After wrapping up Mumbai and Delhi, ex-Megadeth legend and guitar virtuoso Marty Friedman concluded his India tour in Bengaluru on Sunday, January 18, evening as part of Kantha Hubba, one of the many sub-festivals within BLR Hubba.
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For those unfamiliar, BLR Hubba is Bengaluru’s flagship city-wide arts and culture festival, concerts, theatre, dance, folk arts, literature events, food walks, workshops, public art, the works. It runs across multiple venues and neighbourhoods, and crucially, most events are free or low-cost with donor passes.
Government sponsorship combined with some change from billionaires sure helped audiences get some class acts. The venue was Freedom Park at the heart of the city, which was once a jail and interestingly where protests are officially limited to the in the city. It was also Sunday, and the perfect way to end the week.
Flashing opening acts
Ereimang opened the evening and put everyone in a daze. The Manipuri group combines folk and alternative rock incorporating Meitei folklore. They played songs like “Heirangkhoi” and “Kwakta Lamjel” adaptations of Meitei folk stories about nature, conflict between folk heroes, and love stories of princes and princesses. Then there was “Ching” about a nine-sided hill and the history it has witnessed. Their performance features the pena, the Manipuri string instrument and Meitei performance art as well. It was hypnotic, contemplative performance, with some grungy head banging moments as well.
Ereimang was part of our 11 Indian Rock Acts You Need to Hear in 2025. Check the rest of the list!
Then The Down Troddence brought their best game to town. The Kannur folk metal outfit, blending thrash and groove metal with Kerala’s ritual traditions and addressing social inequalities head-on. They opened with their signature track “Nagavalli”, before tearing through “Ejjathi,” djentier tracks like “Seven” and “Binary Sun“, and “Maharani” from their upcoming album ‘AYAKTIHIS‘. The stunning visual show coupled with their music, which sounded tight as hell, was mind boggling to say the least. Featuring guest rapper Anohnymouss on some tasty nu metal, they closed with “Shiva,” and by then the crowd was fully primed.
Check our extensive coverage of The Down Troddence : interviews with frontman Munz, carnatic Maestro and Magsaysay award winner T.M. Krishna on collaborating with the band, our reviews of their singles Ejjathi and Maharani.
The Friedman Effect
This was Friedman’s second time in India after his 2019 debut at NH7 Weekender in Meghalaya. He’s also collaborated with Indian acts like Skyharbor, Keshav Dhar, and Antariksh.
For those who need the backstory: Marty Friedman first gained attention in the 1980s as one half of the virtuosic neoclassical shred duo Cacophony alongside Jason Becker. In 1990, he joined Megadeth, where his distinctive melodic playing helped shape classic albums like Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction. His solos on “Tornado of Souls,” “Symphony of Destruction,” and “A Tout le Monde” are the stuff of legend. He left in 2000 and made his solo career his primary focus.
Friedman’s been based in Japan for over two decades, where he’s become a household name, appearing on over 900 Japanese TV shows. His latest release, Drama (2024), has it all. Plenty of soul stirring melodies featuring ensembles including cello and violin, recorded partially in Italy where he had access to vintage guitars, and some tasty shred too.
When he took the stage, Friedman came prepared. He’d done his homework on Bangalore, peppering his banter with RCB references that got knowing laughs, and even teaching the crowd some Japanese “phrases” between songs, while having learnt some Bengaluru “slang” as well. Also, sparking some inter-city rivalry, with repeated humourous calls of “Come on Bangalore, you’re sounding like Delhi!”.
Friedman’s guitar tone was otherworldly, violin-like in its sustain and expressiveness, warm yet articulate, aggressive yet melodic. Every bend, every harmonic, every legato run resonated with crystal clarity in the open-air setting. He moved through beautiful and fiery tracks like “Angel,” “Hyper Doom” and “Devil Take Tomorrow“, “Tearful Confession” and “Dragon Mistress“, each showcasing different facets of his playing. And of course, some stage antics with guitarist Jordan Ziff, and the volcanic stage presence of drummer Chargeee and the phenomenal bassist Shiori. Ziff started the guitar solo to Tornado of Souls with a staged mistake and Friedman “redoing” the solo. So there was no shortage of sheer energy, stage presence, audience interaction with absolute musical virtuosity.
More than Worth the Price of Admission
All three acts delivered! Ereimang’s atmospheric folk-rock, The Down Troddence’s visual and sonic assault, and Friedman’s guitar wizardry, each brought something distinct to the table. BLR Hubba’s model of accessibility, celebrating local and international artists on equal footing, reclaiming public spaces for cultural expression, feels like what urban festivals should be. To more such festivals!
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