Olly Fest 2025 includes performances by (from left to right) Isheeta Chakrvarty, Joe Alvares and Merkaba’s Vasundhara Vee. Photos: Courtesy of the artist, Candy’d Box/Chitrangada Satarupa (Chakrvarty)
The latest music festival on the block is Olly Fest, started up by Bandra-raised promoters in a bid to provide the nostalgic charm of the beloved Mumbai locality alongside more modern cultural elements.
Taking place from Nov. 14 to Nov. 16, 2025 at Bandra Fort—another longstanding space with cultural and historical significance that dates back to the 17th Century—Olly Fest’s music takes place at the amphitheater, featuring tributes by Indian rock veterans as well as jazz-fusion, specially-curated performances and more. Here are our picks of artists to watch at the three-day festival.
Isheeta Chakrvarty Collective
Performing on day one, Nov. 14, 2025, at Olly Fest 2025, Mumbai-based fusion artist Isheeta Chakrvarty and her collective have been a diverse force, bringing together jazz, traditional Indian music as well as influences from African music for their sets. While studio collaborations have ranged from percussionist Viveick Rajagopalan to producer duo Anhad + Tanner and Anyasa, Chakrvarty’s on-stage collaborators include sarod artist Pratik Shrivastava, keyboardist Niranjan Joshi, drummer Ishan Jadwani, bassist Sayar Mitra and vocalists Meher Taneja and Anagha Karvir.
Joe Alvares & The Indian All Stars
Lighting up day two of Olly Fest on Nov. 15, 2025, veteran artist Joe Alvares is mounting one of the biggest lineups with an eight-member band called The Indian All Stars. That includes the likes of singer Shefali Alvares, bassist Sheldon D’Silva, drummer Gino Banks, pianist Arka Chakraborty and more. The repertoire includes Alvares’ rock, blues, jazz and pop original material that has previously been performed in countries like Mexico.
Gary Lawyer
The final day of Olly Fest features the living legend of Indian rock, Gary Lawyer, belting out a tribute to the Doors for fans of the classic Sixties and Seventies bluesy, psychedelic sound. While Lawyer recently re-released his 1992 album of originals called The Other Side Of Dawn on LP via Kolkata’s Free School Street Records, his big draw remains tribute shows such as the Doors. As part of his set, expect everything from “L.A. Woman,” “Light My Fire,” “Back Door Man” and “Hello, I Love You.”
Merkaba
Described as a contemporary music project, Mumbai act Merkaba take the stage at Olly Fest on Nov. 16, 2025, with guitarist Sanjay Divecha, vocalist Vasundhara Vee, drummer Gino Banks, bassist Sheldon D’Silva, pianist Arka Chakraborty (all carried over from performing with Joe Alvares as well), plus singer-songwriters Pratika Gopinath and Meera Desai. Drawing from funk, jazz, Latin music and more, a description for the band on Divecha’s website states: “In a fun way, Merkaba connects Music and spirit, player and listener, social issues and social healing.”
Girish And The Chronicles
Among the must-catch acts anywhere they play, Bengaluru-based, Gangtok-origin hard rock and heavy metal band Girish And The Chronicles (GATC) have enjoyed recent success in the U.S. after their appearance on America’s Got Talent, and they’re stopping by Olly Fest as part of their India tour, performing in Mumbai on Nov. 16, 2025. Expect music from across their discography and maybe even their soaring new rendition of Adele’s “Set Fire To The Rain” that wowed American audiences.
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