If you ask award-winning duo, P Square, their most memorable birthday celebration, they will probably tell you their 31st birthday. And the talented artistes spent that day on stage performing to an excited audience at the Amstel Malta Showtime event, held recently in Lagos.
 
The Lagos show was the last leg of the event that moved across three cities, Owerri, Enugu and Abuja, exciting audiences in its trail. The grand finale in Lagos took the excitement a notch higher with an impressive list of top music stars and aspiring talents. P Square led the array of established acts, alongside rave of the moment, Wiz Kid, and top rapper, Ice Prince, to thrill the excited audience, which kept asking for more.
 
But it was not all about music. The audience was sent reeling with laughter as ace comedian, Buchi, dished out hilarious jokes. While the established acts had their time on the stage, the upcoming ones were not left behind as they slugged it out in singing, dancing and comedy competitions.
 
While the singing competition was won by Sandra Orioha, Jesse Charming emerged as the best dancer while Aderombi Adedayo was the best comedian of the evening. The first prize winners in each of the competitions went home with N100, 000 shopping voucher, a laptop and an all-expense paid weekend in a luxury hotel in Lagos. The winners also had the opportunity of performing alongside the top entertainers for the night.
 
The runners up were not left out. The first runners up in each category got a shopping voucher worth N50, 000 while the second runners up got shopping vouchers worth N25,000.
 
Speaking after the event, Mrs. Adedoyin Owotomo, Brand Manager, Amstel Malta expressed satisfaction at the conclusion of Amstel Malta Showtime. “I am satisfied at the conclusion of the event. It has been a wonderful experience for us in the three locations that we visited earlier but I can say that the Lagos edition was the climax” she stated.
 
While explaining the reason behind organizing the event, she stated that Amstel Malta Showtime provided a unique opportunity for the aspiring superstars to showcase their talents. “We used this event as a medium to give aspiring entertainers a platform to display what they have got in terms of natural abilities. That is what Amstel Malta is all about. That is why, Amstel Malta’s brand theme is "Be The Best You Can Be," she said.
 
Amstel Malta Showtime kicked off in Owerri in August this year with M.I, Ice Prince and Jesse Jagz of the Chocolate Boiz fame in attendance along with Nabania crooner, Flavour. There was also rib cracking jokes from Buchi while Dance Na The Main Thing performed that night. The next stop was in Enugu where P Square and Naeto C were the main acts for the night. Abuja was no less exciting as M.I, Banky W and Whiz Kid treated the audience to exciting musical performances.

 

Abuja ROCKED! That summed up proceedings at the third edition of the Amstel Malta Showtime.

The event, which was anchored by Darey ‘Art’ Alade, was held on October 26, 2011, at the ThisDay Dome, Abuja. It was an explosive affair which saw top musical stars including M.I, Banky W and Wiz Kid performing before an ecstatic audience. There was hilarious comedy from comic Buchi, while ace dance group, Dance Na The Main Thing, entertained the audience with their breathtaking dance routine.

The occasion also featured a special talent hunt where wannabe superstars slugged it out in singing, dance and comedy competitions. Samuel Falowo, 19, a 100 level student of the University of Abuja emerged as winner in the singing competition while Martins Currie, 23, a 200 level Fine Art Student of Delta State University clinched first place in the dance category. Martins Neboh, a 25 years old graduate of Mechanical Engineering, from the Enugu State University, also won first prize in the comedy category.

The winners in each category got shopping vouchers worth N100, 000, a laptop and a special trip for two in Lagos as first place prize. In addition to their prizes, the winners were also given the opportunity to perform with the stars that performed that night. The runners up did not go away empty handed as the first runners-up got shopping vouchers worth N50,000, while second runners-up were awarded shopping vouchers worth N25,000.

Speaking after the event, Samuel Falowo, who won in the singing competition, expressed gratitude to Amstel Malta for the opportunity to display his singing talent.  “I would like to say thank you for Amstel Malta for this opportunity. Everybody had fun today but for me, the opportunity to show what I can do before such an audience is something I will appreciate Amstel Malta for, for the rest of my life. Before Amstel Malta Showtime, I never really had an experience like this, so you can understand where I am coming from,” he said.

He also talked of the experience of performing alongside M.I. ‘’It is unbelievable. I can’t imagine that I just shared the same stage with M.I, the best rapper in the country. It is really mind blowing,” he said.

Echoing Falowo, Akwa-Ibom born Martins Currie described Amstel Malta Showtime Abuja as the biggest moment of his life:  “This is by far the biggest moment of my life as far as my dancing talent is concerned. I can’t describe everything that has happened to me. I want to commend Amstel Malta Showtime for putting in so much effort in organizing an event such as this,’’ he said.

 Martins Neboh, from Enugu State, winner of the comedy category, also praised the organizers for giving him a chance to display his comic skills. According to him, he had failed to progress beyond the audition stage at the Enugu edition of the event but he decided to come to Abuja to try his luck. “I was unsuccessful at Enugu last month at the Amstel Malta Auditions so I decided to come over to Enugu to try my luck. I just want to thank Amstel Malta for the opportunity to showcase my talent,’’ he said.

Also speaking during the event was Mrs. Adedoyin Owotomo, Brand Manager, Amstel Malta, who described the event as a successful. “I think this has been a successful event. The members of the audience have had a nice time and I am impressed with the performance of M.I and others,” she said.

Continuing, Owotomo added that the event would serve as a platform for future superstars. "Beyond the entertainment and glitz, let’s not forget that was a platform for future superstars. For some of them it is probably the biggest experience they have ever had and for others it’s their first time before such an audience. So if Amstel Malta has been able to motivate them to chase their dreams then we have achieved our mission. What Amstel Malta is doing is giving them the opportunity to be the best that they can be,” she said. 

Amstel Malta Showtime, Abuja was the third in the series, having being held in Owerri, capital of Imo State and Enugu State, in August and September this year.

Next step is Lagos where the Amstel Malta Showtime train is scheduled to berth on November 18, 2011.


 

When Chinedu Okafor signed up to compete in the singing category of Amstel Malta Showtime activation held recently in Enugu, his aim was to emerge winner and claim the mouth-watering prizes up for grabs. By the end of the show, he got what he probably had not bargained for: an offer by P-Square to feature him on a ‘remix’ of one of their songs, off the Invasion album.

After emerging winner in the singing category of Amstel Malta Showtime in Enugu, he earned the privilege of performing on stage alongside P-Square. This was asides the N100,000 shopping voucher, brand new laptop and all-expenses-paid weekend trip to Lagos, which he won. His flawless delivery of sublime rap lyrics over the band’s popular ‘Do Me’ musical hit amazed the duo who immediately offered him the rare opportunity. P-Square, who were the night’s star performers, also rocked the crowd, which gathered at the basketball court of the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium in Enugu.

‘Kini Big Deal’ crooner, Naeto C was also a crowd pleaser as he dished out songs from his impressive repertoire. His entry, dressed as an old man clad in traditional igbo attire, drew applause from the crowd. Earlier performers at the Amstel Malta Showtime event were ace comedian Gandoki and dance group, Dance Na the Main Thing whose deft dance steps also thrilled the audience.

Asides the singing category, other genres in which students competed to showcase their best were comedy and dance. Amana Monday emerged the best in the comedy category while Nonso Nwobu won in the dance category. Each of the winners also walked away with N100,000 shopping voucher, a brand new laptop and a weekend for two in Lagos. While Amana got the opportunity to crack jokes on stage alongside Gandoki, Nonso was also accorded the honour of dancing alongside Dance Na The Main Thing.

Amana said: “I really cherished the opportunity of sharing the stage with Gandoki. I hope to take comedy to the next level. I want to make a career out of it. I want to also say that I love Amstel Malta for the opportunity of giving up-and-coming talents like us the chance to showcase our talents. I am really grateful”, Amana added. The next edition of Amstel Malta Showtime holds on October 26 in Nigeria’s federal capital city of Abuja.

Amstel Malta Showtime is a sponsorship platform for Amstel Malta, Nigeria’s premium, low-sugar, malt drink.

 

After setting Owerri alight on the night of Friday, August 26, 2011, the Amstel Malta Showtime train is set to roll into the coal city of Enugu. The talent hunt competition, which is scheduled for September 16, 2011, will hold in the Basketball Court, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

The occasion will feature top entertainers including P-Square and Naeto C, who will thrill the audience with their hit tracks. It will not however be all be music and dance alone, as the audience will also be treated to rib cracking comedy from top comic, Gandoki.

Just like in Owerri, Darey ‘Art’ Alade will be also be the anchor of the Enugu event .  The talent competition will see students from tertiary institutions in Enugu and environs compete in singing, dancing and comedy competitions. The contestants will be selected from auditions holding on September 9 and 10 at the Dannic Hotel, Enugu.

The Amstel Malta Showtime is a unique sponsorship platform that seeks to give young Nigerians, especially tertiary institution students, a platform to express their talents and be the best.

The event was conceived by Nigerian Breweries Plc., makers of premium low-sugar malt drink, Amstel Malta, with the aim of communicating the brand theme, ‘Being the Best You Can Be’, to its teeming consumers.

The first leg of Amstel Malta Showtime,  which was held in Aladinma Mall, Owerri, in Imo State, featured exciting performances from the trio of M.I, Ice Prince and Jesse Jagz of the Choc Boys fame. Other performances on the night included Flavour, Dance Na The Main Thing and a host of others.

After Enugu, the event will move on to Abuja on October, and then Lagos in November, this year.