Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1472871
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 JULY 2022 6 MUSIC UB40 will be taking centre stage during this year's edition of the Għaxaq Music Festival at the Għaxaq Grounds. But this two-day festival fea- tures an artistic line-up of lo- cal and foreign talent that will provide festival-goers a good opportunity to binge out on some good music. The party kicks off on Friday, 22 July, with the spotlight on Maltese music. The opening act will be Kan- tera, strong from their gushing victory of Mużika Mużika with the hauntingly nostalgic "Tkun 'l Hawn Għaddi". Their eclec- tic folk music is the perfect compliment to this festival so proud of its village core histor- ic roots with their astonishing- ly multi varied sound. The Travellers will be the main performers with their heartfelt, unashamedly roman- tic repertoire. The show on Saturday 23 July opens with ManaTapu's multi- cultural sound as energy fuses into the supernatural and is re- born. ManaTapu promise the magic of collective coming to- gether in one unique summer ritual. Spell-binding icons UB40 will take centre stage with their full repertoire of musical gems. The world famous legends will lead the crowd to new hedon- istic heights with their sublime Raggae and Rock rhythms as the honey-glazed voice of Ali Campbell and his band is sure to deliver the thrill of love, joy and fraternity in the name of music. This will be the first-ever appearance on our islands of this iconic, multi-racial rag- gae group which helped define reggae music for a whole gen- eration. The group features Ali Campbell, the legendary voice of UB40. This concert is a fitting me- morial to Astro, who passed away in November 2021, and it is planned as a celebration of Astro's music who togeth- er with Ali forged the original UB40, a group which took the world by storm captivating au- diences everywhere they went. Only with Ali Campbell can audiences get to experience the closest thing to the sound of the hugely successful original line- up of UB40 as all the hits play from their three earth-shaking albums. In the line-up are also songs from 'Unprecedented', the fourth and last Ali and As- tro album recorded together. 'Unprecedented' is fueled by the roots -rocking spirit that powered UB40's original in- carnation. It is an album that injects a little reggae sunshine into even the darkest of days. UB40's roots dug deep in- to the reggae and rock steady rhythms of yesteryear and the band ended up producing three labour of love albums, which include pure classics such as Kingston Town, Cherry Oh Baby and the chart topper on both sides of the Atlantic with their reggae cover of Neil Dia- mond's Red Red Wine. The concert promises to be yet another extraordinary fes- tive night of music just like 2019's unforgettable Smokey's concert. The organisers say the aim once again is to recreate an unequivocal feverish festa feel- ing. Tickets are available from www.showshappening.com . All proceeds will go to Em- brace Diversity Organization, a voluntary organisation for children and youths with disa- bilities. The Għaxaq Music Festival is under the patronage of the Arts Council Malta. Countdown to the Ghaxaq Music Festival