Sunday, October 14, 2018, will forever be a day to remember for music lovers who were present to witness Mavin Records singer, Johnny Drille hold his first ever headline concert tagged ‘Johnny’s Room Live’.
The event had loyal fans travel from neighbouring states and as far as the artiste’s home state of Edo who came to have an evening of live music experience with one of Nigeria’s most sui generis musicians.
READ: ‘I Was Inside A Keke In 2016 When I First Got His Call’ – Johnny Drille Shares Story On Meeting Cobhams
Weeks ago, when Johnny Drille first announced he was going to planning to host his first live show, he was hoping to attract as much as only 150 guests to his live music event. But as soon as the singer announced the concert, excited fans thronged to the registration portal he had created and in minutes, all 150 spaces were booked. According to Johnny, he kept creating more spaces and in less that one week, over 3000 guests indicated their interest to attend the event.
On concert day, fans began arriving at Muri Okunola Park, the venue for the concert as early as 5 pm and by 7 pm when the show was scheduled to kick off, the venue was already packed full.
Host of the show, popular radio personality and PGM (Pushing Traffic To Good Music) convener Douglas Jekan, introduced the man of the moment at exactly 7: 38 pm to thunderous cheers from fans as Johnny Drille waltzed onto the stage, opening his performance with the record ‘Love Don’t Lie.’
Hits after hits, from covers to original songs, Johnny Drille and his band made up of his usual sidekick, Godwyn Guitar, and other members thrilled ecstatic fans to a memorable night of good music and pure artistry.
Some very special moments of the night include when Johnny Drille brought out 8 years old saxophonist, Temilayo Abodunrin on stage. The little girl displayed her impressive mastery of the sax with a beautiful rendition of ‘Halleluya’, Johnny’s late single with Simi.
Also, singers Richassani and Tjan joined Johnny on stage to perform ‘My Love’ off the ‘African Gentleman’ album by Richassani. Simi also came on stage and they performed ‘Halleluya’ with the crowd chorusing along all through. Afro-house star, Niniola, couldn’t make it on the night but was hardly missed as two excited Johnny Drille fans offered to do her part of their 2016 collaboration, ‘Start all over’.
An emotional time for Johnny Drille came when he performed a cover of Coldplay’s ‘Everglow’, paying tribute to a late member of his band named Ifiok who passed on early in the year after battling with stage four cancer. He had all the guests which included the whole Mavin Crew, led by Don Jazzy and Dr Sid. all teary-eyed as they raised their torchlights to pay respect to the dead.
Johnny also performed an unreleased record titled ‘Papa’ in honour of his father and mother who flew in from Benin-City to watch their son perform for the first time since he got signed.
The climax of the night was when he performed his first ever released single, ‘Wait for me’. This is a song every true Johnny Drille fan connects with as it’s the record that brought him to the limelight. The fans had requested it all night long and he saved the best for last, bringing the night to a perfect ending.
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