You walk into K1 Klubhouse a few minutes shy of 4 pm, knowing you're late. It's a stunning Sunday afternoon and this section of K1 now has funky umbrellas and potted plants hanging on the underbelly of its translucent roof. And like the Flea Market side, it’s also bursting with life and colour. 

Signs of a promising gig.

This is one of the first events in Nairobi since Corona. According to the poster, Intersect is supposed to start at 2 pm but it hasn’t yet. African timing still exists. The regular art exhibition by artist collective The Kenyan Renaissance is back! Despite the life-changing shifts with the pandemic, TKR continues to document and immortalize the Kenyan renaissance through their online art museum and curated events. And 18th October 2020 is a day for Kenyan art enthusiasts to reunite and discover art.  From the entrance, you spot so many familiar faces. It feels like a high school reunion after almost a whole year of not seeing each other. As you catch up with your friends, some early birds grab their complimentary drink and snack plate promised with the ticket.

Mapinduzi Jukebox

After a chill set by resident DJ Lazyazy, the show finally starts with an open mic session dubbed The Mapinduzi Jukebox - which is also the name of TKR’s weekly Kenyan music playlist. Kuki Kim serenades the growing crowd with her soulful vocals and acoustic guitar. She’s followed by a young Kenyan spoken word artist you’ve never heard of before. Raff Mshairi half sits on a stool as he spits punchy lines in Sheng and Swahili. Up next is Msafiri, the quintessential singer-songwriter with a guitar. He has an urban rhumba vibe to him, which you like. After a DJ break, Rass B comes on stage. She's got the look - clean rastas, gold accessories, a sheer black top, blue jeans, and white sandals.  The petite songbird performs 3 original songs. One is her latest single Kiki which has an upbeat party vibe, delivered in sheng. Msafiri backs her up on the guitar as the crowd sings along Ki-ki-ki-ki-ki.

And Tony Oriema keeps up the tempo. His fans ask for Tony Oriema For President - the conscious Kenyan song about police brutality featuring TKR's creative director Macho ya Luka. Instead, Zulu and Luka join the upcoming Kenyan rapper on stage for the Kenyan drill song Dat Man A Bully.

Nene K sits on the other side of the spectrum. He exudes a calm demeanour as he serves his conscious Kenyan hip-hop. Think Trabolee performing at the previous Intersect event at Bric A Brac Karen on 18th August 2019. 

Art market

During the performances, you notice many Nairobi hipsters strutting around in gold and white. Sammy who also has tribal lines on his face is responsible for that. And his clients keep on increasing. At the back, Bakhita and friends are selling stone rings that are so unique you get one. Also on display is her music merchandise: a blue denim jacket with her cosmic Chamo Mile: PYE EP artwork painted on the back. Kenyan stylist Mwongeli Mutuku has secured her bag full of vintage wear nearby - corduroy jackets and pants that make you reconsider your fashion style. Her table displays brass rings and pearl necklaces like the one she is wearing. 

And yes, she made them.  

Mo.Art lets you play with his trippy paper art which he made using Manila. He's also pasted colourful paper butterflies on his acrylic flower paintings. His gentle face reminds you of Jason Kalinga. Nearer the entrance, there's a plethora of African art to choose from: stickers, buttons, and prints. Blaine 29 displays exquisite acrylic paintings of exquisite black women. And other than stickers, fellow female graffiti artist Chela has expanded her portfolio to hanging earrings of her unique African essence graphics.  Ibra Art Junkie of BSQ crew does a live graffiti of an African woman during the Intersect art exhibition. He says he is inspired by women. And mushrooms, as you learned during the My Mark My City project that added colour to Kenyatta Avenue in the Nairobi CBD.

Shikamoo

By 6 pm, the air is warm and electric. The drinks are flowing and the din is growing. Everyone waits in anticipation for the main performers of the day. Ach13ng marches onto the stage with Kenty, her worthy guitarist. She sports a green and gold jacket, commander hat, and high leather boots that make her look like a military queen. The female Kenyan musician starts with the upbeat love song Leo. Her own version of rhumba trap which is emerging as a Kenyan sound. Refer to Red Akafellaz and Sauti Sol. The rest of her songs are about heartbreak and disappointment in relationships. And she pours her whole soul out. You feel her pain in the depths of yours. At one point she breaks down on stage. Who checks up on artists to make sure they're okay?

When she announces her last song, the crowd is not ready to let her go. Yet they sing along to her latest single about unconditional love - Let Love Lead. She reminds you that even if we're breaking on the inside, healing is available. 

Another Afro-soul queen steps up. Jumadi Akoth performs barefoot on stage (as always), guitar in hand. And a signature Chela sticker on it. Her slower soulful songs are in Dholuo and Swahili. Jangolo, her final song and the first single from her debut Ere Yo EP fires the crowd up and gets them dancing. Gugz Ngugi, from the Kenyan band Mbogi Konnection, keeps up the African beat with his djembe.

It's your first time watching Billy Black live. You walk straight to the front row even though the only Billy song you've heard is Dhambi. Maybe because, as a Kenyan, its conscious message spoke to you. His African folk acoustic music charms everyone, both boys and girls. His true fans sing along, swaying to the smooth rhythm. His baritone voice feels like a warm Sunday afternoon under the covers. Because of that, he has to perform Sundays In Nairobi. The charming Kenyan musician teaches the intimate crowd his simple lyrics. He has this humble charisma that allows him to connect with anyone. Even someone who has never heard of him before. Towards the end, one fan screams "Billy the Goat" followed by "you can have my girlfriend!" No wonder the Kenyan king is a Cafe Ngoma Awards 2020 nominee for soulful artist of the year. After the show, you camp on his YouTube and scour his Soundcloud for more of this soul-soothing music.

The Afterparty

After the live music presented during the Shikamoo showcases, it's time to party. One multidisciplinary Kenyan creative dons the DJ hat today. In between the sets, Sayankah has been playing a mix of alternative Kenyan and international sounds that leave you impressed. After the show, he turns up the heat and plays Kenyan music from Nyashinski's master album Lucky You, with tracks you rarely hear like Traveler and Fathela. Meanwhile, Shappaman's and Blinky Bill's Wacha Maneno We becomes the party anthem of the night. Sayankah and the MC Kmoney (also DJ Get Down) have a head to head, mixing old school with new school Kenyan music. Some Intersect attendees move to the other "litter" side of K1 Klubhouse. But you and your friends stay behind because you know you won't hear this kind of music anywhere else. It's been so long since you went out, you spend almost every second on the dancefloor. You could turn up the whole night. But the music fades away at 9.30 pm to give everyone enough time to beat the 11 pm curfew. In contrast to when you walked in, it's cold outside - looks like it's about to pour. Yet the warmth still radiates from a great party with a surprisingly great turnout. Where you admired the beautiful faces of Nairobi with masks off. And that eccentric fashion that feels like home. Before you leave, Naimutie picks up something from the stage. It's her refurbished guitar box turned bookshelf with broken shiny CDs and rainbow coloured fret. The final masterpiece of this alternative Kenyan art exhibition.

This TKR Presents event has established itself as the point where music, art, and fun Intersect. From the basement of Lavington Mall in December 2017, the underground event started from the bottom… now it’s here. A bold statement that events in Nairobi are back. Even at the quaint Dagoz Bar in Dagoretti Corner.

And it feels good to be back. Even on a Sunday afternoon.