Music Beyond Mainstream (MBM) is an initiative by some of the UK’s most ambitious music programming venues, including B:Music, to bring events beyond the mainstream norm to local audiences.

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, MBM has unveiled a bold and dynamic touring programme. Showcasing a rich spectrum of boundary-pushing artistry, the season features immersive electronic pioneer Max Cooper, the luminous Arooj Aftab performing with the London Contemporary Orchestra, the electrifying African Soul Rebels bringing together Amazones d’Afrique and Gasper Nali, and acclaimed singer-songwriter Ben Folds. Together, these artists promise a landmark year of innovative, genre-defying performances and unforgettable musical moments.

Founded in 2001, Music Beyond Mainstream (MBM) is the network of 11 of the UK’s leading concert halls, dedicated to showcasing diverse artists, voices, and experiences on stage. For 25 years, MBM has inspired audiences and provided local communities with access to world-class culture right on their doorsteps. Over the past two decades, the network has welcomed acclaimed artists including Anoushka Shankar, John Grant, Richard Hawley, Jerry Dammers, Tony Allen, and Paloma Faith, creating unforgettable performances that celebrate innovation, diversity, and excellence in music.

Join us at Town Hall & Symphony Hall as we GO BEYOND THE MAINSTREAM...

Max Cooper: Where Science and Sound Converge

In a constantly shifting electronic music landscape, Max Cooper stands out as an artist who consistently expands the boundaries of the genre. A composer, multi‑disciplinary artist, label founder and former scientist, Cooper has spent over 15 years merging the emotional intensity of electronic music with the analytical curiosity of his background in computational biology. His work is equal parts precise and poetic, cinematic and cerebral.

Cooper’s scientific roots remain central to his creative process. Before emerging as a leading figure in experimental electronic music, he earned a PhD studying complex systems, an approach that continues to shape his meticulous yet emotive sound. He was the first modern electronic artist to perform at the ancient Acropolis Theatre and an early innovator in treating Dolby Atmos as a fully immersive compositional medium.

Cooper explores projects that dissolve traditional boundaries, spanning algorithmic visuals, multi‑sensory installations, architecture and digital art. Collaborations with Zaha Hadid Architects, L‑Acoustics, 4DSOUND showcase his drive to explore how ideas feel when expressed through sound and space.

For Cooper, blending art and science isn’t a concept, it’s a lived practice. His work invites audiences into expansive, emotionally resonant worlds where technology and imagination intertwine.

MAX COOPER LIVE:
FEELING IS STRUCTURE
18 May | SH

Arooj Aftab: Rewriting the Edges of Global Music:

Arooj Aftab is a rare kind of quiet revolutionary, an artist who renders genre boundaries irrelevant simply by moving through them. A GRAMMY‑winning vocalist, composer and producer, she operates in a fluid sonic world where Sufi poetry, jazz minimalism and avant‑pop coexist in a shimmering, borderless blend. Her sound feels both ancient and ultramodern, intimate yet expansively global.

Aftab first came to international attention with Vulture Prince, a luminous meditation on loss whose standout track “Mohabbat” earned her a GRAMMY. But rather than follow the momentum with a predictable next step, she leaned further into experimentation. Love in Exile (2023), created with Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily, was praised as a spacious, improvised masterpiece. Her 2024 album Night Reign continued this evolution, earning GRAMMY nominations for its hypnotic blend of nocturnal mood and slow‑burn groove.

Born in Riyadh, raised in Lahore and now based in the U.S., Aftab carries a lived sense of in‑between spaces that shapes her emotionally rich, quietly intense delivery. Whether collaborating with Beck or composing for film and television, she gravitates toward artists who defy convention.

For listeners seeking something genuinely new, Aftab offers a world where boundaries dissolve and where every note glows with dark, effortless cool.

AROOJ AFTAB WITH LONDON CONTEMPORARY ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY ROBERT AMES
16 JUN | SH

African Soul Rebels

African Soul Rebels burst onto the UK touring scene with a mission to dismantle boundaries around African creativity. Now, the movement returns with renewed urgency, a reminder that African music has always been a source of innovation, resistance and unrestrained joy.

Leading this new chapter are the extraordinary Les Amazones d’Afrique, the Pan‑African feminist supergroup whose influence spans from the Glastonbury Pyramid Stage to President Obama’s playlist. Formed in Bamako in 2014 by Malian icons Mamani Keïta, Oumou Sangaré and Mariam Doumbia, the collective now includes voices from across the continent and diaspora. Their work bridges activism and artistry, confronting gender inequality and the silencing of women through music that is vibrant, melodic and defiantly modern.

Their latest album Musow Danse, produced by Jacknife Lee, pushes their sound further into futuristic terrain, blending Pan‑African styles with pop, electronic production and hip‑hop textures, a true celebration of sonic rebellion.

Joining them on the Town Hall stage is Malawian innovator Gasper Nali, whose homemade one‑string babatoni bass and rolling dance rhythms create a raw, infectious energy all his own.

Together, these artists embody the spirit of African Soul Rebels: reshaping heritage, challenging convention and carving bold new futures.

This isn’t just a concert, it’s the revival of a movement.

AFRICAN SOUL REBELS FT LES AMAZONES D’AFRIQUE, GASPER NALI + SUPPORT

08 Oct | TH

Ben Folds' Paper Airplane Request Tour

A unique concert format during which the audience is invited to write their favourite Folds song requests on paper, fold them into airplanes, and launch them toward the stage.

The concert includes two halves, separated by a short intermission. In the first half, Folds will perform a standard setlist. In the second half, he’ll perform songs requested via paper airplanes launched onto the stage.

Those attending are encouraged to bring their pre-made paper airplanes to the show, or they are welcome to use paper and pens made available at the merchandise table to make their own paper airplanes on site

BEN FOLDS' PAPER AIRPLANE REQUEST TOUR

24 NOV | SH