Bollywood Brass @ Stratford Circus

Bollywood Brass@ Stratford Circus. We liked it. The whole audience liked it. Clever synced back projection & a good brass & drum band 7+/10

I expected to be in the minority of white faces at this show. As it happens the audience was mostly white but with more Asian faces than one would normally see at a brass band or similar event. The band was also predominantly white with only two drummers of Asian origin. Bollywood brass - two trumpets, two trombones, alto sax and suzaphone plus four percussionists played Indian and Pakistani film music to back projected clips from the original films. The band do not use music and have transcribed their pieces directly from the film sound tracks. The synching of the film with music was superb. The tight timing was not a reflection of the bands skill but rather the projectionist who quickened and slowed the film to keep pace with the music.

When asking why there were no Asian brass players we were told that whilst there are many brass bands in India - a legacy of British military colonial rule - it is a low caste activity and therefore does not attract western Asian players. Strings by contrast is considered a high caste activity and as my friend Bobbie testifies the local music school has no lack of violin pupils.

Went to the Stratford Gate Inidian Restaurant for a meal afterwards. Very good food in a surprisingly empty restaurant.