‘Grass roots music played with gusto. Live entertainment at its best.’ – Chilli Fiesta
The Vale is delighted to welcome the dazzling Grupo Lokito who fuse contemporary Congolese and Cuban music creating a modern day cocktail of two of the great world musics.
The glorious melodious vocals of Congolese front men Eugene Makuta and Iddo Donnatell blend with soaring guitars courtesy of guitarists Kenyan rising star Shama Shah and Congolese legend Ladi Mbala and the lilting keyboards of Latin piano player Sara McGuinness. All of this sits on top of the rhythmic powerhouse of Ernesto Marichales(drums), Emeris Solis (Congas) and Jimmy Martinez (Bass).
Since their formation in 2006 the band have gone from strength to strength, completing several UK tours and building a solid following. As if the groove weren’t enough, the band have developed a rapport with their audiences which gets everyone up on their feet. This was reflected in the band being names ‘Tropical Act of The Year 2017’ by the UK Lukas Awards.
Want to get involved yourself? Grupo Lokito will be running a Congolese dance workshop before the show! Find out more here.
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Schedule
5:30pm – 7:00pm | Congolese Dance Workshop
7:30pm – 11:00pm | Live Show
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Tickets are £15. There are a limited number of donate what you can tickets available on a first come first served basis. We respect our audience’s privacy to choose the right ticket for their financial circumstances, no evidence required.
This is a standing event. If you require a seat, space for a wheelchair or have any access requirements please contact The Vale to let a member of the team know prior to the event.
Support: Global Grooves Youth Bloco
Kicking off the evening Carnival-style is our Global Grooves Youth Bloco. This collective of 10+ players will get you bouncing with a blistering set jam-packed with beats from Brazil and beyond. Prepare for a night of global sonic travel…
All of the performers are percussionists with our Global Grooves performance group or are alumni of our youth leadership programme ‘Future Leaders’ which happens here at The Vale. Band leader Emma Marsh is one of the lead facilitators of our weekly percussion, dance, and melody Bloco project (see you on a Tuesday soon!).