From Accra to Wembley: Nana Kwame Adu-Gyamfi leads Ghana production team for Stonebwoy's BHIM Festival London

Stonebwoy’s BHIM Festival London at OVO Arena Wembley brought together production personnel from Ghana and the United Kingdom in a cross-border effort to deliver the London edition of the Ghanaian artiste’s flagship live event.

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 concert.

The Ghanaian contingent included personnel working across sound, technical direction and special effects, who collaborated with UK production partner Hera Touring and local technical suppliers during preparations for and delivery of the Wembley show.

Adu-Gyamfi’s involvement followed several years of work on Stonebwoy’s major live productions. He had previously led production for three consecutive editions of BHIM Festival in Ghana between 2023 and 2025, as well as the Torcher Experience in Ho.

According to Adu-Gyamfi, preparations for the London production began about four months before the event, with the initial work extending beyond lighting into the wider technical design of the show.

Adu-Gyamfi said the Ghana-based team developed requirements covering the stage, lighting, video screens, sound system and backline, which were subsequently shared with the UK production team for further development.

The process, he explained, involved both teams reviewing the proposed design against venue conditions, technical feasibility, available equipment and other production considerations before arriving at the final configuration for Wembley.

“The show did not start when we arrived in the UK. We had already spent months working through the stage, lighting, screens, PA and backline requirements. Those ideas were shared with the UK team, and the design continued to evolve through discussions between both sides until we arrived at the production we eventually delivered.”

The lighting component was also developed in advance, with Adu-Gyamfi programming portions of the show in Ghana using the Avolites Titan platform.

He said the advance preparation provided a working structure that could later be adapted to the equipment and physical installation available in London.

Before moving into OVO Arena Wembley, Adu-Gyamfi visited the lighting vendor to inspect some of the requested equipment and test the programmed showfile.

According to him, the exercise helped identify areas that required adjustment before the arena build.

“There will almost always be differences between what is planned on a drawing or programmed in advance and what finally gets installed. The important thing is being able to adapt quickly and work with the local teams to make the system function as one production.”

Once work moved into Wembley, the Ghanaian team joined Hera Touring and the wider UK technical crew for the build, testing and rehearsal process.

According to the production brief described by Adu-Gyamfi, the show incorporated several performance positions rather than relying solely on a conventional main-stage setup. These included the main stage, thrust and other performance and entrance areas that required coordinated lighting, sound, video and technical coverage.

A scenic element inspired by Ghana’s Independence Arch also formed part of the stage environment, adding a Ghanaian visual reference to the London production.

For the lighting design, Adu-Gyamfi said the objective was to respond to the changing character of Stonebwoy’s set rather than apply one visual approach throughout the show.

High-energy sections were supported with stronger beam, movement and strobe treatments, while other moments used more restrained lighting to keep attention on the performance.

“For me, the lighting has to serve what is happening on stage. If the audience is fully inside the moment, then the technology is doing its job without necessarily demanding attention for itself.”

The London edition of BHIM Festival also introduced a wider cultural dimension to the production. Beyond the technical production, the show presented Ghanaian music, performance, language, fashion and visual references to audiences at OVO Arena Wembley, creating another platform through which Ghanaian culture could engage both diaspora and international audiences.

Adu-Gyamfi believes this dimension of the festival is equally important.

“When we take a production like BHIM Festival outside Ghana, we are not only taking the music with us. We are also presenting parts of who we are — our history, culture, visual identity and creative ability — to people who may experience Ghana through the show.”

He said platforms of this nature can potentially contribute to cultural diplomacy and Ghana’s soft power, particularly by strengthening connections with diaspora communities while introducing elements of Ghanaian culture to wider audiences.

“A concert alone will not define how the world sees Ghana, but every strong cultural experience can contribute to that perception. If people leave curious about Ghana, connected to the culture or impressed by the level of creativity and production coming from the country, then the impact has gone beyond entertainment.”

The collaboration also placed Ghanaian technical personnel alongside UK-based production specialists across several departments.

The Ghanaian travelling team included expertise in production leadership, sound engineering, technical direction, lighting programming and special effects, while a wider network of UK personnel and suppliers supported the local delivery of the arena production.

Adu-Gyamfi believes such collaborations could become increasingly relevant as African artistes expand their international touring activities.

“As our artistes and music travel, there should also be opportunities for the professionals who understand and help build those productions to travel with them. It is important for the growth of the wider African live-entertainment industry.”

His comments point to an often less-visible part of the international music business.

Large concerts require production leads, audio engineers, lighting designers, programmers, technical directors, stage managers, riggers, video crews, special-effects personnel, backline technicians and other specialists working alongside artists and management.

The Wembley production followed Adu-Gyamfi’s earlier work on BHIM Festival in Ghana, extending that experience into a project involving teams and suppliers operating across two countries.

He nevertheless describes the London show as a collective production rather than an individual achievement.

“No one person produces an arena show. There are too many departments and too many people involved. What audiences eventually see is the result of artists, management, production teams, vendors, venue personnel and crew all working together.”

While the public focus around BHIM Festival London centred naturally on Stonebwoy and the performances inside OVO Arena Wembley, the production behind the concert also reflected the increasing role of Ghanaian technical professionals in live projects extending beyond the country.

For the Ghanaian team, Wembley offered an opportunity to apply experience developed at home within an international production environment — while contributing to a show that projected Ghanaian music, culture and technical expertise to a wider audience.