Manchester Food and Drink Festival isnât just about food. With a whole host of really vibrant events all around the city, there are masterclasses, meetings, and, of course, live music to enjoy, particularly on Albert Square.
Right in the centre of town, the Square hosts two very special concerts on Thursday 4 October. Between 6 and 7pm, visitors have the chance to enjoy music by Stone Flowers, a group of 20 musicians performing songs in English, Lingala, Farsi, Kurdish, French, Arabic and Kikongo; with musical influences ranging from folk, jazz, classical, spoken word, and hip-hop.
They are survivors of torture from Freedom from Tortureâs North West treatment centre and this music project has been developed by Musicians without Borders to support Freedom from Tortureâs core counselling service.
Stone Flowers is Lis Murphy, Artistic Director & Founder of Musicians without Borders UK, said: âThe transformation of members of Stone Flowers has been really positive. Each individual has something really important to say and the music they have written to express this is incredibly powerful.â
Balkanite music night
There is more too, as the Stone Flowers concert will be followed by a vibrant celebration of world music called Balkanite. This event is a concoction of live Balkan Beats, Gypsy Soul, Middle Eastern surf and Nomad Ska with music from Gypsy Hill, the Organgrinder, Behar, and Satellite State Disko DJs, with all proceeds going to Musicians without Borders supporting war and torture survivors.
The aim is to raise money for Musicians Without Borders and the event starts at 7.30pm, costs £8 - £10: balkanite.eventbrite.co.uk
Musicians without Bordersâ uses music to reduce the stressful effects of war and to connect people across cultural, political and religious borders for peace and positive change. www.musicianswithoutborders.org.uk