Sharon Shannon Big Band w/ Bob Geldof

A concert by the Sharon Shannon Big Band, led by Irish accordion player Sharon Shannon, with Bob Geldof, former frontman of the Boomtown Rats, at the O2 Ritz Manchester.

The Sharon Shannon Big Band is a larger ensemble format of the music of Sharon Shannon, an Irish accordion player whose work is rooted in Irish traditional music. The project takes its name from the leader, and this evening presents it alongside a guest billed in the title.

Bob Geldof is an Irish singer who fronted the Boomtown Rats, whose best-known song, "I Don't Like Mondays" (1979), reached audiences well beyond Ireland. Geldof also co-organised Band Aid and Live Aid in 1984 and 1985, charity projects that raised money for famine relief in Ethiopia. The bill therefore combines Irish traditional music with the pop and rock background of one of its most prominent figures.

The O2 Ritz Manchester is a venue in the city that hosts concerts and shows. The evening suits listeners interested in Irish traditional music and in the Boomtown Rats'repertoire, bringing both strands together on one bill.