THE ZAWOSE QUEENS (Tanzania) + more tba // The Ferret is 20!

THE FERRET is 20!
2006-2026

"The Ferret is 20!" is a series of special events celebrating 20 years of The Ferret in Preston. Between May & August, we'll be presenting a series of shows featuring some of our favourite artists from around the world - as well as grassroots artists from the across the North West & around the UK.

AND, thanks to public funding by Arts Council England, this series of shows will all be FREE ENTRY &/or very low-cost. Our aim is to encourage more people to experience world-class live music in the intimate setting of The Ferret.

We'll be asking you to tell a friend, invite someone who has never been to The Ferret, invite someone who loves live music but hasn't been to a gig in yonks, maybe invite someone who doesn't even realise what's right on their doorstep.

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The Ferret is 20: We welcome back one of our favourite acts of 2025, the incredible Zawose Queens!

Soaring chizeze fiddle, buzzing illimba thumb piano, ngoma drums that chatter & thunder - a blend of the organic, harmonic & modern-day electronic...

THE ZAWOSE QUEENS
Tanzania // Real World Records

+ guests TBA
Local grassroots artists are encouraged to apply for support slots. See below.

Thurs 18th June 2026

7pm - 10:30pm

The Ferret, Preston

FIRST 50 TICKETS ARE COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE!
Then just £5 per ticket (while stocks last).

Claim your free tickets at theferret.live/tfi20

Capacity is limited, so grab a FREE TICKET now to guarantee entry. PLEASE only take as many tickets as you need - if you need to return any tickets, please let us know so other Ferret Friends can use them.

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

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>>> THE ZAWOSE QUEENS

The Zawose Queens are Leah and Pendo Zawose of the Tanzanian Wagogo people, whose joyous otherworldly vocals and polyphonic rhythms deftly blend the acoustic, electronic, traditional and modern.

There is spirit and fire in the music of The Zawose Queens. There's the vibrations of the ancestors, coming through on traditional instruments - soaring chizeze fiddle, buzzing illimba thumb piano, ngoma drums that chatter and thunder - and voices that go deep, high and out there. There's the connection to nature, to ceremony and ritual, in their dance-inspired fusion, their blend of the organic, harmonic and modern-day electronic. There are lyrics that tell, in their native kigogo, of the passion for music, the wonders of life. Of pride in environment, in tradition. In their East African roots.

Pendo and Leah Zawose showcase the fluid polyrhythms and rapturous polyphonic singing of the Gogo (aka Wagogo) people of the arid, hilly Dodoma region of central Tanzania. The most famous exponent of this musical tradition is the late, great Dr Hukwe Zawose (Pendo's father and Leah's grandfather).

Maisha, the debut album by The Zawose Queens (on Peter Gabriel's Real World Records), marks the first time that women from this famous musical family take their place as lead vocalists and performers. Emboldened by workshops in songwriting and music production with visiting UK-based producers Oli Barton-Wood (Jordan Rakei, Obongjayar, Nilufer Yanya) and Tom Excell (Nubiyan Twist, Onipa), The Zawose Queens began writing their first ever songs. The resulting collection of songs range from the stripped back and traditional-sounding to those treated with subtle electronic elements, with beats and drops and found sounds and switch-ups.

>>> PLUS GUESTS TBA

Local grassroots artists are encouraged to apply for support slots. Please listen to the acts on the bill and put yourselves forward for relevant shows only. Applications can be made via our Apply To Play form which you can find on The Ferret website.

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The Ferret is 20:

THE ZAWOSE QUEENS

+ guests TBA

Thurs 18th June 2026

7pm - 10:30pm

The Ferret, Preston

FIRST 50 TICKETS ARE COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE!
Then just £5 per ticket (while stocks last).

Claim your free tickets at theferret.live/tfi20

Capacity is limited, so grab a FREE TICKET now to guarantee entry. PLEASE only take as many tickets as you need - if you need to return any tickets, please let us know so other Ferret Friends can use them.

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

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All ages welcome (under 18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult).

Accessible ground-floor venue & facilities.

Dog-friendly venue.