Sun Ra Arkestra

Sun Ra, the late lead singer of this avant-garde jazz group, claimed to be an alien from Saturn, who was sent to Earth to promote peace and harmony. If you think that sounds a bit mad, you can expect nothing less from the band’s live performance at Sala Apolo, which is part of their 60th anniversary tour. They’re the band who put the ‘fun’ in ‘funky’ and they promise to bring a night of Afrobeats and ancient Egyptian-style costumes. Up until his death in 1993, Herman Poole Blount, more widely known as Sun Ra, was the lead singer and composer for the band and found his inspiration from a wide range of ideas, including ancient Egypt and outer space. He is considered by many as one of the pioneers in free improvisation and in the use of electronic keyboards.
His band continue to tour and perform under the direction of bandleader and saxophonist, Marshall Allen, who also plays keyboard, oboe, flute and piccolo. At the impressive age of 91, Allen doesn’t look set to retire any day soon, as the band’s current tour is taking them from the US to England to Spain and even as far as Japan.
Tickets are available from €35. More information here.