This Babalonia Soundclash appearance sees the master go up against Afronova, a local collective mashing up Afro-inspired dancefloor sounds and vocals and combining them with live electronics.

Tony Allen began playing drums at the age of 18, while working as a radio technician. Within a year Allen was working professionally as a drummer and playing with bands such as The Heatwaves and The Western Toppers Highlife Band. In 1964 Allen met Fela Ransome Kuti and was impressed by Kuti's formidable skills on the saxophone.

They began playing American-style jazz together but soon shifted to the African feel of highlife jazz with the group, Koola Lobitos. In 1965 Koola Lobitos toured the west coast of America where Allen and Kuti were exposed to the sound of James Brown and the broad range of African-American music.

When they returned to Nigeria, Koola Lobitos became Fela and his Afrika '70, where Allen played a pivotal role in the development of afro beat, a heady blend of funk, jazz and African music. Allen's drum style married the tight rhythms of funk music and the deep polyrhythmic structures of African music. His drumming shaped the sound of Kuti's band and would indelibly change the development of African music.

In 1979, Tony Allen left Fela Kuti and began a solo recording career accompanied by Africa 70. Allen relocated to France in the '80s and began incorporating the afro beat with different strands of western music such as hip-hop, electronica, funk and jazz. Eager Hands and Restless Feet: The Best of Tony Allen, a compilation of the best of his solo work was released in 2002.

Tony Allen vs Afronova will be highly anticipated by all lovers of Fela Kuti's music and fans of African music. Don't miss it.  

DEAF

Time: 7pm
Admission is free

Bia Bar
30 Lower Stephen Street
Dublin 2.
Tel: + 353 (0) 1 4053563