Ayla Nereo: aylanereo.com

+ special guest Youssoupha Sidibe

Imagine is honored to produce an evening of soul-stirring magic as Ayla Nereo graces the majestic St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle for a special concert experience, produced by Imagine Music & Arts Festival. Surrounded by the cathedral’s soaring architecture and sacred acoustics, Ayla’s ethereal voice and poetic lyrics will echo through the heart, weaving together sound, spirit, and ceremony. This is more than a concert—it’s a reverent gathering of music and intention in one of the city’s most awe-inspiring spaces. Join us for a night of beauty, resonance, and transformation.

Produced in collaboration with Abbey Arts

"Ayla Nereo is a creature of the forests and rivers, a dancer between the timeless and modern, a musician and poet weaving forth a magical and emotional world of sonic beauty. Lyrical meditations and riddles of anguage dance into wondrous tapestries of song and story, from energetic electronic rhythms and disco ballads to celtic melodies and ethereal mantras. With an uncanny ability to crack open the heart, Ayla's songs are an ode to the beauty of being human, inviting us deeper into the exquisite and innately psychedelic dream of this moment."

Youssoupha Sidibe

Youssoupha Sidibe is a Senegalese West African Kora (African Harp) player. Throw out all your ideas of what a harpist is, Youssoupha breaks out of traditional Kora styles many hundreds of years old, to create a new style that has never been heard before, blending aspects of Reggae and western music.

Through many collaborations, and countless performances over the course of 25 years, Youssoupha has developed thousands of fans all over the world. He has performed and recorded with many exceptional musicians.

Grammy nominated for his collaboration with Matisyahu (Youth), he has released albums with the late Charles Neville (Tree of Life), Midnite (For All), Steve Kimock, and a duet with Michael Franti (What I be), and performed live with India Arie, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Michael Kang of String Cheese Incident, Chris Berry Trio, Shimshai, and many others.

Youssoupha has performed at some of the most famous festivals and venues in the world including :The Hammerstein Ballroom NYC, The Warfield Theatre SF CA, The African Festival of the Arts Chicago, Reggae Rising, Reggae on the River CA, Stanford University, Salmon Arm Roots and Blues British Columbia, to name a few.

@ St Mark's Cathedral, Seattle

6:30p doors, 7:30p show

All ages

Mostly seated event + floor space up front + standing/dance space in back

Bar w/ ID. Profits to local music & non-profits (thanks to the generosity of our local sponsors) - Elixir bar, local beer, wine, cider, etc.

More info:

https://imaginegathering.com/ayla-nereo-st-marks-cathedral-seattle/

Imagine Music & Arts Festival 2025September 4 – 7, 2025

Doe Bay Resort- Orcas Island, Wa

CATHEDRALS CONCERTS SERIES

PRESENTED BY ABBEY ARTS, SEATTLE

Nonprofit music, arts & community, since 2005

(Celebrating 20 years this November!)

Seattle - Fremont Abbey, Ballard Homestead, Woodlawn Hall Green Lake, Washington Hall Central District, South Park Hall, St Mark's Cathedral Capitol Hill, Palindrome Pt Townsend, PNW

An open floor concert experience, quiet picnics welcome, no outside alcohol allowed. Seating available including chairs, benches, and some floor space around the stage area.

We recommend bringing cushions and even blankets if you'd like. Audience can sit or lay down anywhere around the stage as space allows (floor space is not reserved).

EVENT & VENUE INFO:

St Mark's is ADA Accessible. Wheelchair seating area is to the left of stage near the front.(Email boxoffice@fremontabbey.org with questions)
Service animals as defined by the ADA are allowed. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
We are an all ages venue. Kids 10 & under are free at most Abbey Arts events.
St. Mark's has a pay-to-park lot. More parking information is available here.

SEATING:

Open seating except reserved front rows chairs & benches.
To create a "giant living room" effect we offer an unusual concert experience with informal seating on the floor up front surrounding the stage and lots of pews, benches, and chairs around the space.
We highly recommend you bring blankets and cushions to create a more comfortable experience whether sitting on the floor or seats. Quiet and non-messy snacks/picnics are allowed. No outside alcohol please.
For best sound, arrive early for center floor area and any area on stage not marked with signage. You can also sit all around the back of the stage if you like but sound will be a bit limited there.

QUIET POLICY:

Please refrain from talking or texting during the show
Please silence all devices. Turn off vibrate, rings, etc. If you need your phone on vibrate for specific reasons, please keep it close to you and not on a hard surface that will distract your neighbor.
If arriving late, please be advised that ushers may hold doors during each song due to acoustics of the space.
Please refrain from talking during the show.
Please enter quietly if the show has already begun.

NO CAMERAS WITH MECHANICAL SHUTTERS (This goes for Press too unless approved to photograph during applause only.) That means silent digital cameras/photos are ok but we really recommend you enjoy most of the show through your own 'retina screens'.
You probably get the idea, this isn't a loud party venue. :-)
Anyone exhibiting loud or disruptive behavior during the event will be asked to leave.

**We are unable to provide a separate soundproof room for viewing this event. These shows are very very pin drop quiet so please consider that when deciding what ages are appropriate. No cry room available at this venue and even voices in the lobby will be heard in the concert space.

SOCIALS:

Use #seattlecathedrals and tag @abbeyarts on Instagram or Facebook, @fremontabbey on Twitter