Whitby Musicport 2024 - see who's on at 'magnet of musical diversity'
Whitby is once again playing host to its magnet of musical diversity – the Musicport Festival – and this year’s line-up can now be revealed.
On this year from October 25 to 27 this year, Musicport offers the best of Afro-Celtic beats, Bosnian sevdah, Chechen folk songs, Cuban grooves, English folk songs, Malian music, Sufi Qawwali and Tibetan sacred chants and music.
This diversity keeps audiences returning and new ones excited to join the experience for what should be an unforgettable weekend.
The festival has been attracting musicians from all around the world to the town for more than 20 years offering a range of world and folk music groups, choirs, groups and duos, storytellers and DJs from across the UK and from all around the globe.
Since its beginnings in 2000, Musicport has proved a magnet for musical stars.
The festival was started and continued for these two decades, thanks to the vision and dedication of its founder, Jim McLaughlin, who recalls putting together the first programme of events.
It featured global music, folk and reggae stars, E2K and renowned soul, jazz, funk singer-songwriter of the hit single, It Must Be Love, Labi Siffre.
Back then, Musicport only occupied one concert space in the Whitby Pavilion, but word of mouth grew fast, and, by its second year, the festival had extended into all available performance spaces, which continues to today.
Mr McLaughlin said: “The festival was my slightly off-the-wall idea back in 1999 and really only meant to be a one-off Millennium event.
"The festival is important for an area that is culturally quite isolated and it has been great to see over this 20-odd years how it has affected people lives, especially the young people we have involved in our activities.
"The festival’s future really depends on further developing the youth elements and embedding itself more fully within the community.”
Headline acts for Musicport 2024 include Grammy nominees and pioneers of the global music scene, Afro Celt Sound System and Jah Wobble and The Invaders of the Heart
Songlines Music Fusion Award-winners, star duo guitarist Justin Adams (Robert Plant, Tinariwen) with virtuoso violinist, Mauro Durante will also headline at Musicport 2024.
Durante is one of the leading players in the internationally-acclaimed Italian music ensemble, Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino.
English folk-rock music legend Ashley Hutchings will be accompanied by Becky Mills for folk music and songs with charm and good humour.
Afro-Futurist collective Fulu Miziki from DRC bring their dynamic fusion of sounds as they make “music from garbage” literally performing on instruments they design, build and play from upcycling. Songlines Music Award winners Divanhana are performing at Musicport 2024 for the first time with their fresh twist on sevdah (traditional folk music from Bosnia and Herzegovina) songs and music.
Malian star singer Rokia Koné will delight audiences with her emotive performances, while the festival is also delighted to present Sufi and qawwali songs and music from the sensational Chahat Mahmood Ali Qawwal Group.
Visit https://www.musicportfestival.com/ for more information.
Visit https://www.tickettailor.com/events/musicportfestivallimited/1058991 for tickets.