By Staff Writer
Every season has its moments. And this season is for former Miss Uganda Stella Reever Nantumbwe. At the just concluded Roast and Rhyme, Souls on Strings Edition organised by Bell Lager at Jahazi Pier, Nantumbwe was the centre of attention. By 4pm, the lakeside resort was filled to capacity by revellers out to have a fun picnic day with roast, Bell Lager and live music.
Popular women in this town like Miss Uganda organisers Brenda Nanyonjo and Nana Kagga sat next to her, watching her bag and helping her fix her makeup. The big men like Salvador Idringi also didn’t spare a moment to entertain her none stop to ensure she isn’t bored even for one minute. Salvador danced so well that one would be convinced he has been going to the gym more often and has lost a few pounds to allow him the fitness of dancing like a campuser. I kid you not. His dancing companion Nana broke a sweat while dancing that she almost fell on her face. Ok, she didn’t fall. But you get the picture of how much she was dancing.
All this time, Ms Ellah Nantumbwe was sitting comfortably in her reserved seat right next to the stage, while drinking some Bell Lager from her Pink Panther glass. She occasionally pulled out her small mirror and retouched her makeup and lipstick. She is the girl of the season thanks to a highly billed, invites only, birthday party that she threw at Serena Hotel Kampala. It was her 2016 Toyota Lexus SUV birthday gift that has got tongues wagging from coast to coast. So it is no surprise that people will want to hang around her and not Chameleone or John Ssegawa who were also in attendance.
On stage, Aziz Azion paid attention to his fans, putting up a 2-hour spirited performance. His vocal prowess stunned revellers who abandoned their Meat roast on the grill and joined Aziz to sing to some of his great hits like My Oxygen, Nakupenda, Wampisa and Beera Nange. He then did a mashup of songs from Uganda, Nigeria and the rest of Africa while strumming his guitar, much to the satisfaction of his fans.
With support from Bell Jamz, Aziz and his contemporaries like Winnie Nwagi, King Saha, Vinka at Swangz Avenue have been given a platform to showcase their talent. The turn up at Roast and Rhyme and other concerts and social events is a true manifestation of how Bell Jamz is changing the music scene in Uganda and supporting budding talent that turns into great records overnight.
King Saha, the last man of the night, closed off Roast and Rhyme like the king he is. His hits Biri Biri and Very Well turned the crowd wild with excitement. Even when he left the stage, revellers refused to move an inch, choosing to stay the cold night until the last Bell Lager bottle was sold out.