Top 6 Amazing Musicians And Lagos Bands You Must Listen To (PHOTOS)

Editor’s Note: Lagos is arguably Nigeria’s premier culture hub. Many of the famous musicians who have reached world acclaim cut their teeth in Lagos. The city continues to produce great acts. Music critic and Naij.Com Lagos guest author, Dami Ajayi writes about mainstream musicians and bands working from Lagos but whose arts have global appeal.

If you were to travel back in time to the Lagos of the Sixties, chances are that you will not want to return. I’m talking about the golden era of highlife; it was a time of blaring horns and stylish bands and dance. Imagine a typical Friday Night: Rex Lawson and his Rivers men playing at Kakandu, Victor Olaiya holding Surulere’s Stadium Hotel down and Fela Ransome-Kuti and his Koola Lobitos jamming at Gondola bar, Yaba.

Fast forward to present realities and the game has changed. Now musicians clutch microphones and sagging trousers to perform, instead of deploying real-time instrumentalists. Disc jockeys spin the truth on their mixers, the truth being a digitally produced beat with autotuned voices over it.

The truth is Lagos still slightly has that jump today with places like Freedom Park, Bogobiri House and a few scattered spots giving the nod to live music. Here are six music and bands that should interest you.

 Beautiful Nubia

Beautiful Nubia

Foremost folk and roots music connoisseur, Beautiful Nubia, and his 14 man Roots Renaissance band, dock in a place in Lagos when they are not touring and tearing through towns and cities in Nigeria and the Diaspora.  EniObanke Arts Centre at No 19 Adekunle Fajuyi Way, GRA, Ikeja is that place where they conduct the business of making good music at frequently regular intervals whenever they are in town. You should check it out.

READ ALSO: Best Place In Lagos To Watch Live Theater This Weekend

 Femi Kuti

Still in Ikeja, Fela’s scion and an originator of Afrobeat in his own right, Femi Anikulapo-Kuti and his Positive Force Band host half of Lagos mainland whenever he is in town. With a weekly schedule similar to his father’s, Femi performs regularly at the New Afrika Shrine at Agidingbi walking distance from the bureaucratic Alausa. Beyond good music, cannabis joint and other cannabis-related products, you can get the best pounded yam here at any time of the day. Consistently, this venue has remained the gathering spot for the yearly pilgrimage of music in October called Felabration.

 Seun Olota

Seun Olota

If you are up for pared down but brilliant afrobeat music once every week, then spend your Wednesday evenings at Freedom Park. The mid-week is a good time to catch up on a few beers and redolent music—and who is the better at re-enacting brilliant numbers if not Seun Olota, the multi-talented instrumentalist and his playful Extasi band. Here, regulars are allowed to medley a few of their popular songs on a regular too.

 Edaoto

Edaoto

In the evening of the first Thursday of every month, Edaoto Agbeniyi and his Afrogenius band come out to tan. With horns, guitars and drums, they jam out a hodge-podge of afrobeat, reggae and folk music rhythms. You are more likely than not to find a woman blessed with a huge derrière giving her structure an attitudinal shake. People are known to bump their heads to the moving clarity of Edaoto’s voice. In fact, one person once kicked his table and upset his chilled beer.

READ ALSO: Best Place To Experience Art, Culture and Music In Lagos

Aduke

Aduke

They say that what a man can do, a woman can do it better—and it is true. Aduke, with her brand of afrosoul and that bold voice that chronicles Lagos life, is the ish. She was the poster girl of the subsidy campaign but that is a small tick on her resume. Since then, she has moved on to making more music and touring countries including the United States of America. Actress, dancer and consummate performer, Aduke knows how to move the stage and rock the mic.

 Bantu

Ade Bantu

A 13 man collective with Afro-German rapper, Adegoke Odukoya in the lead, Bantu is a cultural event in Lagos. With their monthly show, Afropolitan Vibes every third Friday of the month, they shut down all the streets on the Lagos Island when their sessions start. Long meandering queues curl out of the former colonial prison while loud and energetic music erupts from behind the rather tall mud fence.  With a different line-up of guest artists monthly, this show is better experienced than narrated.

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Dami Ajayi Naij.Com Lagos Author is a renowned Writer, Poet and Music Critic

 

 

 

 

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