Michael Franti presents Soulshine Festival

Michael Franti is one those musicians often described in spiritual terms. And no wonder; here is a musician whose politics, spirituality and personal belief system is constantly expressed through his music and performances. Anyone who’s been to a few of his gigs will know he often stands at the door giving giant bear hugs to people as they exit.

Now he’s offering to give you a spiritual hug by incorporating a yoga session into his concerts. The upcoming Soulshine Festival includes the option of arriving early to participate in a mass yoga session whilst Michael and some of his friends provide the music. This unique event is being brought to Sydney by Bluesfest touring and will be held in Sydney at the Enmore Theatre.

To get a taste of what the yoga class will be like, have a look at these fantastic images from the famous Red Rocks ampitheatre in Colorado, USA:

Soulshine is a first of it’s kind tour bringing together, bands, fans, DJ’s and yoga into one ridiculously awesome jam. By day, each show will begin with a mass acoustic music and yoga practice, featuring Michael Franti and friends playing live and a class led by some of todays most inspiring teachers. If you’ve never been on the mat before, not to worry, this class is for all levels, ages, shapes and sizes. If you don’t want to practice yoga, just come on out and enjoy the acoustic vibes. Soulshine will then roll into the night with one kick ass concert, featuring Michael Franti and Spearhead, SOJA, Brett Dennen, Trevor Hall, Sonna Rele, and two amazing DJ’s for an unforgettable celebration of freaky, funky, fun!

There will be two ticket options available for the Melbourne and Sydney Soulshine shows: Yoga + Event tickets or Event only tickets. Please note that Yoga + Event tickets are strictly limited and participants will need to BYO yoga mat. For those who choose the Yoga + Event ticket option, the class is for all levels, ages and participants in the yoga component can also just enjoy the acoustic grooves provided by Michael Franti,his guitarist Jay Bowman and friends during the yoga jam session.

What: Soulshine Festival 

Where: Enmore Theatre

When: Sunday 5th of April 2015

Click Here to buy tickets (Concert only, $96.20 / With yoga session, $113.80)

Michael Franti & Spearhead have earned a reputation as one of the most electrically charged and ultimately unforgettable live acts in the business. Michael Franti has sold over 2.5million singles of his hit song “Say Hey (I Love You)” and has charted his albums in Billboard’s Top 40 along with frequent appearances on David Letterman, Leno, Conan, Oprah, Ellen and CNN. Franti & Spearhead released the acclaimed album All People last year and have been touring ever since. Franti is recognized as a pioneering force in music as a vehicle for social activism. Not only is he a singer-songwriter-guitarist and philanthropist, he has also diligently created and supported numerous environmental, humanitarian and social causes. It all explains the evolution of sound on All People – colossal dance beats and dizzying electronic effects taking the fore, as well as lyrical sincerity that has always had Franti singing about what moves him most.

In time for the Australian Soulshine tour, SOJA has released their fifth studio album Amid the Noise and Hastefeaturing the single ‘I Believe’ co-written by and featuring Michael Franti and Nahko. Over the course of the past few years, the band has sold more than 200,000 albums, including their critically acclaimed 2012 album,Strength To Survive (ATO Records), which made an impassioned call for unity and change with universally relatable songs about faith, hope and love. Non-stop touring, headlining and selling out large theatres in more than 20 countries around the world, sharing stages with everyone from Dave Matthews Band to Damian ‘Jr Gong’ Marley, has helped generate over60 million YouTube views, 3 million Facebook fans, and an almost Grateful Dead-like international fan base that grows with each tour, with caravans of diehards following them from city to city. Most impressive of all,SOJA has accomplished all this on their own. We welcome back SOJA after their highly acclaimed Australian tour in 2013. “SOJA has emerged as a superstar act within the proliferating American reggae scene.” – BILLBOARD

Trevor Hall realized at a very young age that music was more than just a passion. As an eleven year old, playing harmonica beside his father in the cradle of the weeping willows of South Carolina, music quickly became his most intimate companion, guide and creative outlet. Trevor quickly broke through the music scene, with such early accomplishments in his career as having a song recorded on the Shrek the Third soundtrack, as well as joining a series of sold-out tours with artists such as Steel Pulse, The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, Matisyahu, Michael Franti and Colbie Callait.  Trevor’s self-titled debut album debuted on Billboard’s Heatseeker chart at #7 in 2009, he was named one of the Top 20 New Artists by Music Connection magazine, in 2010 MTV named him one of the twenty emerging artists for 2010, and in 2012 CBS used his hit “Brand New Day” for the promo of their CBS This Morning show. His most recent album, Everything, Everytime, Everywhere, reached 80th on the Billboard 200 chart. He has a new album due this year.