Vision Reporter
30 June 2008
Kampala — HE flew first class, courtesy of Air Uganda. It was befitting Eric Wainaina because he had a first-class performance at the exclusive second edition of the Zamani "once upon a time" show at Emin Pasha Hotel.
Eric Wainaina's performance might have coincided with the mouth watering European finals, but with even avid football fans in attendance, his music reigned supreme. And you imagined he was a psychic.
Wainaina's last dance on stage, in which he engaged the crowd, was aptly named the 'Fabregas' and the 'Casillas' dance.
He rooted for Spain and he indeed had the last laugh later. Interestingly, had he not bowed to pressure from his band the performance would have gone well towards midnight.
From the time he made it on stage shortly after 8:00pm, it became a musically charged atmosphere.
Wainaina produced a sound that was distinctively Kenyan, both in music and content of lyrics - although it is not the Kenyans who danced the most. Ever seen a Muzungu (a white woman) dancing to Lingala? They did and you were reminded of popcorns as they paced around the arena.
You guessed right, his song Nchi ya Kitu Kidogo, which many are conversant with, had patrons sing word for word. Twende Twende, might just have been released, but it received equally good reception like Sawa Sawa his first solo album, which played on and on.
It is, however, the melodious song Umoja Pamoja which he released in the light of the 2007 Kenyan elections that had the full house crowd reach for their hankies. It was tear jerking. Such was his versatility; the crowd quickly wiped the tears away and were chanting, twisting to his Fancy car song, which sections in the crowd dedicated to ODM president, Raila Odinga!
Earlier, the Kwela Band had proved worthy curtain raisers. Though, emcees Pablo and Frobisher Lwanga, must have mistaken Emin Pasha for National Theatre's comedy night. Their humour went well with the crowd.
As the show came to a close, Air Uganda chief executieve officer, Peter de Waal gave out a business class ticket to Zanzibar to the lucky winner of the draw.
Free gift hampers, that included autographed CDs and special mats, made the show worth the sh50,000 entry fee.
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