Sampa the Great Is Touring Her New Stage Show Across Australia's East Coast This May and June
In postponed shows from 2021, the Zambian-born musician perform songs from her acclaimed album 'The Return', as well as new music.
This time last year, Sampa the Great was the first artist named on the Vivid 2021 lineup; however, due to the pandemic, the Sydney festival didn't go ahead. Now, the Zambian-born musician is giving her new stage show An Afro Future another run, including setting up a new Vivid stint — and hitting up Melbourne and Brisbane as well.
Sampa will tour the east coast capitals this May and June, starting at The Tivoli in Brisbane. From there, she's headed to Sydney for two Vivid gigs in the Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Sydney Opera House, and then to Melbourne for two concerts at its own citywide arts festival, Rising.
Joining her across all five shows will be Zimbabwe-born, London-raised, Australian-based singer KYE and Sampa's younger sister Mwanjé, plus sounds by C.Frim. And, while that's all mightily impressive, the tour will also mark the first time that audiences can see Sampa live with her full band from Zambia.
View this post on Instagram
Sampa's 2022's tour marks her return to Vivid after supporting Hiatus Kaiyote in 2016 and performing as part of The Avalanches' Since I Left You Block Party back in 2017.
It'll also finally let her show An Afro Future to fans, after it was originally set to premiere over the summer of 2020–21 as part of Live at the Bowl in Melbourne, Summer in the Domain in Sydney and Womadelaide, but was forced to cancel due to border restrictions.
As for what's in store now that An Afro Future is hitting Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, attendees can expect to be treated to songs from Sampa's critically-acclaimed debut album The Return. Released in 2019, the album received universal praise at the time, winning Best Hip Hop Release and Best Independent Release at the 2020 ARIA Awards, and being named the eighth best Australian debut album of all time by Double J.
And, Sampa will be playing new tunes, too — because a lot's been going on over the past few years.
SAMPA THE GREAT 'AN AFRO FUTURE' TOUR 2022:
- Wednesday, May 25 — The Tivoli, Brisbane
- Friday, May 27–Saturday, May 28 — Vivid, Sydney Opera House, Sydney
- Wednesday, June 1–Thursday, June 2 — Rising, The Forum, Melbourne
Sampa the Great's An Afro Future tour will head to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in May and June. For more information or to buy tickets, visit Sampa's website.
Top image: Sampa the Great, Lucian Coman.
