Kenyan musician Eddie Grey performs at Doadoa East African Performing Arts Market session at Diner’s Lounge on Friday night. Grey is one of the sought-after acts in Kenya and the region. Photo by EDGAR R BATTE
When the night falls in Kampala, people come out to have fun. Revellers that attended the four-day Doadoa East African Performing arts market got to enjoy some of the region’s acts in performances on each of the evenings at Diner’s Lounge in Bukoto.
Susan Kerunen carried Thursday evening with heart-warming delivery of her rich Africa sounds in her mother tongue – Alur, then Swahili and English to an eager crowd that spurred her on through dance, ululations and personal requests for favourite songs.
Kenyan musician Eddie Grey is joined on stage by Ugandan female singer Sunday Soul for a performance at the Doadoa East African Performing Arts Market, which roots for East African music collaboration. Fans at the session called out for Sunday Soul to perform. She was seated in the audience enjoying Grey’s stage delivery. Photo by EDGAR R. BATTE
Her vocal delivery was on the mark and so were her energy levels. Home-grown talent got to shine on Friday night too, with the agile and feisty Lily Kadima whose stage gyrations got music lovers on their twos to groove to her multi-genre offering.
Her performance was preceded by that of Kenya’s Eddie Grey, who, alongside his band members treated revellers to wonderful playing of their instruments.
Despite having only a sixth of his band, each of the musicians was awesome, proof of their experience since most of them have played for well over two decades. Doadoa’s director, Faisal Kiwewa, doubled as the evenings’ emcee, and seemed as fresh as any other arts fan, tickling revellers with some jokes too.
Ugandan multi-genre performer Lily Kadima sings her heart out before an audience at Diners Lounge, in Bukoto, during the Doadoa East African Performing Market. Kadima’s performance stood out thanks to her good vocal abilities, well-choreographed dance alongside her band as well as connection with the audience. Photo by EDGAR R. BATTE
Beth Achitsa, from Nairobi, Kenya was one of those who attended. Her employer, Ongea- an East African music summit, was one of the exhibitors at Doadoa and she manned their stall. She is production assistant with the summit which brought in artistes Nina Ogot and Prisca Ojwang.
Achitsa observes Doadoa’s growth as a linkage for the music industry in the region.
“I think the programmers did quite a good job. The acts represented reinforced the belief that if culture forms the basis of artistic creations, then irrespective of what language is used, people will enjoy. The opening night where the duo of Bernard and Alfred from Burundi and Orupaap Band from South Sudan show cased were outstanding,” she explained.
True to the ideals of the arts market, the performances at the sixth edition of Doadoa exposed East African artistes to an equally varied audience, of music lovers from the region who enjoyed artistry from multi-genres and styles.
rbatte@ug.nationmedia.com