Tune In for top global stars and rising Indian alternate music at Lollapalooza 2023
First Ever Asian edition in Mumbai brings Imagine Dragons, Zhu, AP Dhillon and other Indie favourites.
A trip to Lollapalooza this year will minimise travel expenses for music lovers. This super-sized alternate music and pop culture festival will play in Mumbai on January 28 and 29, with 40 different acts. For those that enjoy alternate pop-rock and indie-rock, the fact that Imagine Dragons, The Strokes, and The Wombats, will perform is a good enough reason to snag a two day pass. Punjabi pop and hip hop lovers will take centerstage with AP Dhillon and Prateek Kuhad.
Besides these big names, the two most attractive line-ups here are electronic dance music from all over the world and an impressive presence of indie musicians of Indian origin.
Lollapalooza India 2023 artist lineup
First up of course, are the top draws. Imagine Dragons are known for cult chartbusters like Believer and Radioactive. The band is the biggest name playing here on Day 1. AP Dhillon will keep the tempo up with his popular tracks Toxic, Tareef and Saade Pyaar that now have permanent fixtures on party music lists.
If you prefer to indie music, there’s The Yellow Diary. Carrying forward an almost lost tradition of alt-rock in India, this band has made songs like Rab Rakha, Dheera Se and Dhoondti Firaan that grow on the listener. The band’s sound is almost refreshing in the midst of a cacophony of remixes.
Lollapalooza has given a sizable presence to Indian origin female artistes that have created a sensation in recent times online.
A really special experience—for those that like unique sounds—will be the Cigarettes After Sex performance. Their quintessential brand of dream pop is uplifting, while growing on the listener over time. And for those that prefer a classic rock gig for the ages, the American rock band Greta Van Fleet will bring forth their best of tracks, a head-banging high point of the day.
From a previous edition of the music festival
Hits from their popular Grammy winning album From the Fire are expected to play here. There’s also Imanbek, the first Kazakh to ever win a Grammy award. This DJ and music producer has remixed Belly Dancer, and his own single, Roses breaking through music charts. His mixes are worth listening to for its smooth transition between past classics and present popular electronic dance music (EDM) riffs. Rock music making a comeback in its alternate and adapted versions is evident in the visible presence of this genre alongside the current flavour, electronic dance music.
The second day will feature The Strokes. Besides the Killers, this band is perhaps the most loved indie rock band today. Their 2021 Grammy winning album The New Abnormal brought them mainstream success even as their music has won fans worldwide right from inception. Rock also features with The Wombats, another indie band with British pop-rock influences.
The second day marks a high point for artistes of Indian origin. The most innovative inclusion on this line-up is Bombay Brass, a one-of-its-kind brass band with a saxophone lead player, Rhys Sebastian. Sebastian, has played for Ranjit Barot, A R Rahman, Lionel Ritchie among other luminaries. He blends influences ranging from Hindi classic composers like Shankar Jaikishan, to sitar maestro Niladri Kumar to dubstep artistes. Having won applause at the recent Jodhpur Rajasthan International Folk Festival, their sound will break through a day packed with EDM acts. Horn music is almost obsolete so to hear a brass band is definitely fresh.
It’s also worth waiting out for Kayan. This young female hip hop and R&B influenced artiste has made it to the YouTube Music Foundry, with her music resonating with the young throughout the lockdown on Instagram.
Over the past 2 years she has drawn in audiences steadily with her stage acts across India. Women also find representation with popular young artistes like Raveena and Kavya. But for any listener, cutting through genre favourites, the second day will belong to Zhu and Diplo, innovative electronic music producers who have maintained top spots on music charts. Diplo will lead an array of EDM performers, making this a unique chance to groove to these sounds seamlessly and for hours here. This might not be the day to resist making a few moves on the dance floor.
From a previous edition of the music festival
Lollapalooza has sworn to keep the venue and city clean with a planned zero-waste pledge. Drinking water supply, recyclable bottles and paper cups and segregated waste bins will be available with volunteers to help people reduce plastic and paper waste. The festival is known globally for its street art and murals. How much of these pop up in Mumbai is yet to be seen.
For music buffs and party goers, the two-day pass is available on BookMyShow along with a premium option. Tuning in to this event could just be the best possible start to 2023 for fans of alternate music.
Edited by Akanksha Sarma