The Most Surprising Spaces That Hold Music in West Africa

Across West Africa, music has always been a good reason for people to gather. Like oil to a rusty hinge, music — from highlife to zouk, local gospel to Afropop — is usually the most prized and carefully considered aspect of most gatherings. At beer parlors, extravagant traditional ceremonies and family gatherings, music is a powerful way of conceptualising joy and developing community. That ethos has travelled through generations and has manifested itself in various modern forms, with a range of spaces across West Africa dedicating themselves to it or adopting a modularity that prioritizes music as part of its offering. 

In mid-2010s Lagos, a space like Stranger Lagos mutated from just a concept store to a full creative gathering space guided by its strong musical sensibilities. The same goes for more modern iterations of spaces such as Palm Moments in Accra or Bushman Cafe in Abidjan, which are galleries or cafes but include music as a core part of their programmes. This list focuses on spaces that are originally built for other reasons but find interesting ways to facilitate music programmes. It isn’t targeting spaces like clubs or lounges where music events are typically held. This list explores spaces that programme music in both intellectual and experiential ways.

These West African spaces understand that a space driven by a musical affinity, in its programming or even in its core design, will leave a lasting impression while shaping culture in one way or another. Below is a list of contemporary spaces in West Africa that hold music in surprising and interesting ways.

LAGOS

Suudu Lagos

Part boutique hotel, part cafe, Suudu Lagos is designed like the living room of a well-travelled artist, complete with African art, artisanal furniture, a library and a mixed-design communal area. Although Suudu is primarily a guest space/social space, it has also been developing a reputation for itself for its music-related programmes. From vinyl nights hosted in partnership with Egwu Records, a vinyl shop and collective, to listening sessions, album launches and live performances, Suudu turns musical experiences into intimate, inwardly engaging programming that deepens our ideas of and connections with music and with one another.

Polygon

Polygon is a creative space that began in a modest open-plan space inside a corporate building before expanding into a campus with its own gallery and a much larger gathering space. The space plays host to a range of programmes, from film screenings to exhibitions, talks to pop-up events. Its biggest strength is in its music programming. Polygon routinely plays host to diverse music formats, including live performances, DJ sessions, album listenings and so on.

Ile Mimu

Ile Mimu is a social house driven by its artisanal bar and topped off by a fantastic view of Lagos. It’s also a pretty great place to discover and/or listen to incredible music. The space hosts sound sessions, DJ hours, and recently partnered with Disc Club, an album club designed for music lovers to enjoy and discuss full-length albums together. Mimu is aided by its air of mystery and homey feel, making it a relaxing and unpredictable place to enjoy music.

Amah

Set on the penthouse of a high-rise in the middle of Lagos Island, Amah is primarily a blank artist space and bar, hosting programs such as exhibitions, photo shoots and other artistic programmes; it also has a vibrant music calendar. These events include their Traffic Thursday, where their members are invited to guide the night through their music selections.

ACCRA

Citizen Projects

Although Citizen Projects is primarily a gallery, it hasn’t restricted itself to traditional exhibitions. Its programmes, including an exhibition dedicated to Afrobeats music as well as album listenings and sound sessions, give the space a surprising but much-welcomed range. It also regularly hosts artist talks and programmes in its courtyard.

Palm Moments

Palm Moments is a creative cocoon. A great place to get some work done and eat some good food. It’s also the home to one of Accra’s hottest music events: Fake Friday. Hosted on Thursdays, Fake Friday’s music policy runs from deep house to techno, with splashes of Afrobeats and a range of underground music. In between Fake Friday, Palm Moments also hosts talks, workshops and creative sessions dedicated to or surrounding music or its making.

The Woods

Yes, The Woods is an outdoor/indoor bar tucked away in a quiet neighborhood in Osu, but it is also a great place to discover and support emerging artists. Every week, The Woods hosts a live performance programme specifically for emerging Ghanaian talents. Talents like Tower and Rie Osei have performed there, while fast-rising star Rcee hosted the listening party for his latest project, Young Daddy, around its pool area.

ABIDJAN

Bushman Cafe

Bushman Cafe is one of Abidjan’s finest cultural spaces that has come to mean different things to different people. Its founder, Alain Kablan Porquet, describes it as an ecosystem. It has a rooftop restaurant, a gallery,  and is held together by a strong commitment to music, culture and locally produced chocolate. “Music is part of the identity,” Porquet tells OkayAfrica. “Amapiano, Afrobeats, Rock, etc.” Bushman also has a well-established and well-regarded residency programme for both artists and non-artists. Keziah Jones is one of its more famous artists in residence. Bushman Cafe not only offers a fantastic space to hole away from the bustle of Abidjan, but it also helps you understand the pulse and creative evolutions happening in Abidjan, thanks to its heavily creative clientele and expansive programmes.

Lepic Villa Hotel

In the gardens of this majestic hotel in Abidjan, you will find peacocks roaming the ground, a verdant landscape framed by trees, and on Fridays, a fantastic sound session attended by a diverse group of people looking for a laidback way to close out the day. At Lepic Villa, music is a strong source of its identity, allowing it to extend beyond a residential outfit.

COTONOU

Bamboo Numèrik

Bamboo Numèrik is a dynamic creative cocoon in Cotonou that has a cafe, restaurant, library, guest rooms and, more impressively, a mini studio space for music and a larger outdoor music ground. The founder described it as “a  place where people discover the next great Beninese artist and can also meet an established African or international artist.” The space illustrates the forward-thinking approach that Beninese artists are taking in developing their practice.

DAKAR

Ban Café

Ban Cafe is part of Ban Workshop - a practice that hosts a range of ceramics workshops - and operates like a traditional cafe while hosting several music events. In between its meal service, Ban Cafe also hosts music programmes around local xalam music, kora and blues. Its expansive and culturally grounded programme makes it an ideal space for cultural immersion, thoughtfully complementing the stellar work Ban Workshop does in preserving traditional art practices.