News / National
Mafikizolo loves 'Zim' dollar
15 Mar 2015 at 05:06hrs | Views
THE crowd was smaller, Zahara and Winky D bombed, Mafikizolo was scintillating while Jah Prayzah performed like he was possessed.
Oh by the way - Pah Chihera was also there - but hers was probably just a learning experience.
Zimbabweans, never mind the prevailing economic challenges, love a good show and do not hesitate to part with their hard-earned cash for a good time.
And international music ensembles know it, which is why those that have performed in the country before have found it difficult to resist the lure of returning.
Reasons for the easily created bond between international artistes and local music fans have remained a subject of endless debate, but market watchers opine that it is the Zimbo's "free spending attitude" that international artistes backed by local promoters have fallen in love with. Hospitality, they argue, is just but an icing on the cake.
For instance, unconfirmed reports are that Zahara and Mafikizolo pocketed a combined US$60 000 from the gig, which would translate, assuming they shared equally, to US$30 000 apiece.
In South African rands that would amount to not less than 300 000, an amount which is not easy to come by in a single show for the artistes in their home country.
To date, Zimbabwe has successfully hosted reputable international brands in the mould of the late Bob Marley and Michael Jackson, Akon, Sean Paul, Mr Vegas, Beenie Man, Elephant Man, James Blunt, Zahara, Mafikizolo, P-Square and Koffi Olomide, to name just a few.
But watching these international acts in action has not come cheap for Zimbabweans. They have had to part with the elusive greenback as most of the gigs cost a leg and an arm.
The local pricing system evidently is not in tandem with that of neighbours in the region. Take, for instance, the cancelled John Legend show that was supposed to be held in Harare late last year. It was pegged at US$30 and US$150 for the cheapest and most expensive tickets respectively while a similar gig in Cape Town, South Africa, was going for R395 (US$37) and R905 (US$88).
However, in an interview with The Sunday Mail Leisure on the sidelines of their gig, Nhlanhla Nciza, the other half of Mafikizolo, revealed that a "healthy" working relationship with different promoters in the country as well as overwhelming support from multitudes of fans is the reason why Mafikizolo is failing to resist Harare.
The HICC show was the second gig in four months for Mafikizolo while Zahara was coming for the umpteenth time in less than two years.
"We have toured a number of countries like Kenya, Namibia, Ghana, Botswana, United Kingdom, Mozambique - but Zimbabwe stands out. It remains the best and the experience is good," said Nciza backstage.
Unlike some of the international acts that have conspired to deliver shoddy acts - Mafikizolo has never disappointed. They have treated each and every one of their gigs as "a new date".
"Zimbabwe is just wonderful. The people are so friendly and humble and this is what gives us the zeal to deliver a better act than the one we would have had in our previous outing. It's more like saying thank you for accepting us," said Nciza.
Meanwhile, Simmad Entertainment, the organisers of the Zahara/Mafikizolo concert, must be well versed with John C Maxwell's statement that: "A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them and strong enough to correct them."
Their show ran like clockwork.
The much anticipated show sailed through smoothly and like a well-oiled machine, glitches, if there were any, were not noticeable.
From the main gate of the venue, it was easy to note that the spirit of order was in the air with a large number of parking attendants strategically positioned to direct traffic to various parking spaces that had been designated to reduce congestion.
With tickets still available by the time the show started, the selling point at the venue was positioned a reasonable distance away from the main entrance and security personnel ensured that they were sold in an orderly manner.
To get to the main entrance, patrons had to pass through makeshift tunnels with their tickets being checked with an electronic scanner, a process which took a few seconds thereby reducing congestion at the entry points.
Despite having delayed setting up their stage as there was another function at the same venue in the afternoon, they still managed to put together an impressive structure.
The team managing the stage had done their homework, with mesmerising lighting and brilliant sound quality which created a hypnotic atmosphere. With the organisers having fine-tuned the event to the last bolt, it was now up to the artistes to play their part, and they did not disappoint.
First to go on stage was the birthday girl, Pah Chihera, who had to be content displaying her talent to a few fans, with people still trickling in.
The "Runonzi Rudo" hit-singer dished out fan favourites and then later on during the set she was joined by Quonfuzed on stage and their collaboration triggered excitement in the crowd.
Jah Prayzah came next and stole the show with an outstanding performance that left fans yearning for more.
The well-choreographed act was magnetic and most of their dance routines which included military drills were accompanied by deafening noise from the crowd.
Dishing out numerous hits which included "Gochi Gochi", "Kumbumura Mhute" and "Tsviriyo", among others, the award-winning artiste also sampled some of his new tracks which became instant favourites on the night.
From the attire to the vocals and instrumentation, the set was well polished and this sent fans into a frenzy during the whole set.
The auditorium exploded when Zahara was introduced.
During the first few songs, fans sang along appreciatively but then the set sort of got tired along the way and a huge chunk of the crowd returned to their seats and waited patiently for the songstress to pick up the tempo.
Despite dishing out hits like "Loliwe", "Destiny" and "Lengoma", Zahara failed to connect with the crowd and at one point a missile or two were thrown on stage.
The set had its moments though as some of her songs went well with fans and at one point Jah Prayzah joined her on stage and sang a few lines as well as displaying some incredible dance moves.
The second main act of the night, Mafikizolo, lived up to their billing and gave fans their money's worth showcasing their vast talent on stage.
The duo used a semi-live band, which combines backtracks and live instrumentation and produced a unique sound. With their sing-along gems, the crowd went crazy.
Performing hit singles like "Khona", "Ndihamba Nawe" and the song they collaborated with Davido "Tchelete", among others, they managed to turn the dance floor into a party scene.
Winky D, who closed the show, was the biggest casualty of the night. With Mafikizolo leaving everyone tired - Winky D's act needed to be electrifying, but fatigue and a predictable set saw music fans leave the auditorium in droves.
Oh by the way - Pah Chihera was also there - but hers was probably just a learning experience.
Zimbabweans, never mind the prevailing economic challenges, love a good show and do not hesitate to part with their hard-earned cash for a good time.
And international music ensembles know it, which is why those that have performed in the country before have found it difficult to resist the lure of returning.
Reasons for the easily created bond between international artistes and local music fans have remained a subject of endless debate, but market watchers opine that it is the Zimbo's "free spending attitude" that international artistes backed by local promoters have fallen in love with. Hospitality, they argue, is just but an icing on the cake.
For instance, unconfirmed reports are that Zahara and Mafikizolo pocketed a combined US$60 000 from the gig, which would translate, assuming they shared equally, to US$30 000 apiece.
In South African rands that would amount to not less than 300 000, an amount which is not easy to come by in a single show for the artistes in their home country.
To date, Zimbabwe has successfully hosted reputable international brands in the mould of the late Bob Marley and Michael Jackson, Akon, Sean Paul, Mr Vegas, Beenie Man, Elephant Man, James Blunt, Zahara, Mafikizolo, P-Square and Koffi Olomide, to name just a few.
But watching these international acts in action has not come cheap for Zimbabweans. They have had to part with the elusive greenback as most of the gigs cost a leg and an arm.
The local pricing system evidently is not in tandem with that of neighbours in the region. Take, for instance, the cancelled John Legend show that was supposed to be held in Harare late last year. It was pegged at US$30 and US$150 for the cheapest and most expensive tickets respectively while a similar gig in Cape Town, South Africa, was going for R395 (US$37) and R905 (US$88).
However, in an interview with The Sunday Mail Leisure on the sidelines of their gig, Nhlanhla Nciza, the other half of Mafikizolo, revealed that a "healthy" working relationship with different promoters in the country as well as overwhelming support from multitudes of fans is the reason why Mafikizolo is failing to resist Harare.
The HICC show was the second gig in four months for Mafikizolo while Zahara was coming for the umpteenth time in less than two years.
"We have toured a number of countries like Kenya, Namibia, Ghana, Botswana, United Kingdom, Mozambique - but Zimbabwe stands out. It remains the best and the experience is good," said Nciza backstage.
Unlike some of the international acts that have conspired to deliver shoddy acts - Mafikizolo has never disappointed. They have treated each and every one of their gigs as "a new date".
"Zimbabwe is just wonderful. The people are so friendly and humble and this is what gives us the zeal to deliver a better act than the one we would have had in our previous outing. It's more like saying thank you for accepting us," said Nciza.
Meanwhile, Simmad Entertainment, the organisers of the Zahara/Mafikizolo concert, must be well versed with John C Maxwell's statement that: "A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them and strong enough to correct them."
Their show ran like clockwork.
The much anticipated show sailed through smoothly and like a well-oiled machine, glitches, if there were any, were not noticeable.
With tickets still available by the time the show started, the selling point at the venue was positioned a reasonable distance away from the main entrance and security personnel ensured that they were sold in an orderly manner.
To get to the main entrance, patrons had to pass through makeshift tunnels with their tickets being checked with an electronic scanner, a process which took a few seconds thereby reducing congestion at the entry points.
Despite having delayed setting up their stage as there was another function at the same venue in the afternoon, they still managed to put together an impressive structure.
The team managing the stage had done their homework, with mesmerising lighting and brilliant sound quality which created a hypnotic atmosphere. With the organisers having fine-tuned the event to the last bolt, it was now up to the artistes to play their part, and they did not disappoint.
First to go on stage was the birthday girl, Pah Chihera, who had to be content displaying her talent to a few fans, with people still trickling in.
The "Runonzi Rudo" hit-singer dished out fan favourites and then later on during the set she was joined by Quonfuzed on stage and their collaboration triggered excitement in the crowd.
Jah Prayzah came next and stole the show with an outstanding performance that left fans yearning for more.
The well-choreographed act was magnetic and most of their dance routines which included military drills were accompanied by deafening noise from the crowd.
Dishing out numerous hits which included "Gochi Gochi", "Kumbumura Mhute" and "Tsviriyo", among others, the award-winning artiste also sampled some of his new tracks which became instant favourites on the night.
From the attire to the vocals and instrumentation, the set was well polished and this sent fans into a frenzy during the whole set.
The auditorium exploded when Zahara was introduced.
During the first few songs, fans sang along appreciatively but then the set sort of got tired along the way and a huge chunk of the crowd returned to their seats and waited patiently for the songstress to pick up the tempo.
Despite dishing out hits like "Loliwe", "Destiny" and "Lengoma", Zahara failed to connect with the crowd and at one point a missile or two were thrown on stage.
The set had its moments though as some of her songs went well with fans and at one point Jah Prayzah joined her on stage and sang a few lines as well as displaying some incredible dance moves.
The second main act of the night, Mafikizolo, lived up to their billing and gave fans their money's worth showcasing their vast talent on stage.
The duo used a semi-live band, which combines backtracks and live instrumentation and produced a unique sound. With their sing-along gems, the crowd went crazy.
Performing hit singles like "Khona", "Ndihamba Nawe" and the song they collaborated with Davido "Tchelete", among others, they managed to turn the dance floor into a party scene.
Winky D, who closed the show, was the biggest casualty of the night. With Mafikizolo leaving everyone tired - Winky D's act needed to be electrifying, but fatigue and a predictable set saw music fans leave the auditorium in droves.
Source - sundaymail
