Inner Circle headlines Hill Festival
Regarded as one of the most resurgent countries in Africa, Rwanda overcame a devastating genocide in the 1990s to boast one of the world’s buoyant economies.
On August 4, the East African country hosts the Hill Festival, which has Grammy winners Inner Circle as headliners.
The event, to be held in the city of Kigali, also has a number of home-grown Afrobeat and reggae stars.
It will serve as part of a world tour by the veteran reggae band which formed in 1968.
“We are really looking forward to performing for the first time in Rwanda. We have performed in Africa before, but this is special and, who knows, we may even meet President [Paul] Kagame,” said Roger Lewis, Inner Circle’s rhythm guitarist.
Kagame, who has led his country since 2000, was in Jamaica last year on a three-day State visit. He is credited with transforming war-torn Rwanda into one of Africa’s most stable countries.
The 1994 genocide in the country resulted in the deaths of over 500,000 people. According to the World Bank, Rwanda “has made important economic structural reforms and sustained steady economic growth rates” with the help of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
Inner Circle, founded in Kingston by Lewis and his younger brother Ian, who plays bass, open their tour on July 9 at Filene Center at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia. Six days later, they are in Redmond, Washington before travelling to Europe for gigs in Spain, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
They close their summer dates on August 20 at Cadence Bank Amphitheatre in Atlanta. That show also features Beres Hammond.
Based in South Florida, Inner Circle won the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album with Bad Boys, which included two monster hits — the title anthem and Sweat (A La La La La Long).