More than 300 people turned up at Somewhere Else in Lugogo on Friday, October 16, for the third edition of Pass The Aux, presented by Next Communications in partnership with Guinness Smooth under its Make It Yours campaign. The evening mixed music, art and self-expression, and the crowd was as much a part of it as the DJs.
The biggest talking point was body artist Lady Nyina (Vaal Mbabazi). With members of her creative community, she spent the night painting freehand designs on guests’ arms, backs and shoulders. People lined up for her, compared pieces and took photos, and by the end of the night plenty of revellers were walking around wearing original art.
The aux kept moving
As the name suggests, the decks changed hands all night between a group of emerging DJs: DJ Jarla Vibes, Big E, Joshua Caleb, Melvyn Deejay, Lucas Blacc, Bertha, DJ Trizzy Vybz and Saint Trevor.
Jarla Vibes opened with R&B, Afrobeats and reggae. Big E and Joshua Caleb came on next, followed by Melvyn Deejay, Lucas Blacc and Bertha playing together, and Trizzy Vybz and Saint Trevor closed the night. Because the combinations kept changing, each set sounded different.
Between sets there were games and creative activities, and some guests took a turn on the decks themselves.
Make It Yours
The night fit Guinness Smooth’s Make It Yours campaign, which celebrates young creatives who do things their own way.
“Make It Yours is about owning who you are and the way you do things, and Pass The Aux brings that to life,” said Denise Paula Nazzinda, Brand Manager, Guinness Uganda. “From emerging DJs taking over the decks to guests walking around wearing original art, every person in that room made the night their own. That is exactly the spirit Guinness Smooth stands for, and we are proud to back a platform that gives young creatives in Kampala the space to be seen and heard.”
Nassaka Joweria Leah, Brand Manager at NextCom Communications, said music and culture remain the most honest way for brands to connect with people.
“Music and culture are the best way brands can connect emotionally with people, especially with today’s audience, who care more about what you believe in than what you say you are,” she said. “Young people aren’t looking to be told what a brand stands for. They want to see it and feel it, and be part of it. Pass The Aux isn’t just an event. It’s a movement that celebrates art, music and creativity, and gives young people the space to show up as themselves. When you see 300 people painting their skin, taking over the decks and making the night their own, that’s the connection that matters.”
Growing every edition
With over 300 attendees, this was Pass The Aux’s biggest edition so far. It gives emerging DJs a real audience and gives guests a night they can make their own.
Pass The Aux is set to return in March with a special women’s edition, putting women DJs, artists and creatives in the spotlight. Organisers promise it will be bigger and bolder, so this is one to watch.
Follow @passtheauxug for news on the next edition.