From 7th to 10th March 2024, the Southbank Centre hosts South Asian Sounds, a long weekend brimming with South Asian music, featuring top artists alongside new, genre-crossing collaborations.

This four-day-long music series is a celebration of both forward-looking and classical music from the South Asian region, featuring a lineup of renowned artists and new talents from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal and the UK.

The Afghan Youth Orchestra, now in exile in Lisbon, will open the festival on Thursday, 7th March with a special concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, blending traditional Afghan music with Western orchestral elements.

On Friday, 8th March, prepare for a day of diverse performances. Starting at 6:30PM, composer and sarod player Soumik Datta will present Mone Rekho, an immersive concert at the Purcell Room. Later, at 7:30PM, Malkit Singh, the bhangra sensation, will take over the Royal Festival Hall with his melodious hits. Meanwhile, the Leo Twins and Zeeshan Ali will showcase their fusion of traditional and modern sounds at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. The night will culminate with a high-energy club session by Dialled In featuring DJ Anu, starting at 10:30PM at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer.

Saturday, 9th March offers Unbound Archives at 2:00PM, a day-long programme with Dialled In, including vinyl displays, DJ sets, and films at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer. In the evening at 7:30PM, Pratibha Singh Baghel will make her UK debut alongside the Chineke! Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. Later at 8:00PM, Ustad Noor Bakhsh and Pritt will present a unique blend of musical forms at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

On Sunday, 10th March, the festival continues with an afternoon of Indian folk music featuring Malini Awasthi and Anwar Khan Manganiar at 1:00PM at the Purcell Room. Following this, at 2:00PM, the acclaimed Khayal vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty will perform at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Concurrently, the band Khiyo will be giving Bengali heritage music a contemporary twist at the Purcell Room at 3:00PM.

South Asian Sounds culminates on Sunday evening with two distinct double-bills showcasing the rich diversity of Indian music.

Firstly, at 7:30PM in the Royal Festival Hall, the renowned Nishat Khan and Irshad Khan will present Together: Jugalbandi. This exceptional performance will see the two maestros collaborate on stage, blending the intricate melodies of the sitar and the deep tones of the surbahar in a harmonious jugalbandi that promises to be a highlight of the festival.

While, in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, innovative sound artist, beatboxer, producer and DJ Jason Singh and versatile jazz drummer, percussionist and composer Sarathy Korwar will take the stage. Together, they will explore a fusion of genres, from Indian classical ragas to avant-garde jazz, offering a contemporary take on traditional sounds.

Each performance at South Asian Sounds represents a facet of the rich musical mosaic of South Asia. Don’t miss this unique series bringing the best of South Asian music to London’s cultural tapestry and dive into our specially curated playlists to sample the extraordinary talents set to perform.

Tickets for the events of South Asian Sounds are available HERE

We are giving away two tickets for Dialled In Presents Ustad Noor Bakhsh + Pritt on Saturday 09/03.
Just drop us an email at info[at]rhythmpassport.com for a chance to win!
The winner will be contacted on Monday 26/02