PREVIEW: Zamrock legends W.I.T.C.H. join forces with Sampa The Great – Brighton Dome
Brighton Festival is set to host an electrifying UK-exclusive collaboration this May, bringing together pioneering Zamrock band W.I.T.C.H. and acclaimed rapper, singer and visionary Sampa The Great for a one-off celebration of Zambia’s rich musical heritage — and its bold new future.
Taking place as a unique one-off night at Brighton Dome Concert Hall on Saturday 9 May, this special Brighton Festival performance will see the two acts not only share the bill, but perform together in a unique collaboration created exclusively for the festival.
For many, Sampa The Great is already one of the most compelling voices in contemporary global hip-hop — a multi-award-winning artist whose powerful, genre-crossing work has taken her from Coachella and Glastonbury Festival to NPR Tiny Desk Concerts, earning international acclaim for music that is politically sharp, spiritually rich and artistically fearless.
Her recent return to Zambia has deepened that connection to heritage, identity and sound. In a remarkable family discovery, Sampa learned in 2023 that her uncle, Joe ‘Groovy Joe’ Kunda, founded W.I.T.C.H. — short for We Intend To Cause Havoc — the legendary band widely credited with creating Zamrock in the 1970s.
Part psychedelic rock, part funk, part garage soul, Zamrock fused Western influences such as The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath and James Brown with traditional African rhythms and local storytelling. W.I.T.C.H. became Zambia’s biggest rock band before political and economic turmoil, followed by the AIDS crisis, brought that era to a close.
Following a revival of global interest after reissues of their groundbreaking recordings, W.I.T.C.H. found a new generation of fans, and their music has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance — influencing what many now call the Nu Zamrock movement.
This Brighton Festival show promises to unite both eras: the originators of Zamrock alongside one of Zambia’s most exciting contemporary artists, in a performance rooted in legacy, reinvention and joyful musical energy.
For anyone drawn to Afro-psychedelia, global beats, hip-hop, funk or simply the thrill of discovering music with deep roots and fresh urgency, this looks set to be one of Brighton Festival’s standout nights.
Details
Dates: Saturday 9th May 8pm. (Doors open at 7.15pm, with the performance beginning at 8pm and expected to finish around 10.30pm, including an interval).
Venue: Brighton Dome Concert Hall, Church Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1UE.
Tickets: Tickets are priced at £27.50, £32.50 and £35, with Under 30s tickets available for £25.
The event is unreserved standing, and under-16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Accessible: Venue access details available here
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