Date: April 20/21, 2019
Event: Gidi Fest 2019 (6th Edition)
Organizers: Echo Music and Arts Foundation
Host: Shody 'The Turn Up King'
Venue: Landmark Event Centre
DJs: DJ Exquisitie, DJ Neptune, DJ Consequence, DJ Biggy G (Kenya),
Performers: Joey B (Ghana), Moonchild Sanelly (South Africa), Ckay, Teni, Zlatan, Niniola, DJ Xclusive, Sarz, Wande Coal, Patoranking, Sir Shina Peters
Details/Takeaway: Gidi Fest 2019 is the culmination to the Lagos Music Week which featured events like ECHO Music Conference, Arise Fashion Week and Sneaker Exchange at XII Glover.
The night started off on the nextgen stage where artists like Barelyanyhook, Nonso Amadi, Boogey, Mich Straaw, Organya, Famous Bobson, Andre Music, Oladapo, Mo Believe, Flash, Blaqbonez, Tems, Dunnie, Dami Oniru, Psycho YP and so forth performed.
The main event opened up with two improperly announced up-and-coming acts, before Ghanaian act, Joey B came to perform hits like ‘U & Me’ and ‘Tonga.’
Impressive gimmicks
After him, Sarz came on stage to warm reception just before talented South African beauty, Moonchild Sanelly took the stage to perform songs like ‘Weh Mameh,’ and ‘Midnight Starring,’ and the remix to ‘Container’ with Ckay. She also brought two other female acts out with her to perform.
By the time she stripped off to her swim-trunk-styled outfit, men went bonkers at Landmark Event Centre. Of course, it did not help that she had a tattooed curvaceous behind.
Impressive gimmicks
With her burgeoning reputation and ever-increasing reps, the 'Sugar Mummy of Lagos,' Teni came with a live band to switch directions, performing ‘Fargin,’ ‘Wait,’ fan favourites ‘Askamaya’ and ‘For Your Case’ - which captured the sheer power of her emerging stardom; a love anthem for a cheating generation on Teni's Instagram stories.
She closed her set with a Church anthem before performing another smash, ‘Uyo Meyo.’ The song made her tell us she was just a young girl from Isolo, Okota who is now living her dream. In between her songs, Teni also performed some Kwam 1 hits and other Nigerian classics.
Street-stamped Zlatan, on an expressway to stardom came out to a crowd that had just been treated to something special from Teni. He started with Yuletide and eternal hustlers’ anthem, 'Able God,' before moving to songs like 'Ijo Ope,' the Davido-owned, 'Bum Bum,' and 'Zanku (Legwork) and then the madness that is Burna’s 'Killin Dem.'
A highlight of his performance was his 10-second silence call for Instablog9ja, who claimed Zlatan was beaten a day earlier.
Before Niniola, DJ Consequence delivered a thoroughly impressive set that took us through different eras and continents.
Niniola's entrance deserves a paragraph. It was a collision of African percussion, masterful orchestral madness, a reworked version of ‘Coming To America’ score, ‘The King’s Motorcade’ and ended it all with a talking drum session.
Then her transcendent performance started like an aircraft. Her live band was championed by impressive guitar section that amplified the live instrumentation to 'Oyin.'
Like that was not enough, Niniola served us a pot full of vocal show-off. She then proceeded to 'Ibadi,' 'Soke,' 'Laba Laba,' 'Sicker,' 'Bana,' 'Designer,' and 'Maradona.'
Nostalgia
Wande Coal in to 'The Kick' before performing 'You Bad' and then, 'Bumper To Bumper' 'Booty Call,' 'My Way,' 'Amora Wa,' 'Kiss Your Hand,' 'Buga,' 'So Mi So,' 'Turkey Nla,' and 'Iskaba.'
Detail
Patoranking had the best introduction – and possibly the best performance - of the night, with a perfect mix of raggae-rock instrumentation, vocal strumming and patois deliveries.
He performed 'Wine So Different,' 'Love You My Baby,' ‘Girlie O,’ ‘ Make Am,' the DJ Mic Smith-owned ‘See Brother,' 'Available,' 'My Woman,' and other songs. He also brought Kojo Cue from Ghana to the main stage with him.
With the performance of every song came a stellar chorus of instrumentation, feeding and satisfying with heavy multilayered music and Pato's backup singers offering some rhythm to back it all up.
Patoranking is an amazing performer who puts detail into everything, he also proved a worthy headliner. What he lacked in recent hits, he backed up with quality music.
Bigger Nostalgia
The night ended with a legends set. Sir Shina Peters came on and did the business we grew up on him doing. He showed an uncanny relatability to a younger generation and impressive energy for a man his age. He performed songs off his incredible albums, Ace and Shinamania.
Rating: /3
2.5: Excellent