Bacardí NH7 Weekender, one of the largest multi-genre music festival, returned to Meghalaya on Friday, October 27 at the picturesque ‘Wenfield’ – The Festive Hills, Thadlaskein, Lad Mukhla, Jaintia Hills. One of the most anticipated events, the festival was once again welcomed by thousands of music fans.
The day was headlined by Dutch metal band Textures and Bollywood music composer Amit Trivedi, who did not disappoint, each playing to a passionate crowd. Friday also saw strong performances by Indo-American progressive metal outfit Skyharbor, fusion icons Indian Ocean, electronic-rock proponent Dualist Inquiry, multi-genre Kerala band Thaikkudam Bridge, Urdu rock band Parvaaz, electronic act Aqua Dominatrix, metal band Bhayanak Maut, Hindi rock sensations The Local Train, and more.
Notably, Textures are currently playing their farewell tour after 16 years as a band, and will play their last-ever show at the Pune edition of the festival, and the metal-friendly audience in this part of the country gave them a rousing reception. Several local artists shone at the festival; Polar Lights (Nagaland), Avora Records (Mizoram), Andrea Tariang Band (Meghalaya) and Lateral (Assam), each of which came with their set of fans.
“There’s more to look forward to on Day Two (Oct 28, Saturday) of the festival, which will feature American guitar virtuoso Steve Vai (who will have his first ever performance in India), world music group Karsh Kale Collective and hip-hop act Divine,” said a statement released by the organizers.
Guitar fans will be in for a treat as, apart from Vai’s highly-anticipated set, there will be specially curated sets by local hero Rudy Wallang (of blues rock band Soulmate, who will be collaborating with guitarists from across the North East) and Blackstratblues (led by Warren Mendonsa, who are fresh off the release of their fourth album, The Last Analog Generation). The North-East’s vibrant and strong music scene sees several of its top acts playing Day 2: Apart from The Jamboree, there will be performances by Dewdrops, Triau Trackx, Sarahlee,Khasi Bloodz (all Meghalaya), Tali Angh (Nagaland), and Sarahlee (Meghalaya).
The festival grounds also included a vibrant Bazaar with shops displaying and selling fashion & accessories. Food stalls catered to various tastes, and were a great way to check out a lot of local cuisine, specially for fans traveling from outside the region. After the day’s music at the festival stages wrapped up, Bengaluru Urdu rock outfit Parvaaz put up a special after-hours acoustic set at Camp Tinder. Camp Tinder will feature a performance by Faridkot on Saturday. The setting of the festival and the proximity to the photogenic Thadlaskein Lake added to the atmosphere of the festival.
