Between the ages of seven and ten, Steve Muturi popularly known as Stidos would accompany his father to Eldorado and sometimes Monkey Lounge (the clubs have since closed) in Nakuru where his father would go to enjoy an evening of oldies.

Little did Stidos know that what was being cultivated in him at a young age would give birth to Nakuru's popular monthly event, Oldies and Souls.

"When I was growing up, the closure of the two clubs in Nakuru that catered to oldies fans left a void as people had no place to go and listen to such music. Although new clubs opened, they came with their own new style as they introduced contemporary music to replace the oldies," says Stidos.

As a result of the lack of a physical place to connect with oldies lovers, Stidos turned to social media, with WhatsApp status being his main place to post.

Mc Meso during the third edition of oldies and souls held in Nakuru at Hill court resort in February, 2024.

Photo credit: Purity Kinuthia/Mtaa Wangu

In 2018, he participated in the 30-day oldies challenge, where fans posted a Throw Back Thursday (TBT) song on their WhatsApp status to keep the thrill of oldies alive.

Read: Oldies and soul event evokes nostalgia for Nakuru's '80s and '90s babies

"My first posts on my status sparked conversations from people in my contact list. Some of them asked me to share the songs I had posted and I realised that a lot of people had a taste for oldies music," he says.

It was at this point that the idea of creating something where people who enjoyed his daily oldies challenge posts could get together and enjoy the music like he did as a child.

"I had always loved the idea of organising an oldies event, but it was not until I attended Indie by the Lake that I conceptualised the Oldies and Soul event and organised its first edition at Duara Camp in Elementaita," he says.

Mc Meso together with oldies fan during the second edition of oldies and souls in Nakuru.

Photo credit: Courtesy

Organising the event was no easy task. He approached Nakuru-based photographer Ben Omwaka to see how he could organise an event for oldies lovers in the same way he did for indie events.

"So I decided to make my first poster for the event. It had no location, just the text Oldies and Soul and I posted it on my social media pages. Within minutes of posting it, I was receiving messages from people asking about ticket prices and the location of the event. Confident of the potential success of the event, he ran the first Oldies and Soul by the Lake event," he says.

On its debut, Oldies and Soul attracted 20 people to the event.

Watch: Our experience at Nakuru's Oldies and Soul event

"There were challenges with logistics due to the distance to the lake and service provision, especially when it came to food. We had to bring our own people to the event. One evening, while I was in the gym at Hill Court Resort, I noticed the the pool area which looked. It was then that I made up my mind to hold the second edition of Oldies and Soul by the pool at the resort," he says.

Dj Reighherd the house Dj for the second and third edition of oldies and soul event in Nakuru.

Photo credit: Courtesy

For the second and third editions, Starehe's entertainment team brought on board Nakuru's own Tamasha Band and Mc Meso, popularly known as 'The Duke of Mawanga'.

Together the team have managed to put on one of the most sought after monthly shows. The event currently attracts both young and old who come to enjoy a taste of the music that defined the golden era of the 80s and 90s.

Read: 'Aluta Sunday' finally makes it way to Nakuru

"We went from 20 people to around 150 in the second edition and over 200 in the third. This inspires us to get better with each edition," he says.

"The biggest challenge has been funding, as I have been funding the events out of my own pocket. For the first edition, I had to part with Sh20,000 to organise the event. Fortunately, the burden has been eased as my friends have been there to give me a helping hand in organising the event," he says.

He wants to work with more people to make Oldies and Soul bigger and better.

The set up at the third edition of oldies and souls by the pool held in Nakuru on February, 2024.

Photo credit: Purity Kinuthia/Mtaa Wangu

"I want to introduce a dress code for each month to ensure that people are fully immersed in the oldies feel, rather than just listening to the music. More games and activities are things we will introduce, including looking for a bigger space so that those who attend the event have the best experience," he notes.

Each successful event gives him a sense of satisfaction, as hosting the event is a way of honouring his father, who introduced him to oldies music, as well as giving oldies fans a memorable experience.

wanjirukinuthia20@gmail.com

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