As a 6 Music radio DJ and also this year’s curator of the Southbank’s prestigious Meltdown Festival, Guy Garvey is a good man to have on your team.
Among bigger names such as Laura Marling, Richard Hawley and The Staves, the Elbow singer has picked a few up-and-comers for a busy few days of Meltdown gigs beginning next Friday. Supporting afrobeat star Femi Kuti is Tiggs Da Author, a Tanzanian singer who spent much of his childhood living in New Cross.
Heavily into London grime music, it was only when the man born Adam Muhabwa returned to his home country that he began discovering African jazz and developing a sound that was much more fun. You may have heard his song Run, with its clipped guitar, dancehall rhythm and a sparky cameo from rapper Lady Leshurr, on the Rugby World Cup trailer or the Fifa 2016 game.
Its South Africa-filmed video is now approaching a million YouTube views, no small amount of which was me. In a serious Meltdown line-up, he’ll be bringing the sunshine.
June 11, Festival Hall, SE1 (0844 875 0073, southbankcentre.co.uk)