By Andrea The Don.
Time Check: 10:00 pm and the Gates of MARIA FLO HOTEL are still dry. That was the scene that graced the OWAKABI Album Launch Tour that was brought to Masaka on 10th-Sept-2011 after successful shows at HOTEL AFRICANA, COLLINE HOTEL and ENTEBBE RESORT BEACH.
On entering inside the Venue, around only 100 people are still settling in. Taking a look at the stage, Lighting and Sound are all of poor quality as compared to the prestige Chameleon carries on the African Continent. But i guess this happened because, he once refused to perform at LUKAYA claiming BAD SOUND.
Time Check: 10:26pm. SOLID BAND invades the stage courtesy of DANDALOO despite the small crowd. They lit up the stage with explicit Reggae Performances before the Traditional Dancers {DRUM BEAT} also took the stage followed by Big Paco, Original Designer etc.
Time Check: 11:44pm. Artistes who appeared on the Poster start to appear on Stage. Stella Kayaga took the stage and lifted the crowd a bit.
Time Check: 11:54am. Crowd is bigger than at the start of the Show and Doreen Mutiibwa takes the crowd like crazy with her Hits esp. Abakazi Tulinga Sente sent the Females wild. Truth be told, i ranked her as the best Performer on the Night.
Time Check: 12:13am. Kabuye Semboga stepped on the stage but the crowd never welcomed him because all his songs were so old and some people couldn’t recognise them.
Kingdom Crew from Masaka followed with a performance of only one song paving way for LEONE ISLAND CREW. New boys from Leone Island came on stage and Skeleton also showed off his Swahili Lyrical ability. As he performed, people kept on screaming for AK-47 of the Champion fame.
Time Check: 1:01am. AK-47 storms the stage with his verse of Bayuda remix. He then mixed in a song which people never knew before he dropped CHAMPION sending the crowd crazy. But my observation was that he did a song that’s bigger than him. He failed to perform to expectation just like how KENZO failed to perform STAMINA at the same Venue during his Launch.
Time Check: 1:08am. The Long awaited Dr. Jose Chameleon storms the stage sending the crowd to heights. But the way he was dressed was so embarrassing compared to the way he dressed at HOTEL AFRICANA. A black Jean, a checked shirt, a Leather Jacket and a pair of NIKE Kicks.
He kicked off with Technology, Ekinuma, Efugabbi. He showed Passion, skill, Energy and the Know-How of lifting the crowd. Guess it comes with the Experience he has in the field. But during the performance, Speakers kept on giving us feedback which forced him to unplug all the stage monitors.
As he sang Nekolera Maali, he got personal and attacked his young brother Weasle saying he raised him only to forget him. He performed most of the songs in his career eg, Dorotia, Kola zizo, Tingisha, Katupakase, songs with Papa Cidy, Tunavumilia, Bomboclat which would have been nice if Weasel was there but AK-47 took on Weasel’s Part.
And finally he drops OWAKABI that even shook the stage but the Turn Up was really low as compared to the size of the name: DR. JOSE CHAMELEON.
Time Check: 1:52am. He steps off the stage with a 45 Min Performance and credit also goes to SOLID BAND that played the Instruments live.
After Party was in AMBIENCE DISCOTEQUE.
The Reckless Family 4 ever...