Globally inspired tunes and dance-driven rhythms will combine with a powerful tribute to the strength of the human spirit at 5 p.m. Saturday in Market Square during Preservation Pub’s International Music Fest.
The free outdoor show acts as a homecoming of sorts for the event’s headliners, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. It was in Market Square nearly a decade ago that the ensemble performed for the first time in front of an American audience. Now, Preservation Pub owner Scott West, couldn’t be happier to welcome them back to town.
“This isn’t just a free show on Market Square,” West said. “This is a band with a story way bigger than the music.”
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars formed in 1999 when a group of rebels acting under operation “Kill Every Living Thing” took over Sierra Leone’s capital city of Freetown and forced a mass exodus. The band members met at the Sembakounya Refugee Camp after escaping to Guinea, where they used music as a means of keeping hope alive within the displaced community.
“They would play these rag-tag instruments and entertain the other refugees in the camp,” West said. “There were filmmakers at the camp recording the rebel war who saw the band playing and all the hope and joy and people dancing. That’s when they decided to follow the band members around and make the movie about them.”
Justin Powers, of Knoxville-based band Marina Orchestra, will also be taking the stage at the festival alongside The Theorizt. Powers said the documentary, “Refugee All Stars, Sierra Leone’s,” caused him to reevaluate his daily perspectives.
“You watch this documentary and think, ‘Man, I thought I had it bad just trying to pay the bills,'” Powers said. “They’re an inspiring band in general because their story is very tragic, but despite their horrific past they’ve been able to come together and make some very inspirational music. You see what these people have gone through and you think well, I could do anything, too.”
Fellow Marina Orchestra member Josh Duncan said he believes the festival is a valuable opportunity for Knoxvillians to gain exposure and empathy for the experiences of those across the globe.
“It’s a rare opportunity to see a band from a completely different mindset than everyone is used to hearing, and you can gain that sort of perspective for free,” Duncan said.
The festival’s outdoor component will conclude at 10 p.m. and festivities, including performances by Cutthroat Shamrock, Baby Baby and CrumbSnatchers will continue at Preservation Pub and Scruffy City Hall until 2 a.m.
