London Afrobeat Collective

If, as the late great Fela Kuti once said, ‘music is the weapon’, then you will need to wear armour to withstand the full sonic force of the London Afrobeat Collective (LAC) – this politicised party machine, championed by BBC 6 Music's Craig Charles, are an incendiary live act who channel the spirit of the afrobeat founder via bass-heavy rhythms guaranteed to make you move.

2013 saw LAC take the festival circuit by storm, building on their stunning debut when Michael Eavis personally invited them to open the West Holts (formerly the Jazz World stage) at the Glastonbury Festival. The band has staged rip-roaring performances at Bestival, Secret Garden Party, Green Man, Shambala, Standon Calling, and Wilderness festivals and at last year's Cheltenham Jazz Festival, not to mention performing tracks with indie combo Bombay Bicycle Club at Bestival, Latitude, Reading and Glastonbury.

Their single ‘Prime Minister’, featuring radio edits and a stunning remix from in demand US producer Captain Planet, famous for remixing the likes of Little Dragon, Erykah Badu and Mayer Hawthorne to name but a few.

LAC’s brilliant debut album was recorded with respected producer Sonny Simpson (Tony Allen, Polar Bear, Portico Quartet) and showcased their potent blend of funk, roots afrobeat and psychedelic rock. The seven original tracks feature vocals from Inemo Samiama as well as celebrated afrobeat ambassador and Egypt 80 member Dele Sosimi.

"I’ve never witnessed so much joy as that on Saturday night at Band on the Wall. London Afrobeat Collective (LAC) performed a staggering energetic gig to a crowd raring to dance and get their groove on." - Rachel Maby (Manchester Jazz Festival)