FRA! band’s FRA!ternity Festival 2025 was no beating about the bush – it was straight to the point, and explosive.

Zigging where most event organisers in Ghana zag, time was given its due respect, taking out the cringe apology for late start routine. At 5:50 PM, the MC was on stage, and when the advertised time struck – 6 PM – Nativ Afrik, a band dedicated to Ghanaian folk music, welcomed the early bird audience.

Poet Timmy followed, attired in what looked like military fatigues. GG Brass took the baton, thereafter, ploughing the grounds further.

Star vocalist Kyei Mensah got on next with his acoustic guitar, singing a song that reminded him of a love lost. He would later reappear on a cheerier note.

West Coast Ebusua’s set was a masterclass in jazz music, and when the sensational Nkyimkyim band hoped on stage, the appetite of the concertgoers was well whet to receive the headliner, FRA!

They were not to immediately appear, however.

Media personality and FRA!ternity MC Prince Benjamin (PB) did a surprise breakdown of FRA!’s new single, We Go Make Am, revealing the Amapiano-influenced song was written in the band’s Nungua studio, Accra. Assisted on keys by serial hit-record-producer Reynolds the Gentleman, PB explained the song was meant to move the listener to confront and break the unpleasant status quo in their lineage, no matter how entrenched.

The moment segued into Pen God’s display of keen spoken word talent and skill. He was entrusted with the singular honour of introducing Ghana’s biggest Highlife/Funk/Afro band FRA!

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Pen God

FRA! arrived with members: Joshua ‘Virgen’ (drums), Selorm ‘Falaa’ (guitar), Martin ‘Chef Tino’ (keyboard), Christian ‘Osele’ (frontman), Ishmael ‘Ayala’ (percussion), Obeng King ‘OBK’ (bass), Isaac ‘Ike’ (keyboard), and Chris Taylor ‘Chris Tay’ (drums) – George ‘Gogoe’ (bass) was away.

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Virgen

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Falaa 

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Chef Tino

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Ayala

| FRA!10nity (Pic): OBK

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Ike

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Chris Tay

Their opening was as surprising as it was perfect – throwback music from the annals of Hiplife, including Kontihene’s Aketesia, Akatakyie’s Odo Esisi Me, and Praye's Angelina, among others. The audience could not contain themselves.  

Later, supporting FRA! to perform their old and new materials were Snowbya (Bibia Be Ye Yie); Adomaa (Mmaa); Yung Pabi (Accra We Dey, Dandan Woho); Nyamekye (Dandan Woho); Nene Narh (Lean On Me); Kyei Mensah (You Made It); Dave Da Musicbox (Ego Bee); and GG Brass (Party).

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Adomaa

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Nene Narh

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Kyei Mensah

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Yung Pabi

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Nyamekye 

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Snowbya

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Dave Da Musicbox

Furthermore, Ash Benny (Stronger); and Susan Augustt (Obaa) performed their originals with FRA!.

| FRA!10nity (Pic): Susan Augustt 

To bring the night to a befitting end, hypeman Kofi Darlington, supported by FRA! and GG Brass led a fiery jama session.

Below is some feedback the band’s composer and drummer Joshua ‘Virgen’ Boateng (JVB) received on social media for the concert:

1. “Thank you FRA! band for today’s great show. My all-time favourite band [heart emojis].”

2. “FRA! band was not just entertaining but uplifted us with songs that speak positive vibes. In the season where everyone is saying, “There is a casting down,” FRA! band says, “There is a lifting up”. God bless you guys. See you next year [salute emoji].”

3. “[My friend] says she now understands why I told her if she comes for one of your concerts, she will come every time after that. That was their first FRA! concert. They won’t miss anymore [laugh and cry emojis].”

4. “Best band in the world, FRA! [heart emojis].”

5. “You should have been in the crowd to see how the people loved you; the excitement watching the band. I tap into that grace.”

JVB noted, also, some members of the audience who assumed FRA!'s time-keeping culture was as poor as that of other entertainment event organisers in Ghana, were greatly shocked, promising to come on time next year.

Notwithstanding the significance of the aforementioned, it would be hard to argue against the cheery on top being when the Director of Alliance Francaise Accra (AFA), Hélène Geneau-Okutue, declared the venue will be free of charge to FRA! next year, mid-event. Experiencing the entire programme, she was with an associate at the front row, taking in every performance from the stage. Her gesture expresses confidence in FRA!’s ability to draw a massive crowd to her venue and it comes as a much-welcome kindness to support a self-funded festival aimed at reviving Ghana’s iconic band culture.

This is how FRA! celebrated 10 years of its annual concert.