dB Xpo 2004 - ASIAN ARTS FESTIVAL IN THE WEST MIDLANDS
9 FEBRUARY - APRIL 2004

dB Xpo 2004, decibel West Midlands' will be launching one of the major exciting arts festivals in the region on 9 February 2004 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. dB Xpo 2004 features Nitin Sawhney, A R Rahman and renowned club collective Shaanti. Peshkar Productions will present 'Masal Girls - The Wedding' and South Asian dance will be showcased with performances by Anurekha Ghosh in Ganges to Nile (22nd-24th April, drum) to a combination of Indian Kathak and African Dance and Folk Dances of India (8 April, Coneygre Arts Centre) by the Chitraleka Dance Company who will represent the traditional community art form and the lifestyles and festivals of people from different regions in India.

The festival which will run from February to April 2004 will showcase culturally diverse arts in the region from Hip Hop theatre to Chinese art, South Asian dance and Latin American film. Venues, artists and audiences will come together to celebrate the work of local, national and international artists.

MUSIC

Legendary Jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine ( 21 Feb, The Drum) will perform music form his ninth studio album, Devotion.
Nitin Sawhney headlines at Shaanti's 5th Birthday Celebration (27 Feb, Custard Factory).
Malian diva Oumou Sangare (19 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre) is the leading female singer in West Africa and one of the world's most outstanding voices.
The world-famous Bollywood composer AR Rahman joins the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for an evening of Bollywood blockbusters (5-6 March, Symphony Hall) as well as excerpts from his hit West End musical, Bombay Dreams.

THEATRE

Slam Dunk, a Hip-Hop musical (24-28 Feb, Birmingham Repertory Theatre) written and directed by Benji Reid and Felix Cross, promises to be one of the most highly charged musicals of 2004 with music by 2003 Mercury Prize nominee and MOBO award winner Soweto Kinch.

Peshkar Productions presents, Masala Girls -The Wedding (24 Feb, mac) a dance drama expressing the fantastical and dreamy expectations every girl has for her 'big day'.

Mother Courage and Her Children (16-20 March The REP) is a new adaption of one of Bertolt Brecht's greatest plays. Commissioned for the Eclipse Theatre Initiative and directed by Josette Bushell-Mingo it is an epic masterpiece of one woman's survival and a story of our time.

DANCE

Exciting dance performances will be showcased throughout the festival from South Asian dance with Anurekha Ghosh in Ganges to Nile (22nd-24th April, drum) to a combination of Indian Kathak and African Dance. Union Dance (12 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Room), Folk Dances of India (8 April, Coneygre Arts Centre) by the Chitraleka Dance Company will represent the traditional community art form and the lifestyles and festivals of people from different regions in India.

LITERATURE/SPOKEN WORD

In association with Radio 4, Ear Candy (7 Feb, mac) will be a unique live literature event. This will mark the creative climax of a three-month search to identify the best comedy and spoken word writers supported by Curtis Walker, Malika Booker and Francesca Beard.

ART

Do We Think Too Much? I Don't Think We Can Ever Stop (4 Feb - 28 March, Ikon Gallery) will be the first exhibition of work by African-American self-taught artist Lonnie Holley to take place outside of the US.

FILM

A Latin American cinema season focussing on the region's key social and political issues, both historical and contemporary will feature City Of God (1 Feb, mac) and Battle of Chile (1 Mar, mac).

Numerous diverse acts, mini festivals and special events will appear during the festival including the Stella Chisweshe Band from Zimbabwe, Abdullah Chhadeh, one of the Arab world's most innovative musicians, the Funjabis, an Asian comedy show, In Celebration of My Sisters with writer Iyanla Vanzant, Kodo, masters of Japansese Taiko drumming and Collide, a restless celebration of experimental new art.

ABOUT DECIBEL

decibel is an Arts Council England initiative committed to raising the profile of culturally diverse arts across the country. decibel in the West Midlands is supporting and creating dynamic and quality work by the regions culturally diverse artists. To find out more visit www.decibel-db.org