A PAM party at Hotel Africana
Dec 04, 2003
I thought we had become so weary of the abbreviation PAM (Pearl of Africa Music Awards) that any show tugged under that abbreviation would feel unemotional, gutless and perfunctionary
By Joseph Batte
I thought we had become so weary of the abbreviation PAM (Pearl of Africa Music Awards) that any show tugged under that abbreviation would feel unemotional, gutless and perfunctionary.
How wrong I was! A clever, baby-faced Simba radio presenter called Muvawala ensured all the black marks I have against ‘PAM this’ and ‘PAM that’ are rendered moot.
Last Friday, he lumped together all the PAM award winners, including those who walked away empty-handed, well knowing Ugandans have a mountainous reputation for lusting for entertainment.
Indeed, the get-together party brought out the onlookers in droves they virtually parked Hotel Africana’s poolside to the brims.
By 8.00pm, the venue that had been transformed into a sizeable sea of black faces. Fifteen minutes later, Kayibanda, the man who has made a name for himself by making a fool of himself and mimicking the wretched manner in which the Rwandans and Burundians speak Luganda, was and let loose on us.
He immediately went to work, peppering the crowd with his witty banter, coy lines and jokes. It was party time from then on.
First to pad on stage was an artist with thick, blunt dreadlocks and a stupid colourful name ‘No Creation.’ He set the wicked pace with a number of dance hits like Namukose. But because many had no idea who he was, as he blasted through his set and tried harder to work the crowd.
Fred Nkambwe stepped on stage with a pregnant dwarf and mouthed two wordy compositions Nabutono and Cool Cool Bar. Big mistake. The short lady almost stole the spotlight from him.
The hyperactive Willy Mukabya of the Kayanda fame was one of the few real acts. But while he sung about getting nabbed in a banana plantation eloping with somebody’s wife, his music and the humour therein almost got lost in the crush of instruments.
Actress/singer Mariam Ndagire (Trends band) and Omumbeja Nvannungi of CBS not only look striking, they have it all, at least a clutch of musically punchy, emotionally complex songs, like the monotonous ones that dominate airwaves nowadays.
Standing tall on pop music podium that night Mesach Semakula with his Rita, Tukwegomba bangi and Ragga Dee Kamukube empeta Emperor Orlando Nakonkona.
Although all the musicians proved they were intent on pleasing the partisan crowd, there was something rare and irresistible about Pastor George Okudi, his Wipolo and the dancing force that backed him.
This man of God climbed on the stage, like a bolt of electricity he instantly sent a shock of wave through the crowd. He ratcheted a frenzy that had the likes of Rubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi, Police commander, Katumba Wamala, Salim Saleh’s assistant Juma Seiko, not only whooping with pleasure and punching the air like teenagers but also showering him with bank notes.
The pastor, who flies to South Africa this Saturday, also used the occasion to raise funds to fly out his young dancers who have been invited to perform with him on stage during the awards ceremony.
However, although you are not going to hear much complaining about PAM get-together party, they were some good points as they were low ones.
One: although it was one big dancing, drinking and hollering night, only a juiced few could afford the drinks at Hotel Africana. A chicken wing, leg or small piece of goat meat cost an arm and a leg-a greedy sh5,000. A soda went for sh1000 while beers were priced at sh2,000.
Two: conspicuously missing was Jose Chameleone, the artist who almost scooped all the music awards.
Three: right after Kayibanda’s drab, weak-as-water Maria we, fans of Elly Wamala confronted disappointment. As they waited to see the evergreen artist provide some charisma and make a fine conclusion to the evening, somebody either at the hotel or UEB maliciously switched off the power.
Nevertheless, a swell night it was, especially for promoter Muvawala who smiled all the way to the bank, the next day.
I thought we had become so weary of the abbreviation PAM (Pearl of Africa Music Awards) that any show tugged under that abbreviation would feel unemotional, gutless and perfunctionary.
How wrong I was! A clever, baby-faced Simba radio presenter called Muvawala ensured all the black marks I have against ‘PAM this’ and ‘PAM that’ are rendered moot.
Last Friday, he lumped together all the PAM award winners, including those who walked away empty-handed, well knowing Ugandans have a mountainous reputation for lusting for entertainment.
Indeed, the get-together party brought out the onlookers in droves they virtually parked Hotel Africana’s poolside to the brims.
By 8.00pm, the venue that had been transformed into a sizeable sea of black faces. Fifteen minutes later, Kayibanda, the man who has made a name for himself by making a fool of himself and mimicking the wretched manner in which the Rwandans and Burundians speak Luganda, was and let loose on us.
He immediately went to work, peppering the crowd with his witty banter, coy lines and jokes. It was party time from then on.
First to pad on stage was an artist with thick, blunt dreadlocks and a stupid colourful name ‘No Creation.’ He set the wicked pace with a number of dance hits like Namukose. But because many had no idea who he was, as he blasted through his set and tried harder to work the crowd.
Fred Nkambwe stepped on stage with a pregnant dwarf and mouthed two wordy compositions Nabutono and Cool Cool Bar. Big mistake. The short lady almost stole the spotlight from him.
The hyperactive Willy Mukabya of the Kayanda fame was one of the few real acts. But while he sung about getting nabbed in a banana plantation eloping with somebody’s wife, his music and the humour therein almost got lost in the crush of instruments.
Actress/singer Mariam Ndagire (Trends band) and Omumbeja Nvannungi of CBS not only look striking, they have it all, at least a clutch of musically punchy, emotionally complex songs, like the monotonous ones that dominate airwaves nowadays.
Standing tall on pop music podium that night Mesach Semakula with his Rita, Tukwegomba bangi and Ragga Dee Kamukube empeta Emperor Orlando Nakonkona.
Although all the musicians proved they were intent on pleasing the partisan crowd, there was something rare and irresistible about Pastor George Okudi, his Wipolo and the dancing force that backed him.
This man of God climbed on the stage, like a bolt of electricity he instantly sent a shock of wave through the crowd. He ratcheted a frenzy that had the likes of Rubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi, Police commander, Katumba Wamala, Salim Saleh’s assistant Juma Seiko, not only whooping with pleasure and punching the air like teenagers but also showering him with bank notes.
The pastor, who flies to South Africa this Saturday, also used the occasion to raise funds to fly out his young dancers who have been invited to perform with him on stage during the awards ceremony.
However, although you are not going to hear much complaining about PAM get-together party, they were some good points as they were low ones.
One: although it was one big dancing, drinking and hollering night, only a juiced few could afford the drinks at Hotel Africana. A chicken wing, leg or small piece of goat meat cost an arm and a leg-a greedy sh5,000. A soda went for sh1000 while beers were priced at sh2,000.
Two: conspicuously missing was Jose Chameleone, the artist who almost scooped all the music awards.
Three: right after Kayibanda’s drab, weak-as-water Maria we, fans of Elly Wamala confronted disappointment. As they waited to see the evergreen artist provide some charisma and make a fine conclusion to the evening, somebody either at the hotel or UEB maliciously switched off the power.
Nevertheless, a swell night it was, especially for promoter Muvawala who smiled all the way to the bank, the next day.