Staff Benda Bilili
Thu 12 Nov 8pm
Butterworth Hall: £12.50
Staff Benda Bilili are like nothing you have ever seen or heard before. Their name translates as “look beyond the appearances” or literally to “put forward what is hidden.” They make music of astonishing power and beauty. The mesmerising rumba-rooted grooves, overlaid with vibrant vocals, remind you at times of Cuban nonchalance, at other times of the Godfather of Soul himself.
The band’s core members are disabled street-musicians, who drive custom-built motorised tricycles, and live in the grounds of Kinshasa Zoo in the Congo. They are backed by a younger, all acoustic rhythm section pounding out tight beats. Over the top of this are infectious guitar-like solos performed by a 17 year-old prodigy on a one-string electric lute he designed and built himself out of a tin can.
Staff Benda Bilili have a strong following on YouTube and have performed alongside Massive Attack and Damon Albarn. Their acclaimed debut album Très Très Fort was recorded out in the open using a dozen microphones, a MacBook laptop and a mains cable connected to a deserted refreshment bar nearby.
“Heart-tugging melodies ride on sweetly ragged vocal harmonies; the rhythm section and guitar work sway between rumba, soul, funk and blues. Extraordinary story, extraordinary music” The Independent
“Staff Benda Bilili are a really, really good band” Sunday Times
Read this week’s review from The Independent
Supported by Arts Council England
| Thu 12 Nov | Butterworth Hall | 8:00pm |
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With a maximum capacity of 2000 standing or 1500 seated this concert hall has an outstanding natural acoustic and is the home of our International Concert Series, as well as the majority of our music gigs and big name comedians. Butterworth Hall has recently had a £6.9 million redevelopment and reopened in autumn 2009 .
1 Comment
I wonder why the Butterworth Hall was half empty for this. It was brilliant, hypnotic music beyond anything I have ever heard live before.
Steve Farr at 9:05am on Fri 13th Nov 2009