Uganda: Nyege Nyege Tapes announces 2019 European tour dates

The tour will feature DJs Catu Diosis (Uganda), Slikback (Kenya), Otim Alpha, Poko Poko (DRC), MCZO (Tanzania), Duke (Tanzania), Hibotep (Somalia) and Makaveli (Tanzania).

"I'm so excited about this upcoming tour," Catu Diosis told Music In Africa. "I've worked so hard in the last three months, played all over East Africa. "I'm looking forward to playing to new audiences, seeing new places and representing our collective to the fullest. Moreover, I know, this is just the beginning."

Hibotep said she was looking forward to a time when Somali music would penetrate the East African music scene.

"Somali music is popping in the Somali community but the war-torn country has prevented artists from traveling far except of course for those who have fled the country as refugees," she said. "There is also no structure for our music industry yet because we are scattered. If there were peace in Somalia, the music would have been heard in East Africa."

Apart from Europe, the tour will also feature a date in Israel, where Otim Alpha will play at the Levontin 7 bar in Tel Aviv.

Nyege Nyege co-founder Derek Debru said he was proud of the label's artists, especially in the progress they had made in establishing and growing their brands outside Africa.

"It has been both a steady work in progress and also a crazy roller-coaster ride for everyone," he said. "We went from touring tiny cafes back in the day with Otim Alpha, Bamba Pana and Makaveli, learning about the hustle of touring and now we have agents and we do showcases all over, and more and more artists are steadily profiting from this platform we're trying to set up."

Debru also challenged music promoters in the diaspora. "I think if the diaspora communities start to get involved in booking more underground acts that are touring already, it will make it much easier to organise tours. However, those networks take time to build up."

Asked where he sees the label in the next five years, Debru said: "Nobody can tell where we will be in five years, but we hope to be releasing the most interesting talents on the continent.

"Hopefully witnessing the blossoming of new sounds and new voices, and building a community and tools that are favourable to our artists; basically an attempt to change the game in favour of underground music."

Nyege Nyege Tapes 2019 tour dates (partial list):

June

20.06. Line Check festival, Spain (Kampire, Bamba Pana and Makaveli)
21.06. Electricians Street, Poland (Kampire)
21.06. Berlin, Germany (Slikback)
22.06. Tauron Nowa Muzyka, Poland (Slikback)
22.06. Kolorádó Festival, Budapest (Bamba Pana and Makaveli)
22.06. Kolorádó Festival, Budapest (Kampire)
23-25.06. Summer Nostos, Greece (Slikback, Catu Diosis and MCZO & Duke)
27-28.06. Fusion Festival, France (Kampire)
28.06. Les Siestes Electronique, Toulouse, France (Slikback)
29.06. Summer Nostros Festival, Greece (TBA) (Authentically Plastic)
29. 06. IndieRocket Festival, Italy (Kampire)

July

05.07. Eurockennes of Belfort, France (Kampire and Catu Diosis)
06.07. Down the Rabbit Hole Festival, Netherlands (Kampire)
11.07. Festival Suds à Arles, France (Kampire)
14.07. Dour Festival, Belgium (Kampire)
17.07. Gurtenfestival, Switzerland (Kampire)
18.07. Sónar Festival, Barcelona (Slikback and Hibotep)
18.07. Off-Sonar @ Razzmatazz, Barcelona (Kampire)
19.07. Blue Dot Festival, UK (Otim Alpha and Slikback)
19.07. Melt! Festival, Germany (Kampire)
18.07. Off-Sonar @ Razzmatazz, Barcelona (Otim Alpha)
20.07. Kallida Festival, UK (Otim Alpha and Kampire)
25.07. Contemporary Art Museum of Barcelona (Bamba Pana & Makaveli)
26.07. Sfinks Festival, Belglium (Hibotep)
26.07. Levontin 7, Israel (Otim Alpha)
25-27.07. Norberg Festival, Sweden (Slikback)
28.07. Ortigia Sound System Festival, Italy (Otim Alpha)

August

03.08. Cafe OTO, UK (Kampire)
03.08. Phonox, UK (Kampire)
04.08. Supernormal Festival, UK (Kampire and Otim Alpha)
03.08. Cafe OTO, UK (Otim Alpha)
03.08. OFF Festival, Poland (Bamba Pana and Makaveli)
04.08. Dekmantel, Netherlands (Slikback)
09.08. Le Sucre, France (Otim Alpha)
10.08. Flow Festival, Finland (Kampire, Bamba Pana and Makaveli)
17.08. Poekhali Festival, Norway (Otim Alpha)
17.08. Lowlands Festival, Netherlands (Bamba Pana and Makaveli)
11.08. Plages Electroniques Festival, France (Kampire)
18.08. Pukkelpop Festival, Belgium (Bamba Pana and Makaveli)
23.08. Kamikaze, UK (Kampire)
25.08. Le Cabaret Vert Festival, Belgium (Kampire)
26-31. 08. Atlas Electronic Festival, (Otim Alpha)
05.08. MTN Nyege Nyege Festival (Everybody)

See all the dates here.