The opening lines of Ne-Yo’s Miss Independent were enough to send a section of the crowd at Mestil Hotel into an immediate singalong on Sunday. It was not just the song they remembered, but the feeling attached to it.
For a generation that grew up when RnB, hip-hop and slow jams dominated the airwaves, songs like Miss Independent are something of a time machine. And lately, Kampala appears to be enjoying the trip back.
From the Millennials Picnic to the Old School Picnic in recent weekends, and now RnB and Friends at Mestil, old-school music experiences have continued to attract crowds looking for more than a night out. They are looking for familiar songs and feelings and, perhaps, a temporary escape from the music of today.
That desire for nostalgia is what these gatherings have in common. The crowds may not be identical, but the attraction is remarkably similar: people who want to sing along to songs they know from beginning to end, reconnect with friends and revisit a period of their lives through music.
At Mestil, that connection was evident from the start, with the crowd needing little encouragement to join in. As the DJs moved through the catalogue, voices rose with almost every chorus, with revelers singing word for word. Even some of the younger faces in the crowd appeared well acquainted with songs released long before they became old-school.
DJs Anselm and Selector Jay moved between classic RnB, old-school hip-hop and Ugandan throwbacks, occasionally going off the expected RnB menu to throw in a familiar favourite. Each detour seemed to bring another reaction from the crowd, proving that the nostalgia was not tied to one genre.
Tusker Cider found its place in the afternoon. The cider was enjoyed in the relaxed manner that has become synonymous with social occasions, often served with ice and paired with food as friends settled into conversations between songs.
Tusker Cider Brand Manager Sandra Againe, said that easy-going atmosphere is exactly what makes an event like RnB and Friends relevant to the brand.
“There is something very natural about enjoying old-school music with friends. These are songs people already have a relationship with, so the atmosphere is relaxed and familiar. You can have your food, enjoy a cold Tusker Cider and still be part of the music and conversation around you. That is what makes experiences like this relevant to us,” she said.
The food on offer helped sustain that transition, giving people another reason to settle in rather than simply pass through the venue. An additional 20 per cent discount on purchases made through MTN MoMo inside the venue also made it easier for guests to pick up something to eat and continue enjoying the afternoon.