This feels so right. The iconic Attenborough Centre on the Falmer campus is marking its status as a hub venue for the 2023 Brighton Festival with an eclectic and intriguing programme of forward-thinking performances. Plus for the musos amongst us there’s a weighty choice of gigs to get along to during the May run.
First up, on May 15th, this year’s festival director, Nabihah Iqbal will appear as part of the Suroor, an audio-visual collaborative merging electronic music, film and art installation to make their statements. Joining the acclaimed musician, DJ and producer in the quartet will be fellow sound and visual artists Raheel Khan, Paul Purgas and Imran Perretta for what promises to be an event that provokes thought, expands perspectives and confronts perceptions. Add in the ethereal, harmonic beauty of emerging duo Qazi & Qazi with their shiveringly emotional songs and this could be a festival high-point in the making.
A week later on May 22nd the theatre will get filled with the swell of Balkan blues. Making his UK debut the Bosnian folk musician Damir Imamović brings his individual take on sevdah, the traditional poetic songs of his home country. Steeped in sevdalinka heritage, Imamović has become renowned for breathing new life into the genre with his contemporary subject matter, dynamic saz playing and emotive vocals. Promising new material from his forthcoming Smithsonian Folkways album as well as a band featuring bassist Ivan Mihajlović, violinist Ivana Djurić, and percussionist Nenad Kovačić, this already sounds like the real deal.
Finally, to complete the trio of music events, Brighton electro-pop navigator Evadney brings his blossoming songs and reflective thinking to the stage on 25th May. A singular artist who skirts the experimental but anchors his music around his stunning voice, the concert will blend the audio and visual for an enthralling immersive experience. Collaborating with Berlin- based multi-disciplinary digital artist, Infinite Vibes, the partnership’s hope is to entertain, inspire and share the beauty of the narratives they unfold.
Attenborough Centre for Creative Arts, Mon 15th May, Mon 22nd May and Thurs 25th May 2023
Book your tickets for these exceptional musical happenings and other Brighton Festival events at the ACCA here
