IRVINE, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Come to World Beat Weekend at the Orange County Great Park’s Flights & Sounds Summer Festival for a musical world tour featuring Persian electronica trio Niyaz, multiple Grammy(R) Award-winning sensation Ladysmith Black Mambazo and DJ Rekha with special guest Dohl Nation and the dancers of the blue 13, Thursday, August 9 through Saturday, August 11.
Enjoy African rhythms, contemporary Persian electronic music, as well as Bollywood and Bhangra dance in three unique venues at the Great Park.
“The Great Park is proud to host World Beat Weekend, a celebration of diverse music and dance from Africa, India and the Middle East,” said Beth Krom, Chair of the Orange County Great Park Corporation. “This program offers visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy a wide range of cultural experiences in a setting unlike any other in Southern California.”
The weekend kicks off on Thursday, August 9, at 8:15 p.m., when the Persian and Indian music trio Niyaz performs with a Sufi dancer in the Palm Court Arts Complex. Niyaz blends modern electronica with old Persian folk songs and mystical Sufi poems.
On Friday, August 10 at 8:15 p.m., hear Africa’s superstar a cappella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo perform South African musical traditions to the sounds of gospel music on the Runway Stage. The harmonies of Ladysmith Black Mambazo were made famous on Paul Simon’s Graceland album twenty-five years ago and now, they sound better than ever.
World Beat Weekend wraps up with a lively dance party when DJ Rekha, with special guests Dohl Nation and the dancers of blue 13, spins Bhangra and Bollywood music on the Dance Concourse on Saturday, August 11 at 8:15 p.m. Get there by 7:45 p.m. for free dance instruction from Atomic Ballroom.
