MUMBAI: Bacardi NH7 Weekender kicked off its first festival of the season last night, returning to Laxmi Lawns in Pune, with the highest Friday turnout the festival has seen since its inception. Over 6500 people turned up to watch bands perform over the three stages operating on Friday, Breezer Dub Station, The Dewarists and MTS Other Stage. There were massively high energy sets that ensured there wasn't a soul in the crowd standing still, as well as stellar lay-on-the-grass-and-soak-in-the-music ones that impressed as much.

Highlights from Day One:

The intricately designed, graffiti-adorned Breezer Dub Station with its underground warehouse feel, hosted some hugely popular sets, one of which was the stage's closing set for the day by Reggae Rajahs. Undoubtedly the set of the day, the trio from Delhi managed to pack the stage right to its very entrance, for what was one of their best sets in recent times. While it's often a challenge to find people standing still at the Breezer Dub Station, Reggae Rajahs's set took the energy levels to a whole new high, with scores of fans obeying their every command to dance.

A Blackstratblues set never fails to impress, and on Friday at The Dewarists, guitarist extraordinaire Warren Mendonsa and his band threw in some surprises for a set that was flawless. Karsh Kale made a guest appearance and took Jai Row Kavi's place on drums. For the band's last song of the night, they called on Kolkata's Tajdar Junaid who guested on Blackstratblues and Karsh Kale's collaborative track, 'Ode To A Sunny Day'.

As the Blackstratblues set drew to a close, thousands of heads turned in sync to watch an act that was just beginning at the adjacent MTS Other Stage. Ankur Tewari played his first solo Bacardi NH7 Weekender set, accompanied only by an accordion player, and there wasn't a member of the audience complaining.

Your Chin, the solo project of Sky Rabbit frontman Raxit Tewari, has steadily developed into one of the most intriguing acts around. His set at the MTS Other Stage on Friday evening drew one of the largest crowds of the day, and he played some favourites from his debut EP, such as 'I Want A Lake' and 'Fall Someplace', as well as new material from an upcoming EP.

Playing at Bacardi NH7 Weekender for the first time, DJ Ruskin ensured his set at the Breezer Dub Station would be one the festival audience remembered for some time to come. The Mumbai-based DJ treated fans to some stellar music and was joined on stage by Reji and Reggae Rajahs leading to one big party mimicked willingly by the crowd.

Bangalore's blues rock band Parvaaz opened The Dewarists stage on Friday, and their tight set received an excellent response playing material off their acclaimed debut EP Behosh.

Who to look out for on Day Two:

The ability to be in multiple places at one time would come in very handy for Day Two of Bacardi NH7 Weekender. Because that's unlikely to become a reality before gates open, the sets to look to out for include Skindred, Textures, Simian Mobile Disco, Slow Club, Nischay Parekh, Scribe, Nucleya, Maati Baani and Frame/Frame.

The stunning beast that is the Red Bull Tour Bus will make its Bacardi NH7 Weekender debut on Day Two in Pune, with a number of acts playing atop it. This is a stage you're definitely going to want to check out, repeatedly.

In between all the excitement of running from stage to stage, make some time to head over to the Levi’s stall where you can screen print a gorgeous design on your own on a classic white Tee.