Where Were You: The Glitz Of Budweiser’s FIFA Concert
a mesmerising celebration of youth
I was outside the halls of the Eko Conference Centre when Davido arrived. The moment was attended by a convoy of black cars, the rubber of tyres rubbing progressively along the asphalt, phones-in-hand ready to capture the star. When he emerged from his car, he had his signature bling wrapped around his neck and donned a designer red shirt. In another moment, he was inside and the night continued in its lascivious joy, propelled by Budweiser’s astute party organising capabilities.
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For the second World Cup running, the biggest beer brand in the world had arrived in Lagos. In billboards and TV ads across the country, the distinct hue of the brand’s red colour had popped off, reminding event goers of its existence on Saturday, the 30th day of July. On the day in question, traders and service providers had themselves ready. It was a commingling of all that gives Lagos its mythic and slightly dystopic allure.
While at the reception preparing to go inside, the King arrived and was attended by loud, percussive music. The beautiful clash of cultures wasn’t lost on me; some hundred yards away, Asake was delivering music refined from the same well of traditional sound, performing the monstrous quartet of “Trabaye,” “Sungba (Remix),” “Palazzo” and “Peace Be Unto You”. Given the recency of the records, the crowd did most of the heavy lifting while the YBNL and Empire act danced impressively, layering his raw vocals over some parts of the songs; it came off as slightly less passionate,
Before then Fave and Reekado Banks performed songs like “Baby Riddim” and “Ozumba Mbadiwe” to varied but similarly engaged receptions. A few faces on the night were covered with masks, and were poignantly reminiscent of two years ago when communions such as these were impossible to conceive. Now, as hit song after hit song vibrated through the arena, impressively packed with–and this is a rough estimate–over five thousand people, the visceral quality of living through such musical moments was bare.
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Halfway into the event, just after midnight a warm feeling of accomplishment was spread across the venue, mostly inside where people were gathered. Excellent lighting illuminated the stage, while the sound was impressively concert-esque, coloured with flourishes of live music. Personally, the event peaked when 2Baba got on stage. Here I must admit: it was my very first time seeing the legend perform live. That fact is as a result of factors both within and beyond my control, but Mr. Idibia wasted no time in getting the crowd lit.
His set was entirely sung live, spiced in-between with comments which had a sociopolitical leaning. His song choices reflected that urgency, going from “4 Instance” to “U No Holy Pass,” where he delivered a sensual-lined freestyle before demanding for stripped sonics, performing a stirring medley of “Fly” and “E Be Like Say”. While he impressed his own interpretation on the former, the latter was more communal in the reaction it got, again highlighting why the man remains such a cornerstone of our collective memories as Afropop lovers.
The reactions to Tiwa Savage’s set was also noteworthy. Her on-stage presence proved to be coolly passionate, effortlessly going from the introspective mien of “Save My Life” to energetic bops like “Ma Lo” and “49 99”. That peculiar vibrancy was parlayed into “grown and sexy” songs–as she dubbed them–such as “Dangerous,” “Attention” and “Like,” which was also performed solo during Reekado’s set.
Her lightheartedness reached a wholesome peak when she mentioned her name as Dr. Savage, referring of course to her recent honorary degree from the University of Kent. Another moment came just before her performance of the uber-hit “Somebody Son.” Speaking against a backdrop of swirling church notes, she alluded to the song’s titular character being none other than Jesus Christ, the son of God. Expectedly, that was met with loud uproar but it also bolstered the camaraderie between the stage and the audience, which was well extended by DJ Spinall’s brief-but-energetic set. Wande Coal and Teni also turned in invigorating performances, especially the former who flexed his iconic vocals in his rendition of classic Mo Hits-era records “Na Who Born The Maga” and “Booty Call”.
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As host of the night, Jimmie Akinsola did a great job of translating his on-screen suaveness into the immediacy of an MC role. Several times during the event, he was impressively understanding of his crowd, using popping phrases and relatable stories to keep the attention. That vibe was only amplified when Ebuka Obi-Uchendu got on stage to announce the winner of a raffle that would take them on an all-expense paid trip to see the World Cup later this year in Qatar.
Excitable tension was worked into the announcement, as the recipient wasn’t picking up his call. The phone’s ring consistently reverberating through the arena. Anecdotes and humorous remarks gave the progression the feel of a ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ episode.. Suddenly a section of the crowd went loud, as people gestured that the raffle winner had arrived. Within minutes, he was on-stage with the expected look of feeling flustered.
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When Mayorkun got on stage, he reverse-engineered some of his biggest hits in recent years. The wistful groove of “Certified Loner” was followed by the hypnotic percussive swell of “Of La La” and, moving through more serene motions, performing his standout verse off the remix of Camidoh’s “Sugarcane” and then the Victony-assisted “Holy Father.” Not long after, “The Best” came on and in what was an affectionate even if slightly trite script, headline act Davido emerged to perform his verse. The excitement rose to a very high crescendo, as both musicians thrilled the crowd for a short period before the protege gave way for the master, a master who had old tricks aplenty within a new bag, a facet he soon explored during his time on stage.
Starting off with classics from his catalogue such as “Dami Duro” and “Gobe,” he carved a unique reflection of his decade-plus career journey. They were quite well received, but not quite like the 2017 trinity of “Fia,” “If” and “Fall.” A Better Time’s “Jowo” and the “Baddest Boy (Remix)” also elicited the response of the largely youthful crowd, especially the latter whose flamboyant vibe was well chanelled by Davido.
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Chants of “OBO!” rang through the front section as he performed the more recent “FEM” and CKay-assisted “La La” successively, his trademark zest on display as he placed a hand over his ear to gesticulate a phone call. Just before the choral sounds of “Stand Strong” came on, the recognisable figure of Iyanya appeared to perform “Like,” his recent collaboration with Davido and Kizz Daniel. The distinct shuffle of “Skelewu” came on, before the musician closed out with his duo of Amapiano-leaning collaborations “High” and “Champion Sound”.
The Budweiser glitz still extended outside the arena, where beer-laden photo props and dazzling lit-up booths were set up. Young people were daring in their fashion, intensifying the glitz on display. Down along a hallway, one could access cold beers while moving through other exciting features—it gave the feeling of being in an exhibition, which speaks to its curatorial brilliance. A good show is one of the highlights of the Budweiser experience and whether it’s using cutting-edge technology or collaborating internationally, they’ve always brought that vision to life.
Last Saturday was a fitting celebration of Nigerian music and Lagos’ famous nightlife. When the days roll by and the World Cup arrives, it will scarcely be enough to fill the peculiar anguish of not being a part of footballing legacy. Regardless we move on, knowing that night remains a vivid painting on the sprawling canvas of our cultural existence.
