Roots & Soul

Roots & Soul is a concert at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire in London, bringing together Aswad and Roots in a programme spanning R&B, soul, funk, gospel and reggae. The evening is built around the two acts' shared roots in these styles.

Aswad is a British reggae band formed in London in 1975. The group built a long career on roots reggae and later reached the UK charts with "Don't Turn Around", a single from 1988. Their music draws on Jamaican reggae traditions as played in the British capital, which gives the bill a clear link to the reggae strand of the programme.

Roots, the second act on the bill, is billed alongside Aswad under the show's title. The combined programme takes in R&B, soul, funk, gospel and reggae, so listeners who follow any of these styles will find common ground across the night. The concert is presented as a single event under the name Roots & Soul.

The venue, O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, stands on Shepherds Bush Green in west London and mainly hosts concerts, with a focus on pop, rock and indie music. The night will appeal most to audiences who enjoy soul-based and reggae-rooted live music, with the bands'catalogues forming the core of the evening.