The legendary Sudanese collective The Scorpios will grace ALICE with warm grooves and infectious euphoria in May! The Scorpios were a revered name in East Africa until they had to flee to London in the 1980s due to the fundamentalist takeover of Sudan. Since then, they’ve captured hearts wherever they go with their life-affirming and irresistibly danceable fusion of Sudanese funk, Arabic rhythms, and psychedelic afrobeat. Now, it’s finally ALICE’s turn, and we can’t wait.

The London-based collective The Scorpios blends Sudanese funk, soul, traditional Arabic rhythms, and psychedelic afrobeat. Characterized by heavy basslines, synthesizers, horns, and percussion, The Scorpios’ music reflects a delightful synthesis of various musical elements from around the world. Drawing from Detroit’s musical heritage as well as Khartoum’s noble traditions, they create a raw and euphoric sound that resonates with audiences from diverse backgrounds. The result is a barrier-breaking, life-affirming, and funky music that is hard not to dance to.

The Scorpios have a unique story. The collective originally hails from Sudan but fled to London in the 1980s amid the fundamentalist takeover of the country. Before that, several of the musicians had played traditional music at weddings and religious festivals across East Africa and in the Arab states for many years. The collective’s lead singer, Regia Ishag, comes from a renowned musical family, and her father was the guitarist in the Sudanese band from the 1970s with a very similar name, The Scorpions. In London, they met guitarist Adam Bulewski, and The Scorpios were born. Today, the collective also includes musicians from Ghana, Jamaica, Poland, Japan, and the UK, and in 2017, The Scorpios released their self-titled debut album via Afro 7.

Soon, The Scorpios will be releasing the album “Lemon Bara” (Melodic Momo Records, 2024), named after Bara in Sudan where lemons are said to be gigantic—and magical! The album marks the group’s first with their new outstanding guitarist, Yasir Taha. Get ready for a solid night of dancing when The Scorpios hit ALICE.

Said about The Scorpios
“A rich musical mix, that yokes traditional Sudanese instruments with flange guitar and brass is highly experimental. However, it has an incredible unity, as resonant vocals and offbeat Arabic drumming dovetail beautifully with familiar, funky basslines. The result never feels dissonant or fragmented but maintains the verve of virtuoso jazz improvisation. A true delight in innovation and musical expertise” – Womad

ALICE at Stairway
While the concert hall at Nørre Allé 7 is undergoing renovation, ALICE is located at the music venue Stairway in Vanløse throughout 2023.