Ziro Festival of Music

India –  SUBJECT : Sonic Youthʼs Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley to headline Ziro Festival of Music on their first-ever Indian appearance. 51-year-old Ranaldo is a renowned American musician, singer-songwriter, guitarist, writer, visual artist and record producer. Ranaldo is best known as the co-founder of alternative rock band Sonic Youth. Shelley, also 51, is best known for keeping time for Sonic Youth since 1985. He is also a producer and also runs an several independent record labels. They are both set to headline Ziro Festival of Music 2013. The second edition of the Ziro Festival of Music is scheduled for 20, 21, 22 September 2013. This year too, there will be twenty bands from across the country.  

  Whirling Kalapas, the acoustic rock project of Uday Benegal and Mahesh Tinaikar of Indus Creed fame with multi-instrumentalist Sankarshan Kini, will be at the festival. Along with them will be the biggies; Menwhopause, Sky Rabbit, high energy dance pop band Shaiʼir and Func and the one-man acts, Your Chin and folksy Dayglocrazie. The hottest bands from the northeast to watch out for are the all-girl pop-rock band, The Vinyl Records, techno punk Digital Suicide and the newest indie-act of Nagaland, Polar Lights. This year also includes a workshop on wildlife conservation by Green Oscar winner and renowned conservationist Aparajita Datta. Aside from this, there will also be folk acts from the northeast region showcasing a slice of its diverse culture. This is the only festival in the world that brings together such myriad cultures – from a folk act of Arunachal Pradesh to Indiaʼs best indie bands to world famous artists like Ranaldo.  

  Ranaldo, apart from Sonic Youth, has consistently worked on his own music and released albums carving a space for himself in the music industry as a solo artist. His most recent album Between the Times and the Tides (2012) was well received by both critics and fans. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at number 33 in the ʻGreatest Guitarists of All Timeʼ list (2004) and he was at the number 1 slot in Spin magazineʼs top 100 list in 2012. Shelley, aside from running his own record labels, also handles Sonic Youthʼs record labels. He is very well-known for his playing style that is precise and powerful without being overpowering. He is a ʻdrummer’s drummerʼ and is known as an astute improviser. Ziro Festival of Music aims to raise awareness of north-east India and brings it into the mainstream consciousness of the country through music, art and culture. It is hosted by the Apatani tribe people at Ziro, a beautiful, serene valley in central Arunachal Pradesh and supported by local, state and regional dignitaries. After the success of the first edition, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh added it to their annual calendar. Tourism Minister, Pema Khandu said “The Ziro Festival of Music will be made an annual event in the Ministry of Tourismʼs calendar. Ziro is one of the most beautiful valleys in Arunachal and this festival will help in making it a perfect tourist destination”. This festival is as much about the local experience as the music. It calls out to compassionate music-lovers and tourists who look to spend three days living with the Apatanis and soaking in the sounds and stories around them. It is a chance for the northeast and the rest of the India to understand, experience and enjoy its diversity and rich ethnic culture.  

 

ARTIST LINE-UP

Indie Bands 1. Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) 2. Whirling Kalapas – Mumbai 3. Menwhopause – New Delhi 4. Peter Cat Recording Co. – New Delhi 5. Sky Rabbit – Mumbai 6. Shaiʼir and Func – Mumbai 7. Donn Bhatt – Mumbai 8. Your Chin – Mumbai 9. Sulk Station – Bengaluru 10. The Bicycle Days – Bengaluru 11. Gandu Circus – Kolkata 12. Imphal Talkies – Imphal, Manipur 13. Dosserʼs Urge – Shillong, Meghalaya 14. The Vinyl Records – Arunachal Pradesh 15. Yesterdrive – Arunachal Pradesh 16. Omak Komut Collective – Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh 17. Still Waters – Gangtok, Sikkim 18. Digital Suicide – Guwahati, Assam 19. Dayglocrazie – Assam 20. Polar Lights – Dimapur, Nagaland 21. Purple Fusion – Dimapur, Nagaland 22. Frisky Pints – Mizoram     Folk Acts 1. Tapu War Dance – Adi Tribe, Arunachal Pradesh 2. Lion Dance – Monpa Tribe, Arunachal Pradesh 3. Buya Dance – Nishyi Tribe, Arunachal Pradesh 4. Paku Littu Dance – Apatani Tribe, Arunachal Pradesh 5. Damin Da Dance – Apatani Tribe, Arunachal Pradesh 6. Bamboo Dance – Mizoram 7. Naga Dance – Nagaland   For enquiries, please contact : Lubna Shaheen Manager Press and Communications +91 95605 60529 lubna@zirofestival.com For more information, please check : Ziro Festival Image Courtesy Shiv Ahuja