In its second edition, boutique music festival Bloomverse returns to Meghalaya with a sonic ode to its vibrant flora, which would be in full bloom during spring. Headlining the day-long festival, organised by arts community and ticketing platform Skillbox, is the American synthwave duo The Midnight. “What truly sets the music festival apart is its unique setting amidst the natural wonders of Meghalaya — from intimate acoustic sets in secluded glades to raucous dance parties beneath the stars,” says Anmol Kukreja, co-founder and chief executive officer of SkillBox.
Like the first edition held on April 2 and 3 last year, over 2,500 people have signed up for the event this time too. “The previous edition was held at The Greenwood Resorts, Khanapara, in Guwahati. It had two stages — the electronic stage was headlined by Anuv Jain and the Yellow Diary, while the live stage was headlined by Lifafa and Blot!. This year, we have one stage,” he adds. The first edition, he says, featured prominent artistes from the region, like Meewakching along with indie favourites. “This edition’s lineup focuses on local talent, but also caters to the growing demand for international music,” shares Anmol.
Mic check
A total of five artistes will be taking the stage at the festival, including alternative/ambient rock band Polar Lights from Nagaland’s Dimapur and Nokpante, a multi-genre band from Tura, Meghalaya. “Polar Lights’s recent album received over half a million listens in just seven months and Nokpante’s music ranges from folk to acoustic pop and everything in between, demonstrating their diversity,” he states.
The headlining act, The Midnight, comprises Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Tyler Lyle and Los Angeles–based, Danish-born producer and singer-songwriter Tim McEwan. The band has five studios, one live and two collaborative albums under its belt.
The festival will also feature a performance by Meba Ofilia, who began making waves in the Shillong indie circuit in 2016, with a background in hip hop and R&B.
Side hustle
The festival will also have stalls and craft corners at The Mini Bazaar, a pop-up event curated by Rudy Marak, which focuses on women-led small-scale ventures. “The platform is dedicated to building and sustaining a community of artisans, assisting upcoming entrepreneurs in providing an environment for entrepreneurial exchange. Attendees can expect handcrafted products such as macramé home decor by Craft Star by Chetry, crochet and resin work by Homespun, paintings, candles, and soaps by Oeuvre and You and many more. We also have a Polaroid photobooth,” says Rudy.
Catering to niche
Boutique music festivals usually keep to a specific genre and are curated for a hardcore fan base well suited for that particular musical style. “Each of our festivals is designed to cater to specific subcultures. Bloomverse is our flagship intellectual property for the North East India market and celebrating local talent has been at its core. We wanted this festival to cater to a niche audience and so, the bands and artistes who will be playing at the event are niche too; we wanted to stay true to the concept of boutique music festival,” says Anmol.
Meghalaya is gearing up to host the Bloomverse Music Festival in Umiam Water Sports Complex, Umiam, on February 24, 4pm onwards. Tickets start at ₹2,499 on skillboxes.com.
A sneak peak into the country’s biggest events and festivals before they happen. So, you want to travel more? Watch this space.
