Musa Mboob & Xam Xam

 

 
Get ready for an unforgettable night of rhythm, culture, and high-energy vibes! 
We are thrilled to welcome Musa Mboob & Xam Xam to The Nest at Chichester Festival Theatre on Friday, October 9 at 8:00 PM (presented by African Night Fever & WemsFest)

🎶 Musa Mboob & Xam Xam 🎵
🗓️ Friday 9th October 
📍 The Nest, Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester, Oaklands Park, Chichester, PO19 6AP
🕗 Doors open 7.30 for an 8pm show
🍷 Licensed bar 🍻

🎟️ Tickets: £18 General Admission (Prologue £5 tickets available for ages 16–30)

🎫 Tickets on sale now via the Chichester Festival Theatre box office and online at https://www.cft.org.uk/events/musa-mboob-xam-xam 

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Join us for a special evening celebrating culture, friendship, and vibrant musical connection with Musa Mboob & Xam Xam for an unforgettable night filled with melodic and rhythmic vibes.

Gambian master percussionist and lead vocalist Musa delivers an electrifying fusion of Afro-Manding music and traditional West African rhythms, deeply rooted in the rich cultures of The Gambia AKA Smiling Coast of Africa. Blending traditional instruments with modern electronic guitars, his sound creates a powerful musical journey across Africa, connecting heritage with the evolving spirit of the 21st-century diaspora.

Renowned for his dynamic stage presence and artistic innovation, Musa has earned a reputation as both a true entertainer and a master of his craft. Mentored by the pioneering Gambian Afro-Manding group Ifang Bondi Band, he continues to shape a distinctive musical voice, sharing stories through melodies grounded in ancestral tradition while embracing contemporary influences.

Come ready to be transported on a joyful musical journey – a dance-floor-filling celebration of rhythm, unity, and pure love.

Gasper Nali + Band (with special guest David Lughana)

Already dancing with anticipation! We’re thrilled to be bringing Gasper Nali back to our WemsFest stage at The Old Malthouse in Chidham Village Hall

Gasper Nali is a not-so-traditional babatoni player from the small town of Nkhata Bay on the shores of Lake Malawi.  The babatoni is an African one-string home-made 3-metre long bass guitar, and with a stick and an empty beer bottle, together with a cow skin kick drum and catchy melodies, he creates the most amazing and danceable original AfroBeats possible!

Friday 6th June 8pm
The Old Malthouse
AKA Chidham Village Hall
Chidham
West Sussex
PO18 8TP

Gasper’s unique style of Kwela music, sung in Chichewa, Malawi’s national language, has received an extraordinary amount of online attention after a video of him playing by the lake shore went viral with over 20 million views. He has been featured by CNN and in the documentary ‘Deep Roots Malawi’, jammed with Joss Stone, appeared on Wired for Sound – Malawi, remixed by Aroop Roy for Sol Power Sounds and been played by Iggy Pop on BBC 6!

His debut album, Abale Ndikuwuzeni, roughly translates to ‘People, I want to tell you’.  It is a fitting title as Gasper’s songs, all sung in the Malawi national language of Chichewa, talk about life and strife in the country, often including social issues such as the rich and the poor, child marriages etc.

Gasper has toured the UK and Europe several times since his breakthrough video, playing in all environments from seated arts centre spaces to major festival stages. This year, Gasper will be transforming his customary one-man-band show and perform with a 3-piece band for the very first time in the UK. Along for the ride is Malawi born songsmith and cultural proponent Luhangah on additional vocals and percussion, as well as Gasper’s long-time producer and collaborator Mattias Stålnacke on guitars. Gasper will also release his new record “Chule Chule Iwe” to coincide with a UK tour in May/June of 2025.

“His music is simple but joyous, and totally infectious” – Songlines Magazine

“His songs are moving to hear and a spectacle to watch” – Simon Broughton, Evening Standard 

Doors open 7.30pm for an 8pm show.

Licensed Bar helps support WemsFest – As always, we’ll have our licensed bar serving delicious beers from Langham Brewery 🍻 as well as wines, local cider, nonalcoholic beers, and soft drinks.  All profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested in the local community.

Tickets available now at Bookends and Harbour Records and online here

If you require special assistance or have mobility difficulties, please contact us in advance and we will do our very best to accommodate you so that you are comfortable.

GNOSS (SOLD OUT)

A welcome back to WemsFest, but to a new venue, for this multi-talented and award-winning Scots band.  GNOSS combines the talents of Aidan Moodie (guitar/vocals), Graham Rorie (fiddle/mandolin/electric tenor guitar), Connor Sinclair (flute/whistles/vocals), and Craig Baxter (bodhran/percussion) – and they have 3 fabulous albums which exemplify their forward-thinking take on traditional music coupled with the warmth of their live shows.

‘Album of the Year’ Nominees, Scots Trad Music Awards 2019 & 2021
‘Up and Coming Artist of the Year’ Nominees, Scots Trad Music Awards 2017
BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award Semi-Finalists 2016
Danny Kyle Award Winners 2015

“Gnoss are one of those rare birds in folk: a group you can name after hearing their first notes.” –  Folk Radio UK

Gnoss’ signature sound is a rich tapestry of acoustic layers; outstanding musicianship, deep traditional roots and contemporary compositional flair combine to create songs and tunes brimming with character. Triple Scots Trad Music Awards nominees, the band have built an invested following through their forward-thinking take on traditional music and the unique warmth of their live shows. This has been proven through three consecutive sellout appearances at Glasgow’s world-famous Celtic Connections festival.

Their 2019 release, ‘Drawn From Deep Water’ was met with widespread praise (“a refreshing blast” – RnR) for its exemplary interplay, nakedly emotional playing, and well chosen material. The 11-track album brought Gnoss to entranced audiences across France, Italy and Denmark, not to
mention the length and breadth of the UK.

Their follow-up album, ‘The Light of The Moon’, continued to demonstrate Gnoss’ dedication to their craft that places them firmly at the fore of what’s happening in Scottish folk and earned them a nomination for Album of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards. Described as “an invigorating new direction for the Gnoss boys” by Songlines, this album took Gnoss’ online fanbase by storm gaining over one million streams in 2022.

With the release of their third album, 2023’s ‘Stretching Skyward’, Gnoss reignite their collaboration with producer and engineer, Scott Wood (Skerryvore), further exploring their acoustic roots whilst incorporating new, electronic elements. Launch dates included performances across the UK and Europe, including standout appearances at the Orkney Folk Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, Towersey Festival and Denmark’s Tønder Festival.

 

Doors open 7.30pm for an 8pm show.

Licensed Bar helps support WemsFest – As always, we’ll have our licensed bar serving delicious beers from Langham Brewery 🍻 as well as wines, local cider, nonalcoholic beers, and soft drinks.  All profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested in the local community.

Tickets available now at Bookends and Harbour Records and online here

If you require special assistance or have mobility difficulties, please contact us in advance and we will do our very best to accommodate you so that you are comfortable.