BBC Asian Network announces biggest and best summer of British Asian Music

The summer promises some very special highlights, including Asian Network taking over the Roots Stage Friday night at Glastonbury with Asian Dub Foundation headlining, playing live and loud from London Mela and building on last year’s strong offering at Womad.   The warm up to the summer begins bank holiday weekend 26/27^th May at Paradise Gardens, in Victoria Park, London. 

Here the BBC Asian Network Big Top presents live performances from some of the biggest and freshest Desi – music talent in the UK:   Full line up includes:  

• Riz MC
• Paris Amore
• Sona Family
• Nasha Collective
• Sunit & Raxstar
• Sukh Knight
  DJ Vix
• East London based – Shiva Sound System Live Set 
• Nathan Flutebox Lee
• and Asian Network/ Radio 1 DJ Bobby Friction. 

Paradise Gardens at Victoria Park also boasts open street theatre, the best in urban dance performance, circus performances, specialist food from around the world, craft markets and spectacular fireworks. 

You can see the full, 2 day line up and as well the full summer schedule of where Asian Network will be out and about by logging on to bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/events

Mark Strippel, Head of Music said: "Asian Network is really reaching out to lovers of the best in Brit – Asian music this year like never before.  We’re making this our biggest summer of events because listeners look to us to bring them the freshest talent around, and this year we are pleased to be adding Glastonbury, Wychwood, Regent Street Festival, Paradise Gardens and Bestival to our summer events.”    

Also this week Radio 1 Executive Producer Rhys Hughes joined BBC Asian Network on a six month attachment.   

Hughes, who will be responsible for the new afternoon music strand amongst other projects has a brief to exploit content on new media platforms and brings a big background of success from 12 years at Radio 1 and specialist music genres. 

He recruited Bobby Friction and Nihal to Radio 1 – prompting  huge exposure to new Asian Music and Desi beats and also exec produced the Evening Session,  Lamacq Live, Westwood,  and latterly Chris Moyles and Scott Mills.  

Asian Network and Five Live Controller Bob Shennan said of the appointment “Rhys’s role shows how seriously we take getting our product onto New platforms and finding innovative ways of engaging audiences where we know they are listening to our content.

It’s especially true of a youth brand on a digital station like Asian Network where listeners are used to listening on new platforms. Rhys's musical experience will be invaluable".   

Editors Notes:  Asian Network Broadcast Schedule from Paradise Gardens Festival:  Bank Holiday Monday Special 28^th May                                                  

22.00am – 01.00am Exclusive recordings from Riz MC, Sunit & Raxstar and Sukh Knight to be played on ‘Friction’  

Saturday 2^nd June                                                                                   0

0.00am – 02.00amExclusive recordings from Nasha Collective, Shiva Sound System to be played on ‘Electro East’

Sunday 3^rd June                                                                                    

02.00am – 05.00am Exclusive recordings from Nathan Flutebox Lee to be played on ‘Pathaan's Musical Rickshaw’   

Full Summer Schedule of Live Events 2007:  

Paradise Gardens – East London  May 26/27paradisegardens.org.uk  

City Showcase – London June 6barflyclub.com/theflylondon/whatson/listings/full.aspx 

Wychwood Festival – Cheltenham  June 1-3wychwoodfestival.com 

Glastonbury –  Shepton Mallet June –  22 -24 bbc.co.uk/Glastonbury 

Womad –  Wiltshire  July  –  27-29 womad.org 

London Mela –  West LondonAugust 12 

Newham Under the Stars –  East London  September 1 

Bestival –  Isle of Wight September 7-9 bestival.net