Ghana: Abrantie Amakye Dede Live In Concert 2010 ‘SERIOUS’ evolution
By Peterking Quaye – Abrantie Amakye Dede Live In Concert 2010 ,was powered E-Volution International with support from Adom FM and rLG Phones to celebrating 25 years of Amakye Dede in the musical realm. The High Life maestro turned 53 years began his music career in 1973 with Kumapim Royals led by the late Akwasi Ampofo Agyei, then as a composer and a vocalist.
After sojourning in Nigeria for a while, he formed his own band called Apollo High Kings in 1980. He has since dominated the high life genre in Ghana. If magical performance and loud sounds coupled with good and thought provoking lyrics could cause fear and havoc then, by now Accra International Conference Centre building would have been crumbled since 27 December 2010 was a “bomb”.
As his own show, he made it categorically clear that, he will perform for more than 6 hours and do some magic. Abrantie Amakye Dede turn ‘serious’ up to his words and performed at the show “Abrantie Amakye Dede Live In Concert’ for hours, this show has been tagged by those who witnessed it as the “best show of 2010”.
Radio show host Kwame Sefa-Kayi,added extra humorous on the night as MC .Before Amakye Dede came on stage, Kofi Asare Brako, a sports presenter at Adom FM read his biography to welcome him. At 53, age is fasting catching up with him but he jumped from one end of the stage to the other. At certain times, he pointed out the microphone to the patrons to sing along with him.
Announcing the entrance of the showman, was ace sports commentator Kofi Asare Brako, undoubtedly one of the few pillars on whom high-life hangs presently. A lot of dynamism and spirit went into his performance, presenting his unwavering voice that is the niche of Amakye Dede’s glowing song after song a.k.a starting with his only claim to fame English song title -‘Iron Boy’, then to ‘Dabi dabi’ following in a unique order, Broken promise, ‘Odo ka nie maye kyere me’ and leaching on his fans already ecstatic his latest, Akonoba were woven with such intricacy.
Abrantie occasionally shouting ‘Serious’ and ‘Yieee’. Anytime he does that, the crowd responded. Getting to perform the popular hit song ‘Iron Boy’, a track Amakye had said is the only English song that he’s done, when in actual fact, the only English word in the song was the title ‘Iron Boy’.
Amakye Dede had promised his fans to come and see something new, something he had never done in his eventful career. Well, he kept his word. This was none of those occasions one needed to be offered a reason to join in the celebration – there was general consensus, though unvoiced, that the celebrated Amakye Dede, 53, remains a true music legend.
The show featured award winning artiste including Wulomei, Kwabena Kwabena and silky voice Daasebre Dwamena bringing back memories of their hit days in Ghana.
Shout-Africa.com interview some music stars who were present at the event Samini said, Amakye Dede is a legend to me. He is my favourite in terms of the high-Life artistes so it was really a privilege to get to watch him without being on the bill,” was how raga artiste, Samini, who watched proceedings from the stance and danced all night, summed up the exhilarating performance.
I’m short of words to describe Amakye Dede’s performance. It was an engaging, action-packed, charismatic and scintillating show.
The ageless Wulomei group were strategically ‘empanelled’ at the foyer of the conference centre where they offered traditional welcome to patrons. The youthful Shabo Crew Band got the stage rocking with perfect renditions of variety high-life songs, backing the romantic and smooth performers Kwabena Kwabena and Daasebre Ahoofe Dwamena to rock the house.
The show drew top personalities such as politicians, ministers, lawyers, actresses, movie makers, radio presenter, and musicians. Spotted in audience include former President of Ghana, His Excellency, J. A. Kuffour and Professor Badu Akorsah sang and dance with the high life dynamo.
As at early morning Tuesday, the auditorium was still filled to capacity – it was impossible to abandon Amakye Dede when he is playing. It was indeed a SERIOUS night for the illustrious son of Ghana.
