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P2K Review - Athena Dinner and Dance – 26/05/06  Malkit Singh & His Tumbi
Now, based on past experience, Asian Ball Dinner and Dances in general have always been a bit of a paha bad (half cut job)  – ie: Spend cash on an outfit, pay for an expensive ticket for crap food that tastes vile, and the so called dinner and dance turns into an average student gig with the difference being that people are wearing more shinier clothes.. 
So, P2K instructed me to go cover the Asian ball at Athena, Leicester, organised by Untouchables UK (AsianBall.com) on Friday evening 26/05/06……..first thought………great… would my past experiences resurface or would I be proved wrong…well, here’s my candid and honest review of the evening… 
We arrived there around 8.15pm and upon entrance, a champagne reception was being served ….early days but looking good…the venue itself was still not brimming with guests, however, they were arriving slowly but surely….
We entered the main room which was set up and looking flash on the presentation front………..DJ Resh was playing out a laid back selection of Bollywood and Bhangra as guests starting arriving and taking seats at their allocated tables…. 
Slightly later then scheduled, at 9.30pm, the starters followed by the main course and desert were served buffet style - provided by LAL catering services….as soon as I has had munched my way through the shoal, samosas, chicken and gulab jaman, I was a happy man !! During the service, Malkits band were going through a sound check with some slight technical’ difficulties which at some point lead to the guests giving them a round of an applause – funny!! 
Come 10.30pm, and DJ Resh started the ‘dance’ part of the ball with the ultimate floor filler anthem, Das Ja with the glammed up guys and gals making their ways to the dance floor…   Jeeti & DJ Resh
At 11.00pm, we were entertained by the traditional sounds of Leicester’s DEA (Dhol Enforcement Agency) who due to time restrictions were unable to perform their ‘full’ live set with a singer and the Dholis…there faces showed they weren’t happy about that – bechare… 
11.15pm, the Birmingham Boys, AKA: Kam Bhamrah and Jeeti arrived onto the stage.  Kam Bhamra
Whilst Jeeti stood in the background observing his apprentice, Kam belted out tracks with his Dhol player to tunes including Ne Baliyeh and Time Das Ja.
Straight after this set, DJ Resh carried on playing out some Bhangra licks and the crowd were in their comfort zone now on the dance floor……this was indicated by the guys top buttons and ties becoming loose and the girls dancing around their hend begs barefoot – desi-ness !!
Cometh 11.30pm, the mighty Midas ‘Malkit Singh’ took his presence on stage and totally rocked the crowd for the next hour alongside his full live band with songs including ‘Punjab Mera Rahe Vasda’, ‘Gur Naal Ishq Mitha’, ‘Narm Jayee Kuri Garm Jayee’ and ‘Mithe Gunne’.
After the ‘golden’ voice, the DJ carried on playing a mixture old school and new school Bhangra until 12.45am when RDB’s Surj was next up representing and singing over tracks from the Untouchables label with 2 Dholis.
Nothing original about the performance to be truthful but at this point, it was all about the music for the people on the dance floor.
At 1.15am, Manak-e joined Surj on the stage and performed on a PA level, with tracks including ‘Hor Glassy’, ‘Boliyan’ and a cover version of AS Kangs ‘Lut Keh Leh Gayee Oi’….. definitely a tune to watch out for….
From 1.45pm – 2.00am, RDB’s Surj took over the decks and mixed and fixed up some desi dance floor anthems…….finishing off the night with Babu Manns ‘Mitran Dee Chatri’ and a touch of Kanye West.
All in all, apart from the timings and the quality of sound due to the design of the venue, the ‘Asian Ball’ went well. Good food, no fights, overall good music and entertainment and gorgeous girls and slick guys.
But something was definately missing……..oh yeah…….where was DJ H….then again, it was an ‘Asian’ Ball.
(Photos from the event to follow soon...)
Peace
Baja
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