On the one hand the ironic ska band from the 1980s, and on the other, the dinosaurs of blues rock from the 1970s. A daring combination? Only at first glance. Because if you compare the experimental zeal of fun-loving, London-based Madness with the British rock group Manfred Mann's Earth Band, the parallels are astounding. South African Manfred Mann was one of the first to integrate Afro elements into rock music, while Madness draws on Jamaican roots with its typical offbeat style. Two innovative bands that have left their mark on pop and rock music and so belong together on the stage.

Zeno van Essel