V.I.P club opens in Kigali

TO obtain momentum for a club-launching ceremony you need just the right mix: gourmet platters, beautiful waitresses, wine and cocktails, a spirited DJ, and an element of surprise. Cobra Productions launched the renamed and reborn V.I.P Club Mysterious on the eve of the Rwandan jubilee with a smoothly lit outdoors cocktail party accompanied by a tuneful acoustic set of traditional vocals, Inanga, and drums. “The change of name has involved a gradual change in the staff, managers, marketing strategies, and direction,” said Bertrand Nugabe, Cobra’s assistant. “We needed a name to symbolize this.” Cobra Productions, is currently providing a platform for local reggae artistes on Thursday nights at Cadillac Club. They are planning V.I.P events such as live Jazz and dance-themed nights. “I named the club Mysterious because I wanted something touching that would inspire people’s interest,” said Cobra, club owner. The business mogul, real name Eugene Habimana, intended for the inauguration party to put the club on a fresh track that would offer a culturally-oriented form of leisure to the customers. “It’s different from the usual cocktail party one would go to,” said Aretha Rwagasore, guest. “The creativity of having traditional live music is a pleasant surprise.” Mighty Popo and his band played for hours, sometimes drawing the crowd of over a hundred to a musing hush to hear the whispered words at the quieter intervals of the songs. “People usually celebrate such events with Hip-hop, but this is a remembrance of how Rwanda lived before colonial times,” said Christian Garombe, cinematographer for the Rwanda Cinema Centre. “It’s a new type of gathering for modern times.” After the music set, Minister of Culture and Sports, Protais Mitali, chief guest, cut the inauguration ribbon and led the crowd into the club, where the DJ started a track as soon as the door opened. Surrounded by the psychedelic neon bubble glass, glowing record player tables, and the green lasers, the crowd formed a circular chain-dance initiated by Mitali himself. “Such projects are needed to help Rwandans develop interest in leisure and live music,” said Mitali. “I came here to encourage and mobilize people to explore the arts and culture found in these new areas.” “Ministers aren’t known for being involved in such events, but his (Mitali) presence and willingness to dance will help open people’s minds to the nightclub culture,” said Djalia Bazubariga, a guest. The transition between the mellow traditional music set and the V.I.P club was seamless and timely enough to ignite the guests into dancing for the remainder of the night.

Leisure

V.I.P club opens in Kigali