We are into the rainy season and for event organizers, this is a risky time to hold an event but because events are announced months prior and with a lot of expenses going into a number of things, there is nothing to do about it.
Last Sunday was not any different. The day began with a steady downpour that guaranteed that the venue of the latest edition of Blankets and Wine – Lugogo Cricket Oval – would be wet and muddy. However, that did not stop party people from turning up in large numbers – with many showing up in gumboots.
Some smart Ugandans even capitalised on the opportunity by selling gumboots at the venue for those that didn’t bring their own. Inside the venue, it was a soggy ground but that was okay for the hundreds who graced the event.
Two stages were elected to give the revelers a more wholesome musical experience. Sponsored by Tusker Cider, the main stage featured live performances from a variety of artists and DJs, while the second stage, known as the Sound Lab was strictly dedicated to electronic, house and amapiano with acts like Melodic Inversions, Hola Jefe, Kamali and many more performing throughout the day and into the wee hours of labour day.
Many were seen involved in different activities throughout the day but performances kicked off slightly after 3pm on the main stage with the A Ka Dope Band and Tracy Melon, followed by Akeine, who started her set with a beautifully delivered cover of Beyonce’s Sweet Dreams.
Kenyan Sol Generation signee Bensoul performed some of his older hits like Thick Thighs, however, he threw in some new songs from his latest album Lion of Sudah, like Legalisation and Same Page to the delight of those who had their eyes on the stage.
Uganda’s new kid on the block Joshua Baraka, came next with songs like ‘Mama I Made It’, ‘Angel of Mine’, ‘Let Me Love’ among others before crowning it off with his hit ‘Nana’ that worked the crowd.
There were other performances from Rwanda’s Mike Kayihura, Melvyn DJ, DJ Lynda Ddane and DJ Alza before the main act South Africa’s Cassper Nyovest took the stage. He received the loudest noise as revelers cheered him on and sang along to his songs including his classic hit ‘Doc Shebeleza’ and ghetto.
Swangz Avenue’s Azawi was the final act of the evening, taking the stage at 11:36 pm and performing songs from her rich catalogue before bringing the event to an end.
Despite the mud, the event was a resounding success, with Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) stepping up to deliver exciting experiences with several brands – Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff Pineapple, Gilbeys Mixed Berries and Rockshore Tropical Beer.
Each of UBL’s experiential zones had dedicated cocktail bars with professional mixologists preparing a wide variety of drinks for the guests.
There were also games like foosball, a 360 camera and a silent disco that had attendees hooked.
The section was such a success that most who got into it didn’t bother watching the performances that were taking place on stage.
Simon Lapyem – UBL’s Innovations Project Manager – said, “We looked to leverage our strength in innovation to bring the consumers exciting experiences to match their lifestyles and the DNA of Blankets and Wine.”
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