I dislike late-night shows but it’s difficult to change it in Ghana – KiDi

Ghanaian musician, Dennis Nana Dwamena, popularly known as KiDi has raised concerns about the late timing of musical shows in the country which is different from what happens in other jurisdictions.

He narrated a scenario when he went to perform at an event in Europe and started at exactly the time that he was given by the organizers which shocked him to the core.

The musician noted that the situation differs in Ghana where most of the shows extend to late-night due to the lateness of the fans and sometimes the artiste.

Speaking in an interview with Berla Mundi on the Day show aired on TV3 and monitored by GhanaWeb, KiDi expressed his displeasure with late-night shows and asserted that the menace should be dealt with in the creative arts industry.

“This is a collective effort that we all have to make. It’s not just about fans. There was one time I was doing a show, and I was like, It’s starting at nine. So I had it in mind that even if two people were there at nine, I wanted to perform although it’s scary, that’s what I wanted to do to help the situation.

“But when you get there, you see two people and they want to wait for everybody to come, and that delays the show. That’s why I said it’s a collective thing. We all have to chip in to make this work,” he said.

KiDi recounted an experience he had when he performed at an event outside the country.

He indicated that he was astonished when the time he was given to perform on stage was followed accordingly contrary to what happens in Ghana.

“One thing that I always tell people is the timing of shows. The first time I started performing outside, they told me that I was going on stage at eight. And I was so used to being in Ghana, when they say the show starts at eight, that means 01:00 a.m. So I was just relaxed and they were like, ‘Listen, the show starts at eight, and by 10:00 p.m. the venue is closing.’ I was doubting but they followed the schedule.

“That was one of my biggest cultural shocks. And that actually happens. And I love that because you get the crowd at their most energetic level. I don’t understand the concept of shows lasting into 04:00 a.m. And 03:00 a.m., I don’t like it,” he narrated.

KiDi commented after he was asked to evaluate how shows are run in Ghana compared to what happens overseas.