Mela’s rich mix pleases the crowd

Samba Ya Bamba wowed the crowd on the Commonwealth Stage

A record-breaking crowd of 35,000 people had a beautiful Bhangra of a weekend at the 02 Glasgow Mela in Kelvingrove Park.

While Saturday 15 June had some rain – it wasn’t as much as last year – the crowds didn’t mind and kept on coming to the Asian family festival. Sunday was sunny and warm.  People relaxed with music on three stages. Browsed at stalls selling lots of things from exotic clothes to iced yoghurt on a stick. And took the chance to meet up with friends and family.

Coming out of the rich heritage of Glasgow’s Asian communities, the Mela is truly a multi cultural event now in its 23^rd year. It offered uplifting music, awesome dance routines and interactive street performance.

Bhangra singing sensation Sona Walia delighted fans of modern Bollywood and RnB/pop as well as devotees of traditional Punjabi and Gujarati style. She is one of the hottest female talents on the Asian music scene.

The legendary Johnny Kalsi and his band The Dhol Foundation regularly headline at major events and festivals such as WOMAD. They performed at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. After coming off the Glasgow Mela stage he said: “That was a blast. This is my first ever Mela and I’m glad it was in Glasgow. There were people dancing everywhere you looked. I loved it. I hear the Mela is going to be even bigger next year as you celebrate 2014. We’d love to come back and perform again then.’ He stayed to take in the action in the park and to try some of the food.

On Saturday the multi-talented singer songwriter and musician Foji Gill electrified the crowds with his unique brand of Punjabi folk and traditional music, which was fused with an exciting urban sound. From classic hits Bruah and Bondhl-Gai to dance floor smash Dafa Hoja, Foji delighted fans old and new with his renowned singing style.

Punjabi No 1 were a flourish of colour on the World Stage

International dance acts added colour and energy to the proceedings. The Electricat Dance Troupe amazed with their display of Brazilian dances. The Afro-Latino influences delivered a contemporary and powerful style. This truly spectacular extravaganza of pulsating rhythms, sinuous movements and colourful feathers and sequins really impressed the audiences.

The Kennedy Cupcakes offered an alternative dance show when they performed showstopping routines to 40’s and 50’s hits such as ‘Boogie Woogie Boy’ and ‘In the Mood’. They added a touch of vintage style to the proceedings and had the audience eating out of their hands.

And they got to watch the other acts too!

Councillor Soryia Siddique, Chair of the O2 Glasgow Mela steering group, said: “The O2 Glasgow Mela continues to be the brightest and best festival to showcase Scotland’s multi-cultural talents. The park was awash with colour and pulsating to the incredible beats that emanated from all three stages. Like them, I had a great time.”

Gosia Manka, Channel Marketing Manager at O2 said: “We are delighted to be at the O2 Glasgow Mela again this year. We hope the many attendees had a great time.”

For youngsters, the Forestry Commission Scotland ran a first-class Kids’  Zone. Programmed by Glasgow based artists Nikki Pardasani and Maryam Imran, the children’s area offered a wealth of woodland themed activities to tempt little ones to get creative in the park. Romena Huq, from Forestry Commission Scotland, said: “We were really happy to sponsor the Kids’ Zone again this year and hope that the many families who visited it enjoyed the activities and learnt a bit about local wildlife and woodland in the process.”

A number of street performers amazed young and old alike, including the Jaipur Kawa Circus from India, Spinal Chord, Conflux and the SonaSonas Gaelic Street Theatre.

Regular local favourites, The Desi Bravehearts,  gave a great performance which stretched traditional style into brave new worlds.

Ever popular Desi Bravehearts were resplendent in gold and scarlet and gave a 24 carat performance to match.

Dr Zenab Ali with her mother and her two children were among the thousands of families who enjoyed the Mela in style.

Said Dr Zenab Ali, who with her family enjoyed the Mela in style: ‘We come every year. It is a wonderful festival.’

Make for the Mela this weekend

Scotland’s biggest multi-cultural festival – the O2 Glasgow Mela – will erupt on Saturday 18 June at 12 noon in Kelvingrove Park. So stand back and enjoy the colour, music and fun from then till 8pm that night and again during the same hours on Sunday 19 June. This will be the first time in 21 years the event will take place over two days. It celebrates the city’s racial diversity and is based on the traditions and customs of the Indian sub-continent. And it is a free event!

Australian Annie Lamberton got a preview of the magnificent Chhau Dancers who will perform at the Glasgow O2 Mela this weekend in Kelvingrove Park. Pic by Ian Watson

Said Gosia Manka, Channel Marketing Manager at O2: ‘This is a fantastic community event. We are delighted, again, to offer our support and look forward to enjoying the wonderful celebrations of Asian arts and culture.’ Around 25,000 people attended last year.

Added Councillor George Redmond, Chair of Glasgow Life: ‘Glasgow is rightly proud of its rich multi-cultural heritage. A visit to Kelvingrove Park this weekend promises to put a smile on your face – expect colourful costumes, uplifting music and awesome dance routines from across the Commonwealth – and you won’t be disappointed. In its 21 year history, the festival has gone from strength to strength. It is certain to be another exciting, family, event and I’d encourage everyone to come along and enjoy.’

Bailie Hanzala Malik, Chair of the O2 Glasgow Mela Steering Group, said: ‘We have seen O2 Glasgow Mela grow in size and popularity to become one of the most keenly anticipated and enjoyed events of the summer by people of all ages and cultures. I am confident this will be the best celebration yet. It is certainly going to be the biggest, thanks to the wealth of acts performing across the two days. I would like to thank the many individuals and organisations involved for working so hard to help to ensure that Glasgow’s 21st Mela is one to remember.’

Among the many exciting performances will be the Chhau Dancers. These elaborately masked artists represent gods, monsters and animals and with a mix of powerfully executed acrobatic movements and mid-air somersaults tell their stories. Said Tinku from Chhau Dancers: ‘I have been looking forward to dancing in Glasgow. I’ve heard it is a very welcoming city. I hope our dancing inspires people to learn more about Indian culture and I look forward to finding out more about Scotland. That’s what the Mela is about after all – sharing the best parts of different cultures.’

Also billed are the Jaipur Maharaja Brass Band . They will provide a unique blend of Indian melodies and traditional Rajastani folk music with popular themes from Bollywood, jazz, funk, pop and reggae. Their set includes a spectaclar gypsy dancer, famous across India for her ‘cobra dance’. Local Bollywood talent, Desi Bravehearts, charmed the crowds last year and will add further colour with their traditional dance routines – which have great humour and are very advanced in style as if from the set of a blockbuster Bollywood movie.

Renowned, world-class Bhangra band – DCS – will play on both days. It is five years since their platinum selling sounds were heard at the Glasgow O2 Mela. With a back catalogue that includes Punjabi, Hindi and English, DCS have built a global reputation as the sound of British Asia. They are not to be missed! Said their frontman Shin: ‘Music is my life and I love sharing it with anyone who’ll listen. That’s why I love the Mela, it is a great way to introduce new people to Bhangra music and music is a great way to introduce people to new cultures. Glasgow was an awesome audience, the memory of performing at Mela last time will remain with me always. It was an incredible night, which is why I am really excited about returning.’

DCS will be joined on Saturday by the winner of the Best Urban Act Award at the UK AMAS and the Best British Asian Urban Act at the 2010 BritAsia awards, Mumzy Stranger, renowned for his unique style of urban music. And Bass2base, the first-ever Bollywood band to perform at the O2 Glasgow Mela, are set to delight festival-goers with their polished blend of new and old Bollywood styles with Bhangra, Hindi pop, funk, mehfil and urban sounds.

Other well-known urban artists certain to wow the crowds include Manak-E and Eletricat Brazilian Dance.

A new feature is a collaboration with eight schools across Glasgow. Priyanka Purohit, assistant to the legendary Bollywood choreographer Pratap Shetty, has been working with youngsters throughout the city who have been learning Bollywood, freestyle and Bhangra dance to perform on stage across the weekend.

Another innovation will be Dance Dhamaka. The aim of Dhamaka, meaning ‘explosion’, is to get Scotland dancing towards the Cultural Olympiads in 2012. To underline the multi-cultural nature of the Mela some of the most exciting dance groups in the country have been invited to perform. They will feature Flamenco, Chinese and Scottish dance.

The Kidz Zone will be dedicated to children. Other offerings include street theatre, arts, cultural exhibits and a trader’s bazaar with fine foods. Full details of the line ups for both days can be found at www.glasgowmela.com