From Jodhpur RIFF to Mahindra Blues: 10 music festivals to attend in 2017

Held at the picturesque Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Jodhpur RIFF turns 10 in 2017. The festival, hosted by two heritage trusts, brings together Rajasthani and pan-Indian folk musicians with world, jazz and fusion artists from across the globe. With concerts taking place at the break of dawn and under the full moon light, this is an experience not to be missed. And music is not the only thing to keep you entertained and enchanted at RIFF. There are tours of the Mehrangarh Fort Museum, film screenings, workshops exploring the history and culture of instruments, writes  Anurag Tagat for Firstpost.

One of Asia’s largest Blues festivals, Mahindra Blues brings together some of the best Blues musicians in the world under one roof for two days at the iconic Mehboob Studio in Mumbai. In 2017, the festival returns for its seventh year, with a line-up including Supersonic Blues Machine featuring Billy F Gibbons & Eric Gales, Quinn Sullivan, Janiva Magness, Shemekia Copeland and Grainne Duffy Band, Blackstratblues, among others. If you got a taste for the Blues, this is the place to be in February.

SulaFest, held in Sula Vineyards, Nashik, offers something unique when it comes to world music festivals. Presented by Sula, one of India’s leading wineries, the event is a great mix of music, wine, drinks, food, fashion and shopping amidst the scenic Sula Vineyard. The festival brings together Indian and international artists from across genres including rock, folk, blues, electronic and reggae music. This year, the festival promises to offer a lineup of over 120 artists, including Your Chin, Bit of Both, Donn Bhat, Passenger Revelator, among others.

Supersonic is one of the biggest dance music festivals in the country. Featuring some of the biggest names in the EDM industry, the festival has shifted to Pune from Goa for its fourth edition. Laid out as one of the centres for non-stop back-to-back EDM music, the festival has much to offer. This year’s lineup includes Axwell, Disclosure, Nervo, W&W, Don Diablo, Adam Beyer, among others.

Set within the 17th century Alsisar Mahal in Rajasthan, Magnetic Fields brings together royal culture, electronic music and the beautiful desert landscapes of the state. Featuring artists from India and all across the globe, Magnetic Fields is not just a destination for music but also a unique travel experience. Apart from all the electronic music, the festival also offers a chance to experience kite-flying, local culture, regional food and some magnificent sunrises and sunsets.

Held in Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, “India’s greatest outdoor festival” lives up to its claims. Founded in 2012, the festival puts on show the independent music in the country. The festival offers an array of indie, rock and folk acts with a chance to explore and learn about the native Apatani culture. If travel, music and exploring cultures are your thing, then this music festival is for you.

NH7 Weekender brings together some of the biggest names and most diverse genres from across the globe to India every year. Started in 2010, the music festival has now spread to eight cities across the country. In the past, the festival has hosted artists like Steven Wilson, Maganiyar Seduction, Meshuggah, Megadeth, Asian Dub Foundation, MUTEMATH, The Raghu Dixit Project, Anoushka Shankar, Jose Gonzalez, DJ Premier, Indian Ocean, among others. Every year, you can expect some great headlining acts and a blend of music and party. This year shouldn’t be an exception.

  Nestled in the hills of Lonavala, Enchanted Valley Carnival offers a multi-genre music festival, bringing together international pop, Bollywood, EDM, techno, fusion and Indie along with other experimental music. Held at the picturesque Aamby Valley, the festival combines music, camping and adventure sports. The lineup for the 2016 edition of the festival included, among others, Flo Rida, Farhan Live, Arijit Singh and Alan Walker.  The lineup for the 2017 edition can be expected to be equally (if not more) big and diverse.

One of the biggest music festivals in Asia, Sunburn brings together, not just the artists, but audience from across the globe. Over the years, Sunburn has featured electronic music heavyweights like Avicii, Dash Berlin, Armin Van Buuren, Swedish House Mafia, among others. The go-to party destination in the country, Sunburn only gets bigger every year.

Bangalore Open Air, according to its organisers, is India’s only dedicated heavy metal open air music festival. And that wouldn’t surprise us in the least. Given the way metal representation at Indian festivals is slowly being decimated, BOA is one of the last flagbearers for metal in the present day. The festival, organised in collaboration with Germany’s Wacken Open Air, has hosted international acts like Kreator, Napalm Death, Destruction and a number of top-notch local bands like Bevar Sea, Demonic Resurrection and Gutslit since its inception in 2012. Expect the 2017 affair to be one of the most extreme walls of sound to smash into Indian shores.