I had the absolute pleasure of attending the Phreak Out Live concert at Alliance Francaise this Saturday and I am still  geeked. It was lit. 
To think i almost missed it because of last-minute wahala!

Honestly, i don’t even have pictures or video to share. I was so immersed in the performances i didn’t want to filter my experience through a phone screen, not even for a few minutes.  I wanted to be present, you know? The way we used to do it before documenting-for social-media-purposes consumed our thoughts and actions.

What i’ve instead done is created a playlist of the artists featured on the show… so press play and let’s get into them. We have some AMAZING  indie/alternative artists in Ghana…

Poetra Asantewaa
Spoken word tends to be rather hit or miss, but each of three times I’ve seen her perform live was a hit hit hit. There is a languidness to her delivery that makes you lean in, eager to catch each word, creating the intimacy of a whispered secret.
Her debut EP, Motherfuckitude, can be streamed here.

Okuntakinte
I wasn’t familiar with his music before, and i could see his vocal style wearing thin in large doses ( The “Bizzy Bone Effect”) . However, I enjoyed the sentiment and vibe of both the songs he performed. The visuals for Melanin Girls (playing now hopefully)  and Summer of X are on Youtube and you can follow Okuntakinte on Twitter.

Quayba
Yes ma’am! Yesssss! I was utterly slain by her three song set. See, this is where not having recorded it has come back to bite me in the derriere. I cannot find any recordings of her solo performances online. For shame! However, you can listen to her feature on Lvin Red’s On Top of The World. Gorgeous. Stalk her on Facebook. 🙂

Akan
I loved this performance. Just loved it. Especially the first song, Anokye. It was like By the Fireside, re-rendered for hip-hop loving, adult sensibilities. Poetic lyricism and a theatrical stage presence, embracing a portrayal of traditional culture. Here.For.It. Make sure to give the entire Akan EP a spin, and follow Akan on twitter as well.

Kuvie (made the beat! :))
So proud, so excited! That’s the homie! You may think you’re not familiar, but you are. He is behind a growing number of hits on the radio ( such as Aye Late and Agbadza), and has spawned his own sub-genre, semi-jokingly dubbed Trapzonto. I got to know him last year when i interviewed him for a profile i still haven’t published yet (I disgust myself sometimes). His beat sequencing set was blazing (literally..there were fire eaters on stage) and featured energetic features from AYAT and King Promise…

AYAT
Tu fuego season esta aqui my g.! Ayat ( formerly know as Billy Banger), has been grinding for a while now, and finally seems to be on the cusp of emerging from the underground, thanks to two buzzing singles (both the result of a versatile creative collaboration with artist/producer Kayso. (Hi boo! waves)). His performance was raw and energetic and i have a feeling this is just the beginning.  AYAT is on Facebook and Twitter.

King Promise
Maximum points for stage presence and crowd engagement alone! He was funny, self-depreciating and stanning sweetly for his lady ( who inspired all three of songs he performed). The music was catchy, and in retrospect actually sounded better done live with the band, than the studio recorded version. No small feat. Follow King Promise on Facebook and Twitter.

Worlasi
I thought i had friends and family who cared about me, yet not one of them put me on to Worlasi’s music. What kind of betrayal? My favorite performance on a night full of aces. I was utterly turnt, and i wasn’t alone. He had everyone on their feet, alternating between laughing at his riffs and chanting choruses. When i got home and looked him up i discovered he is ALSO an amazing painter.
Dis tew much!
I don’t even feel equipped to describe his sound. Something like.. “Imagine the FOKN Boys and E.L. had a baby…” but i’m stuck for an ending.  Besides, i often find such comparisons reductive, dismissing the uniqueness of the individual in question. What i do know is i am unabashedly stalking Worlasi on all available social media platforms, while listening to his mixtape: Nusɛ: Strength Within.
(Facebook &  Twitter)

Sena Dagadu
These days, one can’t mention her name without someone shouting “Skolom!”. But Sena, with the backing of her Irie Maffia collective, has been gracing stages across continents for a while, leaving a trail of afro juju funk rock feel good vibes where ever she goes. As the headliner, her vibrant show-closing set was the perfect cap to an evening that was just that…choked full of feel good vibes. Listen to more of her music here, and follow her here and here.

As the band plays me out, i’d like to do some shout-outs:
To Beat Phreaks, for curating such a dope-ass group of artists.
To the Musical Lunatics, who absolutely killed it as the supporting band, as always.
To YFM for their patronage…I see you Naa!
To Alliance Francaise for providing a space and an opportunity for a show such as this.  There is always something cool and interesting happening there, and they always keep it cute and affordable. Merci beaucoup à vous tous!

Lastly, but never least, to YOU for reading. ❤