Bangalore:Seven rock bands are all set to make Bangalore jive to their beats Sunday at the south zone finals of the Independence Rock Festival.

"We're expecting a huge crowd, more than 70,000 people. The response to this year's festival has surpassed previous years," said Sheetal Bangera, Manager (Sales) of E18, the organisers of the annual musical fiesta.

This is the 23rd edition of the festival that will culminate in a grand finale in Mumbai next week.

The show will see performances by professional bands Synapse, Avial and Karma 6 and four finalists.

"The response to this edition from Bangalore has been overwhelming as perhaps the city's residents now don't have a place to go and enjoy (live) rock music," said Bangera in a clear reference to the ban on live music in the city's pubs and discos.

Bangalore police imposed the ban earlier this month. The order bans live performances at any place where liquor is served.

However, the police has now come up with a set of new guidelines for pubs and discos to get a license for live performances.

"If not pubs and discos, performances in auditoriums and open-air theatres, especially the innumerable rock fests in the city will help us to carry forward our legacy," Yadu, the 20-year-old drummer of popular band Illuminati, told IANS.

"The ban needs to be immediately revoked. It is in the pubs and discos that young musical talents have been showcasing their creativity over the last several decades," Yadu added.

Although pubs and discos have been popular breeding grounds for rock bands in Bangalore, rock festivals like Independence Rock Festival, Freedom Jam and Sunday Jam have helped discover some good talents over the years.

"Many bands from the city have made it big in the national arena and many young guns are waiting to make a mark in the Indian music arena," music lover and city-based fashion designer and choreographer Prasad Bidappa said.

The bands from Bangalore are known for their innovation and experimentation with various forms of music.

"Nowhere in the country can you find such an eclectic mix of rock bands performing diverse genres like metal, blues, and fusion. To help preserve the musical richness, grant artists the freedom to rock without any obstacles," said Raghu, the lead member of Raghu Dixit Project, who has just launched his self-titled debut album.

 

Source : IANS