RECALLING INDIE FUSE 2013: DAY 1

Story by BILLIE MCTERNAN | Photography by SELORM JAY

For those that are unfamiliar with IND!E FUSE, you should know that it is the country’s largest concert of independent artists that falls slap-bang in the middle of Ghana’s December party season.

Mensa of FOKN BOIS with the crowd.

When I came to Ghana in December 2012 it had been four years since I’d last visited the country. Up until that time I had been under the guardianship of family, shuttling from one family house to another, missing out on the vibrancy the city had to offer. I was looking forward to discovering an alternative experience. 

BLITZ THE AMBASSADOR HAS ACCRA CITY DREAMING AGAIN

Blitz takes in all the #Accra love

Going in red and deep. Blitz Taking it all in- #AfropolitanDreams concert #Accra 

In the shadows. #AfropolitanDreams comncert

Afrobeat/Jazz lengend Gyedu Blay Ambolley brought his illest Sax game to the jam. #AfropolitanDreams concert #Accra

Jamming with the drummer Syd- Embassy MVMT. #Accra

IND!E FUSE Returns DEC 12 – 14, 2013

by Billie McTernan | photos by Mantse Aryeequaye

*Double-click on images to enlarge.

Wanlov the Kubolor + M3NSA = FOKN BOIS. Photo taken in Central Accra

For those that are unfamiliar with IND!E FUSE, you should know that it is the country’s largest concert of independent artists that falls slap-bang in the middle of Ghana’s December party season.

When I came to Ghana in December 2012 it had been four years since I’d last visited the country. Up until that time I had been under the guardianship of family, shuttling from one family house to another, missing out on the vibrancy the city had to offer. I was looking forward to discovering an alternative experience.

Kojo-Cue keeps it Kumasi in central Accra

I had been in Ghana for less than a week before I attended IND!E FUSE. Many Ghanaians had been speaking about the concert on Twitter for weeks prior and I was curious to know what Accra had to offer.

The vibe was nothing short of electric. With a crucible of genres, I hadn’t realized that Accra was so diverse.

IND!E FUSE 2012: The ReCAP

We certainly had a grand time at IND!E FUSE 2012. Live performances by Tawiah, FOKN BOIS, Yaa Pono, Lady Jay, Lyrical Wanzam, Jojo Abot, Rumor and so much more deliciousness. Well, the good times have rolled around again and we are counting down to IND!E FUSE 2013.

This time, we’re bringing you a 3-day music event! Boy, do we have some goodies in store. While we are still in the kitchen whipping that brew, feast on this video recap of IND!E FUSE 2012. Let us know what you’re looking forward to at this year’s show.

The 4th Annual INDI!E FUSE features the coolest artists from Ghana and beyond in an exciting live music concert event. IND!E FUSE is the largest African indie music showcase in West Africa and highlights the best in hip hop, AfroBeat, traditional fusion, soul, electronic and rock music.

The Big Fun Party We Had At IND!E FUSE 2012

FOKN Jam by OneFotos

story by Mantse Aryeequaye + Sionne Neely

IND!E FUSE 2012 was the most exciting, lavishly intense live show by any group of artists in Accra.  16 music acts participated – each creating their own version of an Accra indie monstrosity – dropkicking through live bass, synth harmonics and drum rhythms with menacingly cinematic vamps.

Approximately 1600 indie music fans jammed over the two day music event with headliners FOKN BOIS and Tawiah causing an almighty ruckus. In just two years, IND!E FUSE has quickly become the place for exposing music lovers to new and groundbreaking artists from Ghana, Africa and abroad.

SANKWAS BOIS

At the mainstage show, rapper duo and IND!E FUSE MCs, The Sankwas Bois [aka Mutombo da Poet and Simpol Tinz], STILL have people in stitches with their animated antics and raw, hilarious improvisation.

The DUSTLYVE Booth was in full effect for the first hour of the show – with Kobby Graham and DJ Kev spinning dopeness as the audience strolled in.

KOBBY GRAHAM | DJ KEV

DJ KEV SPINS

The F.O.K.N BOIS delivered their zombie apocalypse lyrics with a raw, funked-out fusion sound. As chaotic as their music may seem, in reality the duo are exceptionally tight and well-rehearsed which is crucial for pulling off their ingenuous shtick.

FOKN FLOSS

BEHIND THE SCENES: IND!E FUSE 2012 Sound Check

EBEN’S HIP HOP

Peruse through our garden of IND!E FUSE 2012 images. One month later, folks are still chatting up the two-day December concert – including many a request for IND!E FUSE twice a year?!! Wow Fam.

Check out these behind-the-scenes photos of the artists and crew at sound check before the main stage show at Alliance Française that beautiful Saturday night in December.

All Photos Taken by ACCRA [dot] ALT.

SOUND CHECK 1-2, 1-2

DJ KEV | KOBBY GRAHAM | BADBOY STELOO

CRUSH ME FOR DEH FRONT

M3NSA | KOBBY GRAHAM

TAWIAH’S IN THE BLDG

TAWIAH | WANLOV

IND!E FUSE 2012 Promo x YAA PONO

YAA PONO at IND!E FUSE, Dec. 2011 [photo by Francis Kokoroko]

Point blank, YAA PONO is a freestyle beast. His compelling storytelling, witty timing and delicious cadence makes this MC someone to check out.

He joins IND!E FUSE again after giving last year’s audience a small taste of what he can do. Yaa Pono’s dropping brand new material on the IND!E FUSE mainstage this Saturday, December 15th, 7:30 – 11:00pm, Alliance Francaise. You definitely want to be there for this!

Check out this small preview and see how the Uptown Energy Crew gets down. Tema, How Be?!

See YAA PONO live at IND!E FUSE 2012 | @TheRealYaaPono

IND!E FUSE 2012: Live Electro Accra [DEC. 14th x 15th]

Accra’s coolest music event of the year, IND!E FUSE, is back for a third edition. Music lovers who want a taste of imaginative, super fresh, and amazing live music should come out and jam at IND!E FUSE 2012. The show features the trendsetters of the Accra indie scene and a growing network of young Ghanaian artists that are causing international waves in music.

ACCRA [dot] ALT, a cultural network that encourages the alternative work of Ghanaian artists and emerging artists across the globe, closes 2012 with a two-day IND!E FUSE concert event on December 14th (The Republic Bar + Grill) and 15th (Alliance Française). IND!E FUSE is the premiere showcase for the freshest artists on the Accra music scene. Last year’s show was a sellout success and this year will be even sweeter. Come and witness Ghanaian and international artists create live sonic rainbows of edgy AfroBeat, electronic soul, drumbassfunk, R&B, true skool hip hop, and rare West African folk grooves.

 Our 2012 IND!E FUSE Lineup for the two nights include:

On Friday 14 December 2012, chill with us at The Republic Bar and Grill for a live DJ mashup with Kwaku Ananse, Jason Kleatsh and SanSe beginning at 9pm (5GHC to enter). Catch live performances by Ghana’s leading indie artists – Rumor, Kay-Ara, Holla Blak, Oga Chuxx, Steloo and Yaw P.

On Saturday 15 December 2012, an eclectic set of musicians from Ghana and abroad will mount the stage at Alliance Française from 7:30 – 11pm. IND!E FUSE 2012 is headlined by FOKN BOIS (UK/Ghana), Tawiah (UK) and Yaa Pono. Fans can also wild out to performances by Jojo Abot (NYC/Ghana), Lady Jay, FaintMedal, Paapa (Skillions Records), Lyrical Wanzam and Zantou Lansre (Niger). The show is hosted by the Sankwas Bois and will feature a live DUSTLVYE (YFM) DJ Booth with the sounds of our resident Funky Professor, Mr. Kobby Graham.

Admission is only 10 GHC.

 IND!E FUSE 2012 is brought to you by ACCRA [dot] ALT in partnership with Institut Français, Alliance Française, The Republic Bar + Grill, REDD Kat Pictures, DUST Magazine, Fullish Art, Pidgen Music, Skillions Records, Goba Hub, Smoothy’s Café and Global Outdoor Systems.

For more information, email us at accra.alt@gmail.com.

IND!E FUSE Returns December 2012

OH CHALE! We are backononono for a third time with IND!E FUSE, the illest live music show in Accra this December at Alliance Francaise. To get you in the spirit, we’re dropping the trailer from last December’s show. Relive the copious amounts of fun had by all with just a click of a button.

In case you missed out, here’s a recap:

Oodles + noodles of cool folk jam-pack the joint out – holiday visitors returning home from the U.S., U.K. + beyond bond tight with the hometown crowd – PY Annan + @MutomboDaPoet keep the crowd amped with their side-splitting, funnyman antics – Mawuli Fudoglo + Tacitus the Greek Ga God take over the stage to show everyone the proper way to azonto – Kobby Graham aka The Funky Professor keeps it smoove + ever-funky as our resident wax selecta – Ananse aka Old Dad bumrushes eager fans who get too close to the stage then suddenly transforms into a freeze! pop-n-lock mime dancer making you wonder what the flipmode squad hell is going on?!

 B.I.L.S. Rayoe surprises the audience with a kick-ass painted acrobatic troupe that eats fire – Azizaa performs her psycho-tropic myth music in the stands – Jojo Abot brings down the house with her natty Afro funk punk sound – The SANKWAS BOIS stir the pot with their tripped-up pidgen headbangas – Holla Blak casts spells with ther pan-African sticky icky lullabies (roll your blunt with that) – Lady Jay’s super-heroine sultry anthems hit you like an Accra heatwave – Steloo + Yaw P make you jump jump to their hypnotic house beats – Kofi BeatMenace and the Smol Smol Distins Band wreak havoc with their folk monster jams – Jayso, Shaker, Rumor and Sandra of Skillions Records kill it with their edgy yet charismatic bass bumpers – Yaa Pono and FaintMedal debut their now classic “I Dey Feel You Die” and create an infectious, all-out luvfest – and Wanlov the Kubolor spouts spoken word gems then unwraps his Christmas present for all to see.

WANLOV THE KUBOLOR IN ACTION @ IND!E FUSE

WELL, DAYUM. If you are digging all that, you won’t believe what we have in store for you this December.

So, get krunk. We’re live from the Ghana Space Station, baby, and beaming straight into your speakers. MO VIM coming your way real soon.

IND!E FUSE returns this December 2012.