Secret Planet Presents: Dogo Du Togo

Join us on our patio for an incredible evening featuring live music from Dogo Du Togo!

Emerging from Lomé, Togo , Dogo du Togo & The Alagaa Beat Band is a collective of top Togolese musicians led by Massama Dogo, aka Dogo du Togo, who are putting Togolese music on the map by blending psychedelic rock and afrobeat into a genre-defying sound Dogo calls the "Alagaa Beat."

Combining Togolese festive and ritual rhythms, hypnotic voodoo melodies, and lyrics that speak to a new generation of young Africans with a message that resonates globally, Dogo du Togo & The Alagaa Beat Band embodies the heart and soul of modern Togo in its music.

The Alagaa beat (Alagaa means trance in Ewe) and Dogo's melodies are anchored in Togo’s rich cultural history, based on traditional rhythms and unique pentatonic scales known as Mina or Mami, derived from the music of the local Vodún religion and traditions that permeate everyday life in Togo.

Dogo du Togo was born in the capital city of Lomé and was drawn to music early on, learning from elder musicians and playing in various bands as a teenager. In 2000, he moved to the United States, landing in Washington, D.C. where he founded the successful Afro-pop band Elikeh.

In 2017, Dogo began splitting his time between DC and his homeland, digging deeper into its musical traditions and reconnecting with the local music scene. There, he recorded his first solo album, Dogo du Togo, released 2022 and topping radio charts at home and attracting critical acclaim in Europe and the U.S. For his latest album, 2024’s Avoudé, Dogo assembled the Alagaa Beat Band, recruiting old friends with whom he grew up playing music on the streets of Lomé.

Both on record and in their electrifying live performances, Dogo du Togo and the Alagaa Beat Band have a sound that is undeniably Togolese, steeped in the history of the country while announcing to the world that Togo has something to say.

Joining them on stage will be Sol Power All-Stars! Since 2009, the Sol Power All-Stars have been sharing their love of deep sounds from around the globe with party-goers across the world. Their exhilarating sets, built on the foundational ethos of The Loft and Paradise Garage effortlessly connect Cuban barrio beats to the beaches of Rio, the discos of Lagos, and the warehouses of Detroit and Chicago. They have held residencies across their hometown Washington, DC at and have appeared at other world-class venues from Paris to Bogota to Brooklyn. Since 2012, the crew has been just as prolific in the studio. Their productions, led by member Marc Meistro, have appeared on taste-making labels including Soul Clap Records, Wonderwheel Recordings, Fabric Records, Rocksteady Disco, Bastard Jazz, G.A.M.M., Cultures of Soul, and Record Breakin’.

In 2015 the crew launched its own imprint, Sol Power Sound. The record label’s output reflects the global sounds of a Sol Power All-Stars’ DJ set – percussive anthems inspired by rhythms from around the globe. The catalog includes official reissues and remixes from Trinidad, Nigeria, Togo, and Benin as well as new productions from artists around the world.

This will be a night to remember; can't wait to see you there!!