Vintage Iryn Namubiru is timeless

Fifty minutes after the doors to the magnificent Victoria Hall were opened, a vintage clock started a count. At the top of the hour, at 8pm, a big bell sounded. The Timeless concert was on.

With graphics fusing images of Iryn Namubiru, the vintage clock and instrumentation as a soundtrack, there was anticipation. That’s when they dimmed the lights and music started playing. Namubiru, draped in glitter, was the focus of the only stage spotlight at the time. To create the perfect mood, she started with a high tempo song, Begombeko.

With everyone excited, many people abandoned their seats to sing with Namubiru, others recording every moment with smartphones. “A good and memorable performance,” like one Namubiru had promised us, was happening.

With her admirable vocal range, she did Njakunoba, Nsonyiwa, Essimu Y’ekiro and Nabulo, which she dedicated to a renowned fan, former Vice President Gilbert Bukenya, who was smiling from the VIP wing. Bukenya funded the song as a tribute to his now-deceased mother Francisca Nabulo.

Namubiru engaged her fans by introducing most of her songs and the stories behind them.

Namubiru in 2006, made a comeback as a solo artiste, the return song was Nkuweki, this was after she had a number of songs with a band she had formed in France, Nujeli. But Nujeli’s music wasn’t upbeat like the music most Ugandans listen to, thus it was missed. For many people, Namubiru really touched ground with Nkuweki.

The crowd quickly clicked, went wild, and sang the first verse of Nkuweki without Iryn’s interference. She was amazed, being challenged on her own song. She asked the band to play it again, this time singing with the crowd. Then she did It Is Well With My Soul, a cover by Audrey Assad. It evokes memories of her trying times. It helped her heal her troubles. She promised herself to perform it at her concert. She also did Nsiimye, a gospel song that retells her ordeal like her detention in Japan.

Michael Ouma, whose band was behind the backline at the concert joined Namubiru with Joseph Sax on Mpulira, a song whose audio both instrumentalists contributed to. 

Namubiru has collaborated with many artistes over the years, starting out as a duo with Julianna Kanyomozi, she has throught the years joined many artistes on songs such as Simbalala with Bebe Cool, Samwa Samwa alongside Jose Chameleone, and Kikondolo with Sama Sojah among others. However, Bebe Cool wasn’t there to join her for the duet.

She also continued a trend of doing a show without an official host; late last year, Kenneth Mugabi pulled it off and Blankets and Wine managed that last month. Namubiru too did not have a host. There were smooth transitions such as the change in acts to introduce surprise performers like Ragga Dee, Chosen Becky, Sama Sojah, Swangz Avenue’s trio of Azawi, Elijah Kitaka, and Zafaran.

It had been eight years since Namubiru had a concert in 2016. But these three hours of well-orchestrated performances reminded us of the giant she is. A legend in our industry. Loved by the old and the young, of all classes, yet it’s just enough of them that made it to Kampala Serena Hotel.

Many travelled hundreds of miles to catch the moment. But many missed out because the concert sold out three days prior. The lucky ones queued up by 5pm. They just couldn’t wait.