Bollywood Brass Band to land in Wigan on its 30-year celebratory UK tour

Formed in 1992, the band will treat fans to a selection of favourite songs from over the years, alongside dancer Jaina Modasia and big screen projections at the tour’s nine-dates.

The tour is already unde rway and will arrive in Wigan at the Old Courts on the evening of Thursday October 27.

The band was formed when a collection of musicians met the Shyam Brass Band from India at the International Street Band festival in London, and joined a niche genre of brass and drum bands playing Bollywood songs: the ubiquitous pop music of India.

Starting small, the music group played for chilly Diwali celebrations, wearing heavy costumes and hats, as a result they were very soon discovered by Indian wedding organisers.

Leading to many early Sunday morning performances outside houses, Gurdawaras and hotels, playing along to the beat of the dhol drum to accompany the groom’s wedding party to the ceremony - the first band to popularise this tradition in the UK.

Thirty years on, BBB has ditched the coats and hats, performing at venues, festivals, Melas and of course weddings across the UK and Europe. It even plays for super-smart weddings in both India and the diaspora.

Along the way it has released six albums, including collaborations with Pakistani singer Rafaqat Ali Kahn - the result of a commission from Oslo Opera House - and the virtuosic Carnatic violinist Jyotsna Srikanth.

‘Carnatic Connection’ was nominated for a Songlines Magazine Award and the album was given five stars in the London Evening Standard, which called it a 'rare and thrilling mix'.