WemsFest & African Night Fever proudly present Senegal’s iconic musician, singer, songwriter (now based in Mali) Habib Koite, with members of his band Bamada and other West African musicians, and Gambian kora player Sura Susso.
Habib Koite, with Sura Susso Saturday 31st October The Old Malthouse AKA Chidham Village Hall, PO18 8TP Doors open 7.30 for an 8pm show, unreserved seating with room for dancing Licensed bar serving Langham Brewery
The dance floor will be full as the musicians celebrate the music release of ‘Manding Melodies’ which showcases the evolving role of the modern griot and highlights it’s continued relevance both within the Manding community and globally.
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As always, we’ll have our licensed bar serving delicious beers from Langham Brewery as well as wines, local cider, nonalcoholic beers, & soft drinks
All profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested into our local community, delivering musical workshops in local schools each October in celebration of Black History Month
This year our charity bucket on the bar is supporting relationships & sex education in local schools, delivered by Options Chichester – please do help us support this important work
If you require special assistance or have mobility difficulties, please contact us in advance at adwemsfest@gmail.com or 07802 500 050 and we will do our very best to accommodate you so that you are comfortable.
Quimantu – The Tree Sings
Quimantu will return to WemsFest in October! (PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE FROM 14/11 TO 24/10)
Quimantu Saturday 24th October The Old Malthouse AKA Chidham Village Hall, PO18 8TP Doors open 7.30 for an 8pm show, unreserved seating Licensed bar serving Langham Brewery
Reflecting the spirit of the natural world alive within their music – with many instruments made from wood – this special concert celebrates the passing of the generational baton from Chilean musician Mauricio Venegas-Astorga to his daughter Laura as Quimantu’s lead singer.
A repertoire encompassing songwriters and composers across Latin American and English traditions where Victor Jara, Maria Elena Walsh, Mauricio Venegas-Astorga, and Steve Knightley compliment the band’s unique arrangements of western classical music and English traditional songs and tunes.
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As always, we’ll have our licensed bar serving delicious beers from Langham Brewery as well as wines, local cider, nonalcoholic beers, & soft drinks
All profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested into our local community, delivering musical workshops in local schools each October in celebration of Black History Month
This year our charity bucket on the bar is supporting relationships & sex education in local schools, delivered by Options Chichester – please do help us support this important work
If you require special assistance or have mobility difficulties, please contact us in advance at adwemsfest@gmail.com or 07802 500 050 and we will do our very best to accommodate you so that you are comfortable.
TARRAN
TARRAN are an exhilarating contemporary folk group from Glasgow, with roots in both Ireland and New Zealand. We saw them perform at Celtic Connections and we are so excited to be bringing them to WemsFest!
TARRAN Saturday 13th June The Old Malthouse AKA Chidham Village Hall, PO18 8TP Doors open 7.30 for an 8pm show, unreserved seating Licensed bar serving Langham Brewery
TARRAN are: Sophie Joint (keys), Breanna Wilson (fiddle), Malachy Arnold (harp) and Rory Stark (whistle/bodhran). Using elements of funk, blues and contemporary rhythm, the band create a lively and innovative twist on traditional music. Award-winners and title holders, they’re very much on a rapid rise to the top !
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As always, we’ll have our licensed bar serving delicious beers from Langham Brewery as well as wines, local cider, nonalcoholic beers, & soft drinks
All profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested into our local community, delivering musical workshops in local schools each October in celebration of Black History Month
This year our charity bucket on the bar is supporting relationships & sex education in local schools, delivered by Options Chichester – please do help us support this important work
If you require special assistance or have mobility difficulties, please contact us in advance at adwemsfest@gmail.com or 07802 500 050 and we will do our very best to accommodate you so that you are comfortable.
Bassekou Kouyate & Amy Sacko
“Ngoni virtuoso Bassekou Kouyate can make notes bend like light rays in the desert heat.” – Time Out magazine
Bassekou Kouyate is one of the true masters of the ngoni, an ancient traditional lute found throughout West Africa. He is a virtuoso, innovator, stronghold of tradition all at the same time. This is a rare opportunity to see and hear one of Africa’s most celebrated musicians in a very intimate environment. This WemsFest show is presented in association with our friends African Night Fever.
From Mali, legendary musician and ngoni master Bassekou Kouyate tours the UK for the first time as a duo with his wife, the revered griot singer and exceptional vocalist Amy Sacko, whose “voice of spearing urgency, improbable range” has “a power that jolts like electric shocks” (The Sydney Morning Herald). After the release of Djudjon, L’Oiseau de Garana (2024) their first chart-topping album together as a duo which connects past and present, this will be a unique, intimate and extraordinary opportunity to experience a performance that reaches to the very heart of Mali – deeply personal, expressive, chamber-style that promises a rare closeness between artists and audience, a space where each note and lyric resonates deeply.
“a genius and living proof that the blues comes from Mali” – Taj Mahal on Bassekou Kouyate
Bassekou has collaborated with many musicians in and outside of Mali: He has shared the stages with the likes of Youssou N‘Dour, Ali Farka Toure, Bela Fleck, The Kronos Quartet, Taj Mahal, Eliades Ochoa, Damon Albarn, Michael League… He was one of the key musicians on Ali Farka Toure’s posthumous album ‘Savane’ which was released July 2006, played in the Symmetric trio alongside Toumani Diabate (kora) and was part of Taj Mahal’s ‘Kulanjan’ project. He won several BBC Awards for his celebrated debut album ‘Segu Blue’ (Outhere Records). Was Grammy nominated for the follow up ‘I speak fula’ (Outhere Records) and played hundreds of concerts all over the globe, sharing the stage with musicians from Paul McCartney to John Paul Jones, Bono & many many others …
Bassekou Kouyate & Amy Sacko will play The Old Malthouse (AKA Chidham Village Hall, Main Road, Chidham, West Sussex, PO18 8TP) on Saturday 23rd May
Doors open 7.30pm for an 8pm show.
Unreserved seating
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 into our local community
If you require special assistance or have mobility difficulties, please contact us in advance at adwemsfest@gmail.com or 07802 500 050 and we will do our very best to accommodate you so that you are comfortable.
Rum Ragged
JUNO Award Nominees, Rum Ragged, take a bold approach to the distinct folk music of their home, the Eastern Canadian island of Newfoundland. With a reverence for their roots and a creative, contemporary edge, this young band has quickly become known as the finest performers of their great, living, musical tradition.
Boasting bouzouki, fiddle, bodhran, banjo, guitar, and button accordion, these new champions of East Coast music enliven and enlighten audiences with their signature brand of Newfoundland folk. Always honest, thought-provoking, and often humorous, it’s Rum Ragged’s live show that makes them a fast favourite with any audience. Their combination of striking vocal harmonies, staggering musicianship, and captivating storytelling gives concert-goers an experience they won’t soon forget.
Since their inception in 2016, Rum Ragged has maintained a rigorous tour schedule, performing at some of the world’s premier folk, celtic and roots venues all while managing to record four acclaimed, award-winning studio albums. Rum Ragged is not your run-of-the-mill folk band, they are the genuine article.
Rum Ragged will play The Old Malthouse (AKA Chidham Village Hall, Main Road, Chidham, West Sussex, PO18 8TP) on Saturday 24th January
Doors open 7.30pm for an 8pm show.
Unreserved seating
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
This year our charity bucket on the bar is fundraising for Cardiac Risk in the Young, and all profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested into our local community
If you require special assistance or have mobility difficulties, please contact us in advance at adwemsfest@gmail.com or 07802 500 050 and we will do our very best to accommodate you so that you are comfortable.
The Jeremiahs
One of the fastest selling Irish bands we’ve ever promoted. Winners of countless awards in Ireland, Germany, USA and beyond. They bring a classy freshness to traditional Irish music!
The Jeremiahs will play The Old Malthouse (AKA Chidham Village Hall, PO18 8TP) on Saturday 6th December
Doors open 7.30pm for an 8pm show.
Unreserved seating
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
Tickets on sale now at Bookends and Harbour Records Emsworth in Emsworth village, and online at www.WeGotTickets.com/WemsFest
This year our charity bucket on the bar is fundraising for Cardiac Risk in the Young , and all profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested into our local community
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.
El Pony Pisador
El Pony Pisador is a lively and unique band from Barcelona, known for an eclectic blend of musical styles and humorous, adventurous spirit. Their mix of folk sounds from all over the world results in a fun and energetic sound that’s unpredictable and full of personality.
From their native Catalan songs and dances to Celtic and Mediterranean tunes, yodelling, Tuvan throat singing, to even Georgian polyphony or Balkan polyrhythms. El Pony Pisador is well-regarded for their ability to engage audiences with their high-energy performances, witty lyrics, and a mix of both traditional and modern influences.
Their live shows have been shaped by the experience of playing at festes majors (Catalan patronal festivities), which are not just a concert, but a cultural celebration where the whole town participates. This gives their concerts a festive and inclusive atmosphere, making them a great fit for festivals and international events for all ages.
As they bring the spirit of their cultural heritage abroad, El Pony Pisador offer spontaneity and make the crowd participation a central part of the show, making the audience feel more than just spectators.
They have released three albums, with the latest one featuring The Longest Johns, a Sea Shanties group from England. Currently, El Pony Pisador has just published its fourth album, “Ocells” in early 2024. This work consists of 11 songs that capture the diversity of traditional Catalan music, blending it with new sounds and exploring themes ranging from medieval stories to humorous narratives and children’s tales. Additionally, the album features collaborations with Jonatan Penalba and Tarta Relena. So far, they‘ve accumulated over 6 million streams in their catalogue, and their fan base continues to grow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5O_x9cJTA8
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.
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.
As always, we’ll have our licensed bar serving delicious beers from Langham Brewery 🍻 as well as wines, local cider, nonalcoholic beers, & soft drinks. All profits from bar & ticket sales are reinvested in the local community
Unreserved seating. Licensed Bar helps support WemsFest.
Please park with care and consideration for the neighbours
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.
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.
The East Pointers (with special guests Saije)
JUNO Award-winners, The East Pointers, are redefining the ever-evolving genre – modern folk – with dancefloor-shaking, ceiling-rattling, electro-trad breakdowns, and a glorious combination of folk, pop, and dance music. Already internationally acknowledged as musical trailblazers, their latest EPs House Of Dreams and Safe In Sound capture the furious energy of their live shows and push the boundaries of East Coast folk while lighting a path for a new generation of music lovers.
Fans of The East Pointers have Koady Chaisson to thank for being the kinetic force behind the JUNO-Award winning indie-folk trio since the group formed in 2014. The dancefloor-shaking, electro-trad glorious combination of folk/pop has brought so much joy to audiences around the world. And now, even posthumously, Koady’s energetic fire continues to blaze the musical trail onward.
It was on January 6, 2022 that Koady Chaisson of The East Pointers passed away from an unexpected heart aneurysm at 37. Those who were lucky to have been influenced by his creative and generous soul felt like a black hole had suddenly formed where the supernova of Koady’s light had been.
But before his passing, Koady, Tim Chaisson, and Jake Charron, had recorded most of the tracks for two new EPs. Unlike any of the The East Pointers’ material to date, these precious songs are shiny and melodic, nostalgia-flared, folk experimental pop but with the same driving trad hooks for which the band has become known and revered.
The first EP, House of Dreams, was released in September 2022 and was nominated for a JUNO Award in 2023. The second EP, Safe In Sound, was released in November 2023.
The East Pointers have toured extensively in the UK, USA, Japan, and Australia, in addition to their native Canada, and have become firm festival favourites around the globe. Their debut album Secret Victory won the 2017 JUNO Award for ‘Traditional Album of the Year’, their 2017 album What We Leave Behind and their 2022 EP House Of Dreams were nominated for JUNO Awards, and they have developed loyal fanbases in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the UK, Europe, Mexico, the USA, and Canada.
Our WemsFest audience were lucky to experience one of the last concerts The East Pointers played as a trio, in November 2021. We are delighted to welcome Tim and Jake back to our stage for the last date of The East Pointers’ UK Spring 2025 tour.
For this show only, The East Pointers will have support from special guests Saije!
Saije is an award-winning, indie-folk duo whose soulful harmonies, dynamic guitar-lines and percussive breakdowns breathe life into heartfelt stories. Their songwriting is crafted from the depths; stirring melodies bound together with graceful lyricism, and through multitasking techniques, the pair create a full-bodied sound enriched by flavours from their travels around the globe.
After being awarded Folk Alliance Australia’s ‘Young Artist of the Year 2019-2021’, Saije has toured extensively in Australia, throughout Canada in 2020 and most recently two 50-plus-date Europe and UK tours in 2023 and 2024, playing a plethora of sold-out performances and festival appearances, including at Woodford Folk Festival (AUS), Galway Folk Festival (IRE), Surfana Festival (NL), Magpies Nest (UK) and a Folk Alliance International Official Showcase (US). Saije have supported some of Australia’s most renowned singer songwriters such as Ziggy Alberts, Kim Churchill and Steph Strings. They continue to uplift both national and international audiences through their unifying performances and a warmth that fills small halls and overflows from large festival stages.
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.
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.
The Barleycorn Tavern, which is a stone’s throw from the Village Hall, are very kindly offering ticket holders 2 for 1 meals before the concert. You’ll need to call them and book at least 3 days before the event, and will need to show either your ticket or your WeGotTickets.com email.
Habib Koite, with Sura Susso 
Saturday 31st October
The Old Malthouse AKA Chidham Village Hall, PO18 8TP
Doors open 7.30 for an 8pm show, unreserved seating with room for dancing
Licensed bar serving Langham Brewery 
Tickets on sale now at Bookends and Harbour Records in Emsworth village, at The Westbourne Cafe in Westbourne Village, & online at www.WeGotTickets.com/WemsFest
as well as wines, local cider, nonalcoholic beers, and soft drinks. All profits from bar and ticket sales are reinvested in the local community.