Echoes of Earth kicks off 7th edition of India’s greenest music festival
From this outstanding and inspiring festival of music and art installations, we showcase a range of creative works and artist insights.
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Positioned as India’s ‘greenest’ music festival for combining entertainment with environmental art, the 7th edition of Echoes of Earth has kicked off in Bengaluru this weekend. It showcases an eclectic mix of genres, styles, instruments, and cultural influences, making it one of the most unique musical gatherings of its kind in India.
See our writeups on the earlier Bengaluru and Goa editions of the festival. Notable features of the festival include a solar-powered stage, larger-than-life art installations, kids' workshops, and a flea market featuring organic and artisanal products.
“The entire programming of the festival is designed in such a way there is something for everybody at different times,” Roshan Netalkar, Festival Director of Echoes of Earth and Managing Director at Swordfish Events & Entertainment, tells YourStory.
His team plans for music festivals a year in advance. “Coming up with the thematic concepts takes three to four months, followed by brainstorming with partners to develop scenarios,” he explains.
“This year, we are talking about the symphony of seasons. People today want to have access to all foods all the time, but we were more aware of the seasons in our childhood when we had only seasonal fruits and vegetables,” Netalkar adds.
This year’s diverse artiste lineup includes Ghatam Udupa, Hamza & Rajasthan Folkstars, French 79, Kid Francescoli, Recondite, SVDP, Sudan, Shubh Saran, Yīn Yīn, Cobblestone Jazz, Modern Biology, Mount Kimbie, Satori, and Excise Dept.
Ghatam Udupa has performed in more than 50 countries and has collaborated with a wide range of eminent artists in Carnatic and Hindustani classical music, jazz, world music, and fusion. He is also the founder and curator of the biannual Udupa Music Festival (see our writeup of the 2024 edition here).
“We are also more than just a music festival. We are an experiential festival, and we definitely want to create a whole experience in terms of stage design, venue immersion, and overall messaging,” Netalkar affirms.
With the theme Symphony of Seasons, the different stages and design of flora and fauna exhibits embody the distinctive moods of the seasons. For example, the Electro Live Stage captures the spirit of Summer, while the Electronic Stage reflects the essence of monsoon, celebrating abundance and renewal.
The Big Tree Stage celebrates the awakening of spring, and the World Fusion Stage will evoke the themes of survival and resilience associated with winter. As shown in this photo essay, the creative waste-to-art installations and stage designs have a spectacular visual effect across daytime and night performances.
“It is at these festivals where people feel a sense of community, oneness and affection towards one another. From this union comes brotherhood and deep friendships,” Hamza Rahimtula explains.
Musicians and their performances play an important role in inducing this feeling through the festival vibe. “We all realise that it’s about humanity as a whole rather than picking on small fights. We need to raise the general consciousness of all people to a higher state of compassion so we can create positive change that affects us all,” he adds.
There were performances by two dozen bands on Day One of the festival, along with workshops on ukulele and darbuka. There was also fun for children with animal face painting and blockprinting.
Insights on the rise of digital tools and AI in music production were shared by Shubh Saran, who fuses progressive rock with classical Indian music. “Musicians are able to manipulate audio and design sounds in a way that we never have been able to in the past,” he observes.
“Things we used to consider limitations no longer seem to be major issues in the music making process. However, with any new technology comes a massive shift in the workforce and an inevitable disappearance of a great deal of honest careers,” he cautions.
Technology is effectively used in the festival’s design as well. There is a 360° immersive sound experience at the Big Tree Solar Stage, and the Dronico team flies drone-controlled objects like whales and globes.
Though the festival organisers have strong messaging about the environment, they stay away from political agendas. “We have a very clear position – environmental awareness definitely, but not activism campaigns or confrontation. We want audiences to love the environment and be happy to enjoy music in such a space – and thereby act to preserve nature in their own ways,” Netalkar affirms.
One of the unusual performances at the festival is Tarun Nayar's Plant Biology, who combines nature and sound. He utilises plant bioelectricity to create ambient soundscapes.
“I am looking forward to plugging into a number of new plants and fungi on site! My friends at Nuvedo are bringing some live mushroom culture for me to plug into,” he explains.
The Delhi-Mumbai collective called Excise Dept blends social commentary and satire with hip-hop and experimental sounds. They also offer tips and advice for emerging artistes.
“Find inspiration from your daily life, your family, your friends, and your community, and keep making and expressing yourself. Make music, whether it is bad, ok, or good, and put it out,” they suggest.
“Everything you make will live on for longer than you will, and making art is extremely cathartic. Keep building your work – we have been doing it for years and we are all still figuring it out,” they sign off.
Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?
Roshan Netalkar, Festival Director
(All photographs were taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at Echoes of Earth 2024.)