India-
The Escape experience goes beyond being just music. For the fifth year of the festival (formally known as the Escape Festival of Music and Arts) that was held in Naukuchiatal from May 18 to 20 this year, the fortunate few who made the trek witnessed not just the cream of India’s independent music scene, but some great displays from up-coming painters and photographers. Set in the woods of Naukuchiatal, 35km from the nearest railway station at Kathgodam, the Escape festival is considered a glorified vacation more than a gig in its true sense, even by some of the performing artists. Interestingly, in contrast to the previous years of the festival where most of the attendees would be friends of the performing bands, tagging along to make up the numbers, this year there was a significant number of people who travelled all the way out of genuine interest and to get away from the incinerating Delhi heat. The setting for a large part of the festival was a compact stage known as the Soul Garden, located just in front of a beautiful lake, playing host to mostly indie, folk, jazz and experimental artists like Hari and Sukhmani, Kolkata’s beloved Skinny Alley, and the funky/folky grooves of Delhi’s Menwhopause.
The nights though, right up to the wee hours of the morning, were dominated by electronic and rock bands at a stage set thickly in the midst of the deodar trees, aptly called the Magic Forest and decked up with psychedelic visuals, much in keeping with the pulsating and aggressive nature of the music. Mumbai’s metal titans Scribe and Bhayanak Maut were two highlights from this stage, as were electronic artists Autolaser and Puoskari all the way from Norway and Finland. The stage also played host to a long-awaited live reunion for Delhi’s experimental rockers Another Vertigo Rush. Accommodation for attendees was in true festival fashion and most chose to pitch tents wherever they found it most comfortable, while the slightly more squeamish chose to put up in hotels, which were just a pleasant walk away. Some other highlights of the event were art showcases from painters like Nitin Bal Chauhan,Samir Hazari, Shivani Kohli as well as well-known concert photographer Shiv Ahuja.
Written and photographed by: Akanksha Sharma
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- An artist’s artwork
The Escape experience goes beyond being just music. For the fifth year of the festival (formally known as the Escape Festival of Music and Arts) that was held in Naukuchiatal from May 18 to 20 this year, the fortunate few who made the trek witnessed not just the cream of India’s independent music scene, but some great displays from up-coming painters and photographers.
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- Another Vertigo Rush
The Escape experience goes beyond being just music. For the fifth year of the festival (formally known as the Escape Festival of Music and Arts) that was held in Naukuchiatal from May 18 to 20 this year, the fortunate few who made the trek witnessed not just the cream of India’s independent music scene, but some great displays from up-coming painters and photographers.
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- Indigo Children
The Escape experience goes beyond being just music. For the fifth year of the festival (formally known as the Escape Festival of Music and Arts) that was held in Naukuchiatal from May 18 to 20 this year, the fortunate few who made the trek witnessed not just the cream of India’s independent music scene, but some great displays from up-coming painters and photographers.
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- Jayashree Singh of Skinny Alley
The Escape experience goes beyond being just music. For the fifth year of the festival (formally known as the Escape Festival of Music and Arts) that was held in Naukuchiatal from May 18 to 20 this year, the fortunate few who made the trek witnessed not just the cream of India’s independent music scene, but some great displays from up-coming painters and photographers.
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- Menwhopause with Antoine
The Escape experience goes beyond being just music. For the fifth year of the festival (formally known as the Escape Festival of Music and Arts) that was held in Naukuchiatal from May 18 to 20 this year, the fortunate few who made the trek witnessed not just the cream of India’s independent music scene, but some great displays from up-coming painters and photographers.
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- Nitin Bal Chauhan
The Escape experience goes beyond being just music. For the fifth year of the festival (formally known as the Escape Festival of Music and Arts) that was held in Naukuchiatal from May 18 to 20 this year, the fortunate few who made the trek witnessed not just the cream of India’s independent music scene, but some great displays from up-coming painters and photographers.
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- Randeep Singh of Menwhopause
The Escape experience goes beyond being just music. For the fifth year of the festival (formally known as the Escape Festival of Music and Arts) that was held in Naukuchiatal from May 18 to 20 this year, the fortunate few who made the trek witnessed not just the cream of India’s independent music scene, but some great displays from up-coming painters and photographers.
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- Samir Hazari’s paintings
The Escape experience goes beyond being just music. For the fifth year of the festival (formally known as the Escape Festival of Music and Arts) that was held in Naukuchiatal from May 18 to 20 this year, the fortunate few who made the trek witnessed not just the cream of India’s independent music scene, but some great displays from up-coming painters and photographers.
