From the streets of Harare to West Sussex

Tickets: wegottickets.com, Bookends, and Harbour Records in Emsworth. The concert starts at 8pm and under 21-year-olds can get half-price tickets through a new scheme initiated by WemsFest.

WemsFest founder and artistic director Mark Ringwood said: “From the streets of Harare the four-piece band Gonora Sounds are making their first visit to the UK.

"Started twenty years ago by blind guitarist Daniel Gomora as a means to try and earn a living in the financially precarious country of Zimbabwe, the band have enjoyed considerable success beyond their country’s borders.

"Their social media clips have been watched by more than ten million people and their multi-award-winning documentary You Can’t Hide From the Truth was recorded with jazz legend Pharoah Saunders.

" This exposure has resulted in a recording contract with New York-based record label Vital Records who released their album Hard Times Never Kill in 2022 to critical acclaim (produced by Zimbabwean music luminary Bothwell Nyamondera and American producer David Aglow and released in February 2022).

“UK-based music agency Midnight Mango picked up on them and the result is a three-week long tour of the UK performing at several festival including the Petworth Festival and, of course, The Old Malthouse in Chidham which has a reputation for staging African dance music nights.

“For their UK shows Daniel is accompanied by his son Isaac on drums, together with Nelson ‘Mr Longman’ Mutanda on lead guitar and Malizane Mbewe on bass guitar.”

Mark added: “The Old Malthouse is the perfect venue to enjoy the infectious guitar-based music so synonymous with many of the great bands from Zimbabwe and I know the dance floor will be full.

"It’s an absolute pleasure to be in at the start of what I’m sure will be a very successful UK experience for this band.’’