This archive report was first published on 26 October 2019.
On September 27, Eric Wainaina's The Elephant venue on Kanjata Road bid farewell to its audience after a six-year musical journey.
Originally known as Kifaru, the venue was renamed The Elephant after Eric Wainaina became involved in conservation work focused on elephants.
Launched in 2012, 'Live at the Elephant' was a monthly live music event that allowed performers to earn money from gate collections, food, and bar sales.
Eric Wainaina had to cover the Sh100,000 rent when he first started using the premises in 2007.
After tying the knot with Sheba Hirst at the same venue in February 2008, Eric Wainaina and his team decided to launch 'Live at the Elephant' as a regular event.
The venue has hosted numerous shows, including the Cool Waters Jazz and Roots Festival, 'Tis The Season a Night of Kenyan Carols, Jamhuri Sessions, and Oktoberfest.
International acts like Emmanuel Jal, Keziah Jones, DJ Shadow, Jiko Man, and local acts like Blinky Bill, Nina Ogot, Sage Chemutai, and Tetu Shani have performed at The Elephant.
Eric Wainaina expressed his disappointment with the lack of support from Nairobi County and the national government for the creative industry.
He recalled incidents where officials from the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) stormed the venue after complaints about noise pollution.
Eric Wainaina stated that the goal is to ensure that events are policed in an agreed framework, with Nema present during sound checks with meters.
The last show featured Eric Wainaina, Atemi, and TeleVision, with a big turnout and memories to savour.
Eric Wainaina's next project is a multi-day, family-friendly festival with original music, which has been in the pipeline for a few years.
