A special music gig is being held in Birmingham in tribute to the late Muhammad Ali
A special gig paying tribute to the late Muhammad Ali will be held in Birmingham this weekend, to raise money for the Parkisons UK charity.
Organised by the Gabbidon Band – headed by former Steel Pulse musician Basil Gabbidon – the fundraising show is to take place at South & City College’s Digbeth campus on Saturday and will celebrate the life of Ali, who passed away earlier this year on June 3.
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was one of the world’s most widely recognised celebrities, for both his sporting prowess and his social activism. The athlete and civil rights icon was 74 when he died.
Muhammad Ali, a boxing legend and civil rights activist, died in June at the age of 74.
The Gabbidon Band will be performing at their tribute gig alongside headliners Smokin’ Ade Wakelin with Steve Gibbons and Steve Ajao, Ricky Cool and the In Crowd, Young Culture Collective and Beat Goes Bang.
Also performing are popular local musicians Soweto Kinch and Juice Aleem, with other acts including Devon Spice, Khaliq, Alvin Davies, Lekan and Yaz, with a host of artists celebrating the life of Ali with music from the 60s and 70s.
Muhammad Ali had made several visits to Birmingham over the decades, in the 80s and 90s. He visited the city and met with fans, bringing them hope, joy and support; even opening the Muhammad Ali Community Centre in Hockley in May 1983.
>> GALLERY: 15 moving photos of Muhammad Ali in Birmingham <<
Following his passing, a number of prayer services and vigils were held in the city, including a special gathering at Birmingham Central Mosque in June.
Muhammad Ali was offered a chair at the front to face the congregation when he visited the Birmingham Central Mosque in August 1983, but he refused a chose to join the faithful on the floor (Photograph: Adam Yosef)
Birmingham graffiti artist Mohammed Ali – aka Aerosol Arabic – is donating artwork to help fundraise for Parkinson’s UK (Photograph: Adam Yosef)
Birmingham graffiti artist and namesake Mohammed Ali MBE – better known as Aerosol Arabic – also paid tribute to the global icon in recent months, by creating stencils bearing Ali’s image coupled with his inspirational quotes and spray-painting them across prominent public spaces in the city.
According to organisers, the street artist has kindly offered to donate some limited edition signed prints of Muhammad Ali, for a raffle on the night of the fundraising show.
Muhammad Ali sharing a lighter moment with civil rights activist Malcolm X in the 1960s
Basil Gabbidon and The Gabbidon Band have organised a charity Muhammad Ali tribute event (Photograph: Adam Yosef)
Speaking about the event, co-ordinator Basil Gabbidon said:
“We’re proud to announce that so many talented artists are joining us for Saturday’s Muhammad Ali Tribute Gig at South and City College Birmingham, raising as much funds as possible for Parkinsons UK, the charity organisation that supports sufferers of this terrible disease.
“The tribute concert is to celebrate the life of Muhammad Ali. Parkinson’s disease, as we all know, plagued much of Muhammad Ali’s life and touches too many of our families and friends.”
A street art graffiti mural created in honour of civil rights activist and boxer Muhammad Ali, at City of Colours 2016 (Photograph: Olly MacNamee)
Muhammad Ali with Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali with his daughters
>> READ: Hundreds pay tribute to Muhammad Ali at Birmingham mosque <<
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The Muhammad Ali Tribute Gig takes place at the South & City College in Digbeth, Birmingham, on Saturday 22nd October, between 7pm – 12pm. Find out more here.
If you’re unable to attend but would like to make a donation, you can do so on the event’s JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/MAliTributeGig
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