, and the East Wind Festival is here to do just that. Touted as one of the largest music festivals in the country , the three-day extravaganza starting this coming Friday will host over 60 bands from India who will entertain the audience at the NSIC Grounds, Okhla, through the day on three mammoth stages.

While there are popular names like Parikrama, Indian Ocean, Soulmates, Skinny Alley, Euphoria, Advaita and Mrigya, you can also listen to some fresh sounds from across the country like Half Step Down, Junkyard Groove, Avial, Bhayanak Maut and Raghu Dixit Project.

Adhiraj Mustafi, managing director, Prospect Advisory and Management, the mind behind the show, is upbeat about it. “In India, we lack festivals that bring together the best Indian contemporary musicians and, at the same time, create an entertaining environment that allows people to spend time and connect. Henceforth, we intend to make it an annual affair,” he explains.

And what promises to make East Wind Festival a different experience is its originality and comprehensiveness. “Every band will play only original music. We also realised that no artiste really enjoys playing others’ music. Even as a company, we have always encouraged an artiste to come out with original music. The event stems from this thought,” adds Adhiraj.

The bands are, of course, ecstatic about this new platform and feel it will encourage good music. “There was always a market for original music, and that’s how bands like ours have managed to survive. But to bring this thought to such a big level and with so many bands is amazing. Being the first time, we are very excited and looking forward to it,” says Surujit, drummer, Themclones.

Bruce Lee Mani of the Bangalore-based Thermal and a Quarter concurs. “Bands that are popular are so because of their original music and not because of their ability to play covers. I think the event is a testimony to the strength of Indian rock music. We have a fan base in Delhi and we will look to make more. We also plan to release our fourth album at the festival,” says the guitarist and vocalist.

The festival will also see an exhibition with nearly 100 stalls that will include record labels, hardware companies, music management companies, rental companies, educational institutions and others from outside the industry.

Alongside, look out for workshops to be conducted by Onstage, who are one of the leading music distributors and also run a music retail chain. The workshop will educate musicians on the latest technology and tools in the industry. Not only can you buy instruments at the stalls but also learn about their do’s and don’ts.

Hungry souls can satiate themselves at the food court with a variety of cuisine that is being planned, and those with some social consciousness can get informed about HIV/ AIDS at the promotion organised by the NAZ Foundation at the venue.

The entry ticket to the event is priced at Rs.100 per day, and you can watch 10 shows for Rs.200. But if you don’t want to get into all this hassle, get yourself a season ticket for Rs.500 and relax. The tickets are available at the venue or on the website www.eastwindfestival.com. You can also log on for more details.

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