{"id":201,"date":"2025-10-16T11:31:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T11:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/obelixarts.com\/?page_id=201"},"modified":"2025-11-05T11:09:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T11:09:04","slug":"the-british-high-commission-project","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/obelixarts.com\/?page_id=201","title":{"rendered":"Bridging Cultures Through Music"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Bridging Cultures Through Music<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The Bay Junction Band perform for Prime Minister Keir Starmer\u2019s visit to India<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When the British Deputy High Commission in Mumbai asked Obelix Arts to handle the live music for Prime Minister Keir Starmer\u2019s visit<\/strong>, the brief was simple; create something that reflected the shared energy of two nations: The Bay Junction Band<\/strong>.<\/p>

The result was a British and Bollywood set of the most professional kind, transforming a diplomatic event into a shared moment of recognition and connection. While showcasing musical decades – classic & new – the song that captured the mantra perfectly, was Sapphire<\/em> by Ed Sheeran.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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From left to right: Noah Cerejo, Tiana Tara, Nastya “Saraswati”, Clement Rooney (C Roo), Tejas, Aman Singh Soni, Abhishek Dey<\/em><\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Led by Clement Rooney (a.k.a. C Roo)<\/strong>, The Bay Junction Band<\/strong> drew together some of the most versatile musicians working in India today.<\/p>

On guitar was Amandeep Singh<\/strong>, with Avishek Dey<\/strong> on bass and C Roo<\/strong> himself \u2014 a trio who also perform with Diljit Dosanjh<\/em>.<\/p>

They were joined by Nastya \u201cSaraswati\u201d<\/strong>, who brought both violin and bansuri to the mix, performing with the same ease she brings to her work with Bollywood composer Pritam<\/em>.<\/p>

At the drums, Noah Cerejo<\/strong> anchored the sound, an exceptional young player with a rare sensitivity shaped by a family steeped in music.<\/p>

Vocals came from Tejas<\/strong>, one of India\u2019s leading singers with a distinctive command of English-language repertoire, and Tiana Tara<\/strong>, whose tone and charisma added both strength and elegance to the night. Her voice carrying an unmistakable touch of her British roots.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What began as a diplomatic formality evolved into a deeply human cultural exchange, as the dock, flanked by the HMS Richmond<\/strong>, pulsed under the lights.<\/p>

Tejas<\/strong> led the British setlist \u2014 pop, rock and plenty in between \u2014 with unforced confidence. Nastya<\/strong> moved from tight disco strings to Hindustani violin with ease, before switching to bansuri for Khaabon Ke Parinday<\/em>, a moment of tranquility in an otherwise lively night.<\/p>

The Bollywood numbers \u2014 Kyon<\/em>, Iktara<\/em>, Ghungroo<\/em> \u2014 were delivered with real precision, in Bay Junction Band<\/strong> style, close to their studio originals but alive with the warmth of a live stage.\u00a0<\/p>

As the evening evolved, Tiana’s<\/strong> voice delighted listeners with a streak of modern, high-tempo UK anthems. Followed by Bang Bang<\/em>, the ultimate Bollywood crowd pleaser – the dock came alive; with everyone sharing in this pulse of sound and celebration. For the encore, Tejas<\/strong> and Amandeep<\/strong> traded English and Punjabi vocals as the rest of the band joined in for the final unison “Sapphire”<\/em>. The sound hung in the air, music as common ground.<\/p>

By the end of the night, what began as a diplomatic formality had turned into something far less formal, and far more human.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Bay Junction Band, with John Nickell; Head of Political & Bilateral Affairs<\/em><\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Performed and produced by The Bay Junction Band, Obelix Arts & The British Deputy High Commission, Mumbai<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Bay Junction Band perform for Prime Minister Keir Starmer\u2019s visit to India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-201","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nBridging Cultures Through Music - Obelix Arts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/obelixarts.com\/?page_id=201\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bridging Cultures Through Music - Obelix Arts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Bay Junction Band perform for Prime Minister Keir Starmer\u2019s visit to India.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/obelixarts.com\/?page_id=201\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Obelix Arts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-05T11:09:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/obelixarts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/C4669607-BEAB-491D-98A2-C6B45CE2678F_1_201_a-scaled.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/obelixarts.com\/?page_id=201\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/obelixarts.com\/?page_id=201\",\"name\":\"Bridging Cultures Through Music - 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