Freeground, The Newest Music Festival on the Block, Promises The Show Will Go On

Freeground Music Festival’s lineup includes Dabzee, When Chai Met Toast, Parikrama, The Raghu Dixit Project and Hanumankind, among others. Photos: mind_loss (Dabzee), Yeashu Yuvraj (Parikrama)

Call it bad luck or a symptom of something gone wrong, at least two music festivals in South India had been called off at the last minute earlier this month. The inaugural edition of Alboe by the Beach in Varkala and One People Festival in Mahabalipuram were both canceled just a day before kicking off, leaving many ticket buyers and performers understandably upset and confused.

It puts the pressure on a new event like Seematti Young Freeground Music Festival – taking place at Bolgatty Palace in Kochi on February 17th and 18th – to break the jinx of sorts. The festival organizers promise that they have sponsors’ backing and that the two-day event will kick off as intended.

The inaugural edition of Freeground includes heavy-hitters like folks-fusion band The Raghu Dixit Project, Benny Dayal-fronted funk act Funktuation ft The Hornflakes, rapper Hanumankind with producer Parimal Shais, veteran Tamil rap don Yogi B and Natchatra, New Delhi hard rock act Parikrama, Bengaluru rock band Thermal And A Quarter, Malayalam rapper Dabzee and his crew Samuraizz and more.

Among the bigger draws also include folk-indie act When Chai Met Toast and Goa-based electronic artist Dualist Inquiry’s live audio-visual set promoting his new album When We Get There. Lisbon DJ-producer Bemet Beyoker will play a live set, alongside Kerala hip-hop crew Street Academics, rapper Madurai Souljour, Bonny Abraham Ensemble, ambient producer Sacred Seeds and folk-rock band Gowwli. The lineup is rounded out by Bengaluru-based DJ-producer Trement, multi-genre artist Lami and producers like 6091 and Akhlad Ahmed.

A press statement from the festival organizers says, “We firmly believe in the profound impact of this festival, not just in captivating audiences but also in significantly contributing to the growth of Kerala’s tourism industry. Featuring artists from diverse regions outside Kerala, we inherently broaden the festival’s appeal.”

Intended as more than just a “one-time event,” Freeground plans to be a traveling festival with “a visionary biennial project.” The press release adds, “Future editions will take place at international locations, offering a global experience of unity and extending invitations for the next original edition in Kerala.”

Freeground Music Festival tickets are currently priced at ₹2,595 for a season pass with access to both days, while a pass for each day is selling for ₹1,999. A group discount on a season pass is also available for a group of 5, priced at ₹11,800.

Get tickets for Freeground Music Festival in Kochi here.