Entertainment / Music
Zimbabwean's Impumelelo Shining Stars leaves Mzansi audience in stitches
26 Sep 2016 at 07:11hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe and Bulawayo based Impumelelo Shining Stars left Mzansi spectators in stitches after dishing out a starling performance at Victory Theater on Saturday 24 September 2016. The show coincided with South African Heritage Day and indeed it was a well-celebrated heritage day.
Arguably the most improved and entertaining imbube group in Zimbabwe, Impumelelo's music remains the linguistic identity of Ndebele speaking societies, hence it was worth celebrating on Heritage day.
The show was dubbed to be a CD launch but only turned out to be an aluta-continua of the group's 15th-anniversary celebrations. Yes, the CD was launched as it was launched in Bulawayo, but in Johannesburg the group took fans by surprise with a starling performance.
Apparently, in 2015 the group gave a thriller performance at Hillbrow theatre that tagged them as the best stage performers who are also now mandated to lead acappella excellence home and away just like their icon Black Mambazo.
The show opened with an enticing piece by Junior Manhattan choir, followed by a powerful philosophic speech by the group manager Christian Sibanda.
When it was time for the main artists themselves, everyone was taken through a prayer session led by the lead vocalist Oscar Siziba: "Babawethu Osezulwini" (Our father who Art in heaven), then it soon transformed to an Englished chorus "Our Father," that filled the whole venue with the Holly Spirit.
Among other artists who attended the show were, Zinjaziyamluma, Imbizo Messengers, Charles Ndebele-Ndolwane, Inkanyezi Zezulu, and Imbizo Messengers who came as a whole and bought many tickets just to show their support for their younger brothers.
Switchbod Arts Magazine learns that the Ladysmith Black Mambazo delegation was supposed to be part of the guests but unfortunately could not make it due to a tight schedule at Mnambithi. However in its absentia, the Bulawayo boys paid tribute to 'AMambazo-Amnyama'- their mentors and genre legends in form of a track titled "Umkhulu wena eMnambithi" the songs bespeaks of a great Mambazo, which is idolised as the Isicathamiya music ambassador, a group that has paved way and created employment for many youngsters who now tour around the world selling the very same 'Isacathamiya' music.
Imbizo buzzed the audience with its favourite legacy song "kude kukatshana" and said it was reserving it for its annual family show scheduled for 8 October 2016 at Hillbrow theatre.
The group's manager Christian Sibanda thanked everyone for the support, he went on to appeal to the business community to cheap in as promoters and also appreciated the fellow artists who graced the occasion. He summed up the existence of Impumelelo as a group known for excellence and "whose survival has been based on three principles: discipline, unity and prayer."
One of the well wishers could not wait for the show to end and he decided to use the little chance he usurped from the MC to address the audiences, after donating R1400,00 right on stage, adding to other red Randelas on stage floor. He further urged everyone to consider donating something to the home boys who have undisputed talent but that lacks sponsorship as revealed by their costume bag.
Commenting on the event,the venue manager who only identified himself as James said : "this is one of the most organised shows I have ever seen, the boys have talent. Although I can not speak Ndebele myself but I can deduce the semantics of the performances."
Coming to stage performance itself, the group did not disappoint, in fact it just delivered in style. The artists made use of the fully furnished theatre, with excellent lighting, stage management and sound .
Special effects were added for a theatric spectacle, something that is yet to be seen in some other theatres and performing spaces usually employed by Zimbos in Jo'burg. The dance itself had all the ingredients, all elements of a theatre dance were visibly realised. Even the Umoja crew present was so pleased and proud to be part of the event being hosted right at the springboard venue of Umoja production itself.
The flow of the show led to one of the speakers of the day to refute the infamous slogan that says Matabeleland has less talent and he exclaimed in a rhetoric question :"people always say we are talentless, but what is this ?"
The four-member choir - Nation Brothers, who happened to be one of the two guest artists on stage, gave its blessings to fellow brothers in music in a form of another thrilling performance which had songs like : ‘Jesu ungifihle phansi kwegazi' and "Lesisinqumo sami lo Jesu."
"Ingishaya ngingaphandle" (it hits me even when I am outside ), is a comment turned-soliloquy that was helplessly ejected from one of the security members who came inside the venue rushing from the door and leaving it unguarded. The event almost transformed from R100-00 bill show to a mahala festival as more guards joined the audiences and started ululating with them forgetting their primary call of duty. The song that dragged them was non other than :"Amahlolanyama" which was presented in a concoction of tradition and contemporary dances.
From the audiences, looking through a choreographer's eye you could pick a number different dances like, amabhiza, amantshomane, ijukwa, isithikitsha, then twalatsa and ngwazi jive, all fused into line stream of a musical.
The use of props and another percussion including whistles transformed the whole performance to a well-choreographed musical, dance drama.
The spectators found themselves joining in to complete what reminded us of traditional African participatory theatre.
Still, on the dance part, all essential elements of dance were projected in a very aesthetic way, the stage was well balanced as energy levels also reciprocated well to the pitch and tone .
As if it was part of the costume, the seven member group all appeared in all shining shaved heads "Mpandla' and only two, including the choral leader, out of seven had Afros like that of their icon Joseph Shabalala of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
The performance was sealed with a very exciting sing along track: "Sicela lisishute" (can you please take us snaps), as the song went on the singers could be seen making dance partners and some variations symbolising poses for photos that left the audiences speechless.
Switchbid Arts Magazine learns that some fans came as far as Polokwane alongside their families and took home a stock of CDs (R60-00), and T-shirts(R100-00), and others who had accompanied the group all the way from Bulawayo to Johannesburg were also spotted amongst the audiences.
In the middle of the audience, there were media personalities, promoters, and big gurus of music who came to witness the 'melodious voices and fancy footwork of Impumelelo.'
So all in all Impumelelo Shining Stars scored a hat-trick away from home : a successful 10 track CD launch, heritage day celebrations, and an extended, 15th-anniversary celebration, indeed "Avulekile Amazulu!"
Arguably the most improved and entertaining imbube group in Zimbabwe, Impumelelo's music remains the linguistic identity of Ndebele speaking societies, hence it was worth celebrating on Heritage day.
The show was dubbed to be a CD launch but only turned out to be an aluta-continua of the group's 15th-anniversary celebrations. Yes, the CD was launched as it was launched in Bulawayo, but in Johannesburg the group took fans by surprise with a starling performance.
Apparently, in 2015 the group gave a thriller performance at Hillbrow theatre that tagged them as the best stage performers who are also now mandated to lead acappella excellence home and away just like their icon Black Mambazo.
The show opened with an enticing piece by Junior Manhattan choir, followed by a powerful philosophic speech by the group manager Christian Sibanda.
When it was time for the main artists themselves, everyone was taken through a prayer session led by the lead vocalist Oscar Siziba: "Babawethu Osezulwini" (Our father who Art in heaven), then it soon transformed to an Englished chorus "Our Father," that filled the whole venue with the Holly Spirit.
Among other artists who attended the show were, Zinjaziyamluma, Imbizo Messengers, Charles Ndebele-Ndolwane, Inkanyezi Zezulu, and Imbizo Messengers who came as a whole and bought many tickets just to show their support for their younger brothers.
Switchbod Arts Magazine learns that the Ladysmith Black Mambazo delegation was supposed to be part of the guests but unfortunately could not make it due to a tight schedule at Mnambithi. However in its absentia, the Bulawayo boys paid tribute to 'AMambazo-Amnyama'- their mentors and genre legends in form of a track titled "Umkhulu wena eMnambithi" the songs bespeaks of a great Mambazo, which is idolised as the Isicathamiya music ambassador, a group that has paved way and created employment for many youngsters who now tour around the world selling the very same 'Isacathamiya' music.
Imbizo buzzed the audience with its favourite legacy song "kude kukatshana" and said it was reserving it for its annual family show scheduled for 8 October 2016 at Hillbrow theatre.
The group's manager Christian Sibanda thanked everyone for the support, he went on to appeal to the business community to cheap in as promoters and also appreciated the fellow artists who graced the occasion. He summed up the existence of Impumelelo as a group known for excellence and "whose survival has been based on three principles: discipline, unity and prayer."
One of the well wishers could not wait for the show to end and he decided to use the little chance he usurped from the MC to address the audiences, after donating R1400,00 right on stage, adding to other red Randelas on stage floor. He further urged everyone to consider donating something to the home boys who have undisputed talent but that lacks sponsorship as revealed by their costume bag.
Commenting on the event,the venue manager who only identified himself as James said : "this is one of the most organised shows I have ever seen, the boys have talent. Although I can not speak Ndebele myself but I can deduce the semantics of the performances."
Coming to stage performance itself, the group did not disappoint, in fact it just delivered in style. The artists made use of the fully furnished theatre, with excellent lighting, stage management and sound .
The flow of the show led to one of the speakers of the day to refute the infamous slogan that says Matabeleland has less talent and he exclaimed in a rhetoric question :"people always say we are talentless, but what is this ?"
The four-member choir - Nation Brothers, who happened to be one of the two guest artists on stage, gave its blessings to fellow brothers in music in a form of another thrilling performance which had songs like : ‘Jesu ungifihle phansi kwegazi' and "Lesisinqumo sami lo Jesu."
"Ingishaya ngingaphandle" (it hits me even when I am outside ), is a comment turned-soliloquy that was helplessly ejected from one of the security members who came inside the venue rushing from the door and leaving it unguarded. The event almost transformed from R100-00 bill show to a mahala festival as more guards joined the audiences and started ululating with them forgetting their primary call of duty. The song that dragged them was non other than :"Amahlolanyama" which was presented in a concoction of tradition and contemporary dances.
From the audiences, looking through a choreographer's eye you could pick a number different dances like, amabhiza, amantshomane, ijukwa, isithikitsha, then twalatsa and ngwazi jive, all fused into line stream of a musical.
The use of props and another percussion including whistles transformed the whole performance to a well-choreographed musical, dance drama.
The spectators found themselves joining in to complete what reminded us of traditional African participatory theatre.
Still, on the dance part, all essential elements of dance were projected in a very aesthetic way, the stage was well balanced as energy levels also reciprocated well to the pitch and tone .
As if it was part of the costume, the seven member group all appeared in all shining shaved heads "Mpandla' and only two, including the choral leader, out of seven had Afros like that of their icon Joseph Shabalala of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
The performance was sealed with a very exciting sing along track: "Sicela lisishute" (can you please take us snaps), as the song went on the singers could be seen making dance partners and some variations symbolising poses for photos that left the audiences speechless.
Switchbid Arts Magazine learns that some fans came as far as Polokwane alongside their families and took home a stock of CDs (R60-00), and T-shirts(R100-00), and others who had accompanied the group all the way from Bulawayo to Johannesburg were also spotted amongst the audiences.
In the middle of the audience, there were media personalities, promoters, and big gurus of music who came to witness the 'melodious voices and fancy footwork of Impumelelo.'
So all in all Impumelelo Shining Stars scored a hat-trick away from home : a successful 10 track CD launch, heritage day celebrations, and an extended, 15th-anniversary celebration, indeed "Avulekile Amazulu!"
Source - Byo24News
