Africa Express

Africa Express, the collective of African and Western musicians, is filling a train with dozens of very special guest artists and taking it on a musical adventure across mainland Britain this September, produced in association with the Barbican as part of London 2012 Festival and presented in Manchester by Band on the Wall as part of the We Face Forward season of West African art and music.

Participating artists for the tour include musical legends, emerging new artists, vocalists, DJs and producers from Africa and the West including Amadou & Mariam, Damon Albarn, Baaba Maal, Rokia Traoré, Kano, Baloji, Charli XCX,  Jupiter & Okwess International and Jack Steadman (Bombay Bicycle Club) – with lots more guests to be announced closer to the time.

Hailed as the most revolutionary force in popular music for two decades, Africa Express brings together musicians from different cultures, genres and generations to break boundaries and offer a new perspective on Africa and its music. 

Africa Express began in 2006 with a trip to Mali, when co-founder Damon Albarn took the likes of Fatboy Slim, Martha Wainwright and Jamie T to work with African legends such as Toumani Diabate, Salif Keita, Amadou & Mariam and Bassekou Kouyate. This was followed by a live concert in London, then the now-legendary Glastonbury 2007 show, trips to Nigeria, the Congo, Ethiopia, the BBC Electric Proms, Paris, and a Spanish beach show for 50,000 people. 

As well as scheduled concerts in Manchester, Middlesbrough, Glasgow, Cardiff, Bristol and London, there will be pop-up performances at railway stations, schools, factories, offices, shopping centres and homes. The train itself will include a customized music carriage, with artists creating new material along the route.

Join us at the The Ritz for what is set to be a true one-off live music experience feauturing a huge lineup of internationally lauded musicians and very, very special guests from all cultures and backgrounds, performing brand new material – each Africa Express show is completely unique! 

“A fantastically varied cast of stars… a joyfully unpredictable compelling journey.” NME

A Band on the Wall Fundraiser Event.

Presented by Band on the Wall in association with We Face Forward – a season of contemporary art and music from West Africa, celebrated across Manchester as part of the London 2012 Festival.