DJ Bugy – born Pius Fortune Buguzi – played into the wee hours of the Saturday morning. PHOTO/ANDREW KAGGWAThere was a time artists ran the Kampala night life, an ordinary weekend started and ended with performances scattered in all the known spots; then, Jose Chameleone, Bebe Cool, Bobi Wine to Julianna Kanyomozi technically spent the entire night on wheels juggling stages. Then fast forward to 2025, the tide has drastically changed, it is easy to go a week or even months without a major concert and unlike 10 years ago when artistes were a hot cake, today they basically beg to make appearances. The DJs on the other hand have picked up steam, from sold out experiences such as one by DJ Spinny, Strictly Soul, Underground Kampala to Shinski Live in Kampala; it is clear there are more DJ centric events than there ever was.

On Saturday night, at Motiv, an arts collective venue, revellers were at it once again, this time, it was for the DJ Bugy Show; it is a series of interactive events that combine music, lights and energy. But this is not your ordinary DJ show, DJ Bugy, born Pius Fortune Buguzi has crafted ways of creating a movement; a show is not just a show but a live recording, a curation of a mix which he later avails on his Mixcloud account. The recordings have been catching on which has helped in crafting a new audience as well as keeping the old one engaged. This happened in October, there was a lot the DJ had to work with, from local music, in respect of Uganda’s independence month to songs from Jamaica which have been pivotal in shaping whatever sound Uganda calls hers.

Motiv has over the years curved itself into the perfect artsy place, it only gets better with the set up; from the streaks of neon lights and haze of smoke, that space had a cinematic glow. At the rear end was the man on his decks, elevated in an LED panel framed booth where he often signalled the crowd using different gestures such as screaming ‘My left stroke just went viral….’ in Kendrick Lamar’s Humble. The night was a toast to nostalgia, the 2010s, the era most people believe produced the music which shaped different cultures. So it was a night Kanye West, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and Drake thrived, from Uganda, it was the best of Radio and Weasel, Bebe Cool, Bobi Wine and Chameleone.

The floor itself was packed with people, some of whom were dancing and others simply catching up, when they played an old club banger such as favorite song such as Grace Nakimera’s Kawonawo, Radio and Weasel’s Nyambura, you could hardly miss the glows of green Tusker Lite bottles mid air as people sang along, they created a neon beam mid air. Besides those however, others had their phones up capturing the moment for those who didn’t show up. Over the weekend before the show, there was a social banter with those who attended his previous show trolling those who waited to see the show through other people’s eyes. Across the world, scenes like this are rewriting nightlife culture. From Boiler Room in London to Circle in Paris, from Mixmag Lab sessions in Ibiza to DJ Mag Live in Cape Town, the decks have reclaimed the dance floor.

Uganda is now part of that current—its DJs not just playing music but shaping movements, documenting moments, and redefining what a show can feel like. “DJs today are rewriting the rules—they’re bold, fearless, and not afraid to be different,” said Mercy Atwongyeire, Premium Beer Project Manager at Uganda Breweries Limited. “That energy has completely changed the vibe of entertainment. It’s the same spirit Tusker Lite stands for—living your truth, lighting up the night, and owning your moment.” DJ Bugy Bugy played into the wee hours of the morning, before him however, he had been supported by a strong line up of DJs such as Kamali, Kuzzi, Dread Lazer, City Girl and Deejay Kai among others.