Jamaican Reggae group, Steel Pulse and Africa’s great musical talent, 2 Face, as well as Blu3, Freddy Meiway and many others would be storming Ghana for a musical show as part of activities marking the 26th MTN African Cup of Nations ‘Ghana 2008’ which begins Sunday, January 20.
The stars would be mounting the stage at a pre-Ghana 2008 jam dubbed Go Africa Concert, organized by MTN to entertain visitors and as well whip up enthusiasm in the country. The show is scheduled to take place at the Forecourt of the State House in Accra on Saturday January 19.
This event and others to be presented later would undoubtedly put to rest the mixed feelings among stakeholders in showbiz regarding entertainment packages for visitors coming for the big event.
Equally good Ghanaian musicians to match their counterparts on stage are Tic Tac, Batman Samini, Kwaw Kese and Ofori Amponsah. These musicians have been impressive in the recent shows, and are therefore likely to make the event a historic one.
Tic Tac, recently at CITI Fm’s Decemba 2 Rememba show would have been the “man of the match” if the event had been a football match. Indeed, he got the audience up on their feet to ‘pound’ the very foundation of the auditorium as they did his ‘Kangaroo’ boogie.
Kwaw Kese’s ‘abodam’ chanting has really sold him to his fans to an extent that the word ‘abodam’ has now become a household name. With his unique costumes he had his fans ‘dying’ for him anytime he mounted the stage. Concerning this show, Kwaw Kese is said to be preparing to dish out more surprises.
Ofori Amponsah, one would say, did not have it easy last year even though his songs did well. He faced quiet a number of criticisms ranging from the alleged grudge between him and Barosky, the Presidential awards saga and the recent analysis that he was not able to rock his audience at his show. Now, the Go Africa Concert would be a platform for him to prove critics wrong about his live performance.
A host of other artistes to perform in this historic event are King Nee, Don Metok, Malaika and others. However, the toast of the night would be Steel Pulse, 2Face Idibia, Blu 3 and Meiway. For those who do not know about Steel Pulse, it is a world-acclaimed roots reggae band originally formed at the Handsworth Wood Boys School in Birmingham, England and comprises of David Hinds (lead vocalist, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals) and Ronald McQueen (bass). Hinds, as a songwriter has always been the engine behind Steel Pulse from their early days, establishing themselves in the Birmingham club.
The group was formed in 1975. Their debut, Kibudu, Mansetta And Abuku, according to wikipedia.org, arrived on the small independent label Dip, and linked the plight of urban black youth with the image of a greater African homeland. Like 2Face, Blu3 and Meiway, this is not the first time the group is visiting Ghana.