I got invited by Union Bank to attend the Lagos Jazz Series at Muri
Okunola Park on the 27th of November and I say ‘invited’ because anybody
and everybody can attend, but I was honestly not planning on going.
Still, I jumped on the invite because well, it’s Union Bank; their name
is one I’ve recognized since childhood and they have being doing some
cool things recently. And hey, free entrance! In addition, the line-up
was promising; Yasiin Bey, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 and The Collective
were set to perform live.
This was my first time attending. I
was pleasantly surprised since I knew nothing about it and had gone off
on my own assumptions; Music + People = Crowds + Sweat = A Grumpy,
Anti-Social Me.
I was never good at math.
That was not the case. I walked into Muri Okunola and my eyes were
greeted by the spread of raffia mats and blankets covering the grassy
area. Friends, lovers and families were sprawled about with their bodies
propped up by arms in that manner recognized as relaxed. Shoes and
slippers were off and faces were turned to the stage in anticipation.
Those who weren’t quite set to watch performances right away, wandered
between the food and drink stands, guzzling down beers and chomping on
shawarmas. The breeze carried with it a sense of ease and I got caught
up in it. The stresses of the week vanished (temporarily) and I allowed
myself to enjoy the show...
The Collective made their appearance. Eyes softened when Funbi started
singing (as a certified creep, I pay attention to these kind of things;
the attention warranted to an attractive man who can sing the pants,
socks and hair clips off any girl)) and heads nodded with Poe on stage.
Temi Dollface came on and I was glad to find myself around her familiar
sound and stage presence. It was great to see familiar faces in the
mix!
Seun swaggered on next. His energy on stage was raw and fluid. Paired with the legendary Egypt 80, they were a crowd-pleaser. .
I’m not going to lie, I know more about Mos Def’s acting career than his
time in the music industry. Still, I was looking forward to seeing him
on stage. He made his entrance, sharing the space with Seun and the
crowd instantly moved closer. Ah, I knew this time would come. The Crowd
and The Sweat. But it was Mos Def! Yasiin Bey! Now, as semi-exciting as
it was to be that close to him on stage, I was a bit disappointed, even
though I am not a dedicated fan, I felt he didn’t give his best
performance and his true fans will be even more disappointed. . It was a
bit odd to be honest.
Thankfully, that didn’t throw the crowd
off one bit. Everyone was feeding off the energy from the stage. The
groove carried on! With the food, drinks and music, Lagos Jazz Series
was a great way for folks to spend their Friday evening with friends and
loved ones and I was glad I attended. Now I look forward to the next
invite from Union Bank.
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