Festival showcases impressive global, national, and local music talents
Tura, Dec 8: The strong possibility of Meghalaya becoming a powerhouse of India’s concert economy came to the fore once again as over 55,000 visitors turned up in the two days of Me’gong Festival that concluded on Saturday. The festival showcased an impressive mix of global acts, national performers, and homegrown music talents.
On the final day, the festival drew massive crowds as British pop sensation Blue, global EDM giants Yellow Claw, acclaimed singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad, and Bollywood star Kanika Kapoor delivered electrifying back-to-back performances on the Aski Stage.
One of the band members, Antony Costa, praised the festival’s energy, calling the Me’gong crowd “on fire.” His bandmate Simon Webbe added, “Garo Hills is a paradise—thank you for the great turnout and the love.”
Kapoor opened the night with her biggest hits—Chittiyaan Kalaiyan, Baby Doll, Jawaani Le Doobi—and thanked Meghalaya audiences for being “one of the best” she has ever performed for.
Prateek Kuhad’s soulful set, featuring Cold Mess and Saansein, turned the arena into a sea of swaying lights before Yellow Claw closed the night with a thunderous EDM finale that shook the Bolbokgre–Watregre festival grounds.
Parallel to the main stage, the Kingfisher Stage hosted crowd favourites including Hoi Hoi Makbil, G-Hills Finest, Crack Gang, Rough Road and Nokpante, drawing thousands throughout the evening.
Earlier, one the festival’s momentum began on Day 1 with a high-profile international lineup: Richard Marx, Neeti Mohan, Julian Marley, and Nucleya.
Marx—making a rare India appearance—performed classics and unreleased tracks from his upcoming album Afterhours. Mohan’s emotional tribute to Zubeen Garg, singing Mayabini in the icon’s birthplace of Tura, quickly became one of the festival’s most shared moments online.
Julian Marley brought a warm reggae pulse while Nucleya closed the first night with a high-octane electronic set.
A special highlight was the participation of seven emerging bands from the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (CM-MGMP). Performing on the opening day, many described the opportunity to share a festival stage with global artists as “transformational” and the biggest milestone of their careers.
The festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, whose push to position Meghalaya as a cultural and live-events hub has attracted global artists across festivals like Me’gong, Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival and Winter Tales.
With international performers increasingly choosing Meghalaya as a natural stop on their India tours, the state is fast becoming one of the country’s most sought-after destinations for large-format music experiences, strengthening tourism and the creative industries.
