Girsh Pradhan on stage at Mahindra Independence Rock 2023 in Mumbai. Photo: Courtesy of Mahindra Independence Rock
Every December, Hornbill Music Festival takes over Kohima and the nearby city of Kisama with music from around the world. Over the years, the Nagaland state government-backed cultural festival has upped its game with more international acts as well. Now, there are more festivals like ImagiStage and Kohima Ridge Live taking place in the same timeframe as Hornbill (Dec. 1 to 10 each year), filling Kohima and Kisama with more performances than ever, and, of course, leaving audiences spoiled for choice.
If you’re unsure where to begin, consider this your cheat sheet to the must-see acts in Nagaland this week.
Joint Family, If Hope Dies, The F16s, and more at ImagiStage
New Delhi metallers Joint Family, joined by ace throat-shredder Shashank Bhatnagar (part of metal band Inner Sanctum) will perform live at ImagiStage on Dec. 5 at Imagi.Land, Kisama Heritage Village. They’re joined by the Sukhna metal band If Hope Dies. While you can expect a mosh pit-primed set from Joint Family comprising songs from their seminal 2007 album Hotbox, If Hope Dies will perform new material, including the recently released single “Whirlwind.”
The fourth edition of ImagiStage, by event management company Imagi.Nation, also features Chennai indie rock band The F16s returning to Nagaland on Dec. 6. The band, who recently performed in New Delhi at Outrage Festival, are currently prepping their next album and will be sharing the day’s lineup with Shillong instrumental rock trio Murder In Space, best known for their dreamy, math-rock and post-rock inspired songs.
Girish and The Chronicles, Juxtaposed and more at Hornbill Music Festival
The Hornbill Music Festival remains the biggest draw in Nagaland this week, primarily because they bring in artists from around the world as well as independent bands. On Dec. 7 at Unity Plaza, Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, Sikkim-origin (and now globally-known) hard rock/heavy metal band Girish And The Chronicles take over the stage at the festival, alongside singer-songwriters such as KL Pamei and Temsu Clover and a rare gig by Kolkata-origin funk rock band Gingerfeet.
The next day, the funk continues with Bengaluru band Juxtaposed — first runners-up of the Ticket To Hornbill band competition — performing on Dec. 8 with Nagaland-based bands Noisy Neighbours and Hope Academy.
Dossers Urge, Lojal, Polar Lights and more at Kohima Ridge Live
At the newly inaugurated Kohima Ridge Eco Park—which has been built as a peace memorial for those who died fighting in the Battle of Kohima between Japan and British Indian forces in World War II—music takes over as part of the multi-day festival Kohima Ridge Live. Running from Dec. 4 to Dec. 7, 2025, the likes of experimentalist Lojal, Shillong indie trio Dossers Urge, singer-songwriters like Pelenuo and Jonathan Angami perform on Dec. 5, while Shillong rapper Iamlitaf! performs on Dec. 6, and the final day includes an arena-ready performance by Nagaland’s own Polar Lights.
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