Our final event of the summer at Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, with postmodern blues artist L.A. Salami and singer/producer Wassailer.
This event will be operating with reduced capacity, and a host of measures to ensure that social distancing is observed and government guidelines are followed. For our full COVID-19 safety precautions, please click here.
L.A. SALAMI
L.A. Salami (Lookman Adekunle Salami) is a singer/songwriter from London, England known for crafting magnetic blues-rock songs with a postmodern twist. Salami was fostered when he was two months old and grew up between his birth mother in Peckham, South London and his foster family in Broadstairs on the English coast. Much of his teens and early twenties were spent on the move, rarely settling in one place for more than few months at a time. It was this lifestyle that provided him with a unique insight about life in the city, something that he would later use to fuel his songwriting, both lyrically and conceptually.
His love for music began when he first heard Bob Dylan on the radio, subsequently leading him to explore more blues and folk music and inspiring him to write his own songs; unfortunately, however, he could not afford his own instrument and wasn't introduced to one until he was given a guitar for his 21st birthday. After three months of soul-searching, tapping into different creative avenues, and sleeping rough, Salami eventually had his first few songs written and set out to land some gigs. Success soon came knocking after relentless gigging, starting with a tour support slot for Lianne La Havas in 2012.
His performances were met with a resoundingly positive response, ultimately landing him a spot on the roster of independent London label Camouflage Recordings, which put out his first official release, the Another Shade of Blue EP, in 2013. The record was a success and Salami was commended for his unwavering ability to tell stories through his songs, as well as his skill for evoking a plethora of emotions through a grandiose sound with just his voice and an acoustic guitar. Further praise for his live performances eventually caught the attention of Burberry Fashion, who approached the young performer about playing an opening set at the 2014 Burberry Menswear Summer Collection in Hyde Park. That performance earned him further coverage and an ever-burgeoning fan base; Salami was also lauded by Zane Lowe, who described the young artist as a future star of BBC Radio One. He went on to release his second effort, the Prelude EP, in 2014, and spent the following year recording his debut full-length effort, Dancing with Bad Grammar, with prestigious producer Matt Ingram (Paloma Faith, Tom Odell) at the renowned Urchin Studios in London. The album was led by the single "The City Nowadays," and was released in the summer of 2016.
Lookman Adekunle Salami’s third album opens with the title track, an ambitious 10- minute rollercoaster of a song that peaks and dips and swerves and takes the listener’s breath away. It’s the foundation stone on which The Cause of Doubt & A Reason to Have Faith is built, a song that marks a renaissance in Lookman’s own life after a period of personal turbulence and, as is often the case with L.A. Salami, it asks big questions about where we are in the world right now, posed with philosophical wonder, with candor, with humour and with plenty of humanity.
WASSAILER
Deriving from wassail (/ˈwɒsəl/, /-eɪl/;) this namesake accurately encapsulates the soul of Wassailer’s urban folk debut. Journeying from melodic slow jazzy jams to upbeat dancefloor fillers, this album will have you invested in the hunt towards the understanding of human beings' contradictions, lack of empathy and social paradoxes. Arriving in East London in 2011, Will, the artist behind Wassailer, spent his first years in the UK touring extensively with his former band - (We Were) Evergreen. Headlining in the UK, Europe, the Far East and North America, as well as supporting acts such as Michael Kiwanuka, Anna Calvi, Metronomy, Goldfrapp, Nick Mulvey, Villagers to name a few.
After immersing himself in UK culture for a decade, and now based in Lewisham, Wassailer joins the new generation of singer songwriters, influenced as much by South East London’s neo-jazz Afro hip-hop scene than soul, early dubstep or indie pop. Weaving his own style with boisterous yet thought-provoking and poetic lyrics, the songs land somewhere between raw James Blake demos and imaginary remixes of Nina Simone.
About this Event
This event will be operating with reduced capacity, and a host of measures to ensure that social distancing is observed and government guidelines are followed. For our full COVID-19 safety precautions, please click here.
Since our first season in 2013, our event at Dalston Eastern Curve Garden has always inspired audiences in a unique and thrilling way. This season of events captures the essence of a weekend rural festival in the centre of Dalston on a Tuesday evening.
The phenomenal surrounds of the garden combine with delicious pizzas from David Latto, and a supreme and ever-evolving roster of acts, to create a magical atmosphere which brings people together in a friendly and welcoming space.
It's a community of music-lovers joined to celebrate the warm months in a carefree and supportive atmosphere, with a compelling live soundtrack.
TICKETS
Limited seats are available in the auditorium, with a separation of at least 1m between each chair.
Tables can also be booked as a single block for groups which are cohabiting or in a 'bubble' together.
COVID-19
A full document regarding Covid-19 safety measures can be found here.
PLEASE NOTE that this is an outdoor concert which will go ahead regardless of the weather. Please bring appropriate clothing, including waterproofs if rain is forecast.