Entertainment / Music
Mukanya returns to Gweru
23 Dec 2018 at 04:33hrs | Views
Chimurenga music maestro Thomas "Mukanya" Mapfumo will perform a special make-up gig on Monday night at Gweru's Midlands Hotel as part of his Peace Tour and the musician still has fond memories of the night he gave a scintillating performance before a full house in the city 15 years ago.
Mukanya had a sold-out show at EduCare College Hall when he was at the peak of his career in 2003 before his departure for the United States, where he had been holed until April this year.
"Gweru is one of the places with a big fan base for Chimurenga music and we promise a memorable show as we have been doing in all the cities where we have performed," said Mukanya's publicity manager Blessing Vava.
Mapfumo was supposed to have kick-started his Peace Tour - a visit of 10 cities - with a performance at Gweru Golf Club on December 7, but he was compelled to call off the gig due to power failures.
Vava described the Christmas Eve gig as more of a compensatory show.
"We are happy to be back in Gweru after we failed to perform on December 7; we had to make a plan to make sure that those who had come for the concert were not robbed," he said.
Mukanya has so far covered more than 50% of his nationwide tour where he had been performing and meeting with fans. His shows, save for a few technical hiccups, evoked memories from the past and proved that the Nyoka Musango hit maker was still in the game.
Peace Tour manager Denford Kasambira said it was all systems go for the Gweru show, saying Mapfumo's band The Blacks Unlimited had been boosted following the arrival of other band members from the US.
"His band is all set. Band members from the US and UK are with him on the tour, and it promises to be an exciting night for revellers in Gweru who yearn for Chimurenga music," Kasambira said.
"We have tightened our security for people who intend to come with families and everyone in general."
Mukanya is likely to belt out some of his old ballads, including Shabeen, Joyce, Chipatapata, Mugarandega, Vanhu Vatema, Kariba, Nherera, Kuenda Mbire and Chisi, among others.
The Nhamo Zvakare hit maker will wrap the Peace Tour with a gig in Harare on New Year's Eve.
Mukanya had a sold-out show at EduCare College Hall when he was at the peak of his career in 2003 before his departure for the United States, where he had been holed until April this year.
"Gweru is one of the places with a big fan base for Chimurenga music and we promise a memorable show as we have been doing in all the cities where we have performed," said Mukanya's publicity manager Blessing Vava.
Mapfumo was supposed to have kick-started his Peace Tour - a visit of 10 cities - with a performance at Gweru Golf Club on December 7, but he was compelled to call off the gig due to power failures.
Vava described the Christmas Eve gig as more of a compensatory show.
"We are happy to be back in Gweru after we failed to perform on December 7; we had to make a plan to make sure that those who had come for the concert were not robbed," he said.
Peace Tour manager Denford Kasambira said it was all systems go for the Gweru show, saying Mapfumo's band The Blacks Unlimited had been boosted following the arrival of other band members from the US.
"His band is all set. Band members from the US and UK are with him on the tour, and it promises to be an exciting night for revellers in Gweru who yearn for Chimurenga music," Kasambira said.
"We have tightened our security for people who intend to come with families and everyone in general."
Mukanya is likely to belt out some of his old ballads, including Shabeen, Joyce, Chipatapata, Mugarandega, Vanhu Vatema, Kariba, Nherera, Kuenda Mbire and Chisi, among others.
The Nhamo Zvakare hit maker will wrap the Peace Tour with a gig in Harare on New Year's Eve.
Source - the standard
