The Politics of Music: Steel Pulse and Handsworth Revolution
Thursday 20 July, 7.00pm-9.00pm
Steel Pulse is a pioneering and award-winning reggae band that exploded onto the British music scene in the 1970s. Adopting the political messages of Jamaican roots reggae, Steel Pulse helped create a musical platform for British reggae bands to comment on the social conditions that people of African descent experienced in Britain.
Drawing on Jamaican artists such as Bob Marley, Bearning Spear, Heptom and the Abyssians, Steel Pulse were part of a movement of Black musicians that traced the lineage of their cultural roots back to Africa. Cultural heritage formed a key feature within their music and gave rise to the unique sound of British roots reggae bands that would use music as a tool for voice and consciousness raising and the repositioning of a cultural identity.
Find out how this band used music to embed the pan-African aspiration of unity from the roots movement in order to respond to the politics of social exclusion led by government institutions. Join us in conversation with Mykaell Riley, former Steel Pulse band member, Director of Black Music at Westminster University, researcher, producer, and longstanding singer/songwriter.
£7
More Listings MORE
Made in Ancient Egypt
From the gold mask of Tutankhamun to the bust of Nefertiti, ancient Egyptians produced objects that remain iconic…
Deep Azure
Deep Azure is the UK premiere of Chadwick Boseman’s lyrical stage drama, presented in the intimate, candlelit surroundings…
Scrap It, Revamp It: 100 Years of Black History Commemorations (1926–2026)
In the early twentieth century, Black communities in the United States marked the February birthdays of social reformer…
TINA – The Tina Turner Musical
TINA: The Tina Turner Musical, the West End mega-hit, embarks on its first ever UK & Ireland tour,…
The Authenticator
In a major new commission for 2026, the National Theatre presents The Authenticator, a gripping gothic thriller by…
Small Island
Journey from the sun-drenched shores of Jamaica to the cold, grey streets of post-war London in Small Island,…
State of the Nation: An Evening with Akala
State of the Nation: An Evening with Akala is a compelling talk and cultural conversation featuring Akala —…
State of the Nation: An Evening with Akala
State of the Nation: An Evening with Akala brings acclaimed poet, historian, author and artist Akala to Glasgow…