Dolla J, Silent Discos, Goat races, and the Cranes

Many people have asked us what Kampala is like at night and what there is to do here. As we have said numerous times, Kampala has so much to offer. Aside from the outdoor activities (game drives, whitewater kayaking, and climbing) that are an easy weekend adventure, there is all kinds of things to do in town. Over the last couple months we have been getting much more into the Kampala scene. The city has a surprisingly good art scene, the largest music scene in East Africa (although some might debate this) as well as all kinds of activities aimed at expats.

The music in Uganda is a mix of 90’s Hip Hop and Dance Hall. They idolize the North American bar music from the late 90s and early 00s (and also unfortunately Celine Dione). Modern Uganda music (like that from Kenya) includes a lot of these beats but adds a much more dancy feel. The Ugandans love to dance. They really get going to any beat at all and use their whole bodies to get into it. Some of the biggest musicians are Bebe Cool, Chameleon, Radio & Weasel, Rachel K and Kid Fox. After a particularly eventful night, we got to meet an aspiring artist named Dolla J (I have no idea what his real name is). He has taken me under his wing and tried to teach me a little about the music scene. It has been great to have a local show us around the music scene. Needless to say, both Deb and I have had some crazy nights out dancing away with the Ugandans. They usually head OUT at around 11…..and that is usually to a bar serving as a meeting place. The dancing doesn’t get going until around 3 and the bars stay open until the patrons leave. We have not been there yet, but there are many bars still pounding out the music at 10am! I am not sure I could walk out of a bar after a night of dancing and have the sun come up….although we may have to once as a ‘cultural experience’.

One of the coolest Ugandan music experiences was at the annual Bayimba festival, which highlights some of the best musicians and artists. The weekend featured many great artists on the main stage (including the one and only Ugandan rock band, who were surprisingly good). However, the best part was a silent disco. For those who have never heard of this concept, a silent disco is when all attendees wear head phones wirelessly connected to the DJ (or in this case, DJs which you got to choose between). It is a surreal experience when you see hundreds of people dancing away in complete silence with DJs at the front egging on the crowd.

While not dancing, we have also attended several sporting events. The most notable was the Royal Ascot Goat Races. The races are organised annually as a fundraiser for a variety of different charities around Uganda.  We had no idea what to expect with the day but everyone told us that we needed to attend.  Needless to say, the day did not disappoint. The event took place at Munyoyo, which is a very posh resort that was set up for the 2007 Commonwealth conference (as is much of the Ugandan infrastructure). The core idea behind the event is to raise money and have fun. It is hard to have fun when you see ten goats ‘run’ around a track with hundreds of people cheering on the goat they bet on. Needless to say, most of the ‘race’ involves the goats eating grass and slowly moseying around the track. The race is sped along by caretakers who push a giant board to make sure the goats move and encouraged by live play-by-play worthy of the Kentucky Derby. Next year we are going to buy a goat and cheer it on with all we have got.

While not cheering on goats, we have been encouraging the Cranes with our money and our voices. The is the Uganda Cranes football (soccer) team who are in the process of qualifying for the Africa 2012 Cup of Nations. The atmosphere at the stadium is unbelievable. Ugandans take their football seriously and once you mix in nationalism, things can get a little out of hand. Fans dress up and cover themselves in full body paint, jump, scream, play drums, and blow vuvuzellas at all times (and I think all the hoopla about them at the World Cup is garbage! Talking to some people who went to the WC and the qualifiers, they were mush louder in Kampala and I love them. I think South Americans and Europeans just didn’t like that their songs could not be heard over the sound of their chants). One fan even brought an air raid horn to the game!!! Having been to some games in Europe and South America, nothing competes. Everything here is at such a high intensity; it is hard to not get wrapped up in all of the emotion. Thankfully Uganda won their game and are still sitting on table of the table. Can’t wait for their next home game!!!