'Love and Ballads' finally find a stage in Nakuru!

Yoh Nakuru gather around the fire!

It seems Tuliitana na tukasikika.

After Mtaa Wangu raised your concerns about event organizers shying away from hosting major events in Nakuru, there is a shift. 

Enter the upcoming Nakuru edition of Love & Ballads, happening on Sunday, 24th August 2025. 

For anyone who has ever longed to experience the magic of intimate jazz live performances, this is the perfect place to begin.

It marks the first time this celebrated series is coming to Nakuru, and it promises to set the stage for a new wave of live music experiences in the city.

Founded and produced by trumpeter and producer Mackinlay, Love & Ballads began in 2023 as a small living-room gathering.

Since then, it has grown into one of Kenya’s most sought-after immersive concert series, consistently selling out editions while featuring both local and international musicians. 

Despite its growth, the series has held tightly to its signature style blending ballads, jazz, and soulful storytelling in an atmosphere of warmth and intimacy.

This Nakuru edition will feature performances by Mackinlay, the soulful Lisa Oduor-Noah, and Brian Sigu, all supported by a four-piece live band. 

And in the spirit of opening up the experience to as many people as possible, entry will be free, no tickets required at Jade Hekima Lawn in Milimani.

For Nakuru, this is not just another event; it is a beginning. Love & Ballads could very well spark a new culture of smaller, high-quality, and intimate live shows that complement the city’s growing calendar of large-scale outdoor concerts.

Slowly, the city has started attracting bigger shows, with outdoor festivals becoming more common. These gatherings, often set up with mega tents, booming sound systems, and expansive open-air spaces, can hold hundreds sometimes even thousands of revelers.

While this is a step forward and worth celebrating, there is another side of the live experience that deserves attention.

I would like to personally applaud the few organizers who are also investing in intimate, indoor events within clubs and smaller venues. 

However, more needs to be done. Nakuru’s entertainment scene deserves variety. We should be spoilt for choice, not only with large-scale outdoor concerts but also with cozy evenings that bring people closer to the music.

There is a hunger for jazz sessions, live acoustic sets, sing-alongs, and performances that allow the audience to feel every note and every emotion up close. 

These kinds of intimate shows create lasting memories, and they give music a soul-to-soul connection that big venues can rarely match.

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