Rock In India
Encyclopedia
Rock 'N India is an annual music festival organized by DNA Networks at the Palace Grounds
in Bangalore
. The first festival was held in 2008, with heavy metal bands such as Megadeth
and Machine Head
headlining. The venue layout of Rock 'N India is unusual, using two stages at an angle of 45° to each other. The venue is divided into two sections and the concert area has a capacity of around 20,000, with a separate festival area.
After two successful years with bands like Iron Maiden
and Megadeth, the promoters, in search of a wider audience, changed the festival's direction and invited pop acts like the Backstreet Boys
, which jeopardised the future of the event after a strong backlash from both rock fans and critics.
contest podium. The 2008 festival was said to be marred by poor sound quality for the headline act by Megadeth.
headlined the second festival on 15 February 2009 as part of the last leg of their Somewhere Back In Time World Tour
. It was the band's third visit to the subcontinent, as they had previously been there as part of the last leg of their A Matter Of Life And Death Tour
. The 2009 festival had attractions similar to those of the previous year, with the addition of a Tattoo Bar and an exhibition by the Force India
Formula 1 team. DNA networks, the festival promoter, was criticized for not making tickets available anywhere outside Bangalore. This was seen as the primary reason for relatively low ticket sales. Attendance was estimated at around 17,000, in contrast to the 40,000 in 2007 when Iron Maiden first played in Bangalore. Furthermore, the festival promoters were unable to get licenses for pyrotechnics
or smoke machines in time, thereby limiting the visual impact of Iron Maiden's stage show. Even so, it was felt that the festival had been better organized this time.
, Welsh guitarist/singer Jayce Lewis
and South African band Prime Circle
. DNA Networks reportedly suffered heavy losses from the 2010 festival, with record low ticket sales in New Delhi
and disappointing turnout in Bangalore. It was regarded as a major failure, with a heavy backlash by rock and metal fans against headliners the Backstreet Boys.
., supported by Scottish band Biffy Clyro
. Indian bands, Guillotine
and Inner Sanctum
also performed. This was Metallica's first performance in India. Attendance for the event was reported to be anywhere between 45,000 to 51,000.
Earlier it had been reported that the 2011 Rock 'N India would not take place, because of the losses DNA Networks reportedly suffered in 2010.
Bangalore Palace
Bangalore Palace, a palace located in the city of Bangalore, India, was built to look like a smaller replica of the Windsor Castle in England. It was built by Rev. Garrett, who was the first Principal of the Central High School in Bangalore, now known as Central College.The construction of the...
in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. The first festival was held in 2008, with heavy metal bands such as Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
and Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
headlining. The venue layout of Rock 'N India is unusual, using two stages at an angle of 45° to each other. The venue is divided into two sections and the concert area has a capacity of around 20,000, with a separate festival area.
After two successful years with bands like Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
and Megadeth, the promoters, in search of a wider audience, changed the festival's direction and invited pop acts like the Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
, which jeopardised the future of the event after a strong backlash from both rock fans and critics.
2008
The first Rock 'N India festival was held on 14 March 2008 and included a variety of Indian bands, along with headliners Machine Head and Megadeth. The attendance of over 14,700 exceeded expectations. The festival used two separate stages: "Stage A", the main stage for the headline acts, and the smaller "Stage B" for the opening bands. Apart from the usual merchandise, stalls and food sections, Rock 'N India was the first Indian rock festival to have an air guitarAir guitar
Playing air guitar is a form of dance and movement in which the performer pretends to play rock or heavy metal-style electric guitar, including riffs, solos, etc. Playing an air guitar usually consists of exaggerated strumming and picking motions and is often coupled with loud singing or lip-synching...
contest podium. The 2008 festival was said to be marred by poor sound quality for the headline act by Megadeth.
| Artists in Rock in India 2008 | |
| International | National |
|---|---|
|
Millennium (band) Millennium is an Indian metal band from Bangalore. The band was formed in 1988 as one of the first metal bands.-History:The band was created during 1988 with a line-up comprising lead vocalist Verhnon Ibrahim, guitarists Rio and Cecil, bass player Stanley with Roberto on the drums. Roberto left in... Motherjane Motherjane is an Indian rock band from Kochi, India, formed in 1996. The band consists of Suraj Mani , John Thomas , Clyde Rozario , Deepu Sasidharan and Santosh Chandran . They have released a total of two studio albums, and three singles... Pentagram A pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes... |
2009
Iron MaidenIron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
headlined the second festival on 15 February 2009 as part of the last leg of their Somewhere Back In Time World Tour
Somewhere Back In Time World Tour
Somewhere Back in Time World Tour was a concert tour by Iron Maiden in 2008 and 2009, focussed on the band's 80s material, in particular songs from Powerslave, Somewhere In Time and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son...
. It was the band's third visit to the subcontinent, as they had previously been there as part of the last leg of their A Matter Of Life And Death Tour
A Matter Of Life And Death Tour
A Matter of Life and Death and A Matter of the Beast were two concert tours by Iron Maiden from 2006 to 2007. The first tour was unique, as the set list primarily consisted of the band's most recent release, A Matter of Life and Death, in its entirety, although this got a mixed response from...
. The 2009 festival had attractions similar to those of the previous year, with the addition of a Tattoo Bar and an exhibition by the Force India
Force India
Sahara Force India Formula One Team, the trading name of Force India Formula One Team Limited, is a Formula One racing team based in Silverstone, United Kingdom which currently holds an Indian licence. The team was formed in October 2007 when a consortium led by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya and...
Formula 1 team. DNA networks, the festival promoter, was criticized for not making tickets available anywhere outside Bangalore. This was seen as the primary reason for relatively low ticket sales. Attendance was estimated at around 17,000, in contrast to the 40,000 in 2007 when Iron Maiden first played in Bangalore. Furthermore, the festival promoters were unable to get licenses for pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
or smoke machines in time, thereby limiting the visual impact of Iron Maiden's stage show. Even so, it was felt that the festival had been better organized this time.
| Artists in Rock in India 2009 | |
| International | National |
|---|---|
Iron Maiden Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six... De Profundis De Profundis De Profundis refers to Psalm 130, traditionally known as the De profundis from its opening words in Latin.It may also refer to:* De Profundis , a ballet by J... Lauren Harris Lauren Harris Lauren Harris is a British vocalist. She is the daughter of Iron Maiden bassist and founder Steve Harris. She was discovered in a pub by Russ Ballard, who was unaware of who she was.-Career:... Brandon Ashley and The Silverbugs Cyanide Serenity |
Parikrama Parikrama For meaning of word see Parikrama .Parikrama is a Rock and Roll band from Delhi, India. They have several live performances and original numbers to their name. The band was officially formed on June 17, 1991 in Delhi... Kryptos Kryptos (band) Kryptos is a heavy metal band from Bangalore, India, formed in 1998 by Nolan Lewis and Ganesh K . Since their inception, the band has released two albums. The first album Spiral Ascent released in 2004 did exceedingly well and made an impact in the underground... Abraxas (MTV MTV MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs.... Campus Rock Idols Edition 5 winner) Slain |
2010
The headliners for Rock In India 2010 were the Backstreet Boys, Richard MarxRichard Marx
Richard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"...
, Welsh guitarist/singer Jayce Lewis
Jayce Lewis
Jayce Lewis is a Welsh solo artist from Bridgend. He was a respected guitarist and drummer before embarking on a solo career.-Musicianship:...
and South African band Prime Circle
Prime Circle
Prime Circle is a rock band formed in December 2000 in Witbank, Mpumalanga, South Africa. They are currently based in Johannesburg. Originally signed to The David Gresham Record Company, they have been signed to EMI Music South Africa since the early part of 2008.Their first album, Hello Crazy...
. DNA Networks reportedly suffered heavy losses from the 2010 festival, with record low ticket sales in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
and disappointing turnout in Bangalore. It was regarded as a major failure, with a heavy backlash by rock and metal fans against headliners the Backstreet Boys.
| Artists in Rock in India 2010 | |
| Delhi Delhi Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census... |
Bangalore Bangalore Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and... |
|---|---|
Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys... Richard Marx Richard Marx Richard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"... Prime Circle Prime Circle Prime Circle is a rock band formed in December 2000 in Witbank, Mpumalanga, South Africa. They are currently based in Johannesburg. Originally signed to The David Gresham Record Company, they have been signed to EMI Music South Africa since the early part of 2008.Their first album, Hello Crazy... Jayce Lewis Jayce Lewis Jayce Lewis is a Welsh solo artist from Bridgend. He was a respected guitarist and drummer before embarking on a solo career.-Musicianship:... Swarathma Swarathma Swarathma is a Bangalore based Indian Folk/fusion band. The current line up features Vasu Dixit , Pavan Kumar KJ , Montry Manuel , Varun , Sanjeev Nayak and Jishnu Dasgupta .They released their debut album on Virgin Records on 5 January 2009, supporting it with a... Indigo Children Indigo children Indigo children is a pseudoscientific label given to children who are claimed to possess special, unusual and/or supernatural traits or abilities. The idea is based on New Age concepts developed in the 1970s by Nancy Ann Tappe... |
Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys... Richard Marx Richard Marx Richard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"... Prime Circle Prime Circle Prime Circle is a rock band formed in December 2000 in Witbank, Mpumalanga, South Africa. They are currently based in Johannesburg. Originally signed to The David Gresham Record Company, they have been signed to EMI Music South Africa since the early part of 2008.Their first album, Hello Crazy... Jayce Lewis Jayce Lewis Jayce Lewis is a Welsh solo artist from Bridgend. He was a respected guitarist and drummer before embarking on a solo career.-Musicianship:... Swarathma Swarathma Swarathma is a Bangalore based Indian Folk/fusion band. The current line up features Vasu Dixit , Pavan Kumar KJ , Montry Manuel , Varun , Sanjeev Nayak and Jishnu Dasgupta .They released their debut album on Virgin Records on 5 January 2009, supporting it with a... |
2011
The festival took place in Bangalore on 30 October and was headlined by heavy metal band MetallicaMetallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
., supported by Scottish band Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band from Kilmarnock, comprising Simon Neil , James Johnston and Ben Johnston...
. Indian bands, Guillotine
Guillotine (band)
Guillotine is a progressive death metal band from Delhi. They play melodies ranging from blues, jazz to death metal. The band has released an album The Cynic in 2010. They indicate that their original tracks are basically a part of a three tier concept of a man's realization of the hollowness of...
and Inner Sanctum
Inner Sanctum (band)
Inner Sanctum is a Death/Thrash metal band from Bangalore, India. They were formed in 2007.Inner Sanctum has over the years earned critical and commercial acclaim and has received awards including the Band of the Year 2007 , Indian Band of the year 2009 and Best Emerging Band of the year...
also performed. This was Metallica's first performance in India. Attendance for the event was reported to be anywhere between 45,000 to 51,000.
Earlier it had been reported that the 2011 Rock 'N India would not take place, because of the losses DNA Networks reportedly suffered in 2010.
| Artists in Rock in India 2011 | |
| International | National |
|---|---|
|
Inner Sanctum (band) Inner Sanctum is a Death/Thrash metal band from Bangalore, India. They were formed in 2007.Inner Sanctum has over the years earned critical and commercial acclaim and has received awards including the Band of the Year 2007 , Indian Band of the year 2009 and Best Emerging Band of the year... Guillotine (band) Guillotine is a progressive death metal band from Delhi. They play melodies ranging from blues, jazz to death metal. The band has released an album The Cynic in 2010. They indicate that their original tracks are basically a part of a three tier concept of a man's realization of the hollowness of... |
External links
- Interview of Bruce Lee Mani of Thermal and A Quarter - EF News International
- http://www.myspace.com/brandonashleyandthesilverbugs
- http://www.myspace.com/cyanideserenity