It was business as usual during the March 2015 edition of Africa Night. There was the usual ambiance and the happy dancers doing their thing. Of course there was the usual discussion and feedback about the music, the location, the frequency of Africa Night and the cities where our guests would like us to hold Africa Night. This menu of discussion is always on the plate ever since the first Africa Night almost 17 years ago. In the last couple of months though, we have received lots of useful feedback and suggestions about the music.
At Africa Night Productions, we know we have to constantly listen to our clients and show respect. Without them we are just a bust of air in a remote desert; nobody notices, nobody cares! Most of the feedback we get are incorporated sooner or later in our production process. Most of our clients understand this and are very supportive. However once in a while, we are left rolling on the floor with incredulity and laughter at some of the things a few of the clients say or want. This has been the case during the February and March editions of Africa Night Tilburg. It all has to do with people asking for Nigerian music.
In February there was a lady there who said she came from England and only wants to hear Nigerian music. When we explained to her that ours is called Africa Night and not Nigerian Night, she rolled her eyes like only Nigerian ladies could and said she does not care. She wants only Nigerian music! In March the organiser gets pulled by his shirt and arm by 2 guys to the side. The organiser looked bemused. “Why are you only playing Kenya, Ugandan and generally East Africa music? We want only Nigerian music” they both demanded. When it was explained to them that on the average more than half of the music the DJs play during the night is Nigerian, they looked unconvinced and unimpressed. “I have been to New Jersey and New York”, one of them began in an American accent that was so false the organiser had to do his best not to laugh, “the only music they play there is Nigerian music”.
When it was further explained to them that there are people from other countries who also have other musical tastes, they would not bulge. They told the organiser, without any hesitation, that other people have to adapt to the Nigerian music and Nigerians should not have to adapt to the music of others. When an attempt was made to explain to them that on our website, flyers etc. we always claim to play music from all over Africa, these guys cut us short. They then went into a kind of synchronised monologue about certain things which are too ridiculous to mention here. Half of it was personal insult and the other half is about boasting about what they do in real life. As soon as the organiser could extricate himself from these guys gracefully, he did!
We know it is a difficult balancing act to get everybody to come to Africa Night and to make them go away with a smile on their faces. We try every month to do our best to make this happen. Of course we don’t always get it right but everyone who approaches us with the intention of making us better always has a place in our hearts. However, those who repackage insults and call it feedback only make us laugh.
Happily there were enough reasons to laugh. The dancing cycle during the last dance at Africa Night is getting bigger and bigger. There were so many new faces at this edition of Africa Night. The Belgian group keeps growing and the mixture of old and new school music during this edition seemed to have kept people on the dance floor.
Keep giving us your feedback. We love to hear from you. Africa Night is on Facebook where you can chat with us and ask us questions if need be. However, we think the best way to interact again like we used to do is to reintroduce the Africa Night forum. This was a web page where people used to meet and discuss everything about Africa Night. People also used to make new friends there. That was until Facebook came. We feel it is time to reintroduce this form of personal interaction again. So watch out for the announcements regarding the forum soon!
See you on Saturday 18th April for the 204th round of Africa Night Tilburg.
