Music and photography at Lagos City Hall

The night’s music, a mishmash of electronic and old school tunes as supplied by DJ Afrologic, serenaded the City Hall crowd. A djembe, played on the night by Samson Olawale, leader of percussion-folk band Iroko, accompanied the canned sound, providing a live and traditional touch to the evening’s proceedings. Photos were projected on the rooftop’s walls and floors amid blue and red lights, lending the atmosphere a somewhat psychedelic look.

‘Photography, music, dance and palmwine,’ said Marc-Andre Schmachtel, director of Goethe-Institut Nigeria, sponsor of the event. ‘We are giving young photographers a platform. And in subsequent editions we hope to get young DJs as well – as a follow-up to the Soundscape concert.’

Speaking between spins, DJ Afrologic said: ‘The combination of photography and music is lovely. I’ve never seen it before now. I think it has great potential.’

Asked about the inclusion of the djembe weaving through the dancing throng, the DJ added: ‘the djembe adds a natural element to my afro-based music.’

A small box for donations kept beside a sizable container of palmwine appeared to be considerably full at the end of the event. ‘People want to get involved,’ Jude Anogwih, one of the organisers, said. Schmachtel may agree: a second edition of ‘Fotoparty’ is being considered for September.