Bhangra beats, Bollywood melodies, urban flavas.  Yes that’s right, the London Mela rolled into Gunnersbury Park last weekend for an eclectic celebration of all things Desi. In fitting London ish-tyle, the event was split into seven zones, each with its own vibe and party atmosphere.

The music coming from the boombox was a heady mix of urban, classical and experimental.  On hand to keep the adrenaline pumping were an army of DJs, circus performers, dancer, visual artists, and rib-splitting comedians. And to keep the Mela family friendly, there was a children’s area which acted as a safe dumping ground while yummy mummies could scream in adolescent adulation at Taz from Stereo Nation.

As any festival goer would know - no one else really does Mela’s like the capital.  Forget muddy Glastonbury or rain sodden Weston-super-Mare; the London Mela was uber sheek with both the guys and girls looking fab, and although the weather could have been better, it did little to deter the mood of the thousands of people who attended.

The main stage was warmed up BBC Asian Network’s fave DJs, Sonny Ji and DJ Kayper, who kept the crowd entertained as a conveyor belt of stars graced the stage.

Taz from Stereo Nation kicked off the medley of music, performing both his later tracks as well as some classic numbers that made his name way back when. Raghav, (my personal favourite) made a much-awaited comeback and wowed the London crowds.  A former staple of the Mela and gig circuit, Raghav had been out of the limelight in recent years, but proved he still had the old magic with his smouldering songs and star quality.

Other stars to grace the stage were power duo Rishi Rich and Veronica, and the formidable Jassi Sidhu, the man perhaps single-handedly responsible for bringing traditional Punjabi music to the Asian masses.  Meanwhile, Mela devotees and BBC Radio 1 DJs Bobby Friction and Nihal hosted the London Flavas stage, bringing the best Urban Asian beats from around the world.

Their sixth year now hosting the event, Bobby and Nihal showed no signs of flagging, displayed the banter and comedy timing that makes them the nearest Desi thing to Ant and Dec (ITV take note).What perhaps was most satisfying about the Mela was the number of non-asians who came along for the celebrations.  Around a third of the audience were from non-Asian communities, proving that it is a truly an inter-cultural family event with something for everyone, Desi or not.

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