It was a night many have dreamt and longed for, however only few get to experience first-hand. On one hand changed into the demanding anticipation of contestants knowing that this one night can make or mar their adventure to stardom, on the alternative is the leisure of good fine tune in a secure area as you gaze on cars streaming by means of on a Friday night time in a town that by no means sleeps as Odunlade Adekola, Africa’s #1 meme king, join factors of the show, engaging the group with gifts and lively presentations of a masterful compere.
Anyone who has ever attended a concert in Nigeria is aware of that the two biggest headaches are safety and best of overall performance and sound. At the Golberg’s Ariya Repete 2018 semifinal concert held at National Stadium, Surulere on May 4th, one skilled a fashionable in tune live performance enterprise which, if copied and replicated, must become a template for a successful live performance.
There become precise police presence proper from the gate of the stadium and bouncers who handled tagging and other security info where all courteous but company. Even those who were in the “famous” side were secure enough to do throw a few shaku shaku dance steps that sincerely have PhDs from Harvard with reckless abandon.
Oh the tune. Everyone who got here had at the least moments wherein their domestic training departed their frame, as they gyrated to the renditions of each contestants and guest artistes. Adekunle Gold caused a sensation while he came to the venue with many inside the “famous” segment looking to take selfies with him. By the time he finished serenading with his hits like “Orente” and “Money”, the crowd were chanting for extra. Bonsue Fuji king, Dr Adewale Ayuba and his backup singers’ synchronized dance-steps introduced extra salt to his educative and entertaining performance and lots of us were unhappy when he turned into forced to prevent. Afro Juju maestro, Sir Shina Peters confirmed us showmanship that testifies to all he has learnt within the change seeing that he turned into thirteen, first whipping up nostalgia with his Nineteen Nineties hit songs, them engaging the audience in numerous antics together with his back up dancers. By the time Saheed Osupa changed into performing, the bones that ought to be uninterested in dancing had been given a surge of electricity by means of his skillful lyricism and gyrating beat, with many in the target audience singing along.
All these performances had been in between performances with the aid of the winner of closing 12 months Ariya Repete Music Competition (who were given a standing ovation) and the 32 semifinalists of the 2018 edition. The 12 drum contestants spiced up their presentation with numerous pleasing movements, which includes a girl drummer who become the usage of her head to beat the drums, although there have been technical hitches with the microphones now not being capable of choose some drums’ specific sound. The satisfactory of songs of the 20 musician semi-finalists became so excellent approximately half of them were given status ovations. The way each and every certainly one of them performed with the identical band showed the amount of exercise and effort that went into making their performances seem effortless. They allayed fears of many Fuji and juju song fans who had felt that the twin genres of Fuji and Juju tune had been loss of life, as many contestant made the process of the judges tough.
In the give up, 16 contestants certified for the grand finale scheduled for the Trans Amusement Park, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday May eleven and that promises to be a more thrilling enjoy. I do no longer assume many if you want to seat for long, specially with the array of artistes lined up for appearance, which include the dwelling legend, King Sunny Ade and classical fuji maestro, K1 de Ultimate. Anyone who misses it will surely remorse it.
P.S. Did I point out the way Goldberg flowed like river for all and sundry that attended? It become a sight to behold seeing tough-searching guys one will instinctively take as hoodlums and younger urban professionals enjoy a camaraderie of Goldberg in a secure secure surroundings. I stay up for see greater of that.
