Afro Boom
For those of us who don’t enjoy Mantra, Mercy etc. or simply want to try something different, alternative club nights like Afro Boom are very welcome. Afro Boom took place at Open on Friday night, and the organisers promised “a musical adventure from Africa all the way through the Tropics” with “DJs, live musicians, performers and drummers”.
For an alternative club night, it was great fun. The DJ spun records that don’t get played on your average Friday night, e.g. highlife, funk and Afro-Cuban music. For further variation, songs spanned from the 60s onwards and from Lagos to Barbados. The organisers killed it with the décor, too. The Open Club Room was adorned with African and Caribbean patterns, while carnival bunting and bamboo fencing completed the theme.
However, the organisers promised much more than they actually delivered. There were no live performers. I assume that many, like me, were left disappointed by the false advertising.
Afro Boom set itself apart from most club nights with a chilled-out atmosphere, eclectic music and well-though out decorations. However, by promising what they couldn’t deliver, the organisers set themselves impossible standards. That decision seemed completely unnecessary. Despite this quibble, Afro Boom was an enjoyable night out - I hope that Open run it again.
7/10
