The Nagaland government’s Music Task Force (MTF), the only state government body in the country that promotes rock music, is taking the famous Hornbill International Music Festival, held annually in December, outside of the state capital Kohima for the first time. #Hornbill On Tour is a three-city series of concerts that will be held over the next two months in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, which will help shortlist one band from each city who will participate at the 2015 edition of festival.
Hornbill International Music Festival is India’s most lucrative band contest that attracts dozens of rock bands from across the country to participate every year. The winner gets a prize of Rs 10 lakh, and the first and second runners up Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh respectively.
Past winners include Bengaluru’s prog-metal band Slain, Delhi rockers Indigo’s Children, glam-rock outfit Adam’s Apple from Darjeeling, and Kolkata-based rock bands The Hobos and Underground Authority.
Hornbill International Music Festival is part of the larger Hornbill Festival organized by Nagaland’s State Directorate of Tourism every year to show case the state’s rich cultural heritage. The events last year ranged from tribal dances and photo contests to motor cycle rally, night carnival, Naga chili eating contest, literature and cinema festival, theater and various other cultural performances.
#Hornbill OnTour is being organized by MTF in association with Rolling Stone India, the Indian edition of Rolling Stone, the world’s most popular music magazine.
The response to calls for entries to participate in #Hornbill On Tour has been tremendous with close to a hundred bands from Mumbai, Bengaluru , Delhi, Pune and Chennai responding, sending their song recordings and videos to vie for the limited slots available for the live elimination rounds.
The editors of Rolling Stone India had the unenviable task of assessing the entries to select the five bands from each city who will perform at the live elimination round, in front of a high-powered jury. The winner of from each city will be flown to Kohima to play at the Hornbill Festival.
#Hornbill On Tour`s Mumbai leg of elimination rounds will be held at Hard Rock Café Worli on October 7th, Wednesday 2015. Because of a tie for the fifth position, six bands have made the cut here. The line-up of the bands shortlisted is as follows:–
- The Lightyears Explode (alternative/punk)
- Anand Bhaskar Collective (alt-rock/fusion)
- Daira (alt-rock/prog rock)
- Kanchan Daniel and the Beards (blues rock)
- Laxmi Bomb (electro-rock)
- Unohu (alt-rock)
Entry – Rs 500/- Cover charges
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#Hornbill On Tour`s Bengaluru edition of elimination round will be hosted at Hard Rock Café Bengaluru on October 16th, Friday 2015. The line-up of the bands shortlisted is as follows:
- Grey Shack (rock & roll/hard rock)
2. Black Letters (alternative rock)
3. Shepherd (sludge/heavy rock)
4. Farfetch’d (post rock/ambient)
5. Peepal Tree (indie rock)
Entry – Rs 500/- Cover charges
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#Hornbill On Tour`s Delhi edition of elimination round will be hosted at Hard Rock Café Delhi Saket on October 22nd, Thursday 2015. The line-up of the bands shortlisted is as follows:
- October (prog rock)
- KRAKEN (rock)
- Tankbund (ambient/electronic)
- Udan Tasthri (psychedelic/prog rock)
- Chaos in the Capital (alt-rock)
Entry – Rs 500/- Cover charges
