We want to take the festival experience to newer audiences across India: Akshat Rathee

Nine years after making its first appearance at the Bacardi NH7 Weekender, Red Bull Off The Roof returned to the festival this year with a line-up featuring some of India’s favourite hip-hop and pop artists, as well as the country’s freshest sounds. Following a digital edition in 2020, Nodwin Gaming, one of the world’s leading esports companies, and Bacardi brought India’s happiest multi-genre music, comedy, and gaming festival back to its home city, Pune, on March 26-27, 2022.

In exclusive conversation with Adgully, Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Nodwin Gaming, speaks about the entire experience, partnership with Red Bull, the return of live events in the post-pandemic period, challenges and opportunities in the year ahead, and more.

What is the uniqueness of Bacardi NH7 Weekender?

Before Bacardi NH7 Weekender was conceived, there was no singular festival that brought together fans of rock music, metal music, regional & classical music, folk and fusion music, electronic music and so on. There would be specialised concerts/ gigs for these genres in the past, but no single destination that champions music at large. Bacardi NH7 Weekender was born to serve exactly that purpose – to cross-pollinate between fans of different genres and be the definitive music experience in the country. Twelve years since its conception, we grow from strength to strength in introducing newer experiences at the festival, like a Comedy Stage introduced in 2017 and even a Gaming Den experience in 2022.

Could you tell us about your partnership with Red Bull once again?

Red Bull is globally celebrated as a true partner to the world of music. As a brand, it has introduced concepts and programs that have enabled musicians to thrive world-over like never before. The Red Bull Off The Roof experience is one such novel concept of a traveling stage that wows audiences wherever it goes. We had proudly debuted the experience as a stage at Bacardi NH7 Weekender in 2013, and we are thrilled to welcome it back for a new phase in 2022. Red Bull and Bacardi NH7 Weekender are very alike in our support of discovery of music and providing a stage for emerging and established talents alike – their keen eye for detail along with our gut for curation means there is a stellar line-up of acts we can’t wait for you to discover or in some cases rediscover with their most contemporary sounds in 2022!

During the pandemic and the post-pandemic scenario, what changes have you observed in terms of live events?

During the pandemic, the audience switched to digital consumption in the initial few months, but there was fatigue that made it difficult to create real connections. However, we did receive immense support and love when the festival was hosted online. After the pandemic ended, we can see the excitement and engagement with consumers. Everyone’s looking out for the next new thing in the country and we are looking forward to hosting them this year at the festival.

What are the challenges and opportunities that you see emerging in the year ahead?

The challenges are predominantly regarding the unpredictability of the ever evolving Covid variants and the lockdowns that follow. Booking international talent is a huge risk considering it requires acting much in advance. In terms of opportunities, a lot of young and emerging artists have made their presence felt over the course of the pandemic, in being prolific with their releases. We are relishing the opportunity to provide a big platform to such emerging talent that is always on our radar.

How does the festival season impact the growth of a brand?

There are some brands/ products that are best enjoyed in the company of live entertainment, song, dance, and music. A handful of brands play a vital role in enabling movements like the Bacardi NH7 Weekender and over the course of the season, with repeated editions in multiple cities, it allows for a certain recall and affinity from grateful fans and artists like nothing else does. Outdoor experiences and festivals such as ours make fans feel happy and content, and when such an experience is enjoyed with the right brands who make it possible, it forms a certain habit that is hard to ignore. Making the right associations in such scenarios is the most important task for brand managers, and we have had the support of some wonderful like-minded brands over the past who have also reaped the benefits of associating with our festivals over the years.

What is your vision and mission for 2022?

As a festival, we aim to revitalise the way our audiences consume live experiences and give our fans a loud reason to celebrate getting together once again. There’s a massive amount of talent in the country that has been bubbling in the cut anxiously over the pandemic, and we want to shine the torch to all the deserving names in a manner that is most definitive and deserving. At the same time, we hope to take the festival experience to newer audiences across the length and breadth of the country, especially those who have never got the chance to make it to our big Pune and Shillong showcases in the past.