The 29th of June, 2019

Went down

In history

My history

For so many reasons

It was going to be A GREAT DAY! Who knows?

 

But the books go back as far as 2016, I must say

At the time when I first got to know that Chronixx would be performing in Uganda

Now, don’t get me wrong

I had listened to his voice before I even knew the stage-name he goes by

On tracks like Smile Jamaica, Blaze Up The Fire on Peace Is The Mission with Major Lazer and

There was also the Rootsman Riddim of 2013 that had one of his most famous tracks, Here Comes Trouble

Those days of 2015 and 2016 were good days….very fundamental days, if you will

And I had made some good friends all over the place

That one of them had offered me a ticket to go watch “Chronixx in Uganda”

I was like….yeah, let’s do this

The day comes and voila….I miss it!

I don’t know if my priorities just weren’t right that week

Or it was just me acting up

I don’t know

 

But from then on, I swore to keep on his heels

Like everywhere….on socio and in my ears, too

Yeah…..remember the all mighty Roots and Chalice?

I can’t even begin telling you how many times I have listened to this project!!!!

And so, a few weeks back, I get to see on my TL that Chronixx is coming back home for the Pulse Jam Fest

And with him, shall be the Zinc Federation band aka the Zinc Fence band! (Have you had a cuppa Koffee lately? These guys are the sugar in there)

Hhhaaa….you should have seen the smile on my face at that moment

It’s like when you are broke and as you are searching your pockets in your clothes, money drops from one of it and there you have it….magic!

This was it….there was no chance in hell I was missing out this time

 

Whatever happened that week?

My whole focus was at the Sheraton Gardens without a doubt!

3 years….I had waited for this one time

Yeah….that’s how much it meant to me to experience this

 

Monday, the 24th, I rush to the Sheraton to buy myself a VIP ticket

You know….when you have a hurting right knee, you just can’t stand for long and not entirely sure what could happen in the GA

Vibe ready, day and any other plans cancelled…

Saturday….

Now, if you haven’t been to Kampala before, you might find our night-life very interesting

You could mistake the owls, bats and other birds to be the working class of the nation and we, the guys that do the night-duty

We are literally all over the place

 

I get to di place at 4:30PM

Settle in and open my ears and heart for some good times

Quite a number of artistes hit the stage just before the sun set

The one that grabbed my attention the biggest, was Buchaman

I had to put my phone sideways and watch him and his pal for the entire time they hit the stage

I don’t know about you but there is something about him!

For all the years I have watched him, he simply won’t fade away

Now, here is why this day made a mark on my life

Online, I have made a ton of friends that I usually meet on the soils and tarmac in flesh

So, was this day

Many of these, I had first or last met or seen in 2015

I managed to fist-bump a number of them…not all, unfortunately!

Many had shifts they were working the entire time I spotted them

 

I got hungry….as always

You know what that means and most especially, if you are in a place like the Sheraton, right?

Lots of Chicken Shawarma and hot beverages for me (hihi)

I started eating just before Maddoxx Sematimba got on stage

Now, if you haven’t heard or seen him perform in flesh and blood, your YouTube just might do the trick for you

Calling him a legend is short-changing him

This is why!

Photo credit: Gad Rogers

 

Mic-testing….sound-testing….one more time

Before the Don Dada step pan di floor!

Donning this special outfit, he crashes the party!

The main man, CHRONIXX!!!!!

Photo credit: Ninno Jack Jr.

 

Truth be told, I couldn’t wait any longer

Back in 2016, some of those that at Ndere Cultural Centre testify that everything was great save for the fact that many people there that day didn’t really relate or understand Chronixx’s music or reggae music, in general and what it all stood for

They usually say that the third time is the charm but for this case, the second time has been the charm, though!

We were ready….totally in love with the beats, sounds, the freedom and the band, too

 

You should have taken a look around you by 9:45PM….there was literally no space to place your feet in the air

Jam-packed to the teeth

If I tell you what track Chronixx played first, it will be a lie

I was still eating….but from a place that had a much better view now

And so excited, too

Every song he sung to, it was just like singing or humming to the Roots and Chalice

Word for word, line for line, stanza for stanza

I loved it all

Then, came the part where we went along to Skankin’ Sweet

There’s something to this song I may know about

I just can’t get enough of it

It was like singing along to your favourite school rhyme

I got lost in the line, “forget your troubles and rock wid mi”

EVERYTHING AT THAT MOMENT WAS irie….as we rocked side to side with whoever was closest to us.

You are familiar with that monster that was set loose from Protoje’s Ancient Future called Who Knows?

I had to ensure he leads us on to this one

And that would be the end of my time at the Jam Fest!

This song always gives me life when I feel like my activism for better is failing

I remember somebody else out there is having it worse than I am

And I keep fighting on!

11:43PM….I signed out and was on my way.

What a show

What an experience

What a day

What a week

What a time in my life!

 

Unto the next one…..