As the sun hung in the sky, a diverse crowd of young and old revelers engaged in various activities at the Untamed Empire. Some huddled together, immersed in vibrant painting sessions, while others found delight in friendly video game competitions.
The daytime festivities reached a climax with a warm atmosphere as enthusiasts cheered on their favorite football team during a live screening of an English Premier League game.
As the day unfolded, the Guinness Accravaganza gradually reached a crescendo. All eyes shifted to the main stage as musical acts took their place, sparking cheers from the lively audience. However, just as the excitement peaked, the rains descended.
While some sought refuge in nearby shelters, another energetic group defiantly embraced the downpour, dancing alongside Incredible Zigi and his team at the Untamed Empire.
Memories of Guinness AccraVaganza still echoing in our hearts. Can’t wait for the next chapter! 💫🎉 #GuinnessAccraVaganza #Guinness pic.twitter.com/BL910D3SXX
— Guinness Accravaganza (@Accravaganza) October 5, 2023
Even as some patrons watched the impressive display from the shelters, the energy reached a new level when one of the headline acts, Camidoh, took over the stage.
Instead of entering into panic mode, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, the Talents Manager for the festival was surprisingly calm.
“I was speaking to the production manager on the stage and they were like, we should let the rain subside before we come back. And I told him that no… I believe if Camidoh comes on everybody’s going to leave where they are and come back into the rain to jam with us,” Yaw said.
When Camidoh uttered his first ‘Boombah’, it was over. At this point, it seemed as though the audience had an invisible shield against the showers, leading to a mad rush towards the stage.
The scene was almost surreal, witnessing fans in Accra willingly staying in heavy rains for the love of the music.
In this interview with Kenneth Awotwe Darko for TheCultureJoint.com, the Talent Manager for the Guinness Accravaganza, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh also known as NYB saw the night as an extraordinary one for both the attendees and organizers.
Yaw was the glue that brought it all together in terms of the musicians and dancers that graced the stage that Saturday.
He has in his bag years of dabbling in many parts of the showbiz industry with a knack for fishing out creatives.
“The beauty about these different sides is that it all links to one tree. There’s one single tree that has different branches, that is the music business and the branches comes in the form of the AnR, talent management, even stage management and all that. It all links back to the business. And being an AnR allows a talent manager to be able to scout talents who would be perfect for their stages.”
“Being a talent manager gives me the knowledge to understand how to treat artists, their performances, their backstage stuff, and all so every single thing I’ve been juggling enables me to have a perfect understanding of whatever happens.
For him, these experiences played out great during the Guinness Accravaganza.
.@KidiMusic sensational performance stole the show at the maiden edition of AccraVaganza, leaving the crowd in awe and setting the bar high for future events! 🎤🌟 #GuinnessAccraVaganza #Guinness pic.twitter.com/QMPBMMOTbB
— Guinness Accravaganza (@Accravaganza) October 2, 2023
The maiden Guinness Accravaganza, hosted by Guinness Ghana, saw over 3,000 attendees immersed in a fusion of music, arts, food, football, fashion, and Diageo’s signature drinks at the Untamed Empire, Accra.
DJ Lord held fort behind the turn tables while MC Kojo Manuel kept audience’s energy high throughout the night.
Aside from award-winning KiDi and Edem, there were a plethora of emerging artistes that were projected on the show in line with the festival’s commitment to unearth greatness.
They include Maya Blu, Lali x Lola, Niashun and Lyrical Vibes.
Some upcoming artistes who won an online contest dubbed #GuinessAccravaganza Sound Challenge ahead of the festival also got the chance to showcase their talent live on stage.
This edition will have Darkua, Mestar Oscar, AratheJay. More acts are scheduled to be announced in due course.
It will be headlined by decorated Ghanaian musician, Shatta Wale.
Another online contest is currently underway to select new acts to join the headliners during the December 2 showdown.
The competition is powered by Guinness and ScriptxSounds.
As Ghanaians prepare to rave at the next edition of this grand experience, organisers are working around the clock to make it happen on Saturday at the Untamed Empire again.
The whole squad was lit a week ago today!💃🏿🕺🏿 #GuinnessAccraVaganza #Guinness pic.twitter.com/PNBrvsEFqg
— Guinness Accravaganza (@Accravaganza) October 7, 2023
Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh is optimistic that the previous event has generated enough buzz to fuel a bigger edition.
“Guinness Accravaganza is going to be happening on a quarterly basis we have been on a quarterly basis. So we need to let our guests feel at home so that subsequently, they will be able to always come and have fun. It could become their safe haven… And for me, my job was to make sure that we were creating a set of musical experiences that people will love and cherish for a very long time.”
The December edition sits right at the cusp of the country’s flagship end-of-year line-up December in GH. Aside from Christmas, it is a major period that enables celebration among locals and revelers from the diaspora who annually converge in Ghana.
With that being said, Yaw insists that Guinness Accravaganza is “opening the door to all the December activities.”
“So your chilling starts at Guinness Accravaganza.”
Written by: Kenneth Awotwe Darko
