The Chicago hip hop brass band bring their incendiary live show to Manchester off the back of their outstanding new album Bad Boys of Jazz.

The eight-strong cohort of horn-playing brothers (plus one unrelated drummer) are all sons of jazz trumpeter and composer Kelan Phil Cohran (Sun Ra Arkestra). Together they’ve formed a formidable reputation as one of the best live bands around, releasing three acclaimed albums on UK label Honest Jon’s Records and working alongside Prince, Mos Def, Gorillaz and many more.

With a sound that calls to mind the traditional New Orleans big-band and nods to the avant-garde style of their father, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble promise an electric fusion of rap, funk, jazz and hip hop.


This is an 18+ event.

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - War

Gigs

Manchester

The Blues Kitchen, Manchester

Upstairs in the Concert hall, every Saturday afternoon, Manchester's AMC Gospel Choir take to the stage for three sets of R&B, soul & dance classics given the gospel treatment through until 4pm. From Beyonce & Kanye West to Etta James & Stevie Wonder and more.

Bottomless drinks are served 12pm - 1:30pm & are available to order on arrival. Food is served throughout the afternoon from our bar menu: https://theblueskitchen.com/brixton/menu/drinks-&-bar-food

This is an 18+ event (Photo ID Required).

Blues Kitchen Manchester

The Gospel Service

James Brown - Living In America

AMC Gospel Choir 

"Sugaray is a first-rate blues artist with a deep-runninig, church honed soulfulness” – Living Blues Magazine

“Sugaray Rayford is a singer by the power of Bobby Blue Bland and Solomon Burke” – Wax Poetics Magazine

The Texan powerhouse’s music is drenched in funky R&B grooves, heavy blues and vibrant soul. Prepare for an electric set of high-energy sounds with the Grammy-nominated performer as he makes a rare detour to Manchester.

Regularly consuming gospel and soul from an early age, Sugaray’s irresistible repertoire combines both the old and the new in blues and soul. 

As vocals echo the greats like Muddy Waters and Otis Redding, musically he blends the styles of contemporaries like Gary Clark Jr. and Sharon Jones and the Dap-kings.

Sugaray always dominates the stage with unmatched charisma, grace and energy. Whirlwind stuff guaranteed!

*This show is sold as unreserved seating. 

This is an 18+ event (Photo ID Required).

Texas Soul Powerhouse: Sugaray Rayford

Sugaray Rayford - Invisible Soldier

Sugaray Rayford

2022 Grammy-winning bluesman Cedric Burnside returns to the UK for the first time in over 3 years.

Cedric Burnside was born in to a family of blues greats, most notably his grandfather RL Burnside who brought him up in Holly Springs, Mississippi.

The blues is music for all time-past, present, and future-and few artists simultaneously exemplify those multiple temporal moments of the genre like North Mississippi's Cedric Burnside. The Mississippi Hill Country blues guitarist and singer/songwriter contains within him the legacy and future of the region's prescient sound stories. At once African and American and southern and Mississippian, these stories tell about love, hurt, connection, and redemption in the South. His newest contribution to this tradition is I Be Trying, a 13-track album treatise on life's challenges, pleasures, and beauty. "Life can go any kind of way," Burnside says. With almost 30 years of performing and living blues in him, he would know.

"It's who I am, what I am. I am Hill country blues."

This is an 18+ event (Photo ID Required).

Cedric Burnside

Step In

Cedric Burnside & Lightnin' Malcom - Stay Here In Your Arms

After some of the most mesmerising and rapturously received shows we have ever put on, Lemonade Re:made is coming to Manchester. We're expecting another 5 minute standing ovation at this performance too...

Pushing new boundaries, we are collaborating with some of Manchester’s most talented creatives to re-interpret her visual album in full.

Taking home Grammys for ‘Best Urban Contemporary Album’, and ‘Best Music Video’, Lemonade was launched with a full length feature film which aired on HBO to rave reviews. It features artists from Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd to James Blake and Jack White, with figures such as Serena Williams accompanying in the film.
Blurring R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop & Blues, her songs create a narrative on the experience of being female and Black, casting Beyonce as Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of fertility and sensuality.

This is an 18+ event (Photo ID Required).

Lemonade Re:made: Orchestral Rendition of Beyonce

Beyoncé - Formation

with Bosq and Captain Planet

“We Fight For The Vibes” is a unique night and one-off tour devised by the man himself Guts.Bringing fresh Atlantic vibes to his decks with BOSQ, who excels from Boston in disco-funk jams inspired by Afrobeat and Latin groove and CAPTAIN PLANET, Renaissance man and purveyor of Gumbo Funk whose sound lies somewhere between Brooklyn, Brazil, Cuba, New Orleans and the Congo.

Fabrice Franck Henri, otherwise known as Guts, is a French producer and DJ who has enjoyed a cult following ever since his debut release Le Beinheureux a decade ago. 2011’s follow up Paradise For All and 2014’s Hip Hop After All cemented his name as a worldwide talent who mixes jazz, soul and hip hop to devastating effect. 

His crowning work is his Beach Diggin’ series, a collection of blissfully hidden gems that have been used as a gold mine by the likes of Motor City Drum Ensemble, Floating Points and other seasoned selectors.

He is joined by special guests Captain Planet & Bosq on the night. Artwork by @felix_godefroy.

This is an 18+ event (Photo ID Required).

GUTS - We Fight for the Vibes tour

And The Living Is Easy

Guts

One of the greatest mysteries in modern music, Lauryn Hill released the straight-to-classic The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill back in 1998, before disappearing without a trace.
The body of work she left, along with that of the Fugees, is a melange of neo-soul, hip-hop and r'n'b that has left a distinctive mark on virtually all popular music up to the present day. Her influence has audibly touched everyone from Kehlani to Kendrick Lamar.
We've brought together a group of the finest musicians in Manchester to pay respects to one of the most beloved records of our age...

This is an 18+ event (Photo ID Required).

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)

Ms. Lauryn Hill - Ex-Factor

We are hugely excited to be bringing together two of Frank's pivotal albums for a full rendition by a 12-piece orchestra, including full string section, in Manchester.
You can also expect:
- A 16-piece orchestra.
- A full string section.
- A full, custom light show.
- Audio from a world class soundsystem.
- A unique, unforgettable musical experience from one of the greatest musicians alive today.

This is an 18+ event.

Blonde vs Orange: An Orchestral Rendition of Frank Ocean

We present a night of irresistible rhythms with the very first afrobeat band to come out of Chile’s thriving music scene: Newen Afrobeat.

Combining African traditions with their Chilean musical heritage, they use their music as a powerful weapon. They’re a Latin American response to the legacy of the great Fela Kuti, creating a groove machine of impressive proportions and carrying important messages of social liberation.

Their incendiary live show consists of 15 musicians, fronted by a powerful trio of female singers/songwriters, and oozes high energy. They bring their own unique musical vocabulary to the genre whilst collaborating with greats like Tony Allen, Femi and Seun Kuti, helping to cement their esteemed position within the afrobeat community.

If you’re a fan of Fela and the afrobeat sound you can’t afford to miss this.

This is an 18+ event (Photo I.D required)

Newen Afrobeat

Santiago

Newen Afrobeat - Intro Opposite (feat. Seun Kuti)

We're celebrating 50 years to the day since the release of Bowie's fifth album: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

With classics 'Starman', 'Moonage Daydream' and 'Ziggy Stardust' the album focuses on Bowie's androgynous and bisexual alter-ego, Ziggy Stardust, who's live performances propelled Bowie to stardom beyond his music. 

To celebrate we have the incredible Belgrave House Band who will perform the album in full with some extra suprises added in for good measure. The band are a collective of virtuoso musicians born out of the burgeoning Leeds Jazz & Soul scene, with members from Tetes De Pois, Mamilah, Skwid Ink, B-Ahwe and the Tight Lines label.

This is an 18+ event.

Celebrating 50 years of Ziggy Stardust

The Belgrave House Band

Greg Wilson is a genuine legend in the UK disco scene.

A resident at seminal UK venues such as Wigan Pier and Haçienda nightclub in the early 80s, Greg has very much always marched to the beat of his own drum. He was also the first DJ to mix live on UK television.

Fast forward to recent years and Greg has been voted as on of the top twenty best remixers of all time and Industry Icon Of The Year by DJ Magazine. With his encyclopaedic knowledge of disco we know that we’re going to be in for quite the party.

Student ID will be checked on the door.

This is an 18+ event.

Greg Wilson

Greg Wilson - Summer Came My Way - Luxxury Club Mix

The best gigs are on DICE.

This is an 18+ event.

The War and Treaty

The War and Treaty - Are You Ready to Love Me?

Tonight, we celebrate one of the greatest bands of the last 50 years – Fleetwood Mac. 

With a remarkable history that spanned over 20 years, their early sound was deep-rooted in blues before developing into the powerful ballads of the late 70s.

Our celebrated house band will cover the breadth of the bands' musical journey, performing hits like ‘Go Your Own Way’, ‘Rhiannon’, ‘The Chain’, ‘Dreams’ and more.


This is an 18+ event (Photo ID Required).

Celebrating Fleetwood Mac - A Live Performance

Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way - Live on PBS in Boston 2004

UK's finest Cuban and Afrobeat collectives combine for a uniquely captivating blend of two of the world's most timeless sounds.

Cubafrobeat is a groove train travelling between Havana, Cuba and Lagos, Nigeria. Fuelled by a UK sensibility and a selection of the top Cuban and Afrobeat specialists, this is a seamless fusion of heavy percussion, infectious rhythm and high-energy from both sides of the Atlantic.

This is an 18+ event.

Cubafrobeat

Dele Sosimi - You No Fit Touch Am

Dele Sosimi

Lokkhi Terra

Yemi Bolatiwa and Untold Orchestra perform the Story of Nina Simone.

We explore the life and music of one America's most prolific and influential composers with a live show of her greatest hits performed with full string, brass and percussion sections. From 'Feeling Good' to 'Sinnerman' listen live to Nina Simone's most iconic melodies that set a standard for a generation of jazz and soul artists.

Untold Orchestra will cover the breadth of Simone's career, rearranging for their 15-piece orchestra, while acclaimed vocalist Yemi Bolatiwa takes centre stage reciting Nina's powerful lyrics.

This is a 18+ event.

The Story of Nina Simone - Performed by Yemi Bolatiwa

Nina Simone - Here Comes the Sun

One of the most acclaimed disco, soul and funk groups to have ever emerged from America.

The grittiest of the US club bands of the mid 70s, The Fatback Band mixed jazz, funk and prefigured disco and were at the beginning of rap – their 1979 rap single ‘King Tim III’ was released a week before the Sugarhill Gang’s ‘Rapper’s Delight’. They also forged the mid-80s club anthem ‘I Found Lovin’ still a sure fire hit on the dancefloor.

With more than 35 albums released over the course of a hugely influential career, it’s with great joy that we welcome drummer Bill Curtis and his disco cohorts back to our stage.

This is an 18+ event.

The Fatback Band

I Found Lovin'

THE FATBACK BAND

Tickets on sale Friday 11th March at 2pm. Set a reminder for exclusive first access now.
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We take time to explore the discography of one of the most influential rappers of our generation, with the music performed live by an orchestra...
Expect to hear of all your favourite songs from Drake’s career defining albums across all 12 years: Toosie Slide, Best I Ever Had, One Dance, Jumpman, God's Plan, Controlla and much much more.
You can also expect:
- A full orchestral performance,
- String, brass, percussion and vocalist' sections.
- A bespoke light show.
- A unique, custom-made orchestral music score.
- World class audio quality.
- An unforgettable, intimate, live musical experience.
Tickets will start from £15.

This is an 18+ event (Photo ID Required).

The History of Drake - An Orchestral Rendition 

Tonight, we celebrate the Queen of Soul and more specifically one of her finest albums as we hit 50 years since its release.

The album contains some Aretha's classic tracks like 'Young, Gifted and Black' (originally written by Nina Simone), 'Rock Steady', 'Day Dreaming' and more. 

There are elements of funk, soul and jazz throughout, whilst the lyrics reflect on struggles within the civil rights movement and Aretha's strong gospel influences.

The Soul City Five, fronted by Nicole Battick, will perform the album and more from Aretha's back catalogue.

This is an 18+ event (Photo ID Required).

The Columbo Group

Young, Gifted and Black - 50th Anniversary

Aretha Franklin - Who's Zoomin' Who?

After some of the most mesmerising and rapturously received shows we have ever put on, Lemonade Re:made is coming to Manchester. We're expecting another 5 minute standing ovation at this performance too...

Pushing new boundaries, we are collaborating with some of Manchester’s most talented creatives to re-interpret her visual album in full.

Taking home Grammys for ‘Best Urban Contemporary Album’, and ‘Best Music Video’, Lemonade was launched with a full length feature film which aired on HBO to rave reviews. It features artists from Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd to James Blake and Jack White, with figures such as Serena Williams accompanying in the film.

Blurring R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop & Blues, her songs create a narrative on the experience of being female and Black, casting Beyonce as Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of fertility and sensuality.

This is an 18+ event (Photo ID Required).

Evelyn “Champagne” King is the Grammy winning vocalist who’s without question one of the disco world’s true icons.

Throughout her storied career she’s notched up hits including 1978’s ‘Shame’, which was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame, and ‘Love Come Down’ and ‘I’m in Love’, both of which are perennial favourites on the dance floors of the world.

Join us at The Blues kitchen for a stripped back evening of disco anthems from the queen of disco.

This is an 18+ event (Photo I.D required)

Evelyn "Champagne" King

Love Come Down - Single Version

Still playing and touring the World, Lil' Jimmy Reed is the last chance to hear the raw, unadulterated sound of authentic Louisiana blues live.

Since being gifted his first guitar made with a cigar box at the age of 6, the blues has kept Leon Atkins, A.K.A Lil' Jimmy Reed, going his whole lifetime. His miraculous break came when attending a Jimmy Reed concert: the Mississippi bluesman, who had a fondness for drinking, had become too intoxicated to play and was quietly removed through the backdoor. With his extensive childhood knowledge of Jimmy Reed's music, Leon was asked to take his place. The way in which he played and sang meant the crowd couldn't tell the difference, and the show was an absolute success. Thus, the name Lil' Jimmy Reed was born! 

There's no doubting that, even at 80 years old, his incredible show-stopping ability remains- his stinging guitar work, gritty vocals and haunting harmonica are all testaments to this. With music embodying a raw Louisiana blues tradition that has its roots in the poverty-stricken Deep South, he's kept the traditional alive and remains the last of a generation of classic blues musicians that influenced the likes of The Rolling Stones and more.

This is an 18+ event.

The Blues Kitchen, Manchester

Upcoming events