Gujarat gears up for Gozo, its first independent music festival to be held this weekend

The moment you thought it wasn't possible to have any new properties to showcase homegrown musical talent, here comes the Gozo festival. The two-day event scheduled for March 4 and 5 is being promoted as Gujarat's first-ever indie music festival. It features 30 acts as varied as rappers Raftaar and MC Altaf, Hindi rockers Parvaaz to post-hardcore group Pacifist. Other performers include multi-genre performers from different parts of the country; Basshunk, Madhur Sharma, Dikshant, OG Shez, Jogi, Ektara Band, School Boy Sharma, Element 7, Bansi Baaz, A-Vish and After Life.

Balar Farms in Surat is the venue for this two-day event that also includes a flea market and of course, lots and lots of food. “This is the first time we are playing in Surat although the state of Gujarat features regularly on our gig calendar. The last time we played in Gujarat was at Rann Utsav 2022. We are excited about going to Surat for Gozo because Gujarati food is amazing. They know their snacks and desserts,” says Anand Bhaskar, lead vocalist and composer of the Anand Bhaskar Collective. His work has been featured in several films and web series including Mission Mangal, Baaghi 2 and Mirzapur. He's going to rely on their bassist Neel Patel for telling them what they should gorge on.

The band's music is a blend of rock, funk, and pop, with a touch of Indian classical music. Anand's powerful vocals and the band's tight instrumentation have earned them a strong fan base in India's independent music scene. The band's debut album, 'Samsara,' was released in 2018 and received acclaim for its sound and thought-provoking lyrics. The album features songs that touch on themes of love, life, and spirituality.

“This is the first time we are playing in Gujarat. It will be an honour to perform at the first indie fest in the state,” says Sidharth Ravindran, vocalist of post-hardcore group Pacifist, fresh off a memorable set at NH7 Weekender in Pune. The band has Apurv Agrawal and Ashish Dharkar on guitar, Utkarsh Jaiswal on bass and Varun Sood on drums. Pacifist's debut EP 'Greyscale Dreams,' was released in 2019. It features tracks like Reactionary, Pedigreed and Double Down that explore sounds and themes that stem from the angst of the daily grind of the claustrophobic crowds of Mumbai, the city the band is based out of.

Both Anand Bhaskar Collective and Pacifist represent the growing independent music scene in India, and were apt to be playing at the first indie music fest in Gujarat. They offer a fresh perspective on Indian music, pushing the boundaries of what is expected from artists in our country.