Bacardi NH7 Weekender 2014 announces lineup of the happiest music festival

The fifth edition of India’s happiest music festival returns this November with a huge lineup of some incredible artists from India and around the world. Over the last four years, the Bacardi NH7 Weekender has grown to be one of the country’s most beloved musical weekends - representing Bacardi India and Only Much Louder’s commitment to giving fans unforgettable musical experiences - a reflection of the untameable spirit of the festival. This year, over 100 artists will play on six different stages at the Bacardi NH7 Weekender’s four editions - November 1-2 in Kolkata, November 8-9 in Bangalore, November 21-23 in Pune and November 29-30 in Delhi.

From critically-acclaimed international headliners, to homegrown musical heroes, this year’s Bacardi NH7 Weekender lineup has something for all sorts of discerning music lovers. Classic Bacardi NH7 Weekender stages like the Bacardi Arena and The Dewarists return, while recent additions like the Red Bull Tour Bus and this year’s home of electronic music, mmx.beat, will also host some incredible live performances.

Speaking about this year’s Bacardi NH7 Weekender lineup, Only Much Louder CEO Vijay Nair adds, “Preparing the lineup of the Bacardi NH7 Weekender is one of the most fun creative processes in the run up of the festival. It is also one of the most challenging. Achieving the right balance of exciting international live performers, one-night-only festival sets, acts that people will discover and fall in love with after catching them live at the festival, and unmissable Indian artists is really important to creating the perfect festival experience. And this year, I think we’ve managed to strike that balance really well."

After a successful pre sale of tickets that sold out in a matter of hours, regular tickets for the festival will be available on Insider.in on Friday, August 22. Fans can gain access to special Community pricing (a significant discount on regular ticket prices) by signing up to the Bacardi NH7 Weekender Community on NH7.in/Weekender. Community registrations will be open for a limited time only.

International Artists

Right from the English indie rockers The Vaccines that will play their first ever live shows in India at the Pune and Delhi editions of the festival this year, American heavy metal superstars Fear Factory will also debut in Pune and Delhi.  Beloved by rock fans all over, Valiant US rockers MuteMath will return after an unforgettable headlining performance at the Delhi edition of the festival in 2013. This year, the band will play the Kolkata and Bangalore editions of the festival, bringing their irresistible energy and unique brand of alternative rock to these cities for the first time.

In her decade-long career Sarah Blasko, a singer-songwriter hailing from Sydney, Australia, has released four acclaimed solo albums (I Awake, As Day Follows Night, What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have and The Overture & The Underscore). Sarah has composed music for film, theatre and dance, and mesmerised audiences with her stunning live shows across most of Europe, North America and Australia. Her most recent album tour for I Awake was her most ambitious, the highlight being two sold out concerts with a 45 piece orchestra at the iconic Sydney Opera House. Sarah is currently writing her fifth solo album and this is her first time performing in India - she will perform at the Kolkata and Bangalore editions of the festival.

At the Pune and Delhi editions of the festival British singer-songwriter Garba Touré, Aliou Touré, Oumar Touré and Nathanael Dembélé that comprise Songhoy Blues, a rock band from Mali will perform.  The other band to play at the same editions include a rock on performance by Luke Sital-Singh as well from the English alternative rock band Dinosaur Pile-Up who broke out of the thriving Leeds rock scene of the time and instantly drew favourable comparisons to the cream of '90s US college rock.

Other international artists include Pakistani electronic music producer Talal Qureshi, Australian indie rockers Cloud Control, English producer Jon Hopkins, Pakistan's Sachal Jazz Ensemble, US indie pop act Goldspot, US indie rockers Motopony, etc.

Indian Artists on the other hand include composer Amit Trivedi, Skyharbor, The Raghu Dixit Project feat. Nrityarutya, Indian Ocean's Tandanu, The Manganiyar Classroom by Roysten Abel, All India Bakchod, Bombay Punk United and The Delhi Alternative, Monica Dogra, Bhayanak Maut, Pentagram (Unplugged) and others.

Few bands have symbolised the breakout of the Indian independent music scene as well as Pentagram. Comprised of Vishal Dadlani, Randolph Correia, Shiraz Bhattacharya and Makarand ‘Papal’ Mane, Pentagram’s electro-rock sound has defined a generation on indie music fans. At the four editions of the festival this year though, fans will experience another facet of the band’s live prowess - a stripped-down Unplugged set featuring reworked renditions of many of the band’s popular songs.