Features
Bringin’ Afrobeat Back
Afrobeat legend Femi Kuti has unveiled a round of dates in support of his first studio album in seven years, Day by Day.
The run kicks off Jan. 7 at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club and will hit notable clubs and theatres scattered across the U.S. and Canada through the end of the month.
Highlights include stops at 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. (Jan. 9), New York City’s Webster Hall as part of globalFEST 2009 (Jan. 11), The Opera House in Toronto (Jan. 15), The Fillmore in San Francisco (Jan. 22) and House of Blues in San Diego (Jan. 24).
Tickets for most shows, including globalFEST, are available at Ticketmaster.com.
Photo: AP Photo
Frederick P. Rose Hall in NYC.
Day by Day, due Nov. 18, also marks the debut of Downtown Records’ new imprint Mercer Street Records.
Since the release of his last album, 2001’s Fight to Win, Kuti has continued to expand the influence of Afrobeat, touring with acts like Jane’s Addiction and collaborating with artists including Mos Def,