Lira town folks could not care for the visiting artistes from Kampala that graced last Saturday's Bell Pam Awards Northern regional launch there. The performances by Henry Tigan and Obsessions were mostly lost in translation.

The crowd at Lira Hotel mostly stared at the two acts that capped the night. They did not draw any of those ecstatic responses that the town's own artistes had received earlier.

Artistes like Lucky Bosmic Otim were carried shoulder high during their performances and the audience sang along note for note - proof that last year's Best Northern Artiste winner could be in the running for another glass trophy yet again.

He gave his take on the current land crisis by urging his people not to sell their land on the song Kakana and also lashed out at all those that went green with envy after his Pam Award win last year on Ingeyo. He tells them off by saying his fiery talent will burn up their jealousy. Otim also took a swipe at bickering politicians on his song Politics of Revenge advising that it was high time they realised leaders come and go.

Otim may be the reigning musical crown prince of the North but last weekend's concert-like do showed that Lira is also brimming with new musical talent that makes the best of basic recording facilities. Take acts like Two Stars, a male singing duo whose groovy hits are the conduit for social commentary.

In the three-song allowance each area artiste was given, these guys' song lent credence to the "there is no smoke without fire" adage on Yito Pe Duny Nono, chided girls who put their boyfriends under constant surveillance on Super Glue and showed off their naughty side on Tini ni Arac, loosely translated as "today I am good, tomorrow I am bad."Northern Musica, another male twosome chose to keep things ethnic by infusing the local larakaraka dance rhythms into their songs Bad Boy Najino and Linga Aling.

The latter rebukes men who prey on other men's spouses. BSG Labongo brought some hallowed vibes to the mostly lager (and at times delinquent) party on Unite in Jesus followed by Abokalam, a song on which he bears it for the orphans and finally Munu Loi Ki Kala in praise of the Black African woman.

The starry moonlit night also had its share of able female talent in Grace Atim Oleyowiya, a voluptuous singer who sang about the importance of the "tiny winy" things like a peck on the cheek in oiling a relationship on her song Manok Nok.

She dispensed more love advice on Kadi Icil Ningo singing: "However much you may sparkle with beauty, if you cannot please your man, then all is in vain." Female rapper B'ffal looks set to cause ripples in the male dominated hip-hop sector with lyrical flow that is delivered with good diction.

She made yet another appeal for peace on Cung Pi Kuc in a region that has borne the brunt of the 20-year LRA/UPDF civil war. And even if she doesn't clinch a Pam Awards nod, B'ffal has her sights set further afield on award shows like the prestigious Mobos and her aptly titled On My Way says as much.

Mbarara ought to keep the Lira momentum high when the launch party - complete with a branded bus - makes a stop there this Saturday. And Lira's wacky radio personalities Patrick "Fabulous Radio" Olwit and Ken Okello may want to give some tips to whoever will be emceeing there.