Damon Albarn gets his own stage at Glastonbury
The best African bands team up with some household names
Damon Albarn has launched his own stage at the Glastonbury Festival with an evening of collaborations between his favourite African artists and some well-known British bands.
Albarn, who outside of his work with Blur and Gorillaz is also known for embracing African music, was given the opportunity to program the Park Stage this evening (June 23).
For a special event he invited a host of African artists, including Tinariwen, to collaborate with British musicians including Hard-Fi, The Specials' Terry Hall, Fatboy Slim and The Magic Numbers.
Hard-Fi performed 'Hard To Beat' and an as-yet-untitled new song, setting the tone for the evening to come.
Albarn then got behind the piano himself, performing first with Hall on a version of Dandy Livingstone's 'A Message To You Rudy', which was famously covered by Hall's band The Specials. Later on he conducted an improvised jam with musicians, including his band mate in the The Good, The Bad & The Queen Tony Allen, and Fatboy Slim.
Full details of the project can be found at Africaexpress.co.uk.
NME.COM will be bringing you news, blogs, videos and pictures live from the site.
Head to NME.COM/festivals/glastonbury for full details.
Albarn, who outside of his work with Blur and Gorillaz is also known for embracing African music, was given the opportunity to program the Park Stage this evening (June 23).
For a special event he invited a host of African artists, including Tinariwen, to collaborate with British musicians including Hard-Fi, The Specials' Terry Hall, Fatboy Slim and The Magic Numbers.
Hard-Fi performed 'Hard To Beat' and an as-yet-untitled new song, setting the tone for the evening to come.
Albarn then got behind the piano himself, performing first with Hall on a version of Dandy Livingstone's 'A Message To You Rudy', which was famously covered by Hall's band The Specials. Later on he conducted an improvised jam with musicians, including his band mate in the The Good, The Bad & The Queen Tony Allen, and Fatboy Slim.
Full details of the project can be found at Africaexpress.co.uk.
NME.COM will be bringing you news, blogs, videos and pictures live from the site.
Head to NME.COM/festivals/glastonbury for full details.
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