Femi Kuti and his sizzling band The Positive Force are hitting Wylam Brewery in Newcastle this January. Thrills will ensue.

Femi Kuti is the oldest child of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and, indeed, he cut his teeth playing in Fela’s band, the feted Egypt 80. But back in 1986, Femi began to tread his own path and formed Positive Force, which established him as a stellar talent in his own right, so much so that he’s been nominated for a clutch of Grammys. His latest album was ‘Stop the Hate’, which came out in 2021, and it was a release that garnered him some of the best notices of his career. Featuring his trademark Afrobeat sound – honed over a storied career – it’s an album that thrums with his commitment to political and social activism (‘PaPaPa’, one of the album’s stand-outs, saw Femi earn his fifth Grammy nod). Renowned for his relentless energy and powerful, vibrant performances, Femi continues to captivate audiences around the world and it’s great that his latest tour is swinging by our way. GM

Femi Kuti & The Positive Force, Wednesday 29 January, Wylam Brewery, Newcastle, 7pm, £27, wylambrewery.co.uk