Sound Feast

From the first electronic dance music festival to a traveling rock fest, this December the gigs don8217;t stop. So book your tickets and take a music tour

You8217;ve had a taste of the best international music all this year8212;from Aerosmith to Akon, Beyonce to Black Eyed Peas, Sepultura to Mr Big. Now wind up the year with a string of music festivals that showcase the best of Indian music. No, we are not just talking of Independence Rock, the national rock competition that is going strong after three decades, or the Great Indian Rock Festival. There are new kids on the block and this winter, they promise to let the carnival go on.

Sunburn Festival
The country8217;s first electronic dance music festival blasts off in Goa at the end of the year. This hip genre is just about beginning to take off here and the best Indian acts will be part of this two-day fest8212;MiDival Punditz their track Fabric featured in Mira Nair8217;s Monsoon Wedding, DJ and producer Ma Faiza, DJ Pearl, one of the few women DJs in business, Jalebee Cartel, one of India8217;s most successful five-member progressive electronic groups and Shaa8217;ir 038; Func. Get high on the automated, impersonal sounds of electronica8212;from the pulsating beats of techno to the hypnotic grooves of trance8212;and slam-dance your way to the New Year. The music gets headier as international artists like Englishman Carl Cox and Above 038; Beyond perform with DJs from Australia, Finland, Sweden and France. 8220;We have serious talent and it8217;s time that we have a festival we can call our own. India can host an event that meets international standards and also provides for some great music,8221; said Nikhil Chinappa, whose company Submerge along with PDM entertainment is organising the event.
When: December 28 and 29
Where: The Candolim beach,
North Goa
Ticket: Rs 3,500, sunburn-festival.com/links/tickets

The Eastwind Festival
Thankfully, no cover versions here. The Eastwind Festival, which also debuts on the music scene this year, aims to be the largest festival of contemporary and original Indian music. Over 200 musicians from across the country will come together in Delhi for a three-day music carnival. From rock to jazz to fusion, this fest covers all genres. Bands such as Thermal and a Quarter, Them Clones, Advaita, Skinny Alley, Parikrama, Imaad Shah and Raghu Dixit Project promise to make it one rocking party. 8220;It8217;s exciting to see such a festival because normally one doesn8217;t see so many bands on the same stage. It will help promote original Indian music,8221; says Anindo Bose, keyboard player, Advaita. 8220;It8217;s a great concept and should work well for musicians and the audience,8221; says Subir Malik of Parikrama. The organisers, Prospect, hope to make Eastwind an annual feature.
When: December 14-16
Where: NSIC grounds, Okhla
Industrial Area, New Delhi
Tickets: Rs 100 per day or Rs 250 for all three days.

Sharktooth Live Storms
This is the first year of the country8217;s longest traveling rock festival. The mosh pit has moved into pubs and stadiums across five cities in as many months.nbsp;Organised by Bombay Rock Association and anECHO, the one big family of Indian rock will criss-cross the country to enthrall fans outside their hometowns. Forty-one gigs will take place in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata. The climax will be an outdoor show by the country8217;s favourite rock acts like Parikrama and Motherjane in February in Mumbai.
When: October 2007- February 2008
Where: Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata
Ticket: Pub shows are free, outdoor shows priced between Rs 150 and 200

The Hornbill Festival
If it8217;s music, you bet the Northeast is playing it. The Hornbill Festival is the annual celebration of Nagaland that intends to preserve Naga heritage through music. At the National Hornbill Rock Contest to be held in Kohima, rockers from across the country will compete for a cash prize of Rs 8 lakh. The festival is in its seventh year though the competition was launched last year. While Mumbai8217;s Zero did the showdown last year, Delhi8217;s Joint Family beat over 20 bands to take home the winner8217;s prize. 8220;It8217;s amazing how musicians from all across the country come together to put up a show,8221; says Rahul Sainani, guitarist, Joint Family, which played to an audience of 75,000 last year. This year, the entries are still pouring in but you can bet the hills will come alive in this musical extravaganza.
When: December 4-7
Where: Heritage Village, Kohima,
Nagaland
Ticket: Free