#DXD2015 : The Performance Report, From DJ Zontor, Kwamie Liv to Saint Evo The Myth
If you missed the DXD Gala Awards at the Village Market last weekend, they you only have yourself to blame. You missed one of the best curated exhibitions in Nairobi’s calendar of events.
We arrived at the Village Market Rooftop at around 5.30pm on Saturday to find DJ Zontor already on the decks warming up at the DJ booth that was lit with funky coloured bulbs.
DJ Zontor would spin funk and African oldies tracks with an added touch of electronic beats. His cutting-edge performance set the stage for Kwamie Liv, who was backed by the Baby Duka duo band.
Kwame Liv brought to the stage an air of mystery she has managed to cultivate around her over the years. Rocking a pair of black pants, black boots and a stylish black crop top, the enigmatic songstress was truly a sight to behold. She would go ahead to recall of how she first touched a guitar while in Nairobi and how Nairobi has influenced her music.
“Come on Kenya. I want everyone here. I am not performing if you guys do not come closer. Do not be shy!” Kwamie Liv urged the crowd.
Her voice was powerful and her confidence was evident in her performance. She would occasionally remove the mic from its stand and walk within the crowd, engaging avid fans with her songs. We could not keep up with her, she would often get lost in the centre of the crowd.
Her hazy R&B sound with some alternative electronic influence embodies her culture of a third culture kid: raised in Zambia and Kenya, but also having lived in Turkey, Sweden, South Africa, Ireland and Bangladesh.
With her quaint exit off the stage, Kwamie paved the way for local DJ and producer, Saint Evo The Myth. The set was reminiscent of heavy drumbeats of Africa: effervescent and at times explosive. The tracks he played mirrored his experiences as a deep and vibrant DJ of Afrobeats and House Music.
The crowd would in turn warm up receptively and soon the stage turned into an exciting dance floor of mixed cultures and colours, held with the cohesive energy of the dynamic playlist.
The absolute climax had to be when UP Nairobi’s boss, Rand Pearson took his skills away from his usual keyboard and onto the drums—shaking the place up with his drum playing skills that few of us were aware of.
And as Sunday dawned, the DXD Gala Awards came to a spectacular close,proving that the event scene in the capital is once again beginning to flourish.
See you next year!
Photo Credit: Vi’enle Photography
