THE MUSIC - MAVIS STAPLES TO PLAY AT O2

MAVIS STAPLES TO PLAY AT O2

Legendary soul and gospel singer Mavis Staples will be performing a rare show in the UK at the Indigo Music Club in London's O2 Arena.

The show will take place on July 17th and is a rare chance for fans of Staples to see her perform live.

Also on the bill are the Blind Boys of Alabama, who are celebrating their 68th year in the music business.

Staples will be performing tracks from her new album We'll Never Turn Back as well as songs linked to the US civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s which Staples was a part of.

Discussing her new album, Staples said: "With this record, I hope to get across the same feeling, the same spirit and the same message as we did then - and to hopefully continue to make positive changes.

"Things are better but we're not where we need to be and we'll never turn back."

Staples is an inspirational figure and has appeared on various stages with the likes of Martin Luther King Jr, Bill Cosby, John F Kennedy, Bill Clinton and Janis Joplin.

She has also recorded with Bob Dylan, who is said to be heavily influenced by her vocals.

The Indigo Music Club has a capacity of 2,350 and has a brand new sound system after a multi-million pound redevelopment of the O2's facilities.