The contemporary music programme for Brighton Festival’s landmark 60th edition is bursting with global icons, one-off collaborations and boundary-pushing performances across Brighton Dome’s three historic venues.
On 1 May at Brighton Dome Concert Hall, legendary singer, composer and trans elder Beverly Glenn-Copeland, who blends soft, folky melodies with gentle electronic sounds to create transcendental, almost spiritual musical experiences, performs from his brand-new album Laughter in Summer. A collaborative love letter between himself and his eco-poet, theatre actor and producer and life partner Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland, he will be joined for the performance by members of queer led ensemble F*Choir.
Five-time Grammy Award winner Angélique Kidjo brings her striking voice and presence to the Concert Hall on 16 May as part of the tour for her new album, Hope. With 16 albums to her name, her discography of music cross-pollinates the West-African traditions from her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America.
In a UK exclusive, pioneering multimedia artist Laurie Anderson presents a solo version of The Republic of Love, an immersive work combining music, storytelling and visual art on 6 May. Featuring songs from Anderson’s discography, including Big Science and Language Is A Virus, this multi-sensory immersive experience takes songs from the past and provides reflections on how they take new meaning in today’s political climate.
And closing the Festival’s music programme on 25 May, New Zealand artist Aldous Harding kicks off her first live tour since 2023, playing tracks from her upcoming album, Train on the Island.
A new generation of boundary-pushing artists, including Planningtorock, Tom Rasmussen and Bishi, bring fresh perspectives to Bronski Beat’s era defining record, The Age of Consent, backed by a specially curated queer house band. On 2 May, experience this piece of musical and political history from 1980s Britain as you’ve never heard it before.
On 9 May, Sampa the Great joins forces with Zamrock pioneers W.I.T.C.H. for a genre-blending performance of psychedelic rock, hip-hop and soul, celebrating the new resurgence of Zamrock - music born from independence, resilience and creative freedom.
For those looking for something beyond the traditional gig, Asian Dub Foundation perform their electrifying live soundtrack to La Haine, with the film projected behind them on 7 May in Brighton Dome Corn Exchange. The cult classic film, now more prescient than ever, stars Vincent Cassel and portrays the tension in Paris’ banlieuea after the killing of a local man by French police.
In the intimate setting of Brighton Dome Studio Theatre, a series of gigs invite audiences to explore new sounds.
From the genre-defying jazz fusion sounds of KNEEBODY to the high-energy electronics of AK/DK and Danalogue, this year’s Brighton Festival is brimming with adventurous and unexpected musical encounters.
Projects like One World Orchestra bring together musicians from across the globe, blending traditional instruments with contemporary sounds in surprising and dynamic ways. Together they make an exhilarating fusion where salsa montunos collide with English folk and Arabic maqams, and authentic rhythms from around the world pulse through UK Grime and African harmonies.
Elsewhere, ahead of select music events at this year’s Festival, Brighton Dome’s Foyer will host a series of jazz performances in collaboration with Brighton Jazz Co-operative, who celebrate their 40th anniversary this year.
The Festival continues its commitment to emerging talent with a weekend dedicated to youth-led creativity.
On the final weekend of the Festival, Brighton Dome Studio Theatre welcomes a two-day Youth Curated Weekend of events and music which includes Sounds Like Us, a youth-curated multidisciplinary event showcasing emerging Sussex-wide talent.
