MUMBAI: The blueFROG Pune team was inspecting the programming events scheduled for the month of February, when they noticed something; most of the music acts showed a peculiar pattern. Programming co-ordinator Sainath Bhagwat stated that the acts had “more global sounds; from oriental gypsy electro rock to world jazz, they all had something fresh and unique.”
This culminated to what is now blueFROG Pune’s first ever ‘Global Music Festival’. In the course of this festival, blueFROG will present artists on its Live stage, showcasing some of the best in world, jazz, reggae, rock, blues, electro and folk music. In an interesting change from most events scheduled for weekends, the ‘Global Music Festival’ will be conducted only on Wednesdays and Fridays, throughout the month.
The first Wednesday of February 4th, will see the world blues and groovy band, Smokestack, while German techno act Breger and world jazz electro act Kefaya perform on Friday, 6 February. French/Algerian Oriental gypsy electro rock act Speed Caravan will perform on Wednesday, 11 February, and British rock band Will & the People will take to the stage on Friday, 13 February. On the same day dance-hall reggae band Reggae Rajahs will celebrate their sixth anniversary show. The last two week will showcase Anglo-Indian folk fusion band Whirling Kalapas & Rodney Branigan on Wednesday, 18 February, while Indo-French gypsy Sufi music duo Muktiar Ali and Mathias Duplessy are set to perform on Wednesday, 25 February.
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For the Global Music Festival, blueFROG has roped in Sakal Times, which is providing extensive print media coverage. In addition to that, blueFROG Pune has also been networking with music societies in Pune, such as Poona Music Society and Jazz Music Academy. “We wanted people who would attend Poona Music Society’s shows at Mazda Hall to come and find similar music at blueFROG. We want to introduce the blueFROG programming here in Pune, aiming at mature audiences with more Sufi nights and Jazz fests while attracting the younger crowd,” added Bhagwat.
blueFROG Pune is expecting a turnout of 200-250 people per gig, which can be cumulated to almost 3000 through the course of the festival.
Meanwhile, blueFROG is also currently planning a simultaneous multi-city IP, showcasing independent music. But, since that plan includes blueFROG Bangalore, it could possibly be held sometime in late April, after the venue opens. Along with ‘Global Music Festival’, blueFROG Pune plans to host a Sufi music festival towards the end of summer.
