Updated Nairobi Arts Diary Highlights in June

By Iminza Keboge
Published June 11, 2018

As June enters its second last week, we bring you our selection of arts activities that you shouldn’t miss out on.

Kicking off at Alliance Française in Nairobi on June 12 is an 18-day art exhibition titled Reflections that is said to be inspired by Dandora dumpsite in Nairobi’s Eastlands neighbourhood. On show shall be two- and three-dimensional collages and object heads by Wallace Juma who says his work reflect back to society the environmental and social injustices suffered by the people living in the environs of the dumpsite.

Following closely on the art exhibition, also at Alliance Francaise in Nairobi CBD, is FIFA World Cup 2018 Live that invites soccer lovers to catch some of the group stage action–The favorites, the outsiders, the underdogs–as the teams navigate their way to the knock-out stage June 16 – 28, 2018.

Opening in Westlands district of Nairobi on June 16 is The Backyard Bar that the hosts, ADA Creative Studios, tout as being fully renovated and ready to host the most cutting edge events in the Nairobi creative sector.

DJ Random of Britain is expected to warm up the evening in the bar is located at the back of The Alchemist Bar from 8:00 PM with a selection of soul and funk, followed by a full two hour show by The Kaya Collective, whose powerful collection of original funk fusion songs has been rocking Nairobi for the past four years.
The big highlight of the show though will be DJ Simbad (aka SMBD) of Worldwide FM in UK, who will be coming all the way to record with ADA Records in Nairobi.

“The big highlight of the show though,” ADA Creative Studios say, “will be DJ Simbad aka SMBD (Worldwide Fm, UK), who will be coming all the way from London to record with ADA Records.”

“Always travelling between Europe, Asia, Africa or The Americas, Simbad’s exceptional sense of groove has built him a solid reputation amongst his peers, making him a very respected DJ & tastemaker on the international circuit,” ADA Creative Studios say in a statement to the media. “The versatile producer has vast experience working with some of the best musicians & artists on the planet and, as such is a a sought after remixer, showcasing a large music culture ranging from jazz to reggae, funk to hip hop, dub to garage & deep house via techno & soul.”

The opening of The Backyard Bar and the entertainment that shall go with it on June 16 shall pave way for the annual World Music Day or Fête de la Musique at Alliance Française five days later, on June 21 to be precise; from 7:00 PM.

Headlining this year’s event is the high energy seven-piece band, BCUC – Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness – from Soweto with their ‘Africangungungu’ musical style, hypnotic afro-psychedelic music. Drawing inspiration from indigenous music that is not exposed in the mainstream, the group comes complete with the voices of their ancestors, mixed with funk, punk-rock vibrations, hip-hop and Fela inflections.

And this is not all as fashion lovers have not been left out. A special event for them is the Nairobi Showcase of the Swahili Fashion Week that shall be held at Hotel Intercontinental on June 30, 2018.