Maxi Priest & Aswad in Manchester

Maxi Priest is a British reggae singer, born in London in 1961, whose music draws on lovers rock, reggae-pop and R&B. He is known for his cover of “Wild World,” the US chart-topper “Close to You,” and “Housecall,” recorded with Shabba Ranks; his key albums include Maxi Priest and Bonafide. In 1988, he performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium, singing as part of an international concert broadcast. Three decades later, he appeared as a special guest on UB40 featuring Ali, Astro & Mickey’s A Real Labour of Love tour.

Aswad are a British reggae band formed in west London in 1975. Their early records centred on roots reggae and dub, while later releases brought lovers rock and pop into their sound. They are best known for the chart-topping cover of “Don’t Turn Around,” as well as “Give a Little Love,” “Shine” and the albums New Chapter and Distant Thunder. The band recorded its 1983 performance at Notting Hill Carnival for the live album Live and Direct. Five years later, Aswad performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium.