The premium rock festival of India – Bandland returned for its second edition on the 23rd and 24th of November this year. Packed with some of the best acts and surprises as well, there was a lot to look forward to. Since getting Deep Purple for the first edition, there were obvious expectations from the organisers to kick it up a notch. And boy, did they deliver.
Organised in the massive NICE grounds in Madavara outside Bengaluru (just because the metro goes there doesn’t mean its inside the city), the fest was a mixture of great crowds and proven event management skills. Walking distance from the metro, several pick up points and markers were spread across. Parking was taken care of, and agro mats refrained the dust from being kicked. Was it kicked nonetheless? Thank the bands for that.
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Day 1 – A7X Brings The House Down
As for the musicians, they were killer and versatile mix of genres. Every act brought their own flavour. From alternative rock like Hyderabad act Peekay to some indie jazz fusion instrumental bliss and pop by Dot., to some eclectic indie art rock and alt-pop from Manchester Everything Everything. Mumbai Metal veterans Bhayanak Maut ensured that the day started with mosh pits and walls of death. We also witnessed the brilliant instrumental prog rock guitar act by Sutej Singh.
Bloodywood essentially prepared you for what A7X would bring. The Delhi folk metal giants crafted an insane experience of a set, with fine production and musicianship to die for. They began their set with their latest single Nu Delhi. From their biggest hits like Jee Veeray to riot-inducing tracks like Machi Bhasad, the band ensured master riffing blended perfectly with headbanging drums and dholaks. Their inspiring lyrics, a surprising Babymetal collab (what?!!), and signature energy to rile up the crowd worked big time.
Tears, rage, and gullet tearing vocals welcomed Avenged Sevenfold. A dream setlist, a dream performance. The band exceeded expectations, and they vow to come back again. We’ll see after all the bands who never reached because of how their gear was handled. Hopefully we’ve learned from it now and have advanced to much better logistics. Hopefully, it’s almost easy.
They played some of their biggest hits including songs like Hail To The King, Almost Easy, Buried Alive, The Stage. Audiences joined in on fan favourites like So Far Away while headbanging to Gunslinger and Unholy Confessions. The band closed their set with A Little Piece of Heaven, with the eternal zombie love story playing on screen, and love from fans awaiting the homecoming singing their hearts out.
Day 2 – Extreme Delivers Arena Rock Cyclone
The day commenced with indie pop acts like Frizzell D’Souza, Carnatic fusion percussionist Selvaganesh, Lebanese garage rock band The Wanton Bishops, providing a good blend of starters for the day.
Raman Negi delivered an undeniably impressive sound, exactly what you’d expect from an artist of his caliber. With art depicting him smoking a cigar (conveying much swag), the band delivered a performance that was tight as hell, showcasing the best of Raman Negi’s vocal prowess. However, one couldn’t help but wish that he would sneak in some of the timeless tracks of his days with The Local Train. And those Urdu lyrics, stuff that could impress Javed Akhtar, left the rest of us mere mortals scratching our heads. If only life offered subtitles, we’d all be better for it.
Swarathma, the Bangalore folk rock mavericks, were on top of their sound as usual playing hits like Raah E fakira. However, the undeniable highlight of their set was Aman Virdi, on growls from Bhayanak Maut, joining them on stage for a folk-metal rendition of their track Koorane, a crossover we never knew we needed.
Zero, Zero, Zero – the undisputed OGs of India’s indie music scene. The legendary boys from Dadar made their annual return to India, with two members jetting in from abroad. Frontman Rajeev Talwar, in his usual eccentric glory, complete with quirky headgear, sported a caricatured British accent, a nod to his karma bhoomi of England.
Having followed this band since my college days (and they were already legends back then), I can confidently say they lived up to the mythology. The rhythm section of Bobby Talwar and Sid Coutto was tight as ever, while Warren Mendonsa worked his magic on the Black Strat, creating pure sonic bliss.
The setlist was a treasure trove: Lucy, Old Man, Wish, Mariachi, Christmas in July, Not My Kind of Girl, and PSP 12, each one balancing their heavy alternative rock’s weighty grooves with just the perfect pinch of sweetness and spice. Add to that the signature chants of BCMC, echoing the legacy of Bombay’s rock scene, and you’ve got a performance that deserves a chef’s kiss.
Kochi’s powerhouse, Thaikkudam Bridge, delivered a phenomenal set that exemplified their mastery. The show was an audio-visual treat, with hits like Navarasa, Thekkini, Sultan, Chathe, and their iconic closer, Fish Rock. Blending violins, percussions, carnatic, hindustani, synths, and face melting metal guitars! A performance of exceptional quality, as expected, from one of India’s biggest bands.
The night’s headliners, Extreme, brought Wembley-level arena rock to Bangalore’s Bandland. The hard rock and glam metal legends delivered a spectacle of pure mythological proportions. Their energy, sound, and showmanship were nothing short of cinematic and epic, sounding Massive, with a big M.
In a playful nod to their musical ancestors, they riffed on Queen classics like Crazy Little Thing Called Love and We Will Rock You. Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt casually slipped in some Eruption right before Cupid’s Dead. His playing was the rock guitarists’ dream with analog volume swells, sweeps, insane shredding, and flanger-soaked rhythms. Drummer Kevin Figueiredo showed that you don’t need polyrhythms to play insane drums, just tightness and power. Their explosive rendition of Got Sick Of That was a standout moment. Vocalist Gary Cherone was the archetype of the hard rock vocalist hitting falsetto and belting out those blazing numbers. Bassist Pat Badger was another star of the evening with a massive rock n roll bass sound.
The audience joined in for More Than Words, transforming the track into an anthem. Bettencourt’s virtuosity shone during Flight of the Bumblebee, which seamlessly transitioned into Get The Funk Out. The set included Banshee, Hole Hearted, and plenty of other classics. Inspiring guitarists with some heart-to-heart talk, Nuno fleshed out his acoustic blaze with Midnight Express. At 58, the band proved age is just a number, and that rock n roll is nothing if not immortal.
The Best Organized Festival We’ve Witnessed
Split by the VIP section (an analogy to society), the two stages hosted the acts. For some reason, Bandland 2024 organisers decided bands should start immediately after the other. So one band would see the backs of music fans 10 minutes before their set ended. The other band on the other stage would mostly have started. This weird relationship seemed abusive, where you can’t even thank the band for playing, nor the fans for coming. However, this did ensure punctuality and the bands finished on time and started on time.
Split into two levels, Bandland ensured refreshments didn’t intersect with the music area. You eat, and you listen from a distance. You don’t carry Rameshwaram chutney to the mosh. Yet some brave souls still tried. Drinks were served along the periphery so that if you’re drunk enough and can swallow your pride along with the food, you can leave. The washrooms, surprisingly spacious and well-maintained, were a luxury compared to what most festival-goers are used to. Bandland’s thoughtful planning shone through in its festival guide, seamless coordination with the metro and other authorities, making commuting a breeze.
Free water (a requirement) and refreshments were available everywhere. You didn’t have to worry about a tech fuckup in the tech capital of India. The bands had integrated payments, scanning to enter and payments through the QR printed on top. Cheers to more such diverse and well-organized music festivals!
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Self professed metalhead, moderately well read. If the music has soul, it's whole to me. The fact that my bio could have ended on a rhyme and doesn't should tell you a lot about my personality.
