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Corinne is wearing a black ruffled dress with colourful sparkles
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Mississippi Goddam: A Celebration of Nina Simone

Nu Civilisation Orchestra honours the life and music of Nina Simone with special guests including Corinne Bailey Rae, led by conductor Peter Edwards.

More details for Royal Festival Hall
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The line-up also features neo-jazz singer Ni Maxine, singer-songwriter China Moses, jazz and neo-soul singer Laura Mvula and electronic music producer and singer-songwriter Tony Njoku.

Coming to fame in the late 1950s, Nina Simone is now remembered the world over as a celebrated singer, songwriter, arranger and political activist.

‘Mississippi Goddam’ is Simone’s protest song about the murder of civil rights activist Medgar Evers and the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.

Join us to honour the life and music of this incredible artist.

Simone gave memorable performances at Montreux Jazz Festival in 1976 after she returned from exile in Liberia and latterly here at the Southbank Centre in 1999 as part of Nick Cave’s Meltdown, which was one of her final UK performances before her death in 2003.

Part of Montreux Jazz Festival’s residency here, which explores the question ‘What is jazz today?’, this is a true celebration of Simone’s work and the things that mattered to her, including Blackness, womanhood and the power of music.

Stepping into the shoes and power of Simone are Corinne Bailey Rae and Laura Mvula, two of the UK’s most talented and fearless voices, bringing their own lived experience to the stage.

Founded in 2008 by artistic director Gary Crosby OBE and led by musical director Peter Edwards, Nu Civilisation Orchestra has earned a reputation as a shape-shifting, cutting-edge ensemble.

The orchestra’s reputation has continued to grow, and this year saw them join Chaka Khan on stage at the Royal Festival Hall as part of her Meltdown festival.

Need to know

Age guidance
For ages 14+. Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.
Event information

An exclusive box package is available, which includes:
Hire of a private box (seats up to eight people).
One free drink per guest on arrival (prosecco, wine, beer or soft drink).
Dedicated host to take drinks orders throughout the event.

Laura wears a pink suit against a pink backdrop
Laura Mvula, image credit: Jem Rigby
View larger image 1 of 5. Laura wears a pink suit against a pink backdrop
Tony wears a black and white bandana his shadow is illuminated in the background
Tony Njoku, image credit: Steve Birch
View larger image 2 of 5. Tony wears a black and white bandana his shadow is illuminated in the background
Group of people holding musical instruments such as stringed and wind instruments standing in a dark concrete building
Nu Civilisation Orchestra
View larger image 3 of 5. Group of people holding musical instruments such as stringed and wind instruments standing in a dark concrete building
China is wearing red lipstick and is looing to her right
China Moses, image credit: Sylvain Norget
View larger image 4 of 5. China is wearing red lipstick and is looing to her right
Ni Maxine wears red lipstick and a gold earring
Ni Maxine
View larger image 5 of 5. Ni Maxine wears red lipstick and a gold earring

For your visit

This event is held at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre

The Royal Festival Hall is open six days a week.

Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.

A concrete building with flags on the roof, with the London Eye and Big Ben in the background View larger image
A lively crowd cheers with raised hands, while a performer in a white hat and suit plays guitar, against red lighting. View larger image
A guitarist performing on a dark stage at the Royal Festival Hall, lit up by multiple spotlights. View larger image
Pianis Víkingur Ólafsson is seated at a grand piano while playing Bach’s Goldberg Variations on the stage of Royal Festival Hall View larger image
Organist Carol Williams plays the Royal Festival Hall organ whiich is illumiated with bold colours View larger image

Plan your visit

The Royal Festival Hall is home to our largest auditorium as well as The Clore Ballroom, National Poetry Library, Members’ Lounge, Festival Bar & Kitchen, Ballroom Cafe and Skylon restaurant.

Getting here

Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.

The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues.  More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.

We’re cash-free

Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.

Access

We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.

All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access. 

All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.

Food & drink

On Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace. You can grab a coffee and a slice of freshly made cake from our Ballroom Cafe. Or alternatively enjoy destination dining in the restaurant at Skylon.

From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.

Other places to eat and drink whilst you’re here