Delhi 2 Dublin

Can you dance a Celtic jig? Maybe you prefer the thumping beats spun by a DJ? Does the twang of a sitar getting you moving? If you can answer yes to any or all of these questions then Delhi 2 Dublin is the answer to your mash-up prayers.

Delhi 2 Dublin, out of Vancouver, BC is bringing world music to a whole new level with their brilliant ability to fuse Bhangra, Celtic, and Dub into a house party of a good time. This dynamic quintet originally formed for a performance at Vancouver’s Celtic Fest in 2006 and since then, they have been grabbing the attention of fans all over Canada and the west coast.

I was two minutes into the first hypnotic track, DJ Swami’s Dil Nachde Swamified Remix, before I realized the vocalist, Sanjay, was spouting lyrics in something besides English. Under the spell of Tarun, Ravi & Andrew, who throw down the magic beats and rhythm and mesmerized by the fiddle player, Kytami, I had almost missed one of the most intriguing layers of this group. Too often, I disconnect from music with foreign lyrics. I spend so much time wanting to know what’s being sung that I can’t focus on anything else. Delhi 2 Dublin transcends this stigma; their music speaks for itself.

With a packed summer touring schedule that includes stops at High Sierra, Faerieworlds, numerous Canadian festivals and Bumbershoot, I recommend getting a sneak peek before everyone else. Skip your Monday morning meeting and get out on a Sunday night and check these guys out at Nectar June 28, with Third Eye Tribe, DJ Collage, and DJ SweetBeets.

This week’s undiscovered musical gem has me yearning for a sari, a pint of Guinness and a Punjabi to English dictionary and I couldn’t be more excited.

For your viewing pleasure, here is a March 2009 performance in San Fransisco