The rise of live music

By Mildred Apenyo

On Uganda’s music scene today, live bands are in aggressive competition for space and loyalty with solo stars. For a while, the two hit wonder kidandali peddler was winning.

One could become a superstar on the grounds of having one song playing in the club and a picture in a tabloid. Indie, folk and rock bands were practically nonexistent and the likes of Afrigo band were quiet.

This sad trend has started to go into reverse, which is why you are reading this right now. Our airwaves are still saturated with heavily  sexual nursery rhymes, but our nights, the bars and gardens of Kampala, are fi lled with jazzy and folk sounds coming out of Ugandan voice boxes, not speakers.

Lillian Mbabazi is now better known for her work with the Sundowners than for the stuff she did with Cindy and Chandiru. As far as popularising band music, Qwela needs to be recognised and lauded. They have consistently produced original music and were performing before attending band nights became cool. They are also a good training ground for stars.

Who of us can stand unmoved while listening to Anita Asiimwe or Mo’Roots? Give these ladies a few years and they will be up there in the stars.

It cannot be ignored that all these upcoming indie, folk and rock singers generally fall into the 20 to 25 age group. Most of them are juggling their first corporate jobs and/or school with their ambition and talent. What is it about this generation? Perhaps something was  slipped into the posho and beans this generation had to choke down in high school.

One big reason that we are taking notice of these people now is that they are available. We have a product we can be proud of as Ugandans, actual talent that we can brag about. I went to twitter and risked being written off as a Philistine by asking the question: Would you go for a Mo’Roots show over a Chameleone show? If yes,why? If no, also why? The first person to reply was a first year student called Raymond. He said: “Mo’ Roots is a definition of good music, vocals played out before you, not CDs of Chameleone.

When I asked how he defi nes good music and whether he only preferred her because she performs live, he said: “Music is not about whose song it is, to me, it is the ability to play with vocals to create a sweet sound.” Elain said: “Definitely Mo. She actually sings. Chameleone does some form of music which I would not call singing.”

This was made evident last week when Chameleone’s unplugged session was held at Club Silk. It was well-attended, as would be expected, but that did nothing to dent the crowds that went across town to the Serena, where Qwela Band held a grand concert to a house full of fans.

Meanwhile, as Bebe Cool fans went to Kiwatule to attend his grand East African Carnival concert, Tamba, former Qwela member, was playing at Blankets and Wine the same day. The crowd was big and everybody looked gorgeous.

Bands and indie folk singers are trending because they make an effort to engage their audience in more than just a big beat and wriggling booty.

They are winning this tug of war. If things keep going the way they are, band music is going to be embraced, not just by people who can currently afford sh50,000 to watch performances in swanky hotels like the Serena, but by the regular you and mes.