The Ziro Festival of Music has made a name for itself over the past couple of years as a small but spirited Indian music festival, known equally for its carefully curated line-up as it is for its charming setting in the Ziro valley, far away from bright lights and big cities – a.k.a it’s a shot of rock, revelry and rice beer.
It’s not simply the combination of the locale and the roster of the eclectic artists (acts from previous years include Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley, Shaa’ir n Func, Indus Creed, Peter Cat Recording Co, and Menwhopause) that has contributed to the festival’s success. It’s also the local Apatani culture. Local hospitality, food, and the all-too-famous homemade rice beer or apong, are all an integral part of the festival.
This year’s line-up boasts local talent such as Shye Ben Tzur and The Rajasthan Express, popular for their Israeli-Indian compositions, Abiogenesis, a folk-fusion band from Nagaland, Elephant in the Elevator, an alternative band from Assam, Smooth Relax, a post-punk experimental band from New Delhi, and Madboy, an electronic producer and multi-instrumentalist from Mumbai.
Foreign acts such as Natasha Humera Ejaz, a folk-jazz artist from Pakistan and Gramlines, an alt-rock band from Italy are also due to play.
The festival dates for this year are September 22-26 and is for anyone who would like to take a break in a beautiful place listening to new, fresh music. You’re certain to bring home plenty of stories and a new playlist, and look forward to reliving it next year.
Head to the site for more info and to buy tickets and for festival updates, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Featured image source: GQ India
Words by Pavi Sagar
