BOLLYWOOD will come to Waterlooville next week (June 11-19) as St George’s Church hosts its first Indian music evening.

The Rev Timon Singh with his daughters Tabitha (left) and Rachel outside St George's Church

The Bollywood Experience is part of the annual Waterlooville Music Festival, and will feature the church’s curate, the Rev Timon Singh, and his two daughters in a song and dance spectacular. They’ll don traditional colourful Indian outfits and present a musical journey from Indian gospel music to a full-scale Bollywood presentation.

Timon will play the harmonium and sing alongside musicians from London and Southampton. His daughters Rachel, aged 25, and Tabitha, 23, will sing and dance, as well as lead the church’s youth group in choreographed routines. It happens at 7.30pm next Monday (June 13) at St George’s Church.

“It’s definitely a family thing,” said Timon, who is 51. “I learnt how to play Indian gospel, Bhangra and Bollywood music when I was in a band with my six brothers. And I’ve performed with Rachel and Tabitha before, but not for years. I used to sing at Indian gospel conventions, so it’s great to be able to do it again.

“We’ll vary the genres of music throughout the evening to give people a taste of all kinds of things. The first half will be Indian gospel music, some of which will be in a classical Indian style. Then the second half will be a much more up-tempo, contemporary style with dancing and a big Bollywood finale.”

Rachel, who is a trained dancer and a radio presenter, said: “One of the things about Bollywood songs is that they are very emotional. People are very sad or very angry or very happy. We’ll concentrate on the upbeat ones and tell seven small stories in the second half of the show.”

It’s the first time that the Waterlooville Music Festival has featured traditional Indian music. This year’s festival happens from June 11-19, and includes daytime and evening concerts on each of those days. Most happen inside the church, but the festival kicks off with a parade by the HMS Nelson Volunteer Band through the town at 11am on Saturday (June 11).

Among the other highlights are an opening night dance party with the band Contrast on Saturday (June 11), a scratch choir singing songs from the shows on Sunday (June 12), and a concert by the Hampshire Police Band on June 14, in the presence of the Lord Mayor of Havant and Bishop Christopher.

Portsmouth Cathedral Gentlemen Choristers sing everything from Plainsong to the Beatles on June 15, and East Hampshire MP George Hollingbury will be among the audience to hear the Nadina Strings and Wind Ensemble on the evening of June 16.

The daytime schedule features music from Hart Plain Junior, St Edmund’s RC, Purbrook Infant and Junior, St Peter’s RC Primary, Hulbert Junior and Denmead Infant Schools. Pupils from St Alban’s C of E Primary, Queens Inclosure Primary and Bourne Community College will also give concerts.

The week climaxes with a ‘Last Night of the Proms’ evening on June 18, which starts at 6pm with picnics on the lawn, and music led by the Meridian Wind Band. There’s a Eucharist on the morning of June 19 and a final Songs of Praise on July 10.

For full details of all concerts, see www.waterloovillemusicfestival.org.uk