Trace Live: Flavour tears up TerraKulture

He kicked off his set with 'Chinny Baby', his shirt half-opened to reveal the top of a torso so famous it could headline its own show. If any of the women at the venue expected that his top comes off as has happened many times in his music videos, they ended up disappointed.

Fortunately, that was the only disappointment. Flavour put on quite a show on the night. During 'Chinny Baby', he bantered women in the audience.

“Any Chi here?” he asked, and received a racous response.

“Which Chi?” he continued.

Several names rent the air. Some of these names—Chioma, Chimamanda among them—replaced Chinny as he sang. The set continued with ‘Virtuous Woman’ starting off like a dirge and ending as uptempo highlife. If the key to a great live performance is the difference from its canned version, Flavour had begun on a high.

"What is ojaripopo in English?” he asked, dropping one of his many onomatopoeic constructions. “What is ukwu nwa baby in English? That one I can explain." After a pause he added: "That one I don't need to explain. I can do the sign. If you want to see the sign let me hear you say, yeah yeah.”

Out came the screams. And then he did the mime for a woman's backside, his palms making two large arcs in the air. With that the man started singing ‘Dance’—but if that was a command, he was late: already people were dancing.

The movement from song to familiar song might have reminded those dancing—if they cared—of the many hits Flavour has made since his music crossed over from being a south-eastern indulgence to a national pastime. If anyone forgot, his set reminded her that Flavour's favourite topic is a woman's body. His own body has been the subject of his music videos. The latter has led to accusations of narcissism, a charge he’ll no doubt accept. But maybe the former balances out the latter, perhaps making Flavour Nigerian pop’s sole equal opportunity objectifier. The songs may be about women; the videos are about his body.

One of the loudest cheers on the night came with ‘Finally’. Women were on their feet. Sarkodie, who rapped on the original, was absent, but the song’s actual owner, the producer Masterkraft, was behind working a keyboard as Flavour sang that rousing opening line: “Finally o, it’s about to go down!” To close the song, the pop guitarist Fiokee provided some strumming as Flavour watched.

At this point, it was clear Flavour wasn’t going to take off his shirt, but he could at least wind his waist, another thing for which he’s famous for. And he began to do so as his band of excellent live musicians began to play the beat for ‘Shake’. Four dancers with rara skirts materialised onstage and began to move. The crowd cheered. The dancers disappeared and reappeared for 'Sexy Rosey', the song from Thankful where Flavour uttered those deathless dimensions: Waist 34 / Hips 44 / You're 24. 

As the songs played, including a brief rendition of the classic ‘Osondi Owendi’, a few people walked to the stage, stopped just in front and began to spray some notes at Flavour’s feet. It was just right: a highlife artist at the receiving end of a respected ritual. The music had cooled enough for him to greet some persons in the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen Don Baba J, Don Jazzy in the building," he said, before name-checking other guests.

Another highlight of the night was Flavour’s performance of the chorus from  Zoro's ‘Ogene’. For a song that isn’t quite as popular as some of Flavour’s solo hits are in Lagos, it brought quite a crowd up to their feet. A few newer songs might have been good, but it appeared the plan was to go for the tried-and-tested hits. The audience response showed it worked. As with Afropolitan Vibes, the Trace sessions are bringing true live performances to the pop scene.

Outside of the TerraKulture venue, news reports and social media have raged with talk of secession by the southeast. Flavour seemed to address the news obliquely, saying “Yoruba kwenu, Igbo kwenu, Hausa kwenu!” during  his performance. As a political statement it wasn't exactly declaratory, but it might have to serve.

He wasn't quite as evasive in other matters. "When you hear...kpom kpom you need to understand," he said. "It simply means you understand the sound and follow the sound. There is a movement with the sound. I should show you.” Several women in the audience said he better show them. 

Despite the ribaldry, in true Nigerian style, the concert ended with the gospel tune 'Most High' from his new album Ijele – the Traveller. Make some noise, Flavour said, "if the Lord is good to you." He received a lot of noise as response.

Many Nigerians agree the Lord is good. At the risk of blasphemy, those present at the second Trace Live session would say the same about Flavour playing a live concert.