Uncle Austin launches debut album

POPULAR local musician Uncle Austin launched his eagerly awaited debut album “Nzakwizirikaho ibihe byose” on Wednesday this week amid much fanfare and aplomb.The main parking lot of the Amahoro National Stadium otherwise known as Expo Ground was filled to capacity as the crowd looked forward to the performance with baited breadth. When the MCs Anita Pendo and Ally Soudy, stepped up to introduce the show, they were spurred by the crowd to sashay around the stage for a few loud minutes. Soon after, the show kicked off with several artistes drawn from Rwanda and Uganda.The 2011Salax Best New Artiste of the year, Khizz, performed a house/pop song at the top of the set. The young sultry artiste Allione, sporting heels and bright purple pants, brought the crowd to a mellow grinding dance.Tizzo stepped on stage accompanied by three men in ninja outfits. The group broke into a synchronised robotic choreography. This act was followed by a dance session featuring the MCs and three female dancers whose hip motions were out of a Sean Paul music video. The building stage presence and dynamism of the show was discontinued in the next act when Tom Close sang three songs without accompaniment. Then the hype surged yet again as the T.B.B crew stepped on stage with rolled up jeans, vests, and sunglasses. Their performance was a mix up of Hip-hop and R&B vocals as well as sporadic hints of reggae.While the audience in the V.I.P section scarcely danced, the opposite was true in the adjacent parking lot. Small groups would form dance circles within the packed crowd while couples privately danced in the darker outer layers. Also performing was Ugandan duet Radio and Weasel, who gave the show a regional touch. After Uganda’s songbird Jackie Chandiru’s performance, the long awaited Uncle Austin started singing from the roof of a black SUV before getting on the stage. His raspy yet passionate vocals accompanied by energetic stage performance seemed to hypnotise all those in attendance. What previously had been a pre-recorded track concert had turned into a full band set. Uncle Austin frequently interacted with the crowd, at times stepping through the V.I.P section. The ambience though could have been better. The strobe-lights at times did not match the choreography or the mood of the music. The large speakers also failed to carry to live up to expectations. The line-up featured similar styles of music and therefore the concert’s mood was too congruent for the variety of tastes present in a crowd of hundreds.

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Uncle Austin launches debut album