Radar: Shangaan Electro at Kazimier Gardens

We hope the Kazimier are reinforcing every single available surface in their ace outdoor Garden space for next month. Because, for one night, it’s set to be transformed into a colourful, globe-straddling dancefloor.

Shangaan Electro’s a dizzyingly brilliant, achingly joyous form of music from Soweto in South Africa. It’s a rather unique form of dance music: think sped up drums and joyous chats, topped off with melodies from cheap computer music presets - marimbas, xylophones and zip-zappy synths. Damon Albarn was such a fan he released a compilation via his own Honest Jon’s label, nudging the music even further into the spotlight.

Shangaan’s also characterised by its excellent dance moves: dancers peacock around in surreal, DIY carnival clothing, stamping and contorting themselves in a way that makes us knackered even thinking about it.

Forward-thinking electronic promoters Deep Hedonia bring the Shangaan Electro collective to the Garden this July - and not only will they be doing a set, they’ll be hosting a dance workshop beforehand to teach you how to look and move just as amazingly as them. Er, or at least try to. There’s also South African street food and a pretty top-notch supporting cast, including Afrobeat purveyors Auntie Flo. Recommended.

Shangaan Electro, Live Performance & Dance Workshop
(+ Auntie Flo, Thristian, Yola Fatoush, Bantam Lions)
Saturday 20th July
Kazimier Gardens, Seel Street, Liverpool
£10.50 advance, 4pm - late

Buy tickets: Main performance | Main performance + dance workshop