Homegrown Harmony: SDC’s Palm Wine Sessions Is a Toast to Day Ones

On the 17th of April, Show Dem Camp (SDC) had their Palm Wine Sessions show featuring SDC and Friends at Bature Brewery, – the first of a series of four shows across Lagos, as part of their promotion for an unnamed upcoming project. Alte music, Highlife, Rap and Afrobeats met to create the cool, calm atmosphere we have come to associate with the hip-hop duo. Everything flowed freely; music, conversation, energy, one could feel the sense of community and the unbridled support for the artists. The fans came out in droves not just for a good time, but for Tec  (Wale Davies), Ghost (Olumide Ayeni) and the Palm Wine Crew. The music remained at the heart of the event.

Attendees were greeted by the smooth sounds of DJ Cam’s groove-heavy set which featured tracks from Wizkid, Amaarae and Lady Donli amongst others and naturally, were offered kegs of palm wine. SDC’s setlist featured hits ranging from 2024’s Johni all the way back to 2017’s Popping and showcased the wide range of sounds and musical guests that have contributed to what Show Dem Camp is today.

From the stage design to the venue decorations – raffia mats, banners, posters, a red carpet,  everything was set up to remind guests that from the moment they step into the venue, they were now rocking with the SDC. 

It was an intimate, yet social space with a very communal setup which included picnic tables scattered across the large lawn, couches, a bar, various food stalls and a spacious dance floor, A stark contrast to the traditional concert setup where guests are forced to stand facing the stage, with little room for relaxed socialising, with seats separated from the rest of the audience, reserved only for those who can afford to pay much more for them. Here, there was no segregation and interaction between attendees was repeatedly encouraged, with host Tosan Wiltshire enthusiastically guiding fans onto the dance floor. This attention to detail and needs of the audience is commonplace with Show Dem Camp, who are big on community.  The Palm Wine Sessions themselves have been promoted as an “intimate, stripped down experience,” for the “real ones who know,” with constant reference being made to their OGs, their days 1s, their tribe which was well represented by the audience in attendance at Thursday’s show; a creative mix of people including 

They had their first Palm Wine Sessions in 2017 at Bogobiri in Lagos and this show was more than anything, a full circle moment for them. After the whirlwind of success they have seen since 2017 (six projects, one joint album, widespread international recognition and stellar collaborative works), this series of shows is them bringing everything back home to where they started – with their devoted fans in an intimate space where they can share the music that brought them together. 

The show started at 7pm with opening acts from ‘The New Wave’, a collection of upcoming artistes with the melodic, afro r&b/soul sound which is a common theme across artistes in the Palm Wine space. Braye, Winny, EKENE and Wapo put on moving performances, captivating the audience while giving a teaser of what to expect from the rest of the night. 

By the time SDC took the stage at about 10pm, the crowd was revved up and ready for them. They took to the stage accompanied by Folu Storms’ silky opening from 2022’s Palm Wine Music 3  “… have faith, keep the faith, and trust that in the end, everything will be okay” and launched straight into the braggadocious, bass heavy hip-hop anthem, Tycoon, after which the pair took a moment to express gratitude for their journey thus far, reminiscing on how far they have come and how lucky they are to be able to platform upcoming artists alongside themselves while serving their “beautiful, amazing fans”.

This portion of the show saw SDC share the stage with their beloved “OGs”, the artistes who have been by their side from the beginning; Boj , Moelogo, Tim Lyre and the incredibly talented guitarist Nsikak David amongst others – the stage was nothing short of star studded, serving to remind fans that SDC is nothing without collaboration. Backed up by Gerald Bishung’s soaring vocals, Tec and Ghost delivered a memorable performance that fans are sure to cherish.