Lahore Music Meet

Lahore Music Meet
Name	Lahore Music Meet
Caption	Festival logo
Location	Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Years active	2015–present
Founded	2015
Founders	Peerzada Salman, Ali Aftab Saeed
Genre	Multi-genre

Contents

Overview
History
Format and Programming
Notable Performers and Speakers
Impact and Reception
Organization and Funding
See Also

Lahore Music Meet is an annual music festival and conference held in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, bringing together artists, industry professionals, academics, and audiences for performances, panels, and workshops. It serves as a nexus for contemporary Pakistani music scenes, fostering dialogue among musicians associated with Coke Studio (Pakistani TV program), Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, Atif Aslam, Ali Zafar and newer acts influenced by qawwali, ghazal, Punjabi folk music, and rock music. The event links Lahore's cultural institutions such as the Alhamra Arts Council, National College of Arts, and Punjab University with international delegates from festivals like SXSW, WOMAD and institutions including the British Council.

Overview

Lahore Music Meet is structured as a hybrid of a public festival and a professional conference where established figures like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Meesha Shafi, Noori (band), Ali Sethi and emerging artists such as those from Nescafe Basement perform alongside panels featuring scholars from Lahore University of Management Sciences, producers associated with Coke Studio (Pakistani TV program), and representatives from labels like Brown Rice (label). The meet foregrounds genres represented by folk revival, sufi rock, pop music of Pakistan, classical music of Pakistan and experimental collectives tied to The Sketches and Sajid & Zeeshan. It operates within Lahore's cultural circuit that includes venues such as Lahore Museum, Bachaa Party, and festivals like Kalaakaar Festival.

History

Conceived in 2014 and launched in 2015 by organizers including Peerzada Salman and Ali Aftab Saeed, the meet emerged amid renewed interest in platforms such as Coke Studio (Pakistani TV program), the legacy of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and the digital spread of artists like Riz Ahmed and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Early editions featured conversations referencing historic figures such as Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Allama Iqbal, and institutions like Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television Corporation. Over subsequent years the meet invited international curators from South by Southwest, academics from University of Oxford, and delegates from arts organizations such as the Prince Claus Fund, reflecting growing ties between Pakistani music networks and global circuits like WOMEX.

Format and Programming

Programming combines live stages, panel discussions, workshops, and listening sessions hosted at venues including Alhamra Arts Council, Gaddafi Stadium auxiliary spaces, and university auditoria tied to National College of Arts. Panels have featured industry professionals from Coke Studio (Pakistani TV program), scholars of musicology associated with SOAS University of London, and producers linked to labels such as Heer Ranjha Records. Workshops have included vocal sessions referencing techniques popularized by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, instrument clinics on tabla and sitar repertoires, and seminars on rights managed by organizations like Musicians' Rights Organization Pakistani and representatives from IFPI. The event also curates showcases for regional traditions from Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, highlighting artists connected to ensembles such as Mai Dhai and Noori (band).

Notable Performers and Speakers

Artists and speakers have included mainstream figures like Atif Aslam, Ali Sethi, Meesha Shafi, Noori (band), and veteran performers tied to the ghazal tradition such as Ghulam Ali. Panels have hosted scholars from Lahore University of Management Sciences, producers from Coke Studio (Pakistani TV program) and Rohail Hyatt, music journalists from Dawn (newspaper), editors from The News International, and curators affiliated with British Council and Goethe-Institut Pakistan. International guests have included delegates connected to South by Southwest and WOMEX, alongside diasporic artists like Riz Ahmed and collaborators who bridge Pakistani music with Bollywood and Nashville circuits.

Impact and Reception

The meet has been credited in coverage by outlets such as Dawn (newspaper), The Express Tribune, and The News International with reinvigorating conversations around Pakistan's popular and classical traditions, linking platforms like Coke Studio (Pakistani TV program) to independent scenes represented by Nescafe Basement and indie rock collectives. Academic responses from institutions like SOAS University of London and University of Oxford have emphasized its role in cultural diplomacy alongside agencies such as the British Council. Critics and commentators from publications including Herald (Pakistan) and The Friday Times have debated its commercial ties to brands such as Coca-Cola and independent ethics promoted by grassroots venues.

Organization and Funding

Organizers include cultural producers with links to Alhamra Arts Council, media figures from BBC Urdu alumni networks, and partnerships with corporate sponsors, cultural agencies like British Council, and local arts organizations such as Lahore Arts Council. Funding sources have combined ticket sales, sponsorship from corporate entities recognizable in Pakistani media, grants from cultural funds comparable to the Prince Claus Fund, and in-kind support from venues including National College of Arts and Lahore Museum.