Karawane

30/08/2024

ANNOUNCEMENT! (sound on 🔈)

28/08/2024

Wow! What a response already for this event, and the The Karawane Takeover at Findhorn Bay Festival! is looking like a busy one!

We've been working hard behind the scenes to make the whole day flow, from the drum circle in Grant Park with Carol Scorer to the super interesting chat with Mya Chemonges-Murzynowska and Angela Blackburn about music and identity, to the DJ set by Dj Grounchoo, food by La Bohème, the salsa workshop and music with DJ Metralleta, and that's before we even get to the takeover with amazing MCs, musicians and a serious dancefloor session!

We've also been working hard to figure out how the hell all these people are gonna move around Scotland, get picked up at airports, eat, have somewhere to sleep, maybe record some new music with us, and generally just have the absolute best time. Thank you to everyone who is helping with this- you know who you are ❤

We'll be announcing a bit of news this weekend about the lineup for this event, which also includes the Takeover parties in Dunfermline and Lochinver. We'll also be giving a bit more info on each of the artists and sessions that make up this whole thing.

Less than a month away now, so get excited and also....grab a ticket! This is all grass-roots stuff, with artists and creatives coming together to try to just make cool stuff happen, and it's only possible with your support, and getting a ticket early is what really makes these things actually possible.

26.9 - The Karawane Takeover - Dunfermline!
27.9 - The Karawane Takeover- Lochinver!
28.9 - The Karawane Takeover at Findhorn Bay Festival!
29.9- We've got you covered too over in Findhorn, but more on that to come ;-)

21/08/2024

If you fine folks fancy going on a wee voyage of musical discovery, you could do a lot worse than investing some time in My Analog Journal on Youtube. We've discovered new music and new Djs on here, and it's a great place to just see what you can find.

MAJ and Friends explore rare grooves around the world on vinyl.

21/08/2024

Last minute bizness! Come along to the Victorian Market in Inverness this Friday eve from 4-8pm for a deep set from Mark, standing in for the HOUSEHOLD crew.

Grab a drink, some food, meet with a pal, or make a new one :-)

See you there!

20/08/2024

FINDHORN BAY FESTIVAL!

Big day incoming! Tickets flying now and we'd love to see Forres Town Hall absolutely bouncing on 28 Sep!

Don't miss the panel discussion with
And
Of where we delve into the message in music, and what might get lost as it crosses linguistic and cultural borders, if such things exist. What is our responsibility as an audience to uncover and listen to this message?

Tickets via Findhorn Bay Festival NOW!

https://findhornbayfestival.com/whats-on/2024/karawane-takeover/

20/08/2024

ONE NIGHT ONLY in LOCHINVER!

Pre paty with (France) at

Doors open in the hall at 8pm for a fun and relaxed beginner's salsa session with (Colombia) who will also be starting out the night with some afro-latin sounds on the decks.

Hosted by the Karawane DJs, expect deep dancefloor music from around the world, from Medellin to Marakesh and all the afro-latin carribbean brassy bits in the middle.

Joining us on the mic is (Colombia) of the group Malecon- an incredible and accomplished MC, grounded in the rhythmic sounds of salsa choke.

Also on the mic is Scotland's own (Butterscotch!) With bars over uptempo beats, and infectious energy!

On brass, (Patrice Komlanz!) From France on trombone / Trumpet alongside you on the dancefloor. Keeping pace will be djembe rythms from the Karawane drums.

A unique night that comes this way but once. DON'T MISS IT!

Tickets via buytickets.at/karawane on sale NOW and very limited!

20/08/2024

BIG ONE! TICKETS UP SHORTLY!

Dunfermline get ready for something different with a one-off night of dancefloor world music to make you move!

The Karawane DJs – Mark Thomson & Ali Aitken are based in the Highlands but known internationally for their back-to-back 4-deck journey sets through wild dancefloor salsa, afrobeat, cumbia and joyful music from around the world.

Joining them for The Karawane Takeover are several artists who will raise the level to a fever pitch and give you an unforgettable experience. Scotland’s own MC Butterscotch will be laying down bars over uptempo Latin and Caribbean beats and the incredible Laruka from Colombia, a celebrated MC, who is grounded in Salsa Choke and the marimba-soaked sounds of the Pacific Coast.

Also from Colombia is DJ Metralleta, who will be fusing in the salsa and cumbia from the heart to get the party started.
**Come along EARLY for a fun and super relaxed taster session of salsa dancing for beginners, starting at 830pm sharp. No partner is needed, and it's FREE for event ticket holders!**

You will also see Metralleta in the crowd, leading impromptu dances and injecting the dancefloor with the purest of energy! From France, we welcome multi-instrumentalist and all-round party-starter, Patrice Komlanz on trumpet and percussion as well as our hugely talented Karawane drummers.

Expect BIG visuals, UNEXPECTED musical twists, HUGE energy and a WELCOMING atmosphere for ALL. Dress for a carnival, dress to dance or dress however you want. Tonight is all about the music! Do not miss this!

17/08/2024

YES NEWCASTLE! Coming your way in January! Stoked to play at The Cluny at last ❤

🚨ON SALE NOW!🚨

The Karawane Takeover is bringing that carnival feel to The Cluny on the 31st of January with one incredible night of dancefloor music from around the world. Ticketholders are invited join us at 7pm for a free taster session of salsa dancing for those who are new, or new-ish to the dance! Salsera Angela Blackburn (Columbia) will help you learn some moves that you can use right away on the dancefloor! This will be fun, relaxed, and no partner is necessary.

Then at 8pm the takeover begins. A wild selection of afrobeat, salsa, cumbia and brassy world dancefloor sounds, from the Karawane DJs (Scotland) on a 4-deck back-to-back journey from Medellín to Marrakesh with salsa, samba, soukous, afrobeat, soca, merengue, gnawa, reggae, highlife, hip hop and much more! Joining them are drummers Jimmy, Nat and Kenny on djembe and conga alongside you on the dancefloor! Our very special guest is MCs Laruka (of the group Malecon, Colombia), who has recorded with Columbia luminaries like Nidia Gongora, and will turn up the heat! Joining Laruka on the mic is MC Butterscotch (Scotland), an accomplished multi-album MC and DJ who will be laying down bars throughout the evening.

Get your tickets: https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/karawane-the-cluny-tickets/13856543

16/08/2024

*West Coast Folks! Calling on you for a HUGE night at Lochinver Village Hall on Friday 27 Sep! Early birds are already SOLD OUT and we're now on first release.

Please buy a ticket and not wait until the night because (a) it's much cheaper (b) it makes the event actually happen! and (c) it might be sold out anyway...

Tickets HERE- buytickets.at/karawane

Jump on it! These folks are coming a loooonnnng way to bring you some late summer HEAT!

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*EAST COASTERS come along to see this at The Karawane Takeover at Findhorn Bay Festival! on 28th Sep!

Delilah's IGigs Highland Club Culture VisitScotland

10/08/2024

Bumping into Konrad Wizniewski in the Jazz Bar last night reminded us of this cracking track we produced with him during lockdown. Might need to dust that one off for tonight at !

Watch the live production by Ali Aitken Music here!:

Twitch is the world's leading video platform and community for gamers.

07/08/2024

Absolutely BUZZING to imagine next month with MC Laruka of Grupo Malecon from Colombia performing in LOCHINVER village hall and in FORRES town hall as part of Findhorn Bay Festival.

Add to that live brass from Patrice Komlanz, pre-party DJ sets from DJ Grounchooo, bars with MC Butterscotch, all the Karawane Drums, and salsa workshop + DJ set by Colombia's Metralleta....alongside our good selves of course ;-)

Don't say we're not trying our best to bring some heat to the Highlands!"

And please grab a ticket and support this crazy idea!

Lochinver- buytickets.at/karawane
Findhorn Festival- https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/findhornbayfestival/the-karawane-takeover/2024-09-28/19:30/t-lnrojmg

https://youtu.be/-q48Iz_k-Fw

MALECON nos presenta “TODO CON COCO” junto a NIDIA GONGORA. Currulao, Afrobeat y Electrónica, coctel con sabor a coco y folclor del Pacifico colombiano; aco...

31/07/2024

Only TWO Karawane Under Canvas sessions to go this summer....where has it all gone?!

Join us at on Saturday 3rd and 10th August for a good dance under the sheltering sky. It might even be sunny!

Full Karawane session from start to finish on both dates, with so much new music to share with you.

Come dance!

23/07/2024

Ok folks, this one is now ready to share with you! Findhorn Bay Festival takeover with MCs, DJs and dancers from Columbia and Scotland, panel discussions, drumming circles, brass from the crazy Frenchman and just general madness descending on Forres in September. COME! And soon, more details and info on each of the things we're up to around that time....lots of good stuff!

https://youtu.be/EXF42-jyHxg

Tickets and info here! 👉👉👉https://findhornbayfestival.com/whats-on/2024/karawane-takeover/

Findhorn Bay Arts Forres Loves Local Carol Scorer Tartan Scorsese Cultura en Vivo Barcelona Ali Aitken Music Kenneth Adam

11/07/2024

SATURDAY NIGHT! Mark and Ali both in effect and at the controls all night long.

10% chance of rain; 100% chance of a good dance, so if you like those odds, then come get down with us. Bold and brassy dancefloor world music, with consensual sax for all.

There are only a few of these sessions this summer, so if you said "next time" last time, then that means this time 😉. Last week was a belter by the way!

Tickets from Eden Court, vibes from Karawane and from your good selves.

"'mon doon" as the young folks say (so we're informed)
See you all there!



Eden Court Theatre and Cinema Ali Aitken Music What's on Inverness Support Inverness Music Scene Inverness Music EVENTS IN & AROUND INVERNESS

09/07/2024

Reggae time! Joining forces with Step It Up Sound System, we're heading to Falkirk for Jamaican Independence Day! Where else would it be, but at Brina’s Jamaican Kitchen, with amazing Jamaican street food all day!

We'll be spinning roots reggae, dub and ska during the day, and a broader set of music from decolonised lands (plenty to choose from!!), to round out the day.

We're there to support our pal Brina, because keeping small businesses alive is no easy thing, and we hope you can come up/down/along to celebrate with us.

If you toast the British Empire with a glass of sherry on Sundays, this probably ain't the event for you ;-)

04/07/2024

We cannot WAIT to perform with our pal Ibrina at the Burke n Hair and Mother's Ruin stages at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival! Brina is a huuuugely talented and accomplished artist and we are cooking up some special treats with her right now.

Do not miss Brina's solo set on the Grass Roots stage either!!

Oh, and we're going to do a wee special something with Brina in August too....more news on that to come.

Good things ahead!

Warmongerers By Name, official music video from the album Jamaica Sings Robert BurnsSong produced by: Kieran C Murray, Co- produced by Brina Video Directed ...

03/07/2024

Almost time to kickstart our sessions at Eden Court Theatre and Cinema!

Karawane Presents Hiba - At Under Canvas begins at 7pm, ending at 1030, and you can buy tickets on Eden Court's website. If you suddenly have a hankering to run down and have an unplanned groove-out to some Lebanese funk, you CAN rock up and get a ticket too (if there is space).

Hiba will be playing for about 2 hours, with Mark from Karawane on before and after. Expect a deep and incredibly varied set on this one and come along for a whole new experience in Inverness!

Of course, Saturday nights are ALWAYS about DANCING, but it's only Wednesday, so here's a chill downtempo set from Hiba on the world-renowned My Analogue journal channel, as they select some of their favorite records from the likes of Googoosh, Issam Hajali, Djur Djura, Abdel Halim Hafez, and many more. Sit back, relax, and sip on something sweet because you're about to be transported to a warm sunny evening in the Bled.

See you Under Canvas this Saturday for the dancefloor stuff as always under the stars, and don't miss it!

All music rights belong to their rightful owners. Please support the musicians and buy their music.------------Hiba is ...

03/07/2024

Our full activity at Belladrum Festival 2024 is all HERE. We have a bit to add for salsa workshops with the Cuban Passion dancers and also to tell you exactly where Claire and the body art team will be waiting for you each day, but this should help you plan your weekend!

We'd also highly recommend catching Nfamady Kouyate , Samba Sene & Diwan, and Ready Steady Go Go in madame Fifis Dance tent.

Kenneth Adam Conor O'Hara Ali Aitken Music Cuban Passion Inverness Mya Chemonges-Murzynowska Monkey Magic

28/06/2024

BOOM! Street party in Barcelona anyone?

27/06/2024

Well here it is!

24/06/2024

Amazing vibes at the Solstice party, alongside . We still felt super energised after playing a 5-hour set, so that tells you something. The best crowds, like the best people in general (!) GIVE energy. Avoid the drains, look for the fountains, and thank you OBI crowd for just flowing all night 💜

18/06/2024

As part of our commitment to customer service, our lines are now open.

Press 1 if you want to complain about a transition we messed up, whether by key, by BPM, or just plain wrong.

Press 2 if one or both of us looked outraged or bewildered at your song request.

Press 3 if we were overzealous with the smoke machine, and you used the cover for something you later regretted OR were injured OR both.

Press 4 if we slurred on the microphone

Press 5 if our deck-dancing and arm-waving/wrist-flicking was subpar

there are 5 buttons left....what options are we missing?

17/06/2024

Thanks to everyone who supported this fundraiser, whether by giving or sharing, allowing us to donate £551 to Medical Aid Palestine.

The money is part of £660,000 that was raised in this initiative, which goes towards the Gaza Emergency Response. In particular, it goes to the procurement of medical items and equipment to be sent through the Rafah crossing, and the distribution of hygiene kits and warm clothes in Gaza. Medical Aid Palestine continues to be one of the only NGOs on the ground in Gaza.

The money also supports projects in the West Bank and in Lebanon, which are integral for Palestinians, their health and their dignity.

Very much appreciated!

14/06/2024

Don't forget that we're back at this year, kicking off with Karawane Presents Hiba - At Under Canvas on 6th July!

Hiba is a Scotland-based, Lebanese DJ and selector who has played alongside world-renowned DJs like Habibi Funk, Dar Disku, and Cami Layé Okún.

Drawing from the diversity and dynamism of Arabic music, Hiba channels the transformatively healing nature of collective cultural spaces to celebrate Southwest Asian and North African cultures.

She holds radio residencies at the Glasgow-based community hub Radio Buena Vida, as well as Paris-based web radio Radio Flouka.

This is Hiba's first time in Inverness, and we hope you will all join us in giving her a huge Highland welcome. Hiba is bringing us a bag full of music from all over Southwest Asia and North Africa, specially cut for the dancefloor and guaranteed to shake hips and move minds.

And of course, Karawane will be alongside with bold, brassy and deep ryhthmic sounds on the afro-latin and island sound tip.

Grab a ticket now and let's get the summer started!

☔ Well... things can only get better?

Less than three weeks to go! 🌞🤞

28/05/2024

OK!

So...we can't say much about the details of this right now, but in September we will be joined by some amazing artists from overseas and we're trying hastily to build a mini-tour with them.

We have a couple of big nights confirmed with these artists- you will hear about this all soon- but we have had a few changes, and would like to add more dates.

Between 18th September and 1st October we are looking for clubs, events, or spaces to play, and it will be a very special and unique affair. It can't be Inverness, Moray or Aberdeen, but the western Highlands, far north, central belt or England are all fair game.

If something comes to mind, shoot a message here or email us at [email protected]. We can tell you more by email.

Dates of interest for bigger club/party nights are:

-19,20, possibly 21st September
-26, possibly 27 September

Open to other maybe smaller event suggestions for the Sunday to Thursdays too.

And for the rest of yiz, all will be clear soon!

21/05/2024

Friday Night! We're joined by the indefatigable Kenny M Bongos* in the Taigh Tent at Knockengorroch Festival with Samedia Shebeen, and Anders Rigg.

We'll catch you in there if you're lucky enough to have a ticket!

*The "M" stands for a sweary word, which Samuel L Jackson is rather partial to.

21/05/2024

For our first Under Canvas night of 2024, we have invited a special guest DJ to bring us dancefloor sounds from the SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) region.

The music here is rich and diverse; each reflecting the unique cultures and histories of its people.

Imagine stepping onto the grass at Under Canvas, where a DJ seamlessly blends the hypnotic rhythms of all the hip-shaking grooves you never knew you needed.

Maybe some Egyptian Shaabi...the gritty, urban sound of Cairo, brimming with energetic beats and raw, powerful lyrics. Or some Rai from Algeria, a genre that mixes traditional Bedouin music with rock, reggae, and electronic influences. Turkish funk is always on the menu, or let the mijwiz ring out over Lebanese Dabke.

Maybe we'll be transported to Morocco, through the trance-inducing Gnawa music, a spiritual genre that combines African, Berber, and Arabic sounds. Or shall we pick up the pace with Khaliji's distinctive drum patterns and danceable grooves, with a touch of the Gulf's cultural flair.

There's a whole wide world of music waiting for you this summer, Inverness! Announcement coming real soon!

16/05/2024

Dates for your diaries! Karawane Saturday sessions at with Eden Court Theatre and Cinema

This year is one continuous set from 7pm-1030pm and you can book online or rock up and pay at the gate.

As with all music events in these very very difficult times for venues and artists, we'd encourage folks to book in advance wherever possible via:

https://eden-court.co.uk/event/karawane-and-friends

More deets coming on guests very soon!

16/05/2024

Already underway- running, paddling, walking or skateboarding 150km in 30 days for Medical Aid Palestine.

This is the length of the route walked by hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the Nakba of 1948 from the refugee camps of Southern Lebanon to Gaza. Please do take some time to learn more about this if you haven't already.

Trying to raise £500 and would really appreciate your support to do so. Link is in bio!