Liberation Day concert was grand

Thousands of music lovers, who thronged Amahoro Stadium’s expo grounds for the Liberation Day party, left longing for more.

Monday, July 06, 2009
Music lovers pulling out some of their dance styles during the Liberation Day concert. (Photo, by J. Mbanda).

Thousands of music lovers, who thronged Amahoro Stadium’s expo grounds for the Liberation Day party, left longing for more.

Local and regional talented musicians staged a huge concert to celebrate Rwanda’s Liberation Day.

The concert was spectacular. It started from 6:30 pm until midnight.

It was indeed a Liberation Day, and all Rwandans were in the mood for a lavish celebration. Several public joints in the country were also in high spirits and operated until dawn.

At the concert, a number of policemen were deployed to secure maximum security, and to ensure that the celebrations are successful.

"It creates a sense of security, if there are police around to provide peace and order for such a huge crowd,” said Jean Marie Habimana, one of the policemen who was at the concert.

For the East African Party Committee, there was no better way to congratulate Rwandans for liberating themselves from the colonial regime, than a concert to commemorate the day.

Performing everything from: Pop, RnB, rock, soul, Afrobeat, reggae, and blues, there is no way one could have not enjoyed the gig.

The venue was parked to the brim, and the music was blasting to the climax.

The atmosphere was harmonious, putting whoever attended into the mood of dancing. Drinks were overflowing. People celebrated while drinking and danced uncontrollably.

Local musicians like Tom Close and Sergent Robert performed alongside Uganda’s musicians Michael Ross, Blue3, and Burundian artist based in Kenya Kidumu.

During the concert, the crowd was reminded about the death of the world’s King of Pop, Michael Jackson, who died on June 25. Ganza, known as Rwanda’s Michale Jackson because of his dance style, was asked to perform. 

The rare dance style caused memories of the late Michael Jackson, and the wildly exhilarated crowd screamed and threw their arms in the air, as they paid tribute to the late star.

Tom Close, shortly joined the stage with his band of two boys and worked up the already fanatical crowd.

Michael Ross later claimed the stage and introduced a thrilling performance. "Tell Me” which he quickly followed up with his hit track "Omwana Yo Yo”, a song that sent many, if not all wild.

Seats were abandoned. The boundaries the policemen created to stop fans from flocking the stage were almost cracked down, as fans danced themselves disruptively.

He was followed by Blue3, who successfully managed to keep the crowd blazing.

The female group attracted a huge fan base, as band leader Lillian Mbabazi, Rwandan artist based in Uganda, kept on reminding the crowd that she is a Rwandan, as she communicated to her fans in Kinyarwanda: "Muraho”, and "Ndabakunda cyane” (Hello?” I love you so much.” 

The concert was a boom. It ended around midnight, leaving the overjoyed crowd longing for more tracks.

Ends