The Score Magazine May 2017 | Page 49

So what caused this sudden change? What exactly makes India such an exciting and such an important destination? There are various reasons for that. It could all play a role in a certain band wanting to come to India and it may also be subjective. Population: India is the second most populated country in the world. Even a small minority in a nation of 1.3 billion people is a huge number. So it becomes a very important market regardless of your product or services. It's a place of strategic importance. Because if you or your product does well in India, the benefits could be endless. So as musicians, it could very well mean more CD sales or digital downloads, bigger turnouts at your gigs, etc. Reception: Despite the inflow of international bands performing in India, the number of bands performing in India is still pretty low compared to Europe or North America. So the audience isn't spoilt for choices all the time. So when the opportunity to witness an international band presents itself, they make the most of it. As a performer, that's what you want to see. An enthusiastic audience who enjoy the music, sing along or dance or groove or headbang, mosh etc is all that you want as a performer when performing live! And more often than not, this is what you see in India. What's important to be noted is the fact that it's not only the big, highly reputed artists who have India on their roadmap, but also the up and coming bands. In fact, India is one of the most important markets, if not the most important markets for newer bands. As Elias of the now defunct Swedish band, Deathember points out, "The biggest difference I experienced was that the Indian crowds seemed way more open minded about our music, and the crowd seemed more diverse (Than back home in Sweden). As pointed out before, Indian audience, in general, tend to be mo re appreciative of the music. Sweden is home to a lot of legendary bands. And the people there are spoilt for choices. That does not work very well for upcoming bands. They often end up playing for empty halls/clubs or mute crowds. So India provides them with an escape they would not forget easily. Sometimes, it's more than just these common expectations that make bands visit India. It could be something as deep as being able to be a part of a growing community. Johan Lund of Mindshift (Sweden) says, "India is really important for Mindshift because, first of all, we have gotten treated really well by all the organisers as well as the fans in India. And secondly we see a growing metal community there and to be a part of it from the beginning is a real honour. And the food is great! Haha". He is right. How could we forget about the food? If one has no other reason to visit this rather unique nation, then the food here should do the trick! India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. And India is home to over a billion people. And it's only logical to assume everybody wants to be a part of its growth. The Score Magazine highonscore.com 47