aziz ibrahim tour

Aziz Ibrahim

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Aziz Ibrahim: The ‘String Theory’ Tour

Showing on Wed 22 May 2024

Running time: 1 hours

Age Guidance: All Ages

Born from British/Pakistani routes, the eclectic fusion of cultures can be heard through the electric samples and felt through the live wall of worldly guitar sounds. Aziz Ibrahim's decorated career has seen him perform across Europe, (the first UK rock n roll artist to tour Libya & Syria) North/South American, India & Pakistan. Having replaced John Squire in seminal Manchester band 'The Stone Roses' Aziz has subsequently co-wrote & recorded on further classic records with Ian Brown including 'My Star', 'Corpses in Their Mouth', 'Golden gaze' & 'Solarized' which he incorporates with his unique and original style within his live set. Aziz was asked by Mick Hucknell (Simply Red) to join the band in 1988 for there highly regarded 'End of the world tour' which he duly agreed to and subsequently fulfilled, performing on smash hits 'Holding back the years' & 'Monies to tight to mention'. Collaborations with Paul Weller, Mani & Asia have cemented Aziz's status as one of the most sought after & uniquely talented underground musicians to be working within the industry

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Aziz Ibrahim

Former guitarist with Simply Red and The Stone Roses, and sometime collaborator with Ian Brown. Now a solo artist in his own right, Aziz has a unique more...

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Aziz Ibrahim Concert Setlists & Tour Dates

Aziz ibrahim at the strutt club, belper, england.

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Aziz Ibrahim at Feel Good Festival 2022

Aziz ibrahim at the soundhouse, leicester, england.

• Gettin High
• Longsight M13
• Corpses In Their Mouths
• Orchestra Song
• The Key Of Three

Aziz Ibrahim at Shiiine On Weekender 2019

Aziz ibrahim at b-fest 2018, aziz ibrahim at marillion weekend convention uk 2013, aziz ibrahim at le trianon, paris, france, aziz ibrahim at aylesbury market square, aylesbury, england, aziz ibrahim at tivoli, utrecht, netherlands.

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Aziz Ibrahim

Aziz ibrahim is a true legend in the manchester music scene, having played with artists such as simply red, paul weller and the stone roses..

Aziz has an impressive CV: in his early twenties he was doing a world tour as lead guitarist for Simply Red, and later on went on to briefly join The Stone Roses , replacing guitar hero John Squire - a task that earned him the respect of artists such as Noel Gallagher, who dubbed it "the hardest job in the world."

Since then, even though he has worked with major names such as Ian Brown and Paul Weller, Aziz has mostly shunned mainstream music, pursuing a very eclectic career that made him a well-respected name in the industry, keeping busy with several projects (including with Mike Joyce from The Smiths) and doing charity work.

Aziz has a long story playing outside rock'n'roll, from Reggae band to prog rock - with a heavy influence of Asian instruments from sitar to flute inspiring his style.

Aziz is a fan of Eastwood Guitars and owns an Airline Tuxedo , besides an Airline Jupiter Pro Dallas Green Signature (which is now discontinued.)

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Airline Jupiter Pro Dallas Green discontinued

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Aziz Ibrahim: Gullivers, Manchester – Live Review

A low-key return to the Northern Quarter, Aziz performs mostly solo and reminds us why we missed him and his musical excellence and brings a friend or two, writes MK Bennett

Aziz Ibrahim is a very nice man. He is also maybe the most laid-back and relaxed Mancunian since Tony Wilson decided his bands didn’t need contracts. Maybe this nature is what has given him longevity in the peculiarly insular music scene of the North and helped him enormously when by accident or design, he has toured, co-written and recorded with some of Greater Manchester’s least humble and most sensitive frontmen, none of whom are shy when offering an opinion, musical or otherwise.

He walks on stage, surrounded by guitars, and immediately starts a conversation with someone in the crowd, a friend or a stranger, it doesn’t seem to matter. It’s not a lack of professionalism though, more that he seems to want to include everybody.

This though, is not Mancunian Cabaret; something is being created, not just recreated. He brings on stage the wonderful Carrie Lawson from the band Tuareg, who puts the star power on stage for a song, one of her own, as it turns out Aziz is currently the token boy bass player in Tuareg, the instrument he started out on. Again, this egalitarian spirit, the insistence on taking the spotlight away from himself, even at his own solo gig, whilst commendable seems a little counterproductive. He plays more solo stuff from across his career, often taking musical diversions he can always reverse out of without crashing the car.

It’s like a short night in with people you haven’t seen since the Nineties, unable to remember why you left it so long, and a promise to see each other soon.

Aziz online – Website | Facebook | Twitter |

All words by MK Bennett, you can find his author’s archive here plus his Twitter and Instagram 

Photos by Simon Lee

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Aziz Ibrahim: Keeping the Faith After the Stone Roses

Writer based in London

Longsight M13. It's an area of Manchester immortalised by the Ian Brown song co-written by Aziz Ibrahim. It has taken us 15 minutes to drive here from Manchester's Piccadilly Station where Aziz collected me after the journey up from Euston.

After a quick tour by car up the Curry Mile, Aziz points out Moss Side and the International Nightclub where The Stone Roses played in the early days (it's now a Turkish market), and then, against expectations, he takes me to the inner sanctum. A sacred place. And I am touched and taken aback in equal measure.

'We're in the heart of Longsight on the Anson Estate,' he says, sitting down on the sofa in his mother's front room while she cooks us lunch. 'There's still a lot of crime here, but there's a lot of life and community interaction.'

He lives in the same neighbourhood in which he grew up, which keeps his feet on the ground and his mind afloat. It was once said by Paul Weller that the soul of a man can be found in the place he is from. 'Exactly, and it influences your output and productivity. I found that the best stuff I wrote, like My Star and Corpses In Their Mouths [with Ian Brown] was here and in the house next door,' he says.

'Where you're sat is where Mick Hucknall, Ian Brown and Marillion have sat. All different genres of music and musicians have come here. And my mum has cooked them a nice curry. It's just normal life, isn't it?'

As a one-time member of The Stone Roses, he has also written with and played for Simply Red, Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke from The Smiths, his friend Paul Weller and The Players, among many others. Aziz met Stone Roses' frontman Ian Brown through Robbie Maddix, the drummer who replaced Reni, and was drafted in when John Squire became unavailable.

'I never saw myself as a unique individual. It was better [to work] in collaboration. It was the old-fashioned chemistry.'

But everything about Aziz is unique, from his playing to his identity as a Mancunian British Muslim in love with world music. One side of his persona is at home in the spotlight, while the other dwells peacefully in the solitude of self enquiry.

'When I was growing up, you got ganged up on at school because of your skin colour, or because you didn't support the same team. I'm a red, not a blue. There was racism in abundance and to overcome it I had to rise above it, which meant being a man.'

But prejudice still plagues him. 'To this day it's still happening. I was on a European tour with Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, but when it came to getting a work permit for the US leg, I was refused. Someone at the consulate said it was probably because of my name. I eventually got it three months later, but this set a precedent. Bands will now be thinking twice about employing Muslim musicians because, if what happened to me becomes the norm, it will jeopardise tours.'

Aziz is in perpetual demand for his mastery of the guitar and the sarod . 'It's all about conditioning. I grew up listening to Indian music. The melodies are microtonal with quarter notes and eighth tones. If you're conditioned to hear only black and white notes, then anything in between is out of tune. But it's not. I was conditioned to hear them.

'And at that point, I understood music of the world and realised I wanted to research it. Being able to find something that has not been written about, then to conduct my own research, is my joy.'

His late father came to England in 1959 from Lahore (where my own father was born) and first settled in Moss Side. He worked for Reuters in Manchester earning £5 a week. 'Asians came here to earn money to send back home. The Pakistani philosophy was to earn enough money to give you security, but that wouldn't be achieved if you became a musician.

'But as a second generation Pakistani born here, I released I wasn't going to starve. I saw early on I could do anything I wanted. When I realised I had an ability, I knew it would be a waste not to use it.'

A blend of Pakistani and Mancunian influences is going to make for a very different blues; 'Asian blues', as Aziz calls it. 'I went to St Agnes primary school just over here,' he says, pointing across the road, 'and my tutor would play the acoustic guitar. I was mesmerised by this silver-stringed thing. There was nothing like it at home.'

At 12, he was probably the first Pakistani rockabilly. 'I played in secret, but when my parents found out they never stood in my way. I still get the guilt trip, but you are not your parents. You are you, and you have to find yourself.

'I'm an improviser. You have to be on this council estate. I can replicate sounds, like making a guitar sound like a sitar, and in doing so it becomes something new or unheard of. At that point you're pushing boundaries. I learned from British rock history, including the attitude and the statement, and I had to learn a style that I'd call my own.'

He describes his solo work as 'curry and lager'. That is, like the national dish, it's spicy but goes down well with a beer.

'I play instruments the same way I write lyrics: with honesty. I started writing about Longsight and why I was doing what I was doing and not running around with the gangs.'

Was he the moral compass of The Stone Roses? 'I wouldn't say that. I learned a lot from them about being honest with myself. If I've ever let myself down it's because I've compromised too much. Being in the Roses was a blessing. I've seen other big name bands bow down before them, and I realised it was because they were dirty sell-outs. But the Roses never were.'

An album co-written by Aziz, and which he rates as 'a classic', is Ian Brown's debut solo LP Unfinished Monkey Business (1998), collectable for its unadorned sound, the speed with which it came together and a lyrical honesty that served as a call to political arms, be your politics personal or of the party kind.

'I play the guitar because it's a symbol of rebellion,' says Aziz. 'This is a short life, so fill it with experience, and hopefully great experience.'

Inspired by history and music, Aziz is forever seeking a greater cognisance of the life he has chosen. Having toured throughout the Middle East, India and Asia for the British Council and held workshops on the philosophy of music, he is both musician and student.

'You've got to learn how to live first,' he says, looking out onto the street, a noble profile set against an unforgiving sky.

'Now is the most exciting time,' he says, looking back at me. 'I'm going to apply what I've nurtured. But I never chose music. It chose me.'

© Jason Holmes 2013 / [email protected] / @JasonAHolmes

For more information, visit: www.aziz.co.uk

Portrait of Aziz in Longsight by JAH

Photograph of The Stone Roses courtesy of GetReading.com

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Aziz Ibrahim at The Ferret, Preston

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Aziz Ibrahim

Aziz Ibrahim is best known as a guitarist with The Stone Roses and Ian Brown, co-writing songs such as "My Star", "Corpses in Their Mouths", "Longsight M13", "One Way Ticket to Paradise" and numerous other tracks from "Unfinished Monkey Business", "Golden Greats", "Solarized", and "The Greatest".

Aziz has also played with Simply Red, Paul Weller, Steven Wilson, Asia and Marillion's Steve Hogarth, Jah Wobble, Rebel MC, Errol Brown (Hot Chocolate), and reggae superstars Dennis Brown, Barrington Levi & Freddy McGregor.

His first solo release the "Middle Road" EP featured guest vocals and guitar from long-time collaborator Paul Weller. In addition to providing guitars on a number of Paul Weller releases, he also provided the vocals for Weller's spoken word song, "God" , on 2008 album, "22 Dreams" .

Aziz followed this creative collaboration with début album, "Lahore to Longsight" , which he describes as 'Asian Blues', and references his family’s journey from Pakistan’s second city to his birthplace in inner city Manchester, where he still lives. The album ‘Rusholme Rock with tabla master Dalbir Singh Rattan, all showcasing his unique blend of progressive rock and Asian Blues.

In addition, Aziz scored the music for free-style 3D shooter PlayStation game "Eliminator ", and has been involved in a number of Arts Council England and other socially engaged projects. He recently composed a South Asian symphony for the Manchester Camerata Orchestra selling out HOME’s Theatre 1, further demonstrating the value and versatility of his natural gifts.

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Moscow Metro Tour

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Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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Guided Walking Tour of the Moscow Metro

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You would like, admiring the frescoes in kurskaya and komsomolskaya metro stations, marvelling at the architecture of the moscow metro, listening to your guide's commentary, essential information *, duration 1 hour 50 minutes, starting time 2:00 pm.

Set off to discover the most breathtaking stops on Moscow’s beautiful metro system on this walking tour.

Some of the stops on the Moscow metro are real masterpieces. Head underground and admire the Moscow metro with your guide.

During your guided tour, you will get to admire the Ploshchad Revolyutsii , designed by the architect Dushkin. There are no fewer than 72 sculptures in this station!

You will then explore Kurskaya station, built in 1938. The design, mosaics and slogans will immerse you in the era of Stalin. You will also see the frescoes depicting Russian victories in Komsomolskaya station.

Then, continue to one of Moscow’s must-see metro stations, Novoslobodskaya , which resembles an underground palace: marble, stained glass windows...

Join your guide to explore the most lavish and important metro stops in Moscow! 

• Availability: every day (excluding exceptional dates)
• Duration: 1 hr. 50 mins approx.
• Departure point: The Kremlin
• Languages: English
• Please wear comfortable shoes
• Metro tickets are included for the metro stations visited during the activity 
• A valid student card will be requested from participants who have booked the reduced student tariff
• A minimum of 2 participants is required to book this activity

Price includes

• Metro tickets
• The services of an English-speaking tour guide
• The guided tour of the Moscow metro

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• Access to stations not included in the tour
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Microsoft will invest $2.2 billion in cloud and AI services in Malaysia

The CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella says the company will invest $2.2 billion (USD) over the next four years in new cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure in Malaysia. It marks Microsoft’s single largest investment in the country, as the tech giant seeks to bolster support for AI development in the region and worldwide.

In this photo provided by Malaysia Prime Minister Office, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, right, shakes hands with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at the prime minister’s office in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Albarra Azfar/Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia via AP)

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In this photo provided by Malaysia Prime Minister Office, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, right, meets with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at the prime minister’s office in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Albarra Azfar/Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia via AP)

In this photo provided by Malaysia Prime Minister Office, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, right, poses for a photo with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Albarra Azfar/Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia via AP)

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks during a conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Microsoft will invest $2.2 billion over the next four years in Malaysia’s new cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure as well as partnering with the government to establish a national AI center, Nadella said Thursday. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, speaks during a conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Microsoft will invest $2.2 billion over the next four years in Malaysia’s new cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure as well as partnering with the government to establish a national AI center, Nadella said Thursday. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Microsoft is investing $2.2 billion over the next four years in Malaysia’s new cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure as well as partnering with the government to establish a national AI center, its CEO Satya Nadella said Thursday.

It marks Microsoft’s single largest investment in Malaysia, as the tech giant seeks to bolster support for AI development in the region and worldwide.

“We are committed to supporting Malaysia’s AI transformation and ensure it benefits all Malaysians,” he said. “Our investments in digital infrastructure and skilling will help Malaysian businesses, communities and developers apply the latest technology to drive inclusive economic growth and innovation across the country.”

Nadella on Tuesday also announced a $1.7 billion investment in cloud and AI services in Indonesia during his visit there as part of his Southeast Asia tour. On Wednesday, he said Microsoft will build its first regional data center in Thailand.

In April, the tech giant similarly unveiled a $2.9 billion investment in Japan and $1.5 billion in G42 , an AI firm in Abu Dhabi.

Microsoft also pledged to provide AI training for 2.5 million people in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam by 2025.

Nadella earlier met Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who said the investment will be the key support pillar for the government’s goal to enhance AI capacity in Malaysia.

The new investment will include AI training for another 300,000 people, the establishment of a national AI center of excellence, enhancing the nation’s cybersecurity capabilities and supporting the growth of Malaysia’s developer community, Anwar said on Facebook.

Microsoft runs one of the world’s largest cloud computing operations and has taken a leap into artificial intelligence through its partnership with OpenAI, developers of ChatGPT.

Since then, Microsoft has integrated an AI assistant into its Microsoft Edge browser, named Copilot, helping lift its profits by 20% in the first quarter.

Microsoft sees Southeast Asia, with its population of over 600 million people, as a growing market and potential location for more AI product development. A study held by global consulting firm Kearney said AI could contribute nearly $1 trillion to Southeast Asia’s GDP by 2030. Indonesia is expected to capture $366 billion of the total and Malaysia $115 billion.

Microsoft said in a statement that the investment in Malaysia will build on its 2021 program to support inclusive economic growth. It said the proposed national AI center will drive AI adoption across key industries and public sector, while ensuring AI governance and regulatory compliance.

“Together with Microsoft, we look forward to creating more opportunities for our (small and medium-sized enterprises) and better paying jobs for our people as we ride the AI revolution to fast-track Malaysia’s digitally empowered growth journey,” Trade Minister Zafrul Aziz said in the statement.