Zamrock Allstars: Sampa The Great x W.I.T.C.H.
Zamrock pioneers W.I.T.C.H share the stage with groundbreaking artist Sampa The Great in an exclusive collaboration for Brighton Festival.
Zamrock as a musical movement came of age in the turbulent first decade after Zambia announced its independence from British colonialism in 1964, with W.I.T.C.H. emerging as one of the original voices of the inspirational African music phenomenon.
Together with the ground-breaking Sampa The Great, the two share the stage as they drive next generation energy into the post-colonial cultural movement. From psychedelic rock to hip-hop and soul, this night of electrifying sound celebrates music born from independence, resilience and creative freedom, bring generations together in a powerful meeting of past, present and future.
Presented with Acid Box
Eager to book?
Members Priority Booking: 9am, Thu 19 Feb
Tickets on General Sale: 10am, Thu 26 Feb
Sampa The Great
Zambian-born rapper, singer, and visionary Sampa The Great has long been celebrated as one of global hip-hop’s most compelling voices, and is stepping into her most powerful era yet.
Winning multiple awards for her groundbreaking albums and performing on some of the world’s most iconic stages, from Coachella and Glastonbury to NPR’s Tiny Desk, Sampa’s achievements have seen her build a global fanbase while continuously pushing and challenging artistic and cultural boundaries. Relocating back to Zambia in 2020 marked a pivotal shift in her artistry, deepening her connection to her roots and shaping her sonic evolution.
W.I.T.C.H.
W.I.T.C.H. (We Intend To Cause Havoc) were the biggest rock band in Zambia in the 1970s and spearheaded Zamrock, fusing influences that ranged from the Rolling Stones to Black Sabbath and James Brown and mixing them with traditional African rhythms and bush village songs. As Zambia’s economy stagnated and the country buckled under the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, W.I.T.C.H. fell apart. Their charismatic lead singer Jagarii retreated to a life of quasi-anonymity as a university music professor before being wrongfully arrested and finally ending up working in a Zambian gemstone mine.
In the new century, the music found a new audience when Now Again Records reissued their entire discography in 2012. Jagari began a collaboration with Dutch musicians Jacco Gardner and Nic Mauskoviç, and W.I.T.C.H. was reborn.
*There is a £3.50 per order charge for all phone and online bookings (not applicable to Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival members)
**Stage timings are subject to change
