A night of nostalgia took over Kigali as the Oldies Music Festival returned with a live twist, featuring a lineup of some of the city’s finest DJs—Fresh Freddie, Infinity, RY and Nano—before headlining act Wyre turned Kigali Universe into one giant dance floor on Saturday, July 26. The Kenyan artiste made every moment of his 55-minute performance count, captivating old-school music lovers with his signature reggae and dancehall sounds. MC Luckman Nzeyimana opened the night at 9:20 p.m., setting the tone for a rotation of DJs. DJ Nano battled early technical glitches but quickly recovered and won the crowd over, before DJ RY took over with a selection of old-school mixes that had the audience on its feet well before midnight. The atmosphere reached another level at 11:40 p.m. when Wyre, born Kevin Waire, took the stage for a live set that ran until 12:35 a.m. DJ RY then returned to keep the party going before the festival wrapped up at 2:06 a.m. Wyre is best known across the region for his work with Necessary Noise, She Say That and the East African Bashment Crew featuring Bebe Cool. Songs from his dancehall catalogue have become classic anthems, and they received an enthusiastic reception during his first performance in Kigali. The decision to bring in a live performer marked a deliberate shift for an event that has, until now, built its identity almost entirely around DJ sets. “We started with DJs only, and this year we introduced a live artist,” event organiser Basile Uwimana told The New Times, adding that Wyre’s catalogue carried the kind of nostalgic appeal the festival has spent years cultivating. “As the Oldies Music Festival continues to grow, we are constantly looking for ways to enhance the experience. Wyre was the perfect choice because his music represents the era and nostalgia that the festival celebrates,” he said. Wyre’s solo catalogue, anchored by the album Ten Years Wiser, and collaborations with international names such as P-Square, 2Baba, Alaine, Cecile and Morgan Heritage have kept him relevant across East and West Africa for nearly three decades. His music has also found a strong following on Rwandan airwaves, including through his collaboration with local artiste Miss Shanel on Nakupenda Pia. The memories that his music created in the past were relived in Kigali, with hardly a track on Wyre’s set failing to get the crowd moving. The audience danced and sang along as he moved from one familiar hit to another. Among celebrities that attended the event include host venue owner Coach Gael and 1:55AM CEO Kenny Mugarura, music manager Alex Muyoboke, comedian and actor Clapton Kibonge among others. According to Uwimana, the positive feedback from attendees, partners and artistes confirmed that the organising team had achieved its objectives. Organisers are already looking ahead to a possible December edition, although the venue and exact date have yet to be confirmed. If it goes ahead as planned, it would mark the festival’s second edition of the year and could signal a shift towards a biannual format rather than a single annual event. For now, the team behind the festival says its goal remains to grow an event built around music from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. “The music from that era remains timeless and continues to bring people together across generations,” Uwimana said.
