It started like a normal Lagos Friday night; a bit busy, very unpredictable. And, I had no idea that in the coming hours it would become quite a zesty affair.
We arrived at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts (formerly known as National Theatre) in downtown Surulere. Dave, born David Orobosa Michael Omoregie, was performing at the opening night of the Lagos-leg of his The Boy Who Played The Harp tour.
After performing 41 shows across four different continents since the tour kicked off, in February, in Munich, I knew the final two nights of this tour were going to be special.
The show opened at 5PM. However, the crowds struggling to get inside the hall at the National Theatre caused quite a bit of congestion. We passed through four security checks, and at every stop the security did their job amazingly well. The chaotic situation got a bit pesky for guests, but things cleared up fast with the extra help from several volunteers. Before the show started at 8PM, we entered the bowl — the area where there were food stalls and exclusive Dave shirt stalls — to get the full experience of this much anticipated tour finale.
At 8PM, Zaylevelten strode into the show, sporting an all-black regalia; with a leather jacket and ankle-high boots presenting that youthful Hip Hop swagger in full view. He belted out some of his popular hits including, “Tease Me”, “1sa lOt”, “Guide Pass”, among others. He kept the stage brimming with energy until Dave’s ensemble — a bassist, drummer and pianist — settled in for the main showcase.
At 10:30 PM, a soft-spoken Dave entered the stage dropping bars to his “History,” and that was quite a poetic way to start a ‘historic night’. Dave kept the crowd full of vigour and energy throughout his set. He performed his iconic hits including: “Trojan Horse,” “Sprinter” and “Lazarus,” a collaboration with Boj, who performed with him on stage.
After one of his own singles, he also brought in Zaylevelten, one of his supporters, to perform “Fly.” Zaylevelten’s performance was so gripping that the guests didn’t want him to leave.
Then, Dave went right back in, stealing the spotlight with renditions of his cult-classics like “Thiago Silva,” and “Location.” The band joined the crowd in chanting, and it felt like a historic moment. After that, Dave introduced every single member of his band. He also sat down at the piano and freestyled for us, switching up the dynamics of the show and allowing guests to simmer.
It was not long after that he got back on his feet and finished the night with riveting performances of “Propeller”, “Raindance” and “Starlight”.
For every song Dave performed, one could hear the fans singing along from the back. People were screaming their lungs out, with their gaze locked onto the stage. The performance felt cohesive, as if one didn’t even need to be a Dave fan to enjoy it. Even if you had never listened to him, you would have felt the élan vital of the theatre. It was definitely a concert for the books.
Flipside, the show suffered from a sub-par seating arrangement. The low-level section is closest to the stage, but if you’re on the shorter end of the row, like this writer, you can’t really see what’s happening.
The show drew its curtains just shortly before midnight, delivering what would become Dave’s most iconic showcase in Nigeria yet. And, as far, as execution goes, it was a cauldron of groove, intrigue and catharsis. A solid 8/10 night!
Credit: Walter Iyegbekedo
Cover Credit: Walter Iyegbekedo
