There’s a wave in Lagos that’s become too huge to ignore, it’s changing the party culture and lifestyle of Lagosians in more ways than you can imagine. The best way to describe this wave of partying is simply Alternative.
Over the past five years, the whole world has been slowly recovering from the impact of the Coronavirus on every aspect of our lives. With all that recovery, the economic pressures of its aftermath, our restless creative spirit has driven young people in Lagos away from high-end clubs, toward more experimental, community-driven gatherings—raves, indie showcases, and pop-ups are now a staple in the city’s nightlife and party ecosystem.
Understanding the Concept of Alternative Parties in Lagos?
Lagos alternative parties ditch additional charges, gatekeeping, and bottle-service culture. Instead, small crews of promoters and volunteers team up to transform warehouses, rooftops, and even open fields into spontaneous party playgrounds.
Compared to the regular party scene, which caters to status and in its way encourages classicism.
Lineups blend Afro-house, Amapiano, techno, indie, “you’ll be surprised what people listen to at home or on their own, I think these events are creating spaces for people who want something different from what’s mainstream, both in sound and platforms… not every time Amapiano”, Yosa, a popular DJ and face especially in the alternative party scene and owner of Space Studios shares on what this hard to ignore wave of parties and events that thrive on spotlighting local upcoming and fresh talents rather than celebrities truly are.
The ‘Alte’ Connection
The rise and spread of “alte”, its values, and essence can be traced back to the Nigerian group DRB LasGidi in 2010.
‘Alte’ is now fondly attributed to a major percentage of Gen Zs and some Millennials who experiment with their looks, style, music, fashion, and self-expression. This demographic found a connection through House Music and Electronic Music in general, while having raves in unconventional spots, warehouses, hangars, beach camps, open fields, and lounges, transforming these spaces into a haven for freedom of self-expression. Although it has expanded beyond just the Alte, its growth has inspired others to create spaces for themselves and people who resonate with them.
Why the Hype?
Lagos’s alternative parties have answered three burning needs at once: they’re kinder to your wallet, they tap into a thriving DIY-creative culture. Even so, those don’t seem like enough reasons for the rise and cult-like community that these parties and their promoters have gained. What is the answer? It’s in the emotional and psychological impact these parties have on their attendees. Rev, a lawyer, model, show organizer and talent manager, shared with me how during a major health crisis that re-shaped her appearance, and in her search for a space that could allow her be, she found solace and comfort in the freedom these parties provided, “I had a health crisis that didn’t let me exist in a typical Lagos scene”, at a rave noone cares who you are, what you look like, it’s all about experiencing something more than you but connects to you personally. Ebuka Nwobu, a filmmaker and one of the faces behind the VogueBoys parties, and with ties to the “Alte” community shares how attendees of their events curated by the team, gain confidence in themselves after a great party and take this new found energy into other aspects of their lives, “We are pushing the envelope of what a party is, and it’s about finding new ways to socialize and connect. People leave our parties and share how they feel more confident at work, I’ve also seen creative collaborations kick off because some people attended and bonded at our parties”.
What’s the Future of Alternative Parties?
As the popularity of these parties begins to spread, it’s expected that more and more boundaries of what and where a party is will continue to be challenged, with more and more interesting venues and communities emerging in the process. Yosa describes the idea behind this movement as, “Free thinkers, looking for something outside of what mainstream or major platforms are providing. Stepping away from established media and creating a separate identity from it.” As regards its future and consistent growth, Rev, Yosa and Ebuka all seem to agree on finding a business module that works best for the goals the organizers have in mind. Most modules usually consist of either collaborating with space owners, slowly introduce entry fees, and brand sponsorships. And the goals of these parties all seem to chorus one idea, creating new was to socialize with a reasonable cost, but that begs the question: can these parties and organizers scale without losing their original ideas and values? “ Well, No! As things scale, they tend to lose their original ethos… okay, that’s not entirely true, so far VogueBoys and Even in the Day are doing great so far, I see a more global growth of these parties, it’s already happening,” says Yosa.
Final Thoughts
There’s a growing demand for authenticity in the world, people are trying to connect and feel seen or heard in any way possible, and these alternative parties are bridging that gap, bringing people together and creating communities and ecosystems that support each other.
As to how lucrative and sustainable it is? The wealth is in the community; these ‘Progressive organizers’, according to Ebuka, have built and catered to. We haven’t seen the end of the parties, and I pray we don’t, because in a world still licking its wounds, these spaces have given people the ability to find peace and a way to cope with the pressures of society today.
