Raman Negi: 'We’ve made a special set for Bandland Music Festival'

Artist Raman Negi talked to ETV Lifestyle in an exclusive interview prior to his set at Bandland Music Festival in Bengaluru this weekend.

Bandland. The name alone sounds like a storm brewing. Last year, the music festival roared to life like a newborn screaming into existence with headliners Deep Purple and Goo Goo Dolls. It was a debut so relentless, it left rock fans gasping for air and begging for more.

And now, here we are, staring down the barrel of Bandland 2024. This year, it’s bigger. American heavy metal bands Avenged Sevenfold and Extreme, and a stacked line-up of India's finest: globe-touring metallers Bloodywood and Thaikkudam Bridge, Grammy winning percussionist Selvaganesh, pioneering rockers Bhayanak Maut and Swarathma to rising indie stars Sutlej and Dot will take the stage at Bengaluru's Nice Grounds on November 23-24.

The Madness Awaits

A rock fest is nothing short of madness, where sweat-soaked strangers in black tees scream the same lyrics and beer flows like water. Bandland 2024 promises all this and more: chaos, distortion, and rock with a capital R. Amidst the anarchy, Raman Negi, former frontman turned solo firestarter, is set to take his place with his four-piece band.

“We’ve made a special set for Bandland,” Negi tells the ETV Lifestyle team, his voice carrying that calm-before-the-storm tone. “It’s going to be heavy, with tracks from both Shakhsiyatand Chaltey Purzay. This time, Rahul Rai’s laying down the bass, Gaurav Chintamani’s on guitar and Shantanu Sudarshan is back on drums. It’s a loaded line-up, and we’re not holding back.”

No, they are most definitely not holding back. You don’t come to Bandland to sip a latte and hum politely. This is a festival where you show up ready to lose your mind, and Negi seems more than willing to oblige.

Wired With Mischief

Negi’s second solo album, Chaltey Purzay, is an upbeat, kaleidoscopic departure from his brooding debut, Shakhsiyat. “Shakhsiyatwas personal. It was a different animal,” he says. “This time, I didn’t write in isolation. I wanted to explore themes with a wider lens.” Tracks like Hukkah Paaniand Badshah Zerobalance humour, irony and existential grit. “I’ve been wanting to write songs like this for years, but the timing was never right. With Badshah Zero, I’m dissecting what it means to be an artist today, walking the tightrope between art and survival.”

The tone of the album is experimental without losing Negi’s signature sound. It’s a smirking middle finger to convention, wrapped in melody and wired with mischief. For all his cool composure, Negi’s journey hasn’t been without its roadblocks. His 2022 solo debut, Shakhsiyat, was met with critical acclaim and a raised eyebrow or two. “I didn’t know what Shakhsiyatwould become,” he admits. “So, my second album starts with Darmiyaani Ungli Chronicles, poking fun at how everything gets dissected these days. It is a love letter to the critics, honestly.”

With Chaltey Purzay, Negi isn’t pandering to anyone. “The album tour starting January 2025 is for the fans,” he declares. And then there’s Bandland 2024. “It’s not just a gig. It’s a damn experience,” he says. Negi’s set is loaded with every emotion he can wring out of six strings, a microphone, and a drumbeat.

Raman Negi is a storyteller, and the guy who’ll throw down with the best of them at Bandland 2024. If you’re anywhere near Bengaluru this weekend, grab a ticket, grab a beer, and brace yourself as Bandland continues to raise the bar for music festivals in India.