NH7 Weekender is an annual, multi-city and multi-genre, music and comedy festival held in India, organised by NODWIN Gaming. It began in Pune, Maharashtra in India, as a three-day, multi-genre, music festival in 2010. Since 2012 it has expanded to multiple cities. In 2017, the lineup began to include comedy acts. The festival co-presenting sponsor is The McDowell's House of Soda.
The festival is held between October and December, and hosted in multiple cities alongside its flagship event in Pune. Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Shillong have hosted the festival. The lineup has a mix of established and newer, sub-continental and global artists.
History In 2006, Vijay Nair, the co-founder and ex-CEO of OML (Only Much Louder), began formulating the idea of an Indian multi-genre music festival modeled after the Glastonbury Festival in Britain where he had taken Pentagram in 2005. In 2009 he met UK music manager Stephen Budd in Mumbai and they discussed the idea of creating an independent music festival. Nair came to London where Budd introduced him to Glastonbury booker Martin Elbourne and the three along with co-founder Girish ‘Bobby’ talwar soon planned and financed the first NH7 Weekender.
The debut festival was held in Pune, in 2010, and was produced by OML. It was a three-day festival, had a multi-stage setup, and was multi-genre. It was headlined by international artists Asian Dub Foundation, The Magic Numbers, and Reverend and The Makers, along with well established Indian acts including Lounge Piranha, Junkyard Groove, Zero, and Demonic Resurrection.
In 2012 the festival expanded to two cities and alongside Pune added multi stage and day festivals in Delhi and Bangalore. Since then, the festival has been held in Kolkata, Meghalaya, Hyderabad, and Shillong with smaller, single day, festivals in Mysore, Jaipur, Nagpur and other cities. In 2017, after OML's foray in the comedy business, the festival added a comedy lineup after having previously booked acts like All India Bakchod and Vir Das for musical performances. The festival is one of the first large scale music festivals in the South Asian sub-continent. Its programming is a mix of Indian independent acts, younger sub-continental artists, and multi-genre international headliners. Initially stages were broadly divided by genres rock and metal, electronic, indie, and folk. Each stage had two platforms, main and transition, with alternated performances. Over the past few years, the festival has ditched genre stages and headliners perform on the Bacardi Arena main stage.
Past headliners have included Asian Dub Foundation, Joe Satriani, José González, Mark Ronson, Mogwai, Flying Lotus, The Wailers, A. R. Rahman, Vishal Bhardwaj, Imogen Heap, The Vaccines, Megadeth, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Seun Kuti, DJ Premier, Simian Mobile Disco, Fink, Jon Hopkins, Bombay Bicycle Club, Anoushka Shankar, SBTRKT, Steven Wilson, Chase & Status, Steve Vai, Nightmares On Wax and others. In August 2019, to celebrate its 10th edition in Pune, where the first NH7 Weekender was held, pre-sale tickets were sold at their 2010 debut price—₹750 ($10.45; under 21 season tickets) and ₹1500 ($20.90; regular season tickets.)
Editions
2010 The festival's debut edition was held from 10–12 December at Koregaon Park in Pune. The lineup had seminal Indian acts like Zero, Swarathma, Pentagram and Blackstratblues alongside international acts like Asian Dub Foundation and The Magic Numbers. The festival had four stages and hosted over 35 artists across three days. It was estimated the festival had 10,000 attendees over the course of three days. Lineup Asian Dub FoundationThe Magic NumbersIndian OceanSwarathmaDemonic ResurrectionShaa'ir + FuncJunkyard GrooveSomething RelevantThe CircusNoisewareArjun VagaleKhiladiSplitInfernal WrathParikramaAshu & The Petri DishLounge PiranhaSusheela RamanThe Raghu Dixit ProjectPentagramAirportMolotov CocktailMIDIval PunditzTough On TobaccoPINKNOISEBarefaced LiarBhayanak MautDJ IvanUndying IncProjekt SBay Beat CollectiveBlackstratbluesFaridkotZeroReverend SoundsystemScribeAnkur & The Ghalat Family
2011 The second edition of NH7 Weekender was held between 18–20 November 2011. It took place at the Laxmi Lawns near Magarpatta City in Pune and grew to five stages. Over 25,000 were estimated in attendance over the three days. Grammy winner Imogen Heap and the British electronic music act Basement Jaxx headlined along with performances from Midival Punditz, The Raghu Dixit Project, and Swarathma.
Lineup Imogen HeapBasement JaxxBobby FrictionSkyharborImphal TalkiesBig Daddy KleinAlisha BatthFire ExitPentagramSoulmateIndian OceanBlackstratbluesAlisha PaisGoddess GaggedReggae RajahsZeroJatin PuriBlakcAsh RoyGumnaamRiz MCSu-RealKing CreosoteDemonic ResurrectionAyush ShreshtaHipnotribeScribeSwarathmaMenwhopauseDhruvB.R.E.E.D.Humble The PoetShaa'ir + FuncTaal Inc.Microphon3DJ JayantAdvaitaIllbilly HiTec + LongfingahSid BasrurTara PriyaMIDIval PunditzDJ SwaggamuffinBASSFoundationDualist InquirySky RabbitThe CircusMonkey Sound SystemMonikerBay Beat CollectiveBlessed Love SoundsystemThe Raghu Dixit ProjectThe Pictish TrailMotherjaneNigel RajaratnamBhayanak MautPapon & The East India CompanyThe Ska VengersTough On TobaccoAnkur Tewari & The Ghalat FamilyDJ NihalNZ SelectorOx7gen
2012 In its third year, the festival expanded to Delhi and Bangalore. The combined lineup included 200 artists, 60 festival pre-party gigs, and six stages, took place in Delhi, on 13–14 October, at the Buddh International Circuit in Noida; in Pune from 2–4 November at Amanora Park Town; and in Bangalore, at the Embassy International Riding School, on 15–16 December.Headliners included Karnivool, Seun Kuti and Egypt 80, Buraka Som Sistema, Megadeth, Bombay Bicycle Club, Anoushka Shankar, and Fink.
Lineup FinkMegadethSeun Kuti & Egypt 80Buraka Som SistemaTestamentAdam & The Fish Eyed PoetsAnoushka ShankarForeign BeggarsBombay Bicycle ClubThe CircusAdi Suhail TarunDJ MooSickmenwhopauseSoulmateThe Aston ShuffleAdvaitaDJ NihalMichal MenertSound AvtarThe Bicycle DaysAgamEZ RiserMIDIval PunditzSplitThe Koniac NetAkalaDriving LolitaMillion StylezSpud In The BoxThe Lightyears ExplodeAkhuDualist InquiryMode7Su-RealMaduAlgoRhythmDualist Inquiry and FriendsModern MafiaSusheela RamanThe Raghu Dixit ProjectAnish SoodDub SharmaMonikerSwaggamuffinLow RhyderzDJ AmulEast StepperMouNigel RajaratnamThe Shakey RaysLagoriEccentric PendulumMr. WilliamzSwarathmaThe StavesArjun VagaleEdGeCutMungos Hi-FiSlow Down ClownThe SupersonicsAsh RoyEngine Earz ExperimentMusic Basti ProjectSymbiz SoundNischay ParekhAshvin Mani SharmaEZ RiserBarefaced LiarTalvin SinghThem ClonesAvi & The Uprising3 SevensNucleyaTarqeebThermal And A QuarterBangalore Metal ProjectGaleej GurusNZ SelectorSwanand and ShantanuTough On TobaccoBASSFoundation RootsGandu CircusOx7genSoom TTrilok GurtuBauchklangGaurav JagwaniPangeaAnkur Tewari & The Glalat FamilyTripShot CrewBay Beat CollectiveGaurav RainaMC Ri$kDJ UriUnder The InfluenceBhayanak MautGoddess GaggedSlumGodsSolstice CoilUndying IncBig ScaryGowriPapon & The East India CompanyBombay Metal ProjectThe Susmit Sen ChroniclesBlackstratbluesHari & SukhmaniParadigm ShiftBREEDThe Manganiyar SeductionBlackstratbluesHeemsParikramaDJ DaleVachanBLANKHerbalize-ItParvati & MawkinCaesars Of The GreenVasuda SharmaBlekHexstaticPentagramPINKNOISEVedant BharadwajBLOT!Idan RaichelYour ChinPrateek KuhadVernon NoronhaSkratiLLBiLLY HiTECPeripheryReggae RajahsViceVersaBobby FrictionImli ImchenPeter Cat Recording Co.Rob Da BankVir Das's Alien ChutneyBombay BassmentIndian OceanIndus CreedRudy RootsWazulu Da Ill DravidianCarlton and the SaintsJstarInner SanctumSAGADhruv VisvanathCeeKailasaJahcooziSandunesDelhi Metal ProjectClinton CerejoKaiserdiscoJinja SafariScribeDelhi SultanateClown With A FrownKarnivoolJitterShafqat Amanat AliMartina-Topley BirdDakta DubDemonic ResurrectionKarsh KaleSheppardShaa'ir + FuncKryptosZeroKohraShrilektricZiggi RecadoDelhi Sultanate & Begum XSky RabbitLongfingah
2013 The festival travelled to four cities; Kolkata (14-15 Dec), Pune (28-29 Oct), Bangalore (23-24 Nov) and Delhi NCR (30 Nov – 1 Dec). Headliners included Chase and Status, Textures, Simian Mobile Disco, and MUTEMATH.
Lineup Chase & StatusMUTEMATHTexturesSkindredSimian Mobile DiscoSagar DharkarParthanNikhil MhatreShantanu PanditThe HeatwaveAnd So I Watch You from AfarEZ RiserMonikerShiva SoundsystemThe Koniac NetAnkur TewariFaridkotMoonDogsSICKFLIPThe Lightyears ExplodeArjun VagaleFrame/FrameMr. DossSiddharth BasrurThe Maganiyar SeductionBaba JasFuncDualist InquiryThe GrindThe MavynsBig City HarmonicsFuzzCultureNischay ParekhSimple SampleThe Monkey In MeBlack LettersGanesh TalkiesNoisiaShankar TuckerThe Raghu Dixit ProjectBlackstratbluesGirish PradhanNooriSkratThe Ska VengersBLOT vs. KohraHey GeronimoNucleyaSky RabbitThe SpindoctorBobby FrictionHumble The PoetOX7GENSlow ClubThe SupersonicsBolepur BluezIfs and ButsPapon and The East India CompanySmoke SignalThe Vinyl RecordsBombay BassmentIndian OceanParalightsSoulmateThe Wanton BishopsBone BrokeInner SanctumParikramaSound AvtarTough On TobaccoCarlton & The SaintsJ.ViewzScribeThe Fender BendersTripShot CrewCastles In The SkyJay WudParvaazSpace Behind The Yellow RoomUndying IncA Mutual QuestionJohnny BPentagramSpoonbillUntil We LastClown With A FrownKailasaPINKNOISESulk StationVachanDakta DubKarsh KalePippinSuman Sridhar And JiverVir Das's Alien ChutneyDavid BoomahKate Miller-HeidkePoirierSundogProjectWe Were Promised JetpacksDeadly HuntaKill ParisPrateek KuhadSu-RealWinit TikooDelhi Sultanate & Begum XKrunk All-StarsRajasthan RootsSwaggamuffinWrite In StereoDemonic ResurrectionLoch LomondReggae RajahsSwarathmaY&SDevoidLow RhyderzRejiTajdar JunaidYour ChinDhruv VisvanathLucky AliRob GarzaTarqeebYTDigital SuicideMaati BaaniRuskinTesseracTZeroDJ SaMadboy/MinkSampologyMIDIval PunditzZervas and PepperDJ UriMekaal Hasan BandSandunesThe Colour CompoundZiggy The BluntDonn Bhat + Passenger RevelatorMeshuggahScribeThe F16sDry the RiverShaa'ir + FuncMichal Menert
2014 The festival travelled to four cities in the span of a month. Starting off with Kolkata (1-2 Nov), Bangalore (8-9 Nov), Pune (21-23 Nov) and Delhi NCR (29-30 Nov). Headliners included The Vaccines, Jon Hopkins, Fear Factory, Luke Sital-Singh, and Amit Trivedi. Lineup Amit TrivediFear FactoryJon HopkinsPeking DukThe VaccinesMUTEMATHAdi & SuhailCoshishKaosProvidenceThe BartenderThe NewsAIBCurtain BlueKillwishReggae RajahsThe Delhi AlternativeNikhil D'SouzaAlgoRhythmDualist InquiryKlyppMotoponyThe Down TroddenceThe Ska VengersAlo WalaDJ SaLuke Sital-SinghCloud ControlThe Emerald ArmadaThe SupersonicsA Mutual QuestionBarmer BoysMaati BaaniSandunesThe F16sTetseo SistersBhavishyavani CrewNucleyaMadboy/MinkZygnemaThe Ganesh TalkiesThe Wooden ShieldAppleoniaSu RealMoney For RopeScribeThe Inspector CluzoThem ClonesAs AnimalsMonikerMonica DograSean RoldanThermal And A QuarterB.R.E.E.DGoldspotMr. Woodnote & Lil RhysSelvaganeshSkyharborUndying IncBhayanak MautFossilsForeign BeggarsShaa'ir + FuncSonghoy BluesUnohuBig City Harmonics LiveFrame/FrameNamit Das + Anurag ShankerSickflipSoulmateVoctronicaBlackstratbluesFuzzy LogicSkratSoulspaceWhen Pandas AttackBlentGingerfeetHoirongSky RabbitSpud In The BoxNanokBombay BassmentIndian OceanHoudini DaxCalcutta LocalNeeraj Arya's Kabir CafeBombay Punk UnitedYour ChinIamrishaCastles In The SkySuperfuzzNicholsonPeepal TreeTejasAnkur & The Ghalat FamilyChad ValleyDinosaur Pile-UpDJ SkipEZ RiserIndus CreedRUN! It's the KidPangeaOx7genNorcotiqSachal Jazz EnsembleDJ MoCityColossal FiguresThe Manganiyar ClassroomThe Raghu Dixit Project
2015