Combining the forces of a punkette fiddler, a kilt-wearing guitarist, a couple of Bhangra percussionists and a Punjabi vocalist, Vancouver-based Delhi 2 Dublin sound vaguely like a bunch of Irishmen who crashed an Indian wedding.
Not that that’s a bad thing, of course. One listen to their high-energy party ruckus will have you waving those bangles in the air like a clip outta Bollywood. Tarun Nayar, the electronics behind the operation, says while their fusion of Punjabi and Celtic is clearly an appeal, they’re trying to drift away from being pigeonholed.
“That’s what you see from the name, but we have all sorts of Middle Eastern influences and African influences,” he says. “On our new album, the electronic influence is really strong – I would say front and centre.”
Having toured North America countless times and released three albums, Nayar’s accustomed to people asking how the hell a bunch of Vancouver kids started playing Celtic-Indian mash-ups, and he’s got a few answers up his sleeve.
According to one story, vocalist Sanjay and dhol player Ravi ran into fiddler Kytami at a bar, thought she was hot, so invited her out to an electronica party. They ran into a busker, bought him a 99 cent pizza and took him along, where they met Nayar.
Another story goes that the five met on an online dating site. If you choose to believe their publicist, the band found their start at a St. Patrick’s Day festival, where they played a one-off show for a venue called Delhi to Dublin. The crowd dug it, so they just kept playing, and have yet to stop making music.
“It’s a meeting of the two greatest drinking cultures in the world. There’s something about Celtic and Punjabi music that’s really upbeat, but at the same time it’s kind of melancholic. They work well together.”
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Delhi 2 Dublin play
Fredericton Nov. 12 at 8pm. Nicky Zee’s, 375 King St. Admission: $10. For more info call 455-6407.
Moncton Nov. 16 at 8pm. The Manhattan, 125 Westmorland St. Admission: $7. For more info call 854-0265.
Saint John Nov. 17 at 8pm. Pepper’s Pub, 1 Market Square. Admission: $7. For more info call 657- 8424.