Bangalore Open Air: India's First And Only Heavy Metal Festival
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“I have been a regular to Wacken for the past four years and I realized there is no dedicated metal fest in India", said the founder of Bangalore Open Air, Salman U Syed, in an interview with The Times of India. He was referring to one of the most iconic Metal festivals in the world, the Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany. Salman wanted the Indian audience to have the experience in a similar way.
So, that's how it started! Today, India's only dedicated Heavy Metal open air festival is held annually in Bangalore, what started with just 700 people in attendance has turned into a festival that thousands of metal fans travel from all over India to attend this one-day event.
Salman and Bangalore Open Air's love affair with its German counterpart continued, during the early editions of the festival, they would host a nationwide Battle of Bands, and the winner would get the chance to perform at Wacken.
Now over 9 editions strong, Bangalore Open Air has become a stage for the veterans and the new bands to showcase their talents to a passionate crowd. Needless to say, Bangalore Open Air is not a festival for the faint-hearted, from last-minute artist pull-outs to venue changes and other controversies, it is one of the rare festivals that managed to push through all the troubles.
Perhaps the most important appeal of Bangalore Open Air festival is the range of international and national artists it manages to bring every year, acts like Kryptos, Iced Earth, and Nile have all blessed the stage along with Indian heavyweights like Gutslit and The Down Troddence.
Despite the aforementioned issues, Bangalore Open Air has created a loyal fanbase that turns out year after year. Salman U Syed really wanted a festival that is a must visit for Metal Fans across Asia, and Bangalore Open Air is on the right track to becoming the ultimate destination for Metalheads.
Also read about Top 10 Extreme Metal Bands In India | The Great Indian Rock: India's First Rock/Metal Festival
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