Birmingham Bhangra Concert Rallies Support for Punjab Flood Relief

The upcoming Punjab Flood Aid/Birmingham Bhangra Blast concert is fast becoming a landmark moment for Britain’s Punjabi community. Scheduled for September 26 at Luna Springs in Digbeth, the event seeks to combine cultural celebration with urgent humanitarian aid following the devastating floods in Punjab.

Star-Studded Line-Up

The concert will feature some of the UK’s best-known Bhangra performers, including DCS, Azaad, and Pardesi Music Machine. They will be joined by an eclectic line-up of nearly 20 additional acts, from Bhujanghy and Sadi Jori to DJ Mix Singh, Harvey Sahota, and The Live Experience Band. Rising and established names such as Bakshi Billa, Saini Surinder, and Kamal Khaira are also set to perform.

Tickets, priced between £17 and £35, are reportedly selling briskly. All proceeds will go to trusted charities including Khalsa Aid International, which has been active on the ground in Punjab since August.

A Creative Quarter with Cultural Roots

The choice of Luna Springs in Digbeth underscores the concert’s symbolic meaning. Once Birmingham’s industrial powerhouse, Digbeth has reinvented itself as a hub for creativity, with its street art, independent venues, and live music spaces often compared to London’s Shoreditch. Hosting the fundraiser here reflects the diaspora’s ability to blend heritage with innovation.

“Our Community’s Live Aid Moment”

Organiser Satnam Tank said the Bhangra industry felt compelled to act: “Punjab is in crisis right now. That’s why we as the music community are coming together for this fundraiser.”

Tubsy Dholki Walla of The Live Experience Band echoed the sentiment: “Musicians don’t just entertain. We also have a duty to step up when our community needs us.”

On social media, the response has been heartfelt. One supporter wrote: “The floods were the worst ever — the third in just six years. It’s breaking people’s spirits.” Another added: “My prayers go out to everyone in Punjab. The suffering is heartbreaking.”

Diaspora Efforts in Action

Behind the scenes, promotions are being powered by Punjab2000, a cultural media company with a large online following. Its director, Tejinder Singh Sohansoha, has been using the platform to drive ticket sales and amplify the appeal.

Meanwhile, faith groups and charities have already mobilised. Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick and the Guru Ravidass Gurdwara in Gravesend have launched fundraising appeals. Sikh Sport UK has also created a GoFundMe campaign, while UNITED SIKHS has raised over £30,800 via JustGiving.

Khalsa Aid, already distributing food, clean water, and animal fodder, recently rescued 500 children stranded after the Ravi river burst its banks in Gurdaspur.

Political and Media Spotlight

British politicians have joined the call for urgent relief. Slough MP Tan Dhesi urged governments to act quickly, while Birmingham MP Preet Kaur Gill, the daughter of farmers, admitted: “My heart is heavy seeing the devastation.”

Mainstream media has also highlighted the crisis. Sky News aired interviews with Khalsa Aid founder Ravi Singh, and the Guardian reported that Punjab is facing its worst floods in three decades, with more than 1,400 villages and 250,000 acres of farmland underwater.

Music as a Force for Change

For many, the Birmingham fundraiser recalls the spirit of Live Aid in the 1980s, when music became a catalyst for humanitarian action. As one organiser put it: “This is our community’s Live Aid moment. The rhythm is Punjabi, but the message is universal: solidarity and relief.”

From the beats of Digbeth to the flood-hit fields of Punjab, the Bhangra Blast concert demonstrates how music, culture, and community can converge to provide hope — and real help — in times of crisis.