Last night, March 2, was, for reggae music fans, a moment to savour. With expectations so high, the organisers of the Ali Campbell show - Talent Africa Group, had no room for mistakes. It had to be perfect, or at least near perfect. 

And indeed, from the time set-up pictures of the venue, Kololo Independence Grounds, were released at 3:00 p.m., the picture was getting clearer of how ready they were. The VIP and VVIP sections looked like what they ought to look like. 

Even though the room and atmosphere weren't entirely taken over by reggae music, in the build-up to the show, the music played by DJ Bugy was good enough to keep those who didn't mind what was played on their feet the whole time. The sound was good, for such a scary, vast outdoor venue. 

A semblance of reggae music would fill the growing crowd at 7:00 , when DJ Naselow took over the turntables. But he would also quickly switch to dancehall music, which got some avid reggae fans mumbling in disapproval. 

Not to waste any time for those who knew exactly what had brought them to the show, local acts quickly took to stage, with Elijah Kitaka raising the curtain for the rest. While his audience was somewhere else, not Kololo, he delivered a good performance. 

Kitaka would be followed by rapper Navio, who brought a touch of hip-hop to reggae and didn't sound out of place. The fusion was seamless. With his classics like Ngalo and Nawulira, he connected with the mature audience, who were the majority, quite well. 

It is now already dark, and one could help but marvel at the lighting well-curated by the organisers. The sound? Still good, until dancehall musician Vampino stepped on stage, then a glitch that would shortly get the production team running around, happened. 

Vampino absorbed the shock for everyone else who performed after him. Vinka and Bebe Cool found a revamped sound. Talking about Bebe Cool, he really was ready for a performance on an Ali Campbell stage. It was not just a gig for him. It was former UB40's frontman Ali Campbell's stage. 

From his outfit - raggedy pants with an oversized shirt, Bebe couldn't miss a chance to pull a showstopper. The song selection was also deliberate for him to fit in a reggae concert. He performed Love You Everyday, Born In Africa, all of which have a touch of reggae, if you listen intently. 

Bebe Cool performs at the UB40 concert

At 10:15, Ali Campbell and his band took over the stage. The crowd? Stunned. It was surreal, for those who seeing the band for the first time, and for those who last Campbell 16 years ago, when he last performed in Uganda with his former band - UB40. 

The Way You Do The Things You Do was their opener, and boy did it get the crowd, especially VVIP, up on their feet! Foreign Affairs State Minister Henry Okello Oryem could not help keep his hands in the air. He must have felt lighter in the moment. 

The sound? Even better. You could hear Campbell pronounce every lyric with absolute clarity. Meanwhile, the ordinary section, for the first time in so many concerts, kept calm and collected. A lot of them stayed seated, even when Cherry Oh Baby played.

A fan enjoys Ali Campbell's performance at Kololo on Saturday

The band would pay tribute to American fallen musician Prince's Purple Rain, an 80s song that got the older generation grooving to it. 

While many were impatiently waiting for Red Red Wine, a whole list of other hit songs by the band like 1 in 10, Stick by me, Please dont make me cry kept them preoccupied. When track 14 - Red Red Wine, finally was performed, even the crowd in ordinary section stood up. 

"Red red wine... goes to my head..." the crowd sang along in excitement, only to mumble through the rest of the lyrics. But Campbell was there to carry them through. The song doesn't call for sophisticated dance moves, so even the poorest of dancers at least shook a little. 

For many, their money's worth was achieved, after this song. I can't Help Falling in Love closed the performance, after an adrenaline-filled 1 hour and 20 minutes. "Thank you, Big love," Campbell thanked the crowd, to which they nodded in appreciation.