Africa Oyé Announce Free Entry

The Liverpool festival Africa Oyé has announced it will once again be free entry.This year marks the tenth anniversary of the event. Organisers had regrettably been forced to introuduce a small ticket charge to cover rising costs and new regulations. The festival will return to being an entirely free concert with unfenced boundaries. Africa Oyé Director Paul Duhaney commented, 'We are delighted that we have been able to pull this off, and we offer huge thanks to all our supporters and our sponsors'.

All ticket purchases have been automatically refunded. In this worrying time for the music industry, Africa Oyé's commitment to enabling wholly communal and accessible celebration is admirable. Head down to Sefton Park, Liverpool on the 18th - 19th June 2011 to join the party yourself.

This year reggae legend Marcia Griffiths will headline. A true veteran of the reggae scene, Marcia shot to fame in 1970 as part of a duo act with the memorable track, 'Young, Gifted and Black'. She went on to sing with the I-threes, supporting Bob Marley himself. Saharawi musical ambassador, Mariem Hassen will meld together the haul music of the Western Sahara with blues, jazz and rock influences. Her commanding and powerful voice echoes the troubles of her displaced community with style and brillance. Funky horn line-up The Gangbé Brass Band from Benin will be there to pump out their eclectic thick brassy brillance with trademark energy and bounce.

Other artists to appear at Africa Oyé include The Sierra Leone All Stars, Fantoumata Diawara, Zewdita Yohannes, Damily, Khaira Arby , Amkoullel the Fula Child, and Cheny Wa Gune Quarteto.