Mahindra Independence Rock Festival: Celebrates 'Dirty 30' With Line-Up Of Classic And Metal Bands

Once again, the Mahindra Independence Rock festival will be held at the Bayview Lawns in Mazgaon, Mumbai. For old-timers who have regularly attended the event at the now-defunct Rang Bhavan, and even those who later went to Andheri’s Chitrakoot Grounds, the new venue has been a complete departure, with all the expensive whiskey, a menu of pizza and burgers instead of vada pav and chai, and lawns that missed the grass. The music was the same, of course, and the favourite bands played once more.

Now we enter the festival’s 30^th year and the third year since I-Rock became Mahindra-ised. But before we talk of the line-up, here’s a brief on what happened in 2022 and 2023. The first year saw an assorted mix of acts playing Angrezi rock, desi rock or Anglo-desi rock. Thus, bands like Thaikkudam Bridge, Avial, Parvaaz and Bloodywood shared the stage with veterans Parikrama and Indus Creed. Last year, the organisers decided that the older listeners had one set of favourites, whereas the younger lot preferred extreme metal. So they prepared a line-up that segregated the two – metal on the opening night, and classic-ish rock the next day. Farhad Wadia, who started the festival in 1986, was seen in the form of a life-sized cutout in 2022, but was physically very much present last year.

Since I-Rock is celebrating its 30^th year, it has been themed ‘Dirty 30’ this year. Rock, rock, who’s there? On first look, the line-up seems like a reversal of last year’s plot, as the classic-ish bunch play on the first day (November 16) and the metal monsters make the right noise 24 hours later.

The highlight of Day 1 should be the appearance of Kerala bands Motherjane and 13 AD. A blend of progressive rock and Carnatic influences, Motherjane is known for its 2008 album Maktub, though it has been a live favourite since the late 1990s. In what is being described as the mother of all reunions, 13AD is reuniting after 28 years to play their brand of hard rock.

Other opening evening bands include Girish & The Chronicles, fronted by the brilliant Girish Pradhan, and the Topiwalleh creators Swarathma, who will play with ‘friends’ Bhayanak Maut, Parvaaz, Sidd Coutto and guitarist Sutej Singh. Finally, get ready to be ‘trapped’ by rock n’ roll renegades Indus Creed.

The second evening promises millions of decibels from Bloodywood, with its blend of nu-metal, folk-metal and what-hear-you, and the Bombay Metal Project, a collective of the city’s loudest metalfolk. Also gracing this ‘awaaz ki duniya’ will be Chennai band Skrat and experimental rock group About Us from Nagaland

For the record, seven of the bands appearing this year, including the ‘friends’, have performed during the previous two years at I-Rock. And four of them will appear at the Bandland rock festival in Bengaluru on November 23 and 24. Does that mean the same set of bands are being pushed, or is it because only these many acts are capable of playing at such festivals, or is it because they have more aggressive managers and PR skills?

One can’t pinpoint a reason. But if one hops across Mumbai clubs like AntiSocial, the Stables or Finch, or some cities where Hard Rock Café still exists, one obviously hears many other acts that deserve a bigger festival platform. They are just not noticed by the relevant people. The only new act this year is About Us. One also looks forward to the results of the Headbanger battle of bands contest. It’ll be great to hear some fresh sounds there.

Over the years, I-Rock has built up a devoted following. It has an illustrious story, from the time Farhad Wadia set it up till when Rang Bhavan was shut down till its current avatar. This journey is best captured in the first episode of the Disney Hotstar documentary series Sab Cultures. It will be worthwhile to check it before beginning the trek to Mazgaon.