The live music industry is facing a big and tough challenge. COVID-19 has shut down live performances worldwide. The regeneration is a slow and difficult process and new ways of musical entertainment have to be found. It takes an extra effort of creativity for festivals and organizers to remain in the spotlight.
The Afropfingsten Festival from Switzerland – with yearly over 70,000 spectators, one of the biggest African music festivals worldwide, had to cancel its 30th anniversary in 2020. But in fact, the hard strike just postponed the festival’s celebration into 2021 and pushed it into an extraordinary concept of a virtual edition.
In April, a film team started a journey from Mali to Ghana and back to Switzerland to shoot a documentary about a few musical hotspots in Africa. In Mali, they met Bassekou Kouyate, Tiken Jah Fakoly and other top musicians surrounding them.
In Ghana, they were hosted at Beda’s Event Centre in Accra where they witnessed the main act’s rehearsals of this year’s Afro Pfingsten Virtual Edition.
Likewise, they formed a group with the best musicians from Africa living in Switzerland. The festival also promotes other aspects of African culture like fashion, creative arts and food, which are also part of the documentary.
This year’s edition of Afro Pfingsten will be mainly a virtual edition. On Saturday, the 22nd of May, you can watch the documentaries and the live performances out of Switzerland and Ghana online from all over the world. A bridge is being created between Africa and Europe, between Switzerland and Ghana – a bridge built with the power of art and music.
The main stage of this extraordinary event will be at the Beda’s Event Centre at Old Ashongman, Accra. Swiss citizen and musician, Beda Ehrensperger, who opened the doors of his lifetime project just last month, is overexcited to host his favourite festival and feels deeply honoured to act as a link between the two continents and to perform alongside some of Accra’s finest instrument players backing the golden voices of Yaa Yaa, Wiyaala and the living kologo-legend and “Heaven No Beer” singer, Atongo Zimba.
Through this window towards the tremendous talent rooted in Africa, you can also watch four gifted girls who are trained by an organization called Dani’s Entertainment. Jenice (1st runner up Adom TV Nsoromma3), Pinky, Shatty and Queen Bars are coming to shine like the icing on the cake beside their role models.
While the whole world can watch the program online, residents of Ghana are privileged to get a few restricted tickets for the show and enjoy it live. Call 020 667 06 15 and for only 50GHC / 80GHC (VIP) you will be part of the Afro Pfingsten history. Doors open at 5 pm on Saturday 22nd of May.
