Not everyone heading to Ne-Yo’s Nairobi concert will be able to tell you the difference between a deep RnB cut and a song that simply sounds good after 10 pm, which is perfectly fine.
For some fans, One Night Only: Brunch Edition will be a long-awaited chance to see one of the biggest names from the golden era of 2000s RnB live.
For others, it might be their first proper RnB concert.
Either way, there are a few things worth knowing before you show up at Ulinzi Sports Complex on October 20.
You do not need to know every song, so let us start with the obvious.
If your knowledge of Ne-Yo begins and ends with So Sick, you are not going to be escorted out of the venue.
The singer has a catalogue spanning more than two decades, meaning the set is likely to move across different eras of his career rather than stick to the songs that first made him famous.
There will be the big sing-along moments, but there is also a good chance you will hear songs you recognise without immediately remembering the title.
That is part of the fun of seeing an established RnB artist live.
Prepare for a different kind of concert
This is not the usual Nairobi concert where you arrive late in the evening, squeeze into a crowd and wait for the headline act.
The event is deliberately built around a daytime to evening format.
Doors open for an afternoon experience, with the show scheduled to run from 3 pm to 11 pm.
That means you are essentially getting an entire Mashujaa Day out of it.
You can arrive early, settle in, eat, socialise and enjoy the performances before the evening sets in.
In other words, do not plan your day like you are going to a 9 pm concert but dress like you have somewhere to be afterwards.
There is another advantage to a daytime RnB event as you have permission to look good.
You do not need to dress like you are going hiking just because it is a concert.
Think polished, comfortable and weather-friendly, as a good shirt, dress, coordinated set or smart casual look works.
Comfortable shoes are also worth considering because standing around for several hours in Nairobi is a very different experience from posing for photographs in them.
Consequently, if you own a fedora, this may be the one occasion where nobody can accuse you of trying too hard.
Know what you are actually paying for
Gold tickets are currently listed at Sh15,000, while the Gold Couple or Friends package costs Sh20,000 for two people.
For those looking for a more premium setup, Platinum tables are listed at Sh160,000 for four people and Sh320,000 for eight.
The tickets can only be bought through one platform, which is https://cms.ticketyetu.com/r/Zft
The event is being held on Mashujaa Day, which falls on Tuesday, October 20.
If you are planning to attend, this is one of those events where your ticket is essentially buying you an entire public holiday experience rather than just a two-hour headline performance.
Go with people who know how to enjoy RnB.
This may be the most important rule.
RnB concerts are not necessarily about spending the entire night jumping.
There are moments for dancing, moments for singing and moments when everyone suddenly becomes a professional backup vocalist.
If your friend starts singing So Sick with their whole chest, let them.
If someone suddenly remembers every word to a song they have not heard since 2008, support them.
Also, if you are the person who only knows the chorus, that is also fine.
You can always pretend the rest is vocal improvisation and remember why you are there
Ne-Yo's Nairobi return comes more than a decade after his previous visit to Kenya in 2015.
This time, he is headlining One Night Only: Brunch Edition, with UK showband Sol and The Gang also on the lineup.
The event is being presented as a combination of live music, brunch and entertainment rather than a conventional late-night concert.
Whether you have followed Ne-Yo since the In My Own Words era or discovered his music through your parents' playlists, there is really only one assignment.
Know enough to sing along, look good, and when So Sick comes on, please do not suddenly claim you do not know the words.
