Mumbai, 12th September 2024: To be unapologetic has been the norm for Mahindra Independence Rock since its inception. Bruce Dickinson, lead vocalist of Iron Maiden, once famously said, “Kids get bored easily. They have got to get out and get their hands dirty: make things, dismantle things, fix things.” With ‘Dirty 30’, India’s bedrock of mainstream rock is celebrating the ethos of the festival, which encapsulates the anti-establishment rigour of the rock genre, on November 16 and 17, 2024. As the festival is ready to set the ball rolling, Mahindra I-Rock had an early bird surprise for the fans with limited edition ₹30 tickets to mark the 30th edition. In a meta moment, the milestone edition set another one with all the limited tickets being sold out within 90 minutes. With a loyal fanbase of rockers, the edition witnessed the limited tickets being sold out, without any aggressive marketing, through just an instagram post!
The sprawling, open-air Bayview Lawns in Mazagon will house the 30th Edition of Mahindra I-Rock. During the 29th edition, the acts sent the rockers into a trance, along with the surprise act of Parikrama featuring Farhad Wadia. This year, brace yourself for the most riotous edition of all time, with the attendees warming up for some trippiest acts, serving a mix of genres and languages!
While the theme ‘Dirty 30’ will persist throughout the festival, I-Rock will continue its tradition of unifying the multi-faceted spirit of a legacy which challenged the popular conventions of music in India. Guitar-ripping riffs with pounding drums and cymbals will cause a musical rampage. The frontmen will ignite a fire with their persona and deathcore growls, making it a memorable and euphoric night!
Mumbai, or Bombay as it is nostalgically called, in 1971, was sensing a peculiar music becoming a part of the lifestyle of the city folks. In the conservative lanes of Matunga, near Shanmukhananda Hall, hip, young, and high-spirited rockers were eagerly waiting for the gates of the Simla Beat Contest and their fates to open. The competition served as the predecessor to Independence Rock, a cultural reset for the country’s music.
Poetic Justice
Farhad Wadia, the tour de force behind I-Rock, became the flagbearer of the rock wave in the country. When St. Xavier’s College principal’s strict policy cancelled his and other bands’ performances, Wadia’s determination birthed the movement out of the womb of rebellion, a poetic justice moment, as the first edition was held during the Independence Day celebration of the country.
Hall Of Fame
Independence Rock has transformed the grammar of the festival scene in India, especially for rock music. It has become a pilgrimage for rockers and metalheads. This mecca for rock enthusiasts fulfilled the vows of artists like AR Rahman, Indus Creed, Hanumankind of T.ill Apes, and others who came to become global sensations.
Weathering The Storm
In 2001, Farhad was anxious about the effect of heavy downpours in the city on the festival. Dejected, Farhad went to the festival venue, and to his shock, he witnessed young, drenched, and hungry folks crowding the ticket counter, restoring faith in the power of rock ‘n’ roll and the city, too.
Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through
I-Rock has been a journey, joyous and tumultuous alike. Though the movement came to a standstill in 2013, it was an omen of renewed energy in the rock scene. Almost a decade later, the tide re-emerged with new vigour and new companions as Hyperlink Brand Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and Insider.in joined forces to fortify the festival’s position, reviving the look of India’s oldest and loudest rock fest with Bayview Lawns in Mazagon being the new venue for the festival. This is not it as the festival has managed each year to topple the previous experience with a fresher and more majestic one as the years passed by!
Mr. Farhad Wadia, Founder of Independence Rock, said, “My love affair with rock music began long back, and I-Rock became a channel to express that love and reverence for the genre. It has been a fulfilling journey to see an act of rebellion culminate into 30 editions of a universal, raw, and intimate sonic odyssey that has grown into a big platform, accommodating artists across the nation. We have levelled up and brought some interesting acts on board for the 30th edition, setting a new benchmark for experiential concerts. These thirty years have been nothing short of arduous efforts, sweat, and most importantly, love. To sum it up, I would like to quote a lyric from a Black Sabbath song, which goes, ‘Love is life and hating is living death.’ ”
Wadia, along with Mahindra and Hyperlink Solutions, has laboured to take the experience of the fans up another notch. Through the evolutionary years of rock in the world and India, it has always been reinvented, as the genre itself stands for challenging the conventional.
Mr. Jay Shah, Vice President of Cultural Outreach at Mahindra Group, said, “Mahindra Group has always strived to push the cultural envelope in the country and initiate an important dialogue around arts and culture. By joining forces with Farhad and Hyperlink Brand Solutions, we are instilling life again in a genre that has caused transformation across the globe, and Mahindra Group is more than happy to associate with the 30th edition milestone of I-Rock, working as a catalyst for reshaping the sonic experiences of Indians and scaling the volume of the festival as we enter a new decade of India’s loudest rock event.”
Mr. VG Jairam, Founder of Hyperlink Brand Solutions Pvt. Ltd., said, “Hyperlink Solutions’ vision lies in promulgating any medium that transforms the storytelling experience for its audience. All these years, since the inception of the festival, Farhad Wadia and I-Rock have contributed to creating a cultural wave that revolutionised rock in the country. It is a great pleasure to further promote the indigenous talent at Independence Rock that goes on to pave the way for others on the global stage. With this 30th Edition, Farhad and Hyperlink Solutions are all set to create a transcendental musical experience for the audience and a rite of passage for the performers and audience alike.”
As the festival kicks off, the rockers will witness the deafening riffs, sending shockwaves and thrill in the throng of rockers and metalheads. There will be flashy pyrotechnics, and artists merging with the crowds like bats out of hell! The intermix of cultures and genres will transport you from Mazagon to the vibrant lanes of New Orleans, and the island rhythms of reggae in Jamaica.
From raw rock to neo-soul, the music and food bind the audience together for a sublime evening of timeless beats. I-Rock is all set to celebrate the 30th Edition, marking the transition from a niche event to a nationally celebrated rock affair. The festival’s appeal has brought multiple generations together to revel in the magic of the genre.