SulaFest 2011 proved to be an exciting mix of modern Indian culture, with ingredients including a variety of music, wine, chocolate, and of course, goat cheese.  Just a bumpy 4-hour car ride from Mumbai, the festival took place at the Sula vineyards in the otherwise quiet city of Nashik. First to take the stage was the band “Tough on Tobacco.” Their pop and reggae tunes with a positive message gave a chill backdrop for concertgoers to eat, drink and be merry.

“Something Relevant” was the next band up and energized the entire festival. The young and the old got on their feet to dance to this incredibly solid group equipped with keys, a sax, and grooving band members. A catchy tune laughing about catching malaria at a BBQ got smiles all around. “Petri Dish Project” followed with fusion style music and included a guest singing appearance by popular actress Monica Dogra.

The heavy metal ditties of “Pentagram” came next and got the audience packed with fist pumpers and thrashing moshers. The lead singer of the band, Vishal Dadlani is one of the leading music composers for Bollywood and produced a huge turnout of fans. At the end of the day the festival was a huge hit and left the audience stuffed, drunk and happy. The event was so well organized, one could forget they weren’t at an established event in Hollywood or San Diego.

What really made the night stand out was the family atmosphere. Grandparents down to grandkids came out to enjoy the shows and experience the festival together and it was an amazing sight to see.  Next time a festival comes into town, you might think about giving granddad a call because as Sulafest has shown, even the old folks can party down!

Words and photos by Beth Stirnaman