You’ve had a taste of the best international music all this year—from Aerosmith to Akon, Beyonce to Black Eyed Peas, Sepultura to Mr Big. Now wind up the year with a string of music festivals that showcase the best of Indian music. No, we are not just talking of Independence Rock, the national rock competition that is going strong after three decades, or the Great Indian Rock Festival. There are new kids on the block and this winter, they promise to let the carnival go on.

Sunburn Festival
The country’s first electronic dance music festival blasts off in Goa at the end of the year. This hip genre is just about beginning to take off here and the best Indian acts will be part of this two-day fest—MiDival Punditz (their track Fabric featured in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding), DJ and producer Ma Faiza, DJ Pearl, one of the few women DJs in business, Jalebee Cartel, one of India’s most successful five-member progressive electronic groups and Shaa’ir & Func. Get high on the automated, impersonal sounds of electronica—from the pulsating beats of techno to the hypnotic grooves of trance—and slam-dance your way to the New Year. The music gets headier as international artists like Englishman Carl Cox and Above & Beyond perform with DJs from Australia, Finland, Sweden and France. “We have serious talent and it’s time that we have a festival we can call our own. India can host an event that meets international standards and also provides for some great music,” said Nikhil Chinappa, whose company Submerge along with PDM entertainment is organising the event.
When: December 28 and 29
Where: The Candolim beach,
North Goa
Ticket: Rs 3,500, www.sunburn-festival.com/links/tickets

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