African stars at heart of 7 Songs festival

FESTIVAL fever comes to Oldham and Saddleworth this month thanks to a new week-long music event.

The 7 Songs Festival will run from July 26 to August 3 and will see seven different events at seven different venues.

Award-winning artists are set to showcase the best new music from folk, pop, hip-hop, brass and world music.

The festival starts with a hometown show by rising stars and Saddleworth three-piece Twisted Wheel at The Castle in Union Street, Oldham.

During the week, music-lovers can see folk group Rachel Unthank and the Winterset, led by Geordie sisters Rachel and Becky, at Playhouse2 in Shaw.

Making a special appearance at 7 Songs is actor Riz Ahmed, who played the lead in the Bafta award-winning Channel 4 drama “Britz”.

Also known as MC Riz and having appeared at Glastonbury, Riz will be appearing at The Museum (home to Oldham Theatre Workshop) in Oldham to perform and talk about his career.

The festival finishes at Saddleworth Civic Hall, Uppermill, with the only North-West show by Mali’s rising world music superstars Bassekou Kouyate -Ngoni ba, who recently put on a show-stopping performance on the BBC’s “Later with Jools Holland”.

The 7 Songs line-up is completed with helpings of hip-hop, folk and new brass sounds.

Oldham’s newest record label, 220 Chimneys, presents a hip-hop event at Jackson’s Pit featuring some of the North-West’s leading MCs including Virus Syndicate, Yardman, Shifty and Wrigley.

Folk singer Nancy Elizabeth will be performing at The Grotton in the Hollow in Oldham.

7 Songs is produced by Root Music and director Jeremy Davies said: “The idea of the festival is to bring together the very best new local, national and international artists in great venues across Oldham and Saddleworth.

“Oldham Council’s arts development team has shown fantastic support and we are now working together to try to develop an event that is fresh and new”.

For more information on the festival visit www.rootmusic.org.uk