Ганские специалисты по звуку и свету реализовали масштабное шоу Stonebwoy в лондонском «Уэмбли»

Stonebwoy's BHIM Festival London at OVO Arena Wembley was widely seen as another significant moment in the international growth of Ghanaian music. But beyond the artiste and the performances was another story, one involving Ghanaian professionals taking locally developed production experience into an international arena. Leading the production team that travelled from Ghana was Nana Kwame Adu-Gyamfi, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Gigkits Limited and Founder of LiveX Africa, who also served as Lighting Designer and LX Programmer for the show. The travelling team included personnel across sound engineering, technical direction and special effects and worked closely with UK production partner Hera Touring, local suppliers and the wider technical crew. For Adu-Gyamfi, Wembley was not the beginning of the journey. He had previously led production for BHIM Festival in Ghana in 2023, 2024 and 2025, as well as the Torcher Experience in Ho. According to him, preparations for London started about four months ahead of the event. The planning covered the stage, lighting, video screens, sound PA and backline requirements, which were developed in Ghana and then shared with the UK team for further technical review and refinement. "Wembley was the final destination, but the production journey started in Ghana. By the time we travelled, we had already spent months thinking through how the stage should function, how the lighting and video should interact, what the audio system needed to achieve and what the artistes required on stage," he said. He said the final design emerged through continued engagement between the Ghana and UK teams, balancing creative ambition with venue conditions, equipment availability and technical feasibility. The lighting show was also partially programmed in Ghana using the Avolites Titan platform before Adu-Gyamfi travelled to the UK. Before load-in at Wembley, he visited the lighting supplier to inspect some of the requested equipment and test the showfile ahead of the arena build. The concert eventually incorporated several performance areas, including the main stage, thrust and additional entrances and performance positions. A scenic interpretation inspired by Ghana's Independence Arch also formed part of the visual environment. For Adu-Gyamfi, that element spoke to a bigger idea about how Ghana presents itself internationally. "I think there is value in people experiencing Ghana in a way that feels natural. Someone may come because of Stonebwoy, but within the same experience they are encountering our music, language, fashion, symbols and creative identity. Those things leave impressions," he said. He believes such cultural encounters can contribute to Ghana's international visibility, particularly when they engage diaspora communities while also reaching audiences unfamiliar with the country. "Soft power is not something you announce after one concert. It is something that grows when people repeatedly encounter your country through experiences they value and begin to develop curiosity, familiarity or affection for it," he said. The Wembley production also highlighted the role of Ghanaian technical professionals as African music expands internationally. For Adu-Gyamfi, the ambition should be broader than sending artistes abroad. "Our music is already travelling. The next question is whether our engineers, designers, programmers, technicians and production companies can grow with it. That is where a bigger industry opportunity exists," he said. For the Ghanaian team, Wembley therefore represented both continuity and progression, taking experience built through productions at home and applying it within an international arena while working alongside UK counterparts.