Alabaster Box performs at London Acappella Festival 2015

Ghana’s Alabaster Box made the country proud for
the third time in months, appearing for the first time
at the London Acappella Festival 2015.
The group was the first gospel act and first African
music group to appear on BBC World Focus on
Africa TV in April 2014. It then went on to chalk
another first as the first Ghanaian act at the
Experience Lagos in December last year, in front of
a 500,000 strong audience.
Returning to London for the second time since April,
Alabaster Box was the only African act on this
year’s London Acappella Festival, which took off
January 28 and is due to finish January 31, 2015.
The festival, jointly organized by the Grammy
Award-winning vocal group, The Swingles and Ikon
Arts Management, is holding at the King’s Place
and Cadogan Hall in London, and features renowned
acappella groups from London and around the
world.
The London Acappella Festival was incepted in
2009, running annually with sell-out performances,
talks and workshops. With over 4500 visitors each
year, the festival is now a staple in the acappella
calendar and has grown to become one of the
country’s most-loved and eagerly awaited
celebrations of vocal talent.
Some of the main acts this year are hosts The
Swingles, London’s pride the King’s Singers,
Accent, and one of America’s best, Straight No
Chaser. Others are Singapore’s MICappella, Finnish
voices group, Club For Five, Irish group Anuma,
Canada’s top young voices, Countermeasure, Apollo
Five from England and another youth group, 9.5.
Alabaster Box made a maiden entry into the
festival, but its unique Afroppella sound,
characterized mainly by pure Ghanaian signature
tunes, harmonies and rhythms, was enough to
convince the London Acappella Festival organizers
they did the right thing.
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And Alabaster Box did not disappoint.
The group opened its 20 minutes act with the
evergreen Akwaaba song, which got all the
audience moving to the sound. It then dropped its
Ahunabobrim song in the royal adowa tune
mesmerizing the audience into wondering if the
group had a soundtrack on the background.
The title tract of its latest album, Level don’ Change
in pidgin English would follow immediately, and then
the 20 minute run ended on a familiar note, Amazing
Grace, but spiced with the unique Alabaster Box
Afroppella signature.
A wowed member of the festival organizers
exclaimed “o my God you guys sound so good.
What a loss it would have been if we did not have
you guys on the show this year.”
She stated further “we can’t wait to have you again
next year on a much bigger platform.”
The group had been in London since December 31,
2014 originally to participate in the one-week long
Jericho Praise, organized by Power of Jehovah, a
member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God
(RCCG) in London.
At Jericho Praise, Alabaster Box ministered
alongside one of the grand fathers of gospel music,
Jamaica’s Lester Lewis of “Winner Man” and “I
shall not die” fame. There were also Nigeria’s
grandma of gospel music, Bola Areh and South
Africa’s James Okun among others.
The group also ministered at the Trinity Baptist
Church five-day worship conference with Sonnie
Badu and at Jesus house and Revelation Christian
Centre in Luton among other venues.
Da Box is due back home February 2, 2015.