1972

Fela again moves the Afro-Spot to larger premises, this time to the courtyard of the Empire Hotel in Surulere, Lagos. Once a leading nightspot, due to the decline in highlife’s popularity the venue has fallen on hard times. Fela renames it the Africa Shrine and brings it back to life. The space can comfortably accommodate one thousand people and is usually rammed.

1972

The Shrine is part dance club and part progressive political and cultural salon, frequented by both the Lagos demi-monde and leading African and African American cultural figures. Fela adds six women singers to Africa 70; from here on, call and response vocals will be an Afrobeat signature. Fela releases three blindingly good proto-Afrobeat albums under his own name and guests on Ginger Baker’s outstanding Afrorock hybrid, Stratavarious.