"MIJF and PBS 106.7FM are excited to present the return of Beasts of No Nation – a long-running annual event paying tribute to the legends of Afrobeat and Highlife. The 2023 edition features Melbourne’s own The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra alongside genuine musical icon and founding father of Highlife, Ghanaian guitarist Ebo Taylor.

A prolific guitarist, vocalist and composer whose career began in 1950s Ghana, 87-year-old Taylor shows no signs of stopping, having recorded and toured consistently for over 6 decades. In that time, he’s collaborated with Fela Kuti, influenced countless artists, and helped shape the Afrobeat sound as we know it today.

The seventeen-piece Public Opinion Afro Orchestra comprises some of Melbourne’s finest musicians and powerful MCs, whose West African grooves will bring contemporary African funk to the Max Watts dancefloor while always remaining faithful to the message of Afrobeat.

The Australian debut of a true living legend alongside Australia's finest is a one of the must-see events in the 2023 festival.

20:00 Doors
20:00 DJ Mike Gurrieri
21:00 Beasts of No Nation (Ebo Taylor and Public Opinion Afro Orchestra)