Alien Skin’s concert at Lugogo Cricket Oval, organized by Nobat Events, fell short of expectations in terms of attendance, leading to questions surrounding the event’s success. However, the event promoter has come forward to clarify the reasons behind the disappointing turnout. In an exclusive interview, Nobat Events explained that the timing of the event, the abrupt venue change, and external factors, including media-driven fears, contributed significantly to the concert’s lower-than-expected attendance.
One of the key reasons cited by Nobat Events for the low turnout was the timing of the concert. Alien Skin’s audience largely comprises young people, many of whom had already returned to school by the time the concert took place. With the academic year resuming just weeks prior, many of Alien Skin’s core fans were unable to attend due to school commitments.
“I tried to set the concert before Ramadan, giving parents a chance to get their children back on their feet. However, I didn’t consider that Alien’s fan base—primarily students—had already returned to school,” Nobat explained. “If it had been during the holidays, the stadium would have been too small to accommodate the crowd.”
This lack of availability among Alien Skin’s key demographic played a crucial role in the low attendance at the concert.
The change of venue from Hotel Africana to Lugogo Cricket Oval, just one week before the concert, also played a significant role in the turnout.
Nobat Events noted that the venue change affected the event’s promotion and ticket sales. The disorganization caused by the last-minute switch resulted in less time to spread the word and encourage attendance.
“Hotel Africana caused issues that led to the venue change,” Nobat said. “The social media propaganda surrounding Alien Skin also led them to reject the event. If the venue had remained at Africana, we would have seen a different turnout.”
The promoter’s comments suggest that the venue change disrupted the momentum and excitement that had been building for the concert, further reducing the chances of a full-house turnout.
Another factor that Nobat Events identified as affecting the turnout, particularly in the VIP section, was the negative propaganda spread by media personality Full Figure. Full Figure had warned potential concertgoers about safety concerns, including the risk of robbery and harassment. This fear-mongering led many high-profile VIPs, who had already purchased tables, to avoid attending the concert.
“We sold ten tables to three wealthy clients who didn’t even show up, but they paid for them nonetheless,” Nobat said. “VIP clients value their peace and safety, and the negative media reports scared them away.”
Nobat Events stands by the notion that the concert was not a failure but rather the result of unfortunate timing and circumstances beyond their control. The promoter remains optimistic about Alien Skin’s future events, pointing to the fact that the ordinary section of the venue was filled, while acknowledging that the VIP turnout was significantly affected by external factors. Moving forward, Nobat Events hopes to avoid similar issues and provide Alien Skin’s fans with a more seamless and successful concert experience.