Il ne se passait pas de Weekend without the bars, dance halls do not talk about them. The Baron''bar''and''sparkle''Bar''have had their day.'' Where are they now? Why are they under the extinguisher? Reporting on cold nights''club''of these dance halls.
Saturday evening in Abidjan. The destination this weekend, promises a great evening: Yopougon, the city of Abidjan show and the atmosphere. Arrived at the Rue Princesse, a celebration of distraction this county, an idea emerges. And if we were going to dance the Gbégbé (original dance Western Côte d'Ivoire). The cap is put on the bar-dancing Baron. A favorite spot for artists singers from the West Ivory Coast. After a few detours, we take an unpaved road. The darkness of this artery is not reassuring. No one is in sight. We see light at the end of the street. Young people chatting in the single lamp in the alley that is actually a cul-de-sac. "Where is Baron Bar?" Interrogate us. "Behind you," answered one of them. "In the dark one!" We are surprised us. "Yes," he replies. After a detour, we see a sign on the BBC logo, air-conditioned bar. On the wall of the concession, it is inscribed: Baron more dancing leader. Everything is sealed. The beautiful evenings Gnahoré Jimmy of Simplice Sery, Queen Pelagia and other Sehi Luckson Padaud are more than memories. In our grief, we learn out of the way, know what happened to the dance club. Come back next Saturday at 14h, we intimate a young man. Disappointed, we go to Radiance to Niangon Bar, hoping to see on stage a Pablo Gbokra or other Nahounou Paulin, young music prodigies Bete.
Here, the atmosphere is less gloomy. About twenty people is comfortably installed in the steel bar Radiance, a gourmet open space. There is no music. Just before, Marina, a seller of Chicken, braised fish and other condiments, occupies a cubicle. She is working to satisfy its customers. His younger brother, Cedric, runs a small business selling cigarettes, cookies and candy. The dance club, he is dumb as a carp. No melody does come. We cross the gate folded. Everything is dark inside. Some chairs were overturned. There was dust everywhere. "You can do two months without a show. Nothing works "Says Marina. Gerard, the manager of the premises, not the glib tongue. It attempts, however, reassuring. "On 7 August, there was the dedication of Pablo Gbokra and two other shows on 21 August and 4 September. October 2 (today), the group arrives Ahiwo Orchestra, "he informs. For more information, give up the sponge. According to the seller of chickens, noisy evening entertainment are no longer fashion. "The shows do not report anything. Even when artists try it, the organizers are unable to sell all the tickets, "she says, looking abused.
The warmer days and nights
is 15h, this Saturday. The same dark path of the previous weekend leading up to the bar dancing is unrecognizable. Many cars clogged traffic. On entering the bar, a crowd massed. Several groups of people talking inside. On the esplanade of the dancing club, held three rallies. The bulletin board outside is indicative: "Saturday, Sept. 25. 14h-18h: Canton Nézo right; tribe Kouahio left, S / w Zaguita: podium .... " These meetings by nationals of these localities. "We have here seven meeting rooms. Several such meetings are held here every weekend, "said Jeannot Bohui aka Sam Baron, manager of the bar-dancing. According to him, the warm evenings of this temple of music seem to pass the baton meetings for several reasons. "At the time, there was no zouglou. Today, the makers of zouglou do not need Baron bar shows. They prefer scrub and other air-conditioned bars on Rue Princesse, "he says. To this we must add, he said, the difficulties related to access to the media. "On radio, nobody is promoting an artist without it pays. At the time, it was enough to call a host and give the album the singer, and we went in a loop. So that when he was scheduled to Baron, everybody ran, "he recalls. For him, the difficulty lies in the fact that apart from some well known singers such as Luckson Padaud, newcomers can not risk coming to the Baron. Because, unknown.
A new vision
The new architecture Baron's bar is impressive. The club-dancing, a vast space, dominates the complex. At the entrance, a shed is erected along the entire length of the concession. In the bottom right is the bar. Immediately after, rises to the podium. On the left side, a bar was built. Several other rooms at a level were erected on the front and right on the side opposite the entrance. "We now have seven rooms, all for the meetings of any kind," says Sat New buildings are covered with tiles imported. On the right, just past the podium, an entrance leads to stairs to reach the 1 st floor. Several rooms are: bathroom Totobly, bar Goda. Administrative offices are also located. "The owner had a futuristic vision. There is still space that we can exploit, "the manager is satisfied. A desire to make the place more attractive favored the creation of a bar in the conditioning chamber. For reasons of illness of the manager, it is closed. For Sam, the new orientation of the bar is more profitable. "At the time, we rented the room to 30,000 or 40,000 CFA evening. Even if the lease is now at 15,000 CFA francs (more dance-club bar). While with the meetings, is based on the number of chairs that is renting. 50 chairs at 10,000 CFA francs to 20,000 CFA francs 100 chairs and so on, "he appreciates.
Au Bar Radiance is a corridor that has captured our attention by the frequency of entries and exits. In fact, light fade to a red bulb suggests a corridor. This is a hotel complex of several rooms. "4000 CFA for ventilated rooms and 5,000 CFA francs for those conditioned at night," says the proprietress. In the darkness of the night, we resign ourselves to go home. Not without regret. But the most unfortunate, in all history, seems Sat He thought at one point that the club would take flight. "The last evening in honor Lukson Padaud benguistes''''(people from the West) in 2009, reminded me of the time Jimmy and Gnohoré Simplice Sery," he recalled through a glance lost.
Sanou A.
