Was Walkertown 2024 Nairobi worth it?
If you’re a concert enthusiast living in Nairobi, then you already know about one of the biggest music events of the year—the Walker Town concert, which took place on the 28th and 29th of September 2024. Walker Town is an annual concert organized by EABL as part of their marketing campaign for Johnnie Walker. This year marked the 5th edition, held at Laureate Garden in Kasarani. I had the opportunity to attend the first day of the event, and there’s a lot to unpack. I’ll break down my review into three main categories: artist selection, venue experience, and production, followed by a final overall rating.
1. Artist Selection
This was, without a doubt, Walker Town’s strongest aspect. The lineup was nothing short of spectacular, with Rema, Bien, and ArrDee as the main performers. To spice things up, there were additional performances from Wadagliz, Fathermoh, Buruklyn Boyz, Maandy, Tipsy Gee, Harry Craze, and more. The DJ lineup was equally impressive, featuring DJ Proteje, DJ Pierra, DJ Grauchi, DJ SirM, DJ Kaneda, DJ Mista C, and DJ Pscratch. The MCs Kwambox and MC Benvic kept the crowd engaged and entertained throughout day one.Day two continued the excitement with performances from Nyashinski and the legendary Ms. Lauryn Hill. DJ Proteje and DJ Pscratch were back on the decks, with Amina Mohammed as the MC of the day. The artist selection was undoubtedly top-tier, featuring some of the biggest names in both local and international music, with a wide selection of genres and styles to keep everyone entertained.Did the artists deliver? Absolutely. Rema, Bien, and ArrDee lived up to their star power with unforgettable performances. However, technical issues (which I’ll address later) hindered some of the performances on day two. Still, for the sheer caliber of talent, I’m giving this area a solid 7/10.
Rating: 7/10
2. Venue Experience
Here’s where things took a nosedive. To be honest, the venue selection was disappointing. Laureate Garden in Kasarani just didn’t meet the standards for a concert of this magnitude. For one, the security arrangements were inadequate, and the overall aesthetics were lacking. Considering the scale of the event, a venue like Uhuru Gardens would have been a better fit.Overcrowding was a major issue, with many people gaining entry for free despite others paying Ksh 5,000 for tickets. VIP ticket holders, expecting exclusivity, found themselves in equally crowded spaces. There were also numerous reports of stolen phones, which soured the experience for many attendees. The security, handled by G4S, simply couldn’t cope with the crowd size. Sol Fest 2023 had actual police officers for security—Walker Town should have followed that example.The rain on day two only made things worse. Heavy downpours delayed performances, and by 2 a.m., neither Nyashinski nor Lauryn Hill had performed. Lauryn’s performance was marred by technical issues, and Nyashinski didn’t perform at all. The chaos forced EABL to issue a statement promising refund for day two, which was a responsible move, but it didn’t make up for the venue’s shortcomings.All things considered; I’ll have to give the venue experience a 4/10.
Rating: 4/10
3. Production Quality
The production, including stage setup, sound, lighting, and visual effects, left much to be desired. I’d give them a meeeh!! For this sector. Rema’s stage setup was the one that stood out for me. However, day two was a disaster. Lauryn Hill’s performance was plagued by sound issues, with the audio cutting in and out, and the rain caused significant delays.For an event of this scale, weather-related contingencies should have been in place. Technical hiccups and delays due to rain reflect poor planning. Other large-scale festivals manage to anticipate bad weather—Walker Town should have done the same. While I initially thought the production deserved a 6.5/10 for day one, the issues on day two force me to lower my score to a solid 4.5/10.
Rating: 4.5/10
Rema's set at Walkertown 2024
Final Rating
Overall, I’d give Walker Town 2024 a 5.1/10. The performances by Rema, Bien, and ArrDee were the event’s saving grace, but the venue experience and production fell short. While I commend EABL for offering refunds for day two, the issues of overcrowding, security, and poor weather planning should have been addressed from the start. There’s potential for Walker Town to become one of the top events in Nairobi, but improvements in logistics, security, and production are necessary for future editions. Let’s hope they learn from this year’s mistakes and come back stronger next year.