Posts tagged “festivals”

Glastonbury and Bestival!

Shlomo’s collaborative concert series ‘Music Through Unconventional Means’ will depart from Southbank over the Summer to hit some of the UK’s festivals! Starting with a massive 2 hour collaborative show headlining the Glastonbury Park Stage, followed by a reprise of Shlomo and DJ Yoda’s collaboration on the mainstage at Bestival. Details below.

Music Through Unconventional Means @ Glastonbury

6-8PM, GLASTONBURY PARK STAGE, SAT 28 JUNE 2008

We are proud to announce that a special collaborative show will take place at this year’s Glastonbury festival, led by acclaimed British beatbox artist SHLOMO with his beatbox choir THE VOCAL ORCHESTRA. The two hour show will feature a secret list of guest acts from across the musical spectrum, with several of the festival’s key artists playing exclusive acoustic performances before collaborating and jamming with Shlomo and each other.

The emphasis of this extraordinary evening is on spontaneous collaboration and improvisation, often pushing the guest artists away from their usual performance zone to create something entirely original and unique.

The title ‘Music Through Unconventional Means’ is taken from Shlomo’s monthly concert series at the London Southbank Centre, where he is currently Artist in Residence. The series has been running since November 2007, and so far Shlomo has collaborated with Martha Wainwright, Teddy Thompson, DJ Yoda, Mad Professor and Polar Bear.

The Glastonbury show came about after discussions between Shlomo and Park Stage curator Emily Eavis. “This is one of the most anticipated shows at this year’s festival…” says Emily, “Expect special guests, unusual collaborations and amazing beatboxing for two hours…This year’s big surprise gig.”

Shlomo vs DJ Yoda @ Bestival

6.30PM, Bestival Main Stage, Sat 6 September 2008

The amazing collaboration between Shlomo and AV artist DJ Yoda will be revisited in front of 30,000 people on the Bestival mainstage in September. The show was originally created for a special show at the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of Shlomo’s residency at Southbank Centre. It features a crazy mashup of beatboxing, scratching and video trickery, and is one hell of a party starter!

‘Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra’ are the world’s only Human Beatbox Choir. Their show is a phenomenal blend of live music, all performed using only the voiceboxes of 8 incredible musicians!

This summer they will perform at the Southbank Choral Festival and headline the Park Stage at Glastonbury Festival. They are also planning to create the Guinness World Record for leading the World’s Largest Beatboxing Choir.

In the Autumn of 2008 they will return for a UK tour taking in some of the country’s most prestigious arts venues.

Shlomo started out as a solo beatboxer, touring the world with hip hop outfit Foreign Beggars. He went on to record with Bjork, appear on ‘Later.. with Jools Holland’, and to play at Glastonbury as a solo act.

Somewhere along the way, Shlomo had the idea of working with a large group of beatboxers. Together with the Southbank Centre, he set out to create the world’s first beatbox choir. Shlomo had 6 weeks to put together the initial performance, which headlined at the International Beatbox Convention in March 2007.

The original line-up featured some of the UK’s foremost vocal talent, including legendary A Cappella outfit The Swingle Singers, alongside MC Zani (UK no.2 beatboxer), Bellatrix (UK no.1 female beatboxer), Spitf’ya and jestar*.

That first performance at Southbank was a sell-out, and the choir went on to headline at the Big Chill festival in front of 10,000 people.

In May 2008 the choir will return to Southbank to lead the World’s Largest Beatboxing Choir, and in June they’ll headline the Glastonbury Park stage.

In Autumn 2008 the Vocal Orchestra reform for a UK tour of concert halls and arts venues.

With a new streamlined 8-piece lineup, the choir now features some of the UK’s top jazz and soul vocalists, including Natalie Williams (resident at Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club), Vula Malinga (front-woman of Bassment Jaxx) alongside Shlomo, MC Zani, Bellatrix, Spitf’ya, Jestar* and former Swingle Kineret Erez.

More info on the tour