Bhangra Daytimers

Developed by a youth whose music was ignored both by the "mainstream" and the "underground' alike, the Daytimer was a feature of the Bhangra club scene. Bhangra insiders, as with Northern Soul and Chicago House pioneers, had to build their own subculture. Promoters Chahalco, B.P. and others found club cartels unhappy about making their lucrative venues available at night. Instead Bhangra events were organised in the daytime and thousands - who were otherwise expected at school or college - packed superclubs like Birmingham’s Hummingbird and Dome. Huge easy-to-reach city centre venues brought Asian youth together from across the country, creating business opportunities for a new generation of DJs, bands and organisers. Bhangra Champion Boy Chana photographed UK nightclubs filled for the first time with young Asians, dressed in a mix of lenghas, shalwar kameez, saris, 501 jeans, flares and batwing tops. There was shared sense of community and passion as promoters struggled to create a time and a space for Bhangra. An innovative network of outlets - including Birmingham’s Matthew Boulton College and Nottingham's Royal Video - got tickets and flyers into the hands of young people. As Daytimer attendees were apt to miss out on their education, famlies, temples and community leaders complained to councils and police about this new peril. Live acts were pressured to stay away. The backlash reached its peak in the early 1990s, but it was only as attendees matured and their expectations broadened that Daytimers were replaced by night-time events, and the era was over. Comments (1) SLR said:   I so remember this I was at Primary School and my sister used to "wag" school to go to the daytime gigs. And there were stories about rival gangs: The Panthers and the Shere Panjab. The era was short but very intense......The music from that era was classic and there never will be anything like it again......pure nostalgia. January 12, 2008 Write comment Name Comment Add Comment