Dela Rocks TreeHouse.

Last week was a special week for me and I chose to kick it at Treehouse. Why? Read on.

I like to take walks when my head is clouded or misty with thoughts, and Thursday 21st March was one of those days. As I walked to museum hill, my mind was suspended in that place between anticipation and fret. Is fret even a noun? Oh well, soon as I got to Tree House where Dela would dazzle, my fears seemed to dissipate, the ambiance was awesome, the music relaxing, my angst vanished. In it’s place, excitement set in.

I’d never heard Dela sing live, and here she was, about to take to the stage and transport me to the same place she leaves me at when I hear weche tek or war in my heart. War in my heart, have you heard that Beyonce-esque note she hits towards the end of the song? Perfect climax. Then there’s paukwa pakawa! I was busy chatting up people before the show that I forgot I was meant to find a seat!.

There she was, looking pensive almost, nerves take their toll on you when the weight of the world is seemingly of your shoulders. And as a musician whose reputation precedes you, nothing could be further from the truth. I said hi, engaged her in a tete a tete and then asked her to try be zen. I like that word alot, that and channeling your energies, it’s what you become when you have worked or live with yogis. She got to the stage and that electrifying air of expectation was pungent! I could not wait for her to sing me away, and as soon as she opened her mouth to say ‘wassup people’ I shivered with nervous energy. This was gonna be a great show, intuition never lies.

And a great show it was, from Ulivyo where she openly trounced the guys with her lower register to war in my heart where she hit that note only operatic sopranos pull off with ease, we ebbed and flowed with where her belted notes began and her soft purrs ended. Lemmi tell you, when a white woman shrieks every word to weche tek, then you know you have the world eating from the palm of your hands! How! No really, how did this white mama learn the words to weche tek?

Ofcourse the highlight of my evening, was when she led the charged crowd in singing happy birthday to me. The women next to me were oohed and awwed, I blushed like a teenager high on testasterone upsurges. The show was epic, I kid you not. When you are on stage backed by Moses Odumbe of Santuri and Villagers band, Brian Omondi drummer extraordinaire and Allan wanjohi on vocals and bass, you know you have a ‘fire-proof’ team. The keys guy was fantastic, sadly I didn’t get his name.

Just when we thought the show was over and that it was time to hit the road, the manager demanded an encore which was echoed loudly. Dela cleverly ‘evaded’ that ‘trap’ and guess who she picked on? Sauti sol who’d just checked into the building from Atemi’s listening party at Sankara. I’d reported that she will be launching her album next week. Well her listening party was yesterday.

The final song was their duet with Dela, mama papa, and the crowds hang on to Delvin’s every word, even serenading Dela when he asked them to. Great concerts are made of this! The next time I recommend a gig, please attend. Please.