Throughout March we’re celebrating the music scene in Croydon with a programme of events happening across the town centre, from Indian classical music to Drum & Bass!
All these events are supported with funding by our Gigs Grants scheme.
Subrang Arts present
Taalanjali: A Tribute to Tabla Maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain
Tuesday 11 March
Braithwaite Hall, Katharine Street, Croydon CR9 1ET
Croydon percussionists Saleel Tambe (Tabla), Prathap Ramachandra (Mridangam) together with their students lead a tribute concert showing how Ustad Zakir Hussain helped bridge the North-South divide in Indian Classical music. An electrifying musical exchange will unfurl on the stage, with introduction by London Mozart Players and Praveen Prathapan on Flute, celebrating Zakirji’s contribution in building cultural bridges between Indian Classical music and Western music.
Beats & Eats – Open Day
Friday 14 March, 10am – 4pm
Ourspace Croydon, 50 High Street, Croydon CR0 1YB
Young people aged 8 – 14 years old are invited to attend this free open day with workshops in music production and DJ Workshop sessions with Beats & Eats. Plus get a free hot dog for each young person booked to attend! Sessions should be booked in advance by emailing croydon@beatsandeats.org.
Drum & Babes: A celebration of Drum & Bass and Jungle
Saturday 15 March
Riff Raffs, 28 George Street, Croydon CR0 1PB
Riff Raffs bring together a day of workshops and a panel discussion addressing the balance of women and gender non-conforming people in the music industry. This free drop in event includes two workshops on vinyl, starting at 4.15pm, and digital, starting at 5.15pm, which is a chance to get hands on DJ experience, open to women and gender non-conforming people. The panel discussion starting at 6.30pm features MC Chickaboo, DJ Flight, Chinese Daughter and is hosted by Jolie P.
Free, drop in event
Rise Up, Ukraine!
Saturday 15 March, 5pm
The Salvation Army, 66 High Street, Thornton Heath CR7 8LF
An evening celebrating Croydon’s Ukrainian community featuring traditional and contemporary folk music. With performances from instrumental folk band Podolyane and Choir Chervona Kalyna.
FREE, minimum donation £1
No advance booking required
Beats & Eats – The RnB Drop
Thurs 20 March, 6pm – 11pm
Art & Craft, 45 Surrey Street, Croydon CR0 1RJ
Beats & Eats takeover Art & Craft on Surrey Street for The RnB Drop, with Shelbee Tee headlining – one of Raye’s backing singers. Plus, singers, DJ and Jerk Shack.
Synth Shed present
Mad Professor
Friday 21 March, 7pm – 11pm
The Front Room, 37 Saint George’s Walk, Croydon CR0 1YL
A live set from DJ Mad Professor, Simon Mos on modular synthesiser, electric music open mic and more. From dub to techno, an evening to explore the impact of early dub music and its lineage on modern electronic music production, development and technology.
Drum the Bass
Friday 21 March
The Oval Tavern, 131 Oval Road, Croydon CR0 6BR
Renowned musicians Marcus Cliffe, Lucinda Drayton, Tansay Omar and Shri and Dennis Rollins come together to develop new music and play a vast array of multi-genre compositions including Indian music, jazz and more.
Pengenista Drummers
Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 March
Arena Music Festival, Croydon Sports Arena, Albert Road SE25 4QL
Experience the dynamic sound of Pengenista Drummers. This Afro-Brazilian samba reggae band will unite drummers and musicians to create a thrilling fusion of hip hop and electronic synthesizers, bringing a fresh and energetic twist to traditional rhythms.
Musical Jam Session at The Golden Ark
Saturday 22 March, 6pm – 8pm
The Golden Ark Micropub, 186 Addington Road, South Croydon CR2 8LB
Join a musical jam session at the Golden Ark Micropub for all ages and abilities. The session will be conducted by Clive Simmonds on the piano and Marc Sigee on the Guitar. Bookings can be made by email info@thegoldenark.co.uk or call 020 8651 0700.
Croydon Pride presents
Amplify
Saturday 22 March, 7pm – 12am
The Slug and Lettuce, 10 Park Lane, Croydon CR0 1JA
An evening of live music and entertainment from Isaac Levi, Julia Zelg and Star MacKenzie, a rising superstar born and bred in Croydon and a well-known diva among the LGBTQIA+ community. As well as performing tracks from her own alternative R&B album, Star pays tribute to Tina Turner performing some of her iconic hits with an infusion of Star style!
Club Soda presents
The Next Big Thing Showcase
Monday 24 March, 7pm – 10pm
Stanley Arts, South Norwood Hill, London SE25 6AB
Club Soda’s inclusive live music event welcomes artists from their ‘Next Big Thing’ project to showcase new music. Supported by Youth Music and London Music fund, The Next Big Thing is a professional programme of support and mentoring for young musicians with learning disabilities aged 15 to 25, helping them access opportunities to develop as emerging artists. On the night they will be joined by Beat Express from Carousel (Brighton) and London Mozart Players for a special performance of Luminous Starchild’s Changing Seasons composition.
Tickets are £5 on the door, £2 for carers
Stanley Sessions
Friday 28 March, 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Stanley Arts, South Norwood Hill, London SE25 6AB
Stanley Arts presents an evening celebrating the rich diversity of Croydon’s music scene with performances from three local artists.
Drop da Biscuit
Sunday 30 March, 6pm – 11pm
The Dub Lounge, Boxpark Croydon, George Street, Croydon CR0 1LD
Get ready to Celebrate Mother’s Day jamming to the rhythms of Jamaica with some sweet reggae music and a wide selection of food and drink at The Dub Lounge at Boxpark Croydon. It will be a truly eclectic session featuring a quality line up of top vintage reggae vinyl DJs with the legendary Duke Neville, Sweet C, Mikey DDB and Soft Wax playing a traditional selection of ska, rocksteady and reggae on vinyl with Doc Murdoc on the mic. The Dub Lounge will provide an added treat with the DJs being joined by two classic award-winning musicians, bassist, composer and producer Shri Sriram and trombonist, composer and educator Dennis Rollins.
