LinkUp Addis June 2019

June 2019

17 Closeup: Putting entertainment in Perspective: An insightful interview with Eyob Alemayehu, Founder of Yisakal Entertainment EatUp: Five Loaves Where satisfaction is assured for the skeptic soul Page 14 What’sUp: Metro Lounge (Hyatt Regency) A breath of fresh air in a sector that seems to be lacking originality Page 21

04 05 08 09 14 12 Editor’s Letter

Headsup

Thumbsup

June Events Calendar

Followup

Did you see her?

Eatup

Catchup

17 Closeup

Interview with Eyob Alemayehu

Restaurant Review Five Loaves

International Event AfrikaBurn Festival

21 24 What’sup

Reelup

Cinema Review

Metro Addis (Hyatt Regency)

We are closing in 12 months! Since its inception over a year ago, over a cup of tea or may be a bottle of beer, LinkUp has gone through tremendous journey to become one of the leading event and entertainment media platforms in Ethiopia. We have been blessed with a solid partnership of many stakeholders and unrelenting support of our readers and followers.

Even better days are ahead, and together, we will transform the Ethiopian media landscape once and for all

Eyob Workineh Editor-in-Chief

Editor in chief: Eyob Workineh eyob@linkupaddis.com Marketing Director: Eyasu Abdella eyasu@linkupaddis.com Project and Social Media Manager: Fikreab Dagne fikrabdagne@gmail.com Creative Director: Benny Yoseph benny@linkupaddis.com Social Media Associates: Venture Addis

4 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

Cover photo: Kora Image

01-16 JUNE2019 • The Talked about Game Night ‘Quizzards Ramada Addis Hotel, 08:30pm

• Pop Up in Addis (Chula) Meskel Square - behind village restaurant, 10:00am • National food and drink Festival Ghion Hotel, 10:00am • Nordic Film Festival 2019 Villa Verde, 02:00pm • SmartPhim Fest Short Films Screening Vamdas Theaters, 02:00pm • Born Free Children´s Fun Run Hosted by RIA Ethiopia Wildlife Rescue, Conservation and Education Centre (Holata), 09:00pm • Champions League Final Tottenham vs Liverpool Sheraton Addis, 09:30pm

1 • Entrepreneurs' Mindset with special guest Kebour Ghenna xHub Addis, 05:00pm

2

4

3

• ICT Expo Ethiopia Millennium Hall, 09:00am

• ICT Expo Ethiopia Millennium Hall, 09:00am

• ICT Expo Ethiopia Millennium Hall, 09:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Film screening of “Live and Become” Alliance Francaise, 06:30pm

• The first annual Addis Private School Show Juventus club , 10:00am • Afro Fair bazaar Floral Tropical Garden , 11:00am • Open Air Cinema Ghion Hotel , 05:30am

5

7

6

8

• ICT Expo Ethiopia Millennium Hall, 09:00am

• ICT Expo Ethiopia Millennium Hall, 09:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• The Talked about Game Night ‘Quizzards Ramada Addis Hotel, 08:30pm

• Afro Fair bazaar Floral Tropical Garden , 11:00am

• Opening of the exhibition “Arts for Humanity”, a charity Alliance Francaise, 05:30pm

• Unlocking the Power of Diaspora Professionals National Archives and Library of Ethiopia, 06:00pm

9 • Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

10 • Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

11 • Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

12 • Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Belly dance show & Romantic dinner at Dok Alliance Francaise , 07:00pm

13

14

15

16 Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019 I 5

17-30 JUNE2019 • Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am • Opening of the exhibition “Ethiopia pictured on maps” Alliance Francaise, 06:30pm

• The Talked about Game Night ‘Quizzards Ramada Addis Hotel, 08:30pm

• Hotel Show Africa Millennium Hall, 08:00pm

17

18

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Hotel Show Africa Millennium Hall, 08:00pm

• Hotel Show Africa Millennium Hall, 08:00pm

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

• Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am • Carte Blanche discussion with expert Robert Kluijver about “Geo-strategical interests of regional powers in Somalia” Alliance Francaise , 06:30pm

• FETE DE LA MUSIQUE! Concert of “The Green Manalishi” Alliance Francaise, 08:00pm

21 • Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

20

19

22 • Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

23 • Sab'e Art and Crafts Exhibition Fendika Cultural Center, 10:00am

24 • My Child, My Legacy (Trade Fair) Juventus Club, 07:00pm

• The Talked about Game Night ‘Quizzards Ramada Addis Hotel, 08:30pm

25 • My Child, My Legacy (Trade Fair) Juventus Club, 07:00pm

26 • Cabaret show Part of the Monthly show Fekat circus, 04:00pm • My Child, My Legacy (Trade Fair) Juventus Club, 07:00pm

29 6 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

30

27

28

Thumbsup Eyasu A. Ashenafi

Restaurant Name: Umami

Bags/Luggage Line Name: Undk n

Named after a Japanese word for originally, one of the five flavors of food including sweet, sour, bitter, salty.

Umami is a Japanese restaurant located on Zimbabwe Street Addis Ababa.

Doors open during breakfast hours and they are open till late throughout the weekend, they serve complimentary light snacks and refreshments for guests. Fasting? Look no further, Break your fast with them on Iftar every evening

Undken is a leather bag/luggage line that offers a colorful representation of the continent.

Founded by Kenny Allen, every bag in this line is handmade, locally sourced, and no material goes to waste. The launch of this line of bags was on December 1, 2013 in Addis Ababa, followed by the launching of the website, www.undken.com The undken brand has undergone a significant research and development period and has extensive plans to expand the product range from African inspired men's wear to women's purses and bags and women’s couture wear.

They invite strongly encourage you to feel the vibrance of undken, join the undken family and be a part of a movement that seeks to bridge cultural gaps combining indigenous textiles for a look of African originality.

Mobile Bar Rogue Society Addis Rogue Society Addis a classic VW van turn a beautifully designed bar. With its concept which is adapted from Netherlands, it combines simplicity with convenience and luxury. What’s more, they have an unlikely, bar man whose efficiency and ever-present, warm smile makes your time great.

For your next up coming event, I highly recommend Rogue Society Addis.

Facebook: /RogueSocietyAddis Tel: +251 (0) 91 309 9330 Location: On the parking of Puccino’s Bar and Restaurant, Bole Next to Medhane Alem Church On Google maps? No

8 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

e

Facebook: /Umami.ethio Tel: + 251 (0)90 245 4444 Location: Around the old Japan Embassy, right in front of Kana TV On Google maps? Yes

Facebook: /undken Tel: +215(0) 91 275 2524 Location: located underneath the Omega School in Old Airport.

On Google maps? Yes

FollowUp

Did you see her?

Leoul Abera

o we really see the environment around us or are we just passing by opportunities? Do we notice progress? Do we see what the next steps are?

This is one for the books. I realized that I was looking at something that was actually original and this in an industry where copy pasting has become commonplace. I saw hunger for change and the will to execute something dazzling. They say creativity is intelligence having fun and I have to admit, Habesha Breweries knows how to have intelligent fun.

It all started on a Thursday, May 9 to be exact. My day began normally but I kept having moments of déjà vu. It’s not like me to notice things with my busy schedule but I kept seeing the same ladies all over town.

It first struck me when I got to Bole. I thought I saw the same woman that I first noticed at Megenagna. My first thought was that we might have travelled in the same direction. But as the day progressed, it got weirder. I noticed the same women everywhere I went. Big afros, black skirts, sometimes traveling in pairs sometimes

in large groups. I went online to find an explanation but there was nothing.

The following day, I saw a post on a Facebook group asking if anyone else has seen these women taking over the town.

There were several speculations from different people writing that they saw these ladies from all over Addis. The comments section woke me up to the realization that this was a marketing campaign when someone posted that it was Habesha Breweries doing this. A little later in the day, I saw that Habesha Breweries posted an update on their page and thus was confirmed, this is indeed a campaign.

I wanted to see what was going to happen in the subsequent days. I felt engaged, like I was part of it. The campaign kept going and a selfie contest was announced. #Ayehuat, the tag that people used to share their pictures for the contest, reminded me of a song by the late Tilahun Gesesse. In my limited interaction with the women, I noticed that they were friendly and proud to be a part of this campaign.

They explained the rules of the contest to me and smiled for a selfie.

As I went over to the contest post on the

"The following day, I saw a post on a Facebook group asking if anyone else has seen these women taking over the town. ”

Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019 I 9

Photo by: Dabi

D

10 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

progressive mindset of the people that could come up with such a brilliantly multilayered concept. I imagined the Eureka moment that led to this development. I can’t help but appreciate the effort for a bold direction behind this particular promotion.

It’s inspiring to see there is still innovation happening in this day and age.

I also think this a reminder to all brands that a shift in ideas is necessary. The same old techniques will yield the same results, thus a fresh new perspective must be set.

A new age must dawn if we are to compete with the rest of the world. This initial step, this wake up call, needs a noble welcome.

I’d like to thank the brand for this thrill and urge others to keep this progress going further.

“I noticed the same women everywhere I went. Big afros, black skirts, sometimes traveling in pairs sometimes in large groups. ”

Photo: www..lomography.com

Photo: www.deskgram.net mercy_makup12

brewery’s Facebook page, I saw there were numerous people posting their selfies in the comments section. I must say Habesha outdid themselves again. I remember all the disruptive TV ads they used to do but this one was different. It had an interactive aspect that reached their customer. The link between the campaign on social media and activities on the ground was seamless and inventive. Then I learned that the ladies were the manifestation of Habesha’s Lucy, the lady sporting the afro in the brewery’s logo. This added another dimension for me.

It was brilliant – as if the brand itself was interacting with the people through these women. I admit this is promotion done right.

I was imagining the meetings for the conception of this campaign and the

CatchUp

AfrikaBurn Africa’s most unique, unusual and exhilarating festival Bezawit Shewarega

A

Photo By: Steven Morrow

frikaBurn is an official Burning Man a giant artwork burning is one of the best regional event held annually in the parts of the event. semi-desert Tankwa Karoo national park What to expect? in South Africa several hours from Cape Afrikaburn run with 11 guiding Town. It’s a weeklong event principles one of which is with an environment of no that everyone who attends is “there is no judgment, full of art, diversity, money exchange expected to get involved in and fun where more that some way. You have to be on at the festival 10,000 people gather every survival mode as well – it is – everything is hard to spend a week in the year. freely received inhospitable environment of Thousands of people scorching heat, strong wind and or given.” looking like extras from a desert dust. hundred different movie sets, The theme camps are wear elaborate costumes and body paint something to be ready for. They can be and wander around giving out hot dogs, cocktail bars, massage parlors, photo popcorn, drinks, ice creams and yes, yoga booths and even a swimming pool but lessons. it changes every year so you don’t know It is centered on the construction of what’s coming. temporary artworks in a semi-desert At night Afrikaburn changes to one environment, some of which are burnt huge party as music blasts from every towards the end of the event. The creativity direction. and effort that goes to these installation Another unique element of Afrikaburn artworks is really outstanding. Watching is that there is no money exchange at the

12 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

“[A] unique element of Afrikaburn is that there is no money exchange at the festival – everything is freely received or given.”

Photo: statravel.com.au

festival – everything is freely received or given. You will spend a week without taking out your wallet. Everyone brings anything they want whether it’s a huge statue, cookies or spray paint (literally anything) and give it to anyone with zero expectations of getting something in return.

The 2019 edition of Afrikaburn began on Monday, April 29 and ended on Sunday May 5.

“It’s a weeklong event with an environment of no judgment, full of art, diversity, and fun where more that 10,000 people gather every year.”

Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019 I 13

Photo By: Marek Musil

AfrikaBurn 2017

EatUp

Five Loaves Ephratha Kibru

F

ive Loaves, to all those who’ve already heard of it, is one of the best restaurants in our wonderful city. It is ranked 1st on TripAdvisor among the best places for breakfast in town since its opening five years ago. An annual survey conducted by Capital Newspaper also placed Five Loaves in 1st place in their restaurant section last year.

All this buzz presents a high standard and expectations that are quite hard to live up to. As a skeptic, I had wondered if it was all just hype for quite a while. Surely it couldn’t be that good. So instead of twiddling my thumbs any further, I set to find out.

Five Loaves is located in an interesting looking brick house around the Adwa bridge area on the way to Megenagna.

As an old, small, two-floored darling of a place, it’s hard to miss because nothing alongside it is nearly as visually interesting.

I walked in and the delicious scent of baked goodies wafts up my nostrils, immediately making my mouth water.

The line of pastries decked on the left side

Photo by: Sean Stromsoe

"From Mexican to Southeast Asian " to French, there was just so much to choose from."

14 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

Bistro and Bakery

of the restaurant caught my eye then and I couldn’t help but ogle at the fine display.

It all looked too good! I made my way upstairs, above the café, passing a number of artsy photographs, to the bar/bistro and miraculously found a seat. Five Loaves was notoriously packed and today was no exception.

We could hear faint jazz and blues music playing in the background, giving the whole place a cozy atmosphere. At the corner of the room sat a nice little piano.

And although there was no one playing her today, she very much added to the aesthetic of the place.

I had a look at the menu and was slightly overwhelmed. From Mexican to Southeast Asian to French, there was just so much to choose from. So we let the chef surprise us instead.

The Greek Salad and Chicken Satay Salad were first up. The presentation of both was impeccable and my appetite was up and running even before I took a bite.

The Greek Salad was nice and salty, with feta cheese quite unlike any I’d had before.

It was nice and spongy with the signature

Location: Addis Ababa, Signal on the way to Aware Service /label: Restaurant/ Bakery Opening Hours: 7:30am - 10:00pm Tuesdays: Closed Facebook: /pages/FiveLoaves/20419013 0152132 Phone Number: +251 91 357 6818

with tomato sauce. The side pasta, spiced with basil among others, tasted amazing. I was definitely coming back for more.

Before I found myself stuffed beyond return, I had a little chat with the owners, Mimi and Theo, about my new favorite place. “The name comes from the bible where Jesus feeds the 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they said, “We wanted to feed 5,000. And we did.”

Theo is responsible for all the cooking and the grilling that goes around the place while Mimi is the genius behind the desserts. “We’re relatives. We’ve known each other a long time and every time we met, we found ourselves talking about food.”

Both Theo and Mimi were out of the country for a good deal of their lives, receiving most of their training there. Theo

“We weren’t business oriented from the start and, to be honest, we still aren’t.”

Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019 I 15

Photo by: Sean Stromsoe

tanginess of good feta cheese. It greatly added to the character of the fresh veggie colossal. The Chicken Satay Salad was a dish borrowing from Southeast Asian, namely Indonesian cuisine, and consisted of skewered chicken grilled and marinated with coconut milk on a salad bed. The chicken walked the fine line between soft and chewy, resulting in the perfect texture to accompany the greens it came with. It was delicious.

No sooner had we cleared our plates, the main dishes began to arrive. The Grilled Salmon was first up. Norwegian salmon seared and grilled with expertise was accompanied by well-seasoned spinach and well-crafted mashed potatoes that rounded up this timeless dish nicely. It was a smoky meal, with just the right variations in texture and taste that neither bored nor alienated my taste buds. I loved it.

Next came the Cajun Fish. A delicately baked and spiced Tilapia fish with mashed potatoes and grilled veggies for a side. It was cooked in the classic Louisiana style. As soon as I took a bite of the tilapia, it wholly deconstructed, crumbling beautifully in my mouth. The Cajun spiced the fish just right. There are few in Addis who use Cajun and among those who do, most usually either add too much, overwhelming the diner or add too little because they fear its seasoning potential. But here, it was just right. The mashed potatoes and veggies were just as impeccable as the last dish. All complemented one another beautifully.

I was on a roll now and tried the Fillet Steak. It was well grilled to a medium rare - not so well done as to play it safe yet not so pink as to put off diners who don't really enjoy rare meat. It was very soft, tender, and digestible. The wonderfully crafted white wine garlic and cream sauce was a fantastic addition to the meal, dressing up the steak nicely.

As someone who just absolutely loves breakfast food (at any time of day, really), I also tried their Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon. I wasn’t in the least bit disappointed. The eggs, delicately poached weren’t too runny and played quite well with the cheese. The English muffin it was layered on was adequately crunchy and the titular salmon was impeccable - impeccably crafted and fantastically smoky. It was an absolute delight.

Finally, I had the Chicken Parmesan by far my favorite. A classic Italian dish of layered mozzarella and parmesan cheese that coated my eager tongue, all topped on soft and tender chicken cooked and served

had been working at restaurants since he was just 14, serving at any post he could get. He even worked for Design Cuisine, a top caterer company in Washington DC. “I paid for my college education through cooking. It was always a passion of mine,” he says. “And even though I had learned photography in school, I abandoned it all for food.”

Mimi on the other hand went to pastry school in the 80s and a decade ago decided to brush up on her skills in Italy coming back 6 months later. With all the experience she had built up by then, she decided to bake out of home 7 years ago. “I took orders, delivered to some cafés, and then some. But it predictably became too much to handle from home,” she says. “I had to work during the day and could only bake at night so as soon as the business got too popular, I came to the conclusion that working from home wouldn’t cut it. That’s when we decided to open a restaurant.

“It all comes from the heart. The food we make, the service we provide, everything.

We weren’t business oriented from the start and, to be honest, we still aren’t. We just

Photo by: Sean Stromsoe

“I had the Chicken Parmesan - by far my favorite. ”

16 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

let everything run its course and I think it worked out because of it. Five Loaves is like family and people can see that. Almost all of our customers are regulars and very few of our staff have left us. It’s all love here, and that’s what’s important,” they finish. I couldn’t have agreed more.

All in all, Five Loaves was one of the best dining experiences I have had. With a wonderful atmosphere, live music, impeccably kept bathrooms, attentive staff, and reasonably priced, big portioned meals for every mood, occasion, or time of day, your satisfaction is assured here.

“We could hear faint jazz and blues music playing in the background, giving the whole place a cozy atmosphere.”

CloseUp

Eyob Alemayehu

Founder of Yisakal Entertainment Selam Tarekegn isakal Entertainment, a pioneer in Ethiopia’s entertainment industry has been changing the cultural and entertainment landscape of the nation since its founding in 2003. Organizing events, helping launching careers of several performing artists and creating advertising, Yisakal has been involved in numerous facets of the entertainment business. Linkup sat with founder Eyob Alemayehu to get some insight into how Yisakal operates and its recent initiative “Sewawi” concert.

How did you get started in the entertainment business?

I believe in doing things that are not done before. Being privileged to travel to different places around the world, I saw the entertainment industry thriving and booming everywhere else but Ethiopia. I saw that there aren’t many, if any, events and shows and other entertainment happenings taking place here. So I started the company with a mission to promote Ethiopian culture and art to the world and introduce contemporary entertainment practices to the Ethiopian entertainment business.

“The plan with [Sewawi] was to promote peace, tranquility, and humanity; on top of that, to create awareness using art as a medium.”

We know that Yisakal is invested in many areas within its industry. How do you define it as a company?

As I mentioned earlier, Yisakal is a company that was established with a mission to bring something new to the country and give back from our invaluable culture to the world.

With this mission, I say we have created an entertainment platform.

Though the business is not yet fit to confidently be referred to as an ‘industry’ within the existing level of capacity, we operate in areas of talent management, production

Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019 I 17

Photo: Kora Image

Y

and distribution. On the other hand, we also operate in marketing and advertising landscapes.

There has been a significant shift in the entertainment scene in Ethiopia. How positive do you think are the changes?

Entertainment, as it is, has several segments. Each segment has its own trend and distinct growth pattern. If you take the movie industry, for instance, it had been growing very rapidly a few years ago and has been declining in more recent years. When it comes to music, I think it’s developed in some ways. As the population grew and as the people got more connected with the rest of the world, several genres have been introduced and quite a lot of artists have joined the scene.

So if you consider that as growth, then there is growth. However, quality is still an issue and we still have a long way to go.

Though there is a lot of production, one cannot confidently say it has grown as an industry to a global standard.

What are some of the marketing and advertising works Yisakal is engaged in?

Photo: Courtesy of Yisakal Entertainment

Even though it’s not our core business, we have advertisement projects, especially in digital advertising. We placed digital screens at places that have heavy foottraffic such as malls, public service centers, etc. displaying various ads for people to watch while they wait for service. Through

those screens we built a platform where both the advertisers and the public can easily access each other without much hustle. Our clients can get to their prospective customers while they are on the go. That’s the kind of convenience we have created through the digital screens.

Of course, there are several billboards across the city, but the digital screen advertising is still in its early stage. Such trend of advertising is not just advertising but also a means of entertainment.

With our mission and strong tradition of bringing in new methods into the business, we plan to work more on digital advertising. We also are not strangers to using disruptive methods in advertising.

Yisakal manages several prominent artists. Tell us a bit about the artists you manage and how you support them.

When we got into this business, we had a vision to set a standard and bring something new by offering the best the industry can offer with the available resources. Since we started, we have been working to promote Ethiopian artists globally, so they promote our culture and get their career boosted along the way. I think we have been quite successful in that regard. We have managed a number of young stars such as the late Eyob Mekonnen, Jah Lude, Betty G, Lij Michael, Abyssinia Vines, etc.

Let’s now talk about Sewawi Concert which you were part of. What was your role and in what capacity were you involved in the event?

We believe that art is a very effective tool to make a difference, to resolve many problems as a society. One can revolutionize society through art. I think many of the problems we are facing right now due to very minor ideological differences should be solved before it’s too late. We can easily take lessons from other African nations and decide not to go down the same path but work for a brighter future.

Sewawi is Amharic for Humanity. The plan with the event was to promote peace, tranquility, and humanity; on top of that, to create awareness using art as a medium. At the center of it Sewawi promotes empathy and unity. Though we are very diverse we are also one

18 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

“Organizing events, helping launching careers of several performing artists and creating advertising, Yisakal has been involved in numerous facets of the entertainment business.”

“In my view, honesty, integrity, communication, and sincerity are the building blocks of success in any aspect of life.”

as humans. Our involvement in the concert ranged from inception, planning and execution in collaboration with Heineken Ethiopia under their Walia Brand. Though I think there were some things that could have been done better, it was a successful event. The concert was the first in its series.

As a company that has been in business for quite a while, what value do you think Yisakal has added?

I would like to start from our name. We originally started with the name Yisakal, which means ‘it’s going to happen;’ we eventually evolved into ‘Yisaqal’, which roughly translates to ‘There is going to be laughter’, when we pioneered in Ethiopian stand-up comedy shows. This explains well that we have been trendsetters in the business leading the way in new entertainment ventures and trends. When we started stand-up comedy shows in Ethiopia, no one believed in stand-comedy as stand-alone event, now it is something people enjoy and artists earn income

from it. As a result, many comedians came together to establish an association to protect and promote their interests.

We believe in flawless planning and execution. We have supported several artists and causes contributing for a positive change both within the business landscape and the society at large.

Finally, what words of wisdom would you like to give to the youth when it comes to succeeding in life?

I would like to take this out of the context of this industry and speak about it in general terms. I would say one of the most important factors for success is staying positive. Unfortunately, there is a lot of hate, in unexpected ways, within our society that hinders individual as well as social success. We need to move towards mutual understanding, love, respect and being supportive. In my view, honesty, integrity, communication, and sincerity are the building blocks of success in any aspect of life.

“When we got into this business, we had a vision to set a standard and bring something new by offering the best the industry can offer with the available resources.”

Some of the artists Yisakal has worked with: Gossaye Tesfaye Abdu Kiar Michael Belayneh Johnny Ragga Zeritu Kebede Gigi Eyob Mekonnen Lij Michael (Faf) Betty G Jah Lude Rophnan Habib Koyte (Mali) Samuel Yirga

Mapei (Sweden) Gnucci (Sweden) Helen Berhe Dawit Tsige Berry Lexxus Legal (Congo) Thomas Gylling (Sweden) Jemimah Sanyu (Uganda) Spoek Mathambo (South Africa) Sarabi (Kenya)

Ethiocolor Munit and Jörg Sami Dan Haile Roots Tadele Gemechu Eden G/Selassie Mehari Brothers Asayehegn Alemu Quanqawa Band Kenny Allen Abel Mulugeta Bisrat Surafel

Madingo Afework Comedian Thomas Alpha Blondy Tadelle Gemechu Henok Mehari Yared Negu Asge Dendasho Solomon Haile Jano Band

Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019 I 19

Photo: Courtesy of Yisakal Entertainment

Aster Aweke Mahmoud Ahmed Bahta G/Hiwot Girma Beyene Mulatu Astatke Kuku Sebsibe Netsanet Melese Tsegaye Eshetu Tsehaye Yohannes Alemayehu Eshete Dawit Melese Teddy Afro Ali Birra

What'sUp

Metro Addis Surafel Solomon

ne of the hottest additions to the Addis nightlife scene, Metro is a breath of fresh air in a sector that seems to be lacking originality. Located in the basement of the Hyatt Regency, walking into Metro you feel like you are stepping into a posh, luxurious cave.

Unlike other nightclubs and lounges that inhabit our city it is not a dark hole in the basement or a blacked out room on a building. The jagged rock walls partially covered with creeping vegetation gives it a rugged, almost untamed, look which is in turn balanced by the modern interior – the furniture, stage and light systems are stunning.

After being ushered to our table we were handed the menu, which included a list of the week round events hosted at Metro. In addition to giving you the description of the theme of the musical performances, Metro’s menu boasts a variety of drinks ranging from single malt whiskey to Tej and creative food items like Berbere chicken wings (Wings coated

in an Ethiopian spice mix) and cheese cake. From my previous visits to the Hyatt Regency’s other establishments I have come to have high standards regarding service quality and the food quality, and “Refreshments” are not something I take lightly.

After reviewing the menu several times, I decide to go with a “Long Island Iced Tea” while everyone else ordered an assortment of drinks that would range from rare to unattainable in any other place. Drinks like “Don Julio” tequila and the “Glenlivet” single malt twelve-year-old whiskey, which I personally and especially appreciated, but bourbon lovers can go for the “Makers Mark” Bourbon whiskey, which finds itself on the rare side of availability. The Long Island Iced Tea is spicier and packs a lot more punch than other bars’ versions of the cocktail, with hints of cinnamon and peppermint; it was surely the right choice.

It being a Friday Metro was having the “Love N’ Black 70’s” night, and the band of talented musicians performed a compilation of old school Soul, Funk and

Location: Bole, Meskel Square Hyatt Regency Hotel Service /label: Bar/Lounge Opening Hours: 05:00 PM – 01:00 AM Website: https://www.hyatt. com/en-US/hotel/ ethiopia/hyattregency-addis-ababa/ addra Facebook: /METRO-ADDIS-11067 20166201642 Phone Number: + 251 11 517 12 34 + 251 94 434 5340

Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019 I 21

Photo By: Anteneh Girma , Abyissinia Photographers Hub

O

Photo By: Anteneh Girma , Abyissinia Photographers Hub

22 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

"

R&B songs that had us nostalgically singing along. The sound system was delivering crisp sound and the light focused on all the right places. Everyone was enjoying themselves and having a good time. Metro has a diverse range of genres everyday of the week and frequently invites new artists to perform on stage. If the Saturday evening EthioFuturism is evident of anything, it’s that the Metro has become a place for local and international musicians to jam and create new sounds, redefining contemporary Ethiopian music. Chelina, Dibekulu of Jano band, the ethio-jazz band Negarit and several other sensations perform at the Metro throughout the week.

Having expended a lot of energy we opted to eat. The berbere chicken wings were spiced and seasoned to perfection and the fish and chips had a tasty tartar sauce that cooled off our pallets.

We were well fed and enjoying our drinks, the band had finished their set and was replaced by a DJ, and before we knew it we were on our feet and dancing. Caught up in the moment, we had not noticed that the roof above us had retracted into the walls and the moon looked down on us while we looked up in amazement. What was a cave when we went in had now transformed into an open arena.

Metro ticks every box you have, puts in some other boxes you missed and ticks them as well.

One of the hottest additions to the Addis nightlife scene, Metro is a breath of fresh air

"

ReelUp

Kidus Tamiru Aladdin is a story about a well-meaning street urchin whose life changes when he meets a genie that has the power to grant him three wishes. Before going into the review, I think a little backstory and context is necessary for those who might not be familiar with it. This film is a live-action remake of a classic 1992 cartoon, which itself was based on the old middle eastern story from the One thousandand One-nights books. And as far as Disney cartoons go, the classic one is considered one of the best in their filmography. Everything from its beautiful and mysterious depiction of Arab culture to its devilishly catchy music were very memorable. But the best and most unforgettable part of the film was the casting of Robin Williams as the genie. He had embodied the character so well and made him so completely his own that he’d made the film effectively un-remakeable without him. Or, so everybody thought. Turns out no film is safe from Disney’s new-found craze to remake their still-very-watchable classic films.

So, understandably, most people were not very excited when this remake was announced.

Especially with the casting of Will Smith as the genie. As funny and charismatic as Smith is, he just felt like the wrong type of comedian to take over that role. And the first trailer didn’t do it any favors either, with the unbelievably bad CGI of Smith as the giant blue genie creating more memes than anticipation. But after all that, and I am not sure if it’s because of my extremely low expectations or if it’s objectively so, but the film was quite enjoyable.

It’s the first time I actually enjoyed a live-action musical film. Normally I find them unbearable.

I think random singing in the midst of serious scenes is very intrusive and undercuts the

24 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

seriousness of a story. But in the case of Aladdin, maybe because the story itself is set in a world of magic and fantasy, I found the music very enjoyable. Even though they are rehashing the old tunes from the classic (they only added one original), they certainly did it bigger and better. The cinematography and 3D are also great in bringing the beautiful splendor of Agrabah’s bright and colorful scenery to life.

The costume designs are also fantastic and well thought out. The story is nearly identical except for one improvement; Jazmine has a lot more involvement with the story as opposed to just being a princess waiting to get married.

And Smith was surprisingly good as the genie.

He didn’t try to emulate Williams but took the character his own direction, which reminds me of his performance in Hitch than any other. Very much like that movie, he plays a charming, likeable wingman for most of this.

The CGI is passable at best and just bad at times.

They didn’t much improve on the genie’s odd look from the trailers and it’s very distracting watching him in close ups. The cast were OK, nothing very special. But the casting of Jaffar, a very intimidating and towering figure in the classic version, as a young, soft-voiced, manchild in this one is confusing to me. The actor did the best he could with it, but they should have been loyal to the original on that one.

Other than these facts, the film is pretty much a shot for remake of the original. So, for most of the movie you’ll just be thinking either “hey, I remember that” or “the original did that better”.

Overall, if you or anybody you know hasn’t seen the original or if you have but are feeling nostalgic or for some reason, you’re the type of person who likes to sing out loud in cinemas, then this is the movie for you.

Directed By: Guy Ritchie Runtime: 2hrs Starring: Naomi Scott, Mena Massoud, Will Smith 7/10

Felegishalew Directed By: Birhanu Melese and Faris Biru Runtime: 1hr40m Starring: Tesfaye Gesese, Faris, Biru, Eyerusalem Gezahegn

Felegishalew is a story about Sentayew, an ex-convict who goes straight for the sake of his family until a dangerous gang of human traffickers attack his sister. It was a surprise for me that despite its misleading title, that this is not a romance film. And, that already is a huge plus for an Ethiopian film. Most filmmakers can’t resist squeezing a love story somewhere in their stories. That being said, this movie starts off and ends like a straight up action/thriller film, but the long second act is pure family drama. They establish how dangerous Sentayew can be and how ruthless the bad guys are, but they don’t even meet until the last twenty minutes or so. It’s pretty much an action film that just doesn’t lift off. But except for the long second act and the one-dimensional villains, the movie is pretty good. The exaggerated action in the third act was very entertaining, and I wish there was more of that. The acting is mostly OK until it becomes entertainingly campy on the action scenes. Most of the movie deals with socioeconomic issues like unemployment and the desperation to provide for family. Also, the lack of any “stars” on the cast is also a plus. I find that a good rule of thumb for watching Ethiopian films is to avoid any “star” driven film. If you know anybody on the poster by name, don’t watch it. Those movies are usually lazy, incompetent and rely solely on the charisma or attractiveness of their actors to entertain you. Anyways, back to this one, the cinematography is pretty average except for a few scenes that show some effort, like some wellused extreme low angles and a dolly zoom. The sound is audible but it’s not good overall, especially the mixing. But all in all, if you’re going to watch an Amharic film these days, let it be this one.

7.5/10

17 Merfé Directed By: Yeredi Bereka Runtime: 1hr40m Starring: Kassahun Fisseha, Mastewal Wondwossen

17 Merfé is a romance story about two rural characters, Bezabih and Tsehay, who reunite in the city after many years apart. This movie has so many subplots and directions that the aforementioned synopsis does not comprehensively, or even adequately describe its plot. It’s one part a college movie, one part a political statement (As the title implies), and one-part romance film and all these elements tie in together in a spectacularly far-fetched fashion as the story progresses. Even some of the people who seemed to be enjoying the movie in the cinema couldn’t contain their disbelief at the unlikely coincidences they forced into the story. Another issue is the complete and immediate transformation of Tsehay’s character from a quiet, rural girl (a role she played well) to a full-on city girl mid-movie. Other than these more or less minor fuckups, the movie is pretty much your average Ethiopian comedy. Cinematography is passable but they got a bit over zealous with the color grading. Sound is audible (Not something to take for granted with Ethiopian movies). But this is not a PG, family movie. It’s rife with enough risqué jokes to make any person watching it with their kids uncomfortable. So, all in all, it’s got its problems but it has its funny moments here and there as well.

6/10

Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019 I 25

B is for Bees

E

thiopia only produces 10.6% of it's honey production. And this still accounts to 23.6% of African and 2.13% of global honey supply. It's 10th honey producer in the world. 90% of Ethiopian honey is produced with traditional hive which will have a production capacity of 5-7kg crude honey ; which accounts to 64% honey and 92% beeswax.

Only 7% of beehives are box frame hives, the sector standard. Box frame hives produce 30-45kg / hive / annum. If Ethiopia double the Box frame hive honey production - which is currently 7% - the honey production will increase by 30%.

SAMS is an international partnership on innovation in smart apiculture management services which iceaddis is part of. SAMS allows active monitoring and remote sensing of bee health and beekeeping by developing appropriate ICT solution supporting management of bee health and bee productivity and a role model for effective international cooperation.

SAMS enhances international cooperation of ICT and sustainable agriculture between the EU and developing countries in pursuit of

26 I Linkup Addis Ababa June, 2019

EU commitment to UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG N°2) “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”.

Bee health and sustainable beekeeping are a key for sustainable agriculture worldwide. Risks of depleting honey production threatens livelihoods of beekeepers, but degradation of pollination power of suffering bee colonies threats overall agricultural production and affects the entire population. SAMS addresses requirements of end-user communities on beekeeping in Ethiopia. It includes technological improvements and adaptation as well as innovative services creation in apiculture based on advanced ICT and remote sensing technologies.

“SAMS allows active monitoring and remote sensing of bee health and beekeeping by developing appropriate ICT solution”

SAMS increases production of bee products, creates jobs (particularly youths/ women), triggers investments and establishes knowledge exchange through networks. SAMS results are of major interest for stakeholders along the whole value chain of honey production. By cooperation with other networks, SAMS technology will be promoted worldwide to beekeepers as well as data beneficiaries.

“90% of Ethiopian honey is produced with traditional hive”