Melody rules at the Listen concert
All the five artistes take to the stage to perform. L-R: Vanessa, Angela, Pricelove, Eli and Richy. Photo by Jonathan Adengo
It was all cheer and happiness for all those that attended the Listen concert on Saturday October 19 at the National Theatre. The work of art on the stage and wonderful lighting marked a memorable night for a concert of its kind. It had five artistes: Angela (Angela Sanyu Okullo), Eli (Elijah Neema), Richy (Richard Kaweesa), Price Love (Price Kwagala) and Vanessa (Vanessa Obunde). These artistes command a small market, most of whom are the church-going crowd, who appreciate vocal abilities of an artiste.
In the Theatre
Inside the theatre, the space looked cramped, but the set-up was neat and elaborate. There were geometrically arranged stacks of boxes on either side of the projector screen, and when the light fell on them, they gave a 3D appearance of images. The concert kicked off with assurance as all the five artistes took the stage, sampling the audience with their impressive vocal abilities.
The start
First on stage was Angela with her backup singers elegantly dressed in long dresses. They looked like they had just come from a glitzy dinner. Her voice was strong and commanding, but had enough gentle melody to convince you that you could indeed move mountains without breaking a sweat.
Next was Richy, who seemed to be the favourite of the group, with his laid-back soulful style. The way he sang and played the guitar, with a smile on his face, made it look effortless, yet sublime. He mentioned that he had had some help in the studio from guitarist, Myko Ouma.
Vanessa was a pleasant surprise. She was comfortable in the limelight and delivered like she was born to sing. She wasn’t as flashy or energetic as the rest. But she had a calming, self-assured aura that was easily transmitted in her music.
Eli, who claimed he could sing you to sleep and wake you right up with his guitar skills, was lively, moving all over the stage. Price Love mellowed things down with her firm, gentle voice. She was the only one who sang in Luganda, which was a mind-jerking reminder that we were listening to Ugandan (or at least African) artistes after all.
At the end of the show, all the artistes took the stage one more time and gave a taste of their individual vocal attributes. It was simply beautiful.
