Week starting 16th July
Monday 16th July
At 7.00pm is the 70th Birthday Celebration for Nigerian juju Music legend Chief Dr Ebenezer Obey at CLIWOM Sanctuary of Praise, 709 Old Kent Road, London SE15 1JZ, Free admission to this memorable event
Tuesday 17th July
7.30pm at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre, South African choreographer and dancer Gregory Maqoma breathes new life into his Xhosa past with Exit/ Exists. The piece involves Gregory Maqoma and 4 other South African dancers summoning departed ancestors, linking the past and present in a blend of traditional and contemporary dance to music from Italian guitarist Giuliano Modarelli performing songs by Simphiwe Dana, set against a rich visual landscape created by Johannesburg based artist Nicholas Hlobo. Tickets are £10.00-£25.00 from here
Wednesday 18th July
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| Oumou Sangare |
Thursday 19th July
At 10.00am Africa’s most dynamic and altogether awesome country (you can guess where this is leading can’t you!) celebrates its presence in London for the Olympic with an exhibition of sport, arts, music, fashion and distinctive products at the Nigeria House in the Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, Stratford, E15 1BN, start up with a Fashion show and audio visual show, with a Market running concurrently from 10.00am to 5.00pm. This is an initiative of New World Nigeria and will be delivering a huge range of fun and games over the coming weeks. Entry is FREE but register here
From 6.30 to 8.30pm at the Africa Centre, 38 King Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8JT we have African Awakenings? Interpreting Contemporary African Protest. This event hosted by Queen Marys University London explores the rash of anti government protest that have taken place across Africa. Frequently overshadowed by the Arab Spring, however protests against corrupt governments and unpopular decisions have taken place in Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Malawi, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia Swaziland, Sudan, Uganda and Mozambique. The Panel consists of Firoze Manji (Pambazuka Press) Yash Tandon (South Centr, SEATINI), Bayo Oyenuga (Enough is Enough/ Occupy Nigeria), Ayanda Kota (Grahamstown Unemployed Peoples Movement, South Africa) and Patricia Daley (University of Oxford) To book email: h.a.blockley@qmul.ac.uk, more details on African Spring
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| Bela Fleck |
In the Purcell Room at the South Bank Centre at 7.45pm is Catalyst Rwanda. Les Enfant de Dieu are a group of 130 Rwandan street children between the ages of 6 and 20 who were taught to hip hop dance by London B Boy Pervez. Their story is told in the film ‘Yes Man’ by Bret Syfert, which will be shown along with a conversation with Catalyst Rwanda’s visionary leader Rafiki Callixte, some of the boys and the team behind them. The night ends with music by DJ Biznizz (Tha En4cers) in The Front Room of Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets are £10.00 from here
At 8.00pm Juwon Ogungbe’s Life Force Music comes to you live from The Rhum Jungle, Cottons, 70 Exmouth Market, Islington, EC1R 4QP. Juwon Ogungbe, mixes melds and manipulates Yoruba-Soul/ Latin infused reggae with his Life Force Band come down, pick up a Proud to be African T shirt, enjoy a rum/ fruit punch and get hit by the Life Force!!! Also featuring DJ Freestyle (Colourful Radio) Eclectic Afro Beats, in association with Outerglobe.co.uk and Colourful Radio. Book here for tickets which are £8.00
Friday 20th July
For you early birds The International Singles Conference 2012 starts at 7.00am at the Reading University Student Union, 360 Whiteknights Campus, Shinfield Road, Reading, RG6 6UR, themed ‘You like your arms on my shoulder, then put a ring on my finger’ this conference goes all the way to Sunday. This relationship conference will help you discover yourself, improve your self esteem, communication skills, dating skills and manage your emotions. Day 1 consists of workshops and seminars. Tickets are priced and found here
At 10.00am proceedings at 30 Nigeria House, Theatre Royal, Stratford East continue with the Market, Boutique and Gallery running from 10.00am to 5.00pm.
At 11.00am is a presentation by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), in the Front Room of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre entitled A New Frontier- How to do business in Africa. A panel of UK businesses including the English Premier League, Tullow Oil, Osanimu, Standard Chartered Bank discuss how they do business in Africa and how UK companies can follow their success at this FREE event.
At 12.30pm in the Front Room of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre we have China Loves Africa a discussion on the nature of China’s relationship with Africa chaired by Funmi Otonisakin of African Leadership Centre, Kings College London with Henry Hall (editor China Africa News), Daniel Large of the Asia Africa Centre, Yiting Shen of Citigroup and others. FREE event.
At 1.00pm, in the Central Bar Foyer of the South Bank Centre is your FREE lunch time treat. Violinist Max Baillie and kora player Sura Susso, playing a mix of Baroque and West African pieces by Lully, Merula and traditional African spiritual pieces. Since meeting in Senegal in 2005 the pair have played in Womad, Moscow, Sydney and New Zealand and are now here to kick of Friday’s musical feasts
At 2.30pm in the Front Room at Queen Elizabeth’s Hall is Africa and the Technology Revolution with Marieme Jamme of Africa Gathering, Stephanie Busari, CNN Digital Producer, Idris Bello entrepreneur, and kiwanja.net founder Ken Banks discussing technologies role in boosting entrepreneurship and empowering communities in Africa founder of East-African Incubator and blog Appfrica Jon Gosier will be appearing by video. FREE event
From 4.00pm to 5.00pm we have Africa is not a Country: Reporting Africa at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, NUMBI founder and editor of Scarf magazine Kinsi Abdulleh , BBC Africa Current Affairs Editor Stephane Mayoux, Marcus Courage of Africapractice, and journalist and blogger Belinda Otas of New African Woman magazine discuss the perception gap between how Africa is reported and the reality of the continent. A topic close to my heart!!! This is a FREE event
We move to ‘Eco Africa: Why Green is the New Black’ at 5.30pm at the Front Room of the Queen Elizabeth Hall. BBC Africa Editor Solomon Mugera, Jonathan Bhalla (Africa Research Institute), Jacqueline Shaw (Eco entrepreneur and Founder if the Africa Fashion Guide) discuss how Africa is embracing sustainability. This is a FREE event
More freeness at 5.30pm in The Clore Ballroom with Gregg Kofi Brown and Friends, this critically acclaimed artist’s live set consists of Afrobeat, African Jazz and Afro/Latinpop classics. He has performed with Carlos Santana, Osibisa, Youssou N’dour, Damon Albarn, Beth Orton and features Sting, Billy Cobham, Stanley Jordan, Des’ree and Gabrielle on his album, ‘Together as One’. Yup you guessed it, FREE
At 7.00pm we take leave of Africa Utopia and the South Bank Centre and head to South London Gallery, 65-67 Peckham Road, SE5 8UH for Screen Africa’s showing of the Malian film ‘Bamako’.Abderrahmane Sissako;s film depicts a trial in Malis captila Bamako,in which two sides argue whether the World Bank, IMF or corruption are responsible for the poverty ridden state of many countries. Rwandan filmmaker Pascale Kasirabo will also present his short film ‘A Lifeless Life’ and there will be a Q&A. This is presented by Screen Africa’s Joseph Adesunloye, in association with Africa 2.0 and the Royal Africa Society. This is a FREE event but book online or by phone 020 7703 6120.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Saturday 21st July
The International Singles Conference 2012 continues at 10.00am at the Reading University Student Union, 360 Whiteknights Campus, Shinfield Road, Reading, RG6 6UR. Day 2 consists of picnic, fashion show, and in the evening from 5.00pm to 10.00pm Love Can Music Concert, featuring Diversity, Rachel Kerr, Latoya Newland, SOS, Lulu and 4Fingerz, James A, John James Newman, E TIZZ. The concert combines music, poetry and dance and is in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
At 10.00am proceedings at 30 Nigeria House, Theatre Royal Stratford East continue with the Boutique and Gallery running from 10.00am to 5.00pm.
Nollywood or Bust: Africa at the Movies obviously knows its genre well with the dramatic titles and is on at 11.00am in the Front Room of the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Don Omope, editor of African Screens and TV Director of Nollywood Movie Awards discusses the future of African cinema with David Somerset curator of the BFI’s African Odyssey season, Daniel Demissie (Town of Runners) Basia L Cummings (film writer for ‘ Africa is A Country’), and filmmaker Sheila Nortley. FREE event
In the Level 5 Function Room also at 11.00am is Afrikan Yoga. This FREE event is led by Pablo Imani to the beating of an African drum (bring your own mat though!!). Although it’s free, it requires a ticket which will incur a transaction fee of £1.75 (online) or £2.75 (phone)
At 12.00pm we need to step away and get to the London Pleasure Gardens, Royal Victoria Docks E16 2BS for the BTRiver of Music Africa Stage. This is part of the London 2012 Festival with stages all about London but of course the only place to be is here. At the Africa Stage!! Doors open at 11.00am and music goes on from 12.00pm to 9.30pm. Saturday’s line up is awesome, super groovy and marvellicious, as we have:
· Seckou Keita & The Bantamba Syndicate: kora and djembe playing Seckou Keita (Senegal) is joined by a wide swath of guests from across West Africa (and Cuba) for a beautiful set
· Modeste Hugues: Islands: Malagasy singer and guitarist draws singers from other African islands for his smooth African rhythms
· Hugh Masekela: a second chance to catch this veteran trumpeter, if you missed him at Back2Black, performing his brilliant South African jazz, with a unique beautiful township sound, first with vocal group SAfricanto and then with Angelique Kidjo
· Justin Adams & The Invisible Republic of JuJu: the guitarists is joined by guest artists from across North Africa
· Angelique Kidjo: is back with her band in the UK, hopefully we’ll get to hear Wombo Lombo, if you grew up in West Africa and are of a certain age you will know what I’m talking about! Google it if you haven’t got anything to do!
· King Sunny Ade: you will get to see a living legend in this British Council produced project as the Nigerian guitar and juju maestro shows why he is still up there when so many others have faded away
· Baaba Maal: continues with the constellations of grooviness as the Senegalese singer closes the evenings proceedings
The DJ is our good friend Rita Ray of The Shrine (hope you’ll be wearing your Proud to be African T shirt!!!) and hosted by Eddie Kadi. This is the time to clone yourself and split yourself right down the middle because there’s too much groove going on for one day. Tickets are a tiny £3.00!!! so book now to avoid disappointment from here
In the Front Room at the Queen Elizabeth Hall is Imagining Africa: A Granta Salon at 12.30pm. This event hosted by Granta Magazine brings together artists such as Aminatta Forna, Yinka Shonibare, Diriye Osman and Michael Salu to explore how the realities of life across Africa find expression through Art, film and writing. Yup FREE
At 1.30pm in the Clore Ballroom, The South Bank Centre is a special FREE treat for all you African fashionistas; Africa on the Catwalk a collaboration between Ola Shobowale Creative Director if Infinite Beauty Factory and Sabrina Henry, Fashion Director, Arise Magazine, there are an exciting selection of designers originating from or inspired by the glorious continent of Africa. Designers from Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and the UK to name a few will all grace the occasion.
Come 3.00pm and its time to Arise and Shine in the Front Room of the Queen Elizabeth Hall. You lucky lucky people will get Nigerian soul singer performing songs from his debut album ‘Super Sun’, our good friend Inua Ellams will be performing as will South African poet Lebo Mashile, alongside designer Tsemaye binitie, Missla Libsekalo of Another Africa website. Celebrating all that’s groovy in African music, fashion and culture, it’s brought to you by ARISE magazine and it’s all FREE
Quick Hide Madonna’s Coming: Adoption and Africa is at 4.30pm in the Front Room of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, in which adoptees Lemn Sissay (Sierra Leonean/ Nigerian), Hannah Pool (Eritrean), David Akinsanya (Nigerian) and Professor Adele Jones (antecedents unknown!) of the Centre for Applied Childhood Studies discuss adoption, Africa and creativity. FREE event
At 6.30pm at 30 Nigeria House, Stratford East we have another fashion show, with red carpet and music running till 8.00pm
At 7.30pm at 30 Nigeria House, Stratford East comes a treat of Nigerian music with Waliyah, multi instrumentalist WizBoyy performing from his new album ‘Infinity’, stunning vocalist Waje and TuFace of African Queen fame performing in the auditorium until 10.00pm. If you like don’t carry your leg to Stratford as quickly as possible! No Naija time oh, Tickets can be obtained for £20.00 - £25.00
At 7.45pm freeness ends in the Purcell Room, South Bank Centre, where we pay to see the superb Muntu Valdo, the Cameroonian one man band synchronising vocals, harmonica, guitar and percussion to produce a unique African sound. Tickets are £12.50
8.30pm sees The Ultimate Afrobeats Utopia, in The Clore Ballrom, The South Bank Centre; hosted by BBC1/1xtras DJ Edu with a special guest appearance of Nigerian superstar Ice Prince, also playing are DJ Neptixzzle, and afro house specialists Sef Kombo. Tickets for this funky mix of afrobeats, kwaito, naija pop, kuduro, azonto and kwaito are £10.00, with music from 9.00pm to 1.00am
Sunday 22nd July
At 10.00am the Gallery and Boutique at 30 Nigeria House, Theatre Royal Stratford East, starts up again till 5.00pm with the market opening at 10.30am
Sunday’s Africa Utopia events kick off with the African Headwarp Workshop at 10.30am in the Level 5 Function Room. Dee McCalla of Wrappers Delight provides expert tuition for the perfect African headwrap. FREE event, but booking required either online (£1.75 fee) or by telephone (£2.75) or for free by visiting one of the South Bank Centre Ticket offices
In the Front Room at the Queen Elizabeth Hall we have Future Africa: Acceleration and Urban Spaces at 11.00am with a panel discussing the effects of population expansion on the future of metropolitan Africa. This is a FREE event
At 11.00am the doors open for another day at the Africa Stage of BT’s River of Music at the Pleasure Gardens, at the London Docklands
· Tamarundi ft. Alhousseini Anivolla & Steven Sogo: Nigerien Alhousseini Anivolla meets Burundian Steven Sogo melding guitars with beautiful African traditional instruments for this unique sound
· East Africa United: sees 4 powerful and brilliant vocalists Mim Suleiman (Tanzania), Dorothee Munyaneza (Rwanda), Ayub Ogada (Kenya) and Geoffrey Oyama (Uganda) combining to capture the spirit of East Africa
· Muntu Valdo: The Cameroonian one man band is back on stage mixing, matching and blending in his unique way
· Krar Collective: The Krar Collective of Ethiopia present 'Horn of Hope' a new show with special guests Hassan Fourshed (Djibouti) Ikran Araaleh (Somalia) MeakleE Ogubamicael (Eritrea) as well as a special dance show.
· Noisettes: Shingai Shoniwa lead singer of this Indie rock band explores her Zimbabwean roots collaborating with a range of singers from across Southern Africa.
· Staff Benda Bilili + Zao: this collaboration brings together the capitals of the two Congo’s Brazzaville and Kinshasa, in musical unity from these two superb bands
At 12.30pm is Women Inspiration and Leadership in the Front Room at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, sees Beninois superstar singer/ activist Angelique Kidjo (hopefully rested from her performance yesterday), poet Lebo Mashile, Theo Sowa of the African Womens Development Fund, Jessica Horn and blogger Ms Afropolitan, discussing women inspiration and leadership (hence the title-Women Inspiration and Leadership!!). FREE event.
More Than Zebra Print: African Fashion Panel is in the Front Room at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at 2.00pm with Eyinne Owunwanne(founder of New York based fashion boutique Heritage 1960) , fashion blogger OneNigerianBoy, Hannah Pool (Eritrean Journalist/ Author), Christine Mhando (Chichia London) and Helen Jennings (founder of New African Fashion/ editor of ARISE magazine) talk fashion, Africa and fabulousness. Again this one is FREE
3.30pm at the Front Room of the Queen Elizabeth Hall is We Face Forward: Art from West Africa Today. Is hosted by The Manchester Galleries a season of contemporary art and music from West Africa, curated by Whitworth curator Byrony Bond. This is a FREE event
At 5.00pm in the Front Room of the Queen Elizabeth Hall is Music, Art and Social Change, in which singer/ activist Baaba Maal, contemporary performance artist Jelili Atiku, architect and RSA fellow Elsie Owusu and jazz singer Jumoke Fashola discuss the power of music to create social change. Another FREE event
It’s all happening in the Front Room of the Queen Elizabeth Hall this afternoon you might as well find a good spot and sit tight because at 6.30pm the Eritrean singer Miryam Solomon performs her eclectic set in Tigrinya. FREE, FREE, FREE!
At 7.30pm at 30 Nigeria House, Stratford East comes another slice of Nigeria’s gift to the musical world with Choc Boiz consisting of M.I., Jesse Jagz, Ice Prince and Brymo and Wande Coal performing in the auditorium until 10.00pm. Tickets can be obtained for £20.00
Also at 7.30pm at Rich Mix, Bethnal Green Road we have Fernandos Kitchen a mix of modern Flamenco and North African music, tickets from £10.00 in advance and £13.00 on the door
Day 3 of The International Singles Conference 2012 continues at 10.00am at the Reading University Student Union, 360 Whiteknights Campus, Shinfield Road, Reading, RG6 6UR. With more seminars/ workshops and a Summer Ball in the evening featuring a BBC DJ and MTV Base comedian.
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