Rock 'N India
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| Location(s) | 2008,2009,2010,2011 Bangalore 2010 New Delhi |
|---|---|
| Years active | 2008– |
| Founded by | DNA Networks |
| Genre | Rock, metal, pop |
| Website | Official Website |
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.
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[edit] 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 guitar 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 | |
|---|---|---|
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[edit] 2009
Iron Maiden 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[citation needed].
| Artists in Rock in India 2009 | ||
| International | National | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iron Maiden |
Parikrama |
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[edit] 2010
The headliners for Rock In India 2010 were the Backstreet Boys, Richard Marx, Welsh guitarist/singer Jayce Lewis and South African band Prime Circle.[1] 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.
| Artists in Rock in India 2010 | ||
| Delhi | Bangalore | |
|---|---|---|
|
Backstreet Boys |
Backstreet Boys |
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[edit] 2011
The festival took place in Bangalore on 30 October[2] and was headlined by heavy metal band Metallica.[3], 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 25,000 to 31,000.[4] 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 | |
|---|---|---|
[edit] References
- ^ "Rock In India Acts (Finally) Confirmed". www.indiecision.com, January 26, 2010. Retrieved on February 1, 2010.
- ^ "Heavy metal heaven as heads bang in Bangalore". DNA. Oct 31, 2011. http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_heavy-metal-heaven-as-heads-bang-in-bangalore_1605359.
- ^ http://www.metallica.com/news/20110501_news.asp
- ^ http://www.bangaloremirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=10&contentid=2011110120111101005500501443879bb
