BARNSLEY was treated to a glorious cacophony of Indian sounds as Bollywood Brass Band descended on the Civic.

They played music from a range of Bollywood films, with several pieces performed as accompaniment to dance sequences shown on a screen.

The effect was hugely impressive, as the natural flow of the dances and all their jerky motions were mirrored perfectly in the music. If she dancers stopped, the music stopped.

The band also treated us to the world premier of their arrangement of Jai Ho, music used in the hit film Slumdog Millionaire. Another version, by Pussycat Dolls, is currently in the pop charts.

Anyone who doubted whether a Bollywood Brass Band was the right outfit to book for the Civic should have come along and given it a try last Thursday night.

Although there was a decent crowd it was far from full, and by the end their can't have been more than half-a-dozen bums on seats. But that was because everyone who wasn't clasping crutches or wedged into a wheelchair was up on their feet dancing, totally swept away by the rousing carnival atmosphere Bollywood created.

Influenced by traditional Indian wedding bands and the music of Bollywood films, the band is actually a group of musicians from London who when speaking are as English as cricket and crumpets. But musically, they create an evocative and stirring sound which paints a picture of India with all it's pomp and sparkle, punctuated by the dramatic, near deafening clatter of Indian percussion instruments.

The core quintet of instruments - two trumpets, two trombones and a sousaphone created a familiar texture, but the addition of Sarha Moore's expressive and engaging soprano saxophone added a strange touch of the exotic, and totally transformed the overall effect.

It was the percussion section who bound the whole lot together and played the addictive rhythms which pulled you right into the music.

It was a fantastic night out, and if they every come back to Barnsley, don't hesitate to give it a try.