MUMBAI: Chennai-based multi-purpose serving media outsourcing company Fourth Dimension Media Solutions has joined hands with veteran performer and promoter of Independence Rock Festival, Farhad Wadia, for the 2016 edition of the prestigious celebration of Rock n Roll.

The oldest rock platform – Independence Rock Festival – has been instrumental towards the progress of several popular bands from the alternative music scene since its inception twenty-seven years ago. The festival (and its competition format) returns after a brief hiatus with a newly-added leg – Chennai - to the list of participating cities. The competition will begin in a month with the concluding finale in September. The Chief Executive Officer of Fourth Dimension Media Solutions, Shankar B., informed that the response has been phenomenal since the announcement of the new edition, and over 1000 entries in a fortnight stand as a proof to that.

Upon asked about Chennai’s inclusion in the list of cities, Shankar B. explained, “Chennai and other cities in the south possess immense talent, and the time has never been better to showcase these talents on the country’s most prestigious rock music festival.” The finals will be held in Mumbai, and Fourth Dimension has set the roadmap for the extensive online and offline marketing strategies promoting the event.

The announcement has not only raised excitement levels among the budding musicians from Chennai and other participating cities, other states have enquired about ways to help and promote the festival in their respective territories, the former colleague of Farhad Wadia at E18, Shankar B., informed.

Independence Rock Festival at Rang Bhavan, in its early stages, gradually became a sensation and the Mecca of rock genre in India. And the legendary rock band of the 80s ‘Rock Machine’ became synonymous with the iconic venue. The vocalist of Rock Machine (now ‘Indus Creed’) Uday Benegal acknowledges the alternative music scene’s association with corporate agencies for survival and evolution of the bands and festival alike. “It’s not a bad thing. You need sponsors to pull up an event like this. What Wadia has successfully done so far, with and without the support of these factors, is highly commendable.”

Wadia spoke to Radioandmusic.com in 2008, and explained how difficult it has been to raise the amount of Rs. 14 million to pull a profitable event across five cities. With the format of the competition expanding to newer cities, naturally, the financial requirements would increase.

The association with Fourth Dimension Media Solutions does take care of the obstacles on the financial front, however, only time would tell if the festival can return to its original glory.