General Levy with Joe Ariwa

General Levy plays the Auditorium at Exeter Phoenix on Saturday 14 November, with Joe Ariwa joining him and LZ7 on support. It's a GoToBeat night, and it's for 16s and over only.

If you've come across the name but aren't sure where he fits, General Levy is one of the most in-demand and distinctive MCs working, and he's been tearing up events for more than three decades. Born Paul Levy in 1971 at Central Middlesex Hospital in NW10, he grew up in Harlesden and Wembley surrounded by West Indian, European, Asian and African influences, in a community steeped in reggae and black culture. His older brother, Winston Irie, had a record collection that ran from ska and rocksteady to calypso, soul, hip hop and reggae, and that's where the foundation was laid.

Since then, he's worked with a long list of producers and artists: Sly & Robbie, Sting International, Shaggy, Steelie & Cleevie, Artful Dodger, Jetstar, Ajang, Joe Grind, Gussie P and Stingray. He remains a Lionheart artist. The night is promoted by GoToBeat, and the support comes from LZ7, so there's a full bill to get through.

The venue is the Auditorium at Exeter Phoenix on Gandy Street, a multi-artform space in the city centre. The auditorium itself holds 510 standing or 270 seated; it was built in 1909 for the university and later used as a military hospital, before reopening in 1999 after a major remodelling. Doors open at 7:30pm, and the music runs from 8:00pm to 11:00pm. Tickets are £23 for standing, subject to a £1.50 ticketing system charge.