Johnny Drille at the previous edition of Blankets & Wine at Lugogo Cricket Oval
The 30th edition of the quarterly music festival Blankets and Wine took place at the Lugogo Cricket Oval on Sunday.
A must-attend Uganda’s social calendar, the event that was first introduced to Ugandans in 2012 has gone through drastic changes over the years.
From artistes such as South Africa’s songstress Zahara, Mi Casa, Jidenna, and Mafikizolo, over the years, they have created memories on the stage.
Yet, there was a time when the Blankets and Wine stage did not even matter, the big deal then was the experience – the picnic feel, the blankets, and the wine.
Revellers at the 30th edition of Blankets and Wine last Sunday
Then, the shows curated many ethno artistes such as Jackie Akello, Qwela Band, Tamba, Joel Ssebunjo, and others. In fact, most of those shows happened during the day.
Yet, as the 30th edition rolled around, it was clear that the whole concept of sitting on blankets to sip wine is one that is either outdated for the people who show up for the festival or is clearly not known about.
And of course, as the festival has grown bigger, more sponsors have come on board; thus, each of these trying to curate their own experience outside the main experience leaves the whole show in a have and have not scenario at some point.
But it is still a place many want to be thanks to the energy, vibes, and attitude.
The 30th edition, like those before, brought a mix of performers from Uganda and other parts of the continent.
The performers have since become the festival’s biggest offering, and their announcement always trends on social media. For instance, Johnny Drille’s announcement became a social trend for at least two days.
But before some of the artistes on the posters show up, some things at Blankets and Wine are customary; for instance, it is hosted by Deadan and will somehow have a performance by the Aka Dope band.
The band has over the editions been a mixed bag, some of their performances have been outrightly forgettable while they have also had standouts.
Considering that they perform early in the day, they are always the act no one really sees.
Sunday’s performers such as Carsten Yesuanjagala, a breakout from a talent search, lawyer-cum-singer IzabelUg, and Agaba Banjo, are exciting talents that could easily take Ugandan audiences by storm.
Karole Kasita joins Vinka on stage at the 30th edition of Blankets & Wine
Yet visiting acts such as Blinky Bill and Muthoni Dramaqueen, also the founder of the original Blankets and Wine in Nairobi, were so different for the Ugandan audience that most people struggled to access their experimental sounds.
Vinka had her moments on stage, probably one of the strongest performances that came earlier than scheduled. She danced and had the audience eating out of her palms, thanks to the fact that most of them knew her music.
But as a performer, she too has improved, she does more than dance these days and seems to have a bit of voice control. Besides Muthoni, she may have had the biggest number of guests, from Karole Kasita to Elijah Kitaka, but her set was engaging.
Bigtrill, on the other hand,d was a memory lane with songs that celebrated his Baboon Forest days, such as Push Harder and Ssesetula.
Big Trill and Mun G perform at the 30th edition of Blankets and Wine last Sunday
But the man people were waiting for was Mavin’s Johnny Drille. Known for ballads and sweet melodies about losing love or waiting for love, he’s an artist who has a lot to offer, especially in an African industry that usually gets shamed for crafting lyrics that are only talking about a party.
The man kicked off his set with Wait For You, which many Ugandans could surprisingly sing along to. Others were sincere, and swore that they only knew a song and that it was what they were waiting for.
The beauty about low-key artistes such as Drille, most of the time they release songs that supersede them, so they are songs he performed, such as Hallelujah or Romeo and Juliet, that people knew but had not known were his.
Inviting an audience member for the performance of Hallelujah is something he loves doing, especially on songs like Start All Over, Older, and Hallelujah. All these songs feature female artists who rely on him when he travels.
But the Ugandan girl who went up on stage actually did an amazing job.
Of course, as expected, he closed the night with Believe Me and How Are You My Friend, and yes, he had Cricket Oval screaming How Are You My Friend, even people who did not move with friends.
The Crowd
A lot has changed with the Blankets and Wine audience. At the beginning, they were picnic-conscious, so they were casual, simple, and elegant.
Towards the end of the 2010s, the event was taken over by fashion forwardness; it seemed like people did not just pick a sundress and show up – they had started throwing a theme to the whole thing.
On Sunday, though, it was clear many went for a theme of gold, whether it was to reflect or embrace the Tusker Cider colors. It remains a puzzle, but most of them were easy and did not overdo the fashion thing.
As noted earlier, the blankets have since been dumped, as has the picnic dress code. Most people dressed the same way they would show up anywhere on a Saturday night.
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