Published by the government of Zimbabwe
28 November 2008
Harare — OF late, questions have been asked why award-winning sungura musician Alick Macheso always holds his homecoming let alone farewell shows mostly at three venues -- Pamuzinda Highway Xscape Park, Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex and the Harare Gardens.
Cheso Power Promotions assistant manager Jethro Machanja said they targeted Pamuzinda specifically because it was a high profile venue that reflected the stature of the kind of shows that Macheso would have been holding abroad.
"As you know, welcome back shows (and farewells) should be high profile shows that live up to their standard and also be reflective of the grandness of the foreign tours that a musician would have been having. So in this case Pamuzinda is the ideal venue for such high-profile gigs," he said.
Pamuzinda has become reputable for such shows by Macheso to the extent that people have come to know that whenever Macheso leaves the country, he stages his farewell gigs and homecoming gigs there.
By holding part of these shows in Chitungwiza, Macheso would be simply catering for his fan base on home ground while the Harare Gardens affair was meant to cater for families to enjoy music by their favourite musician
A high-octane Macheso -- who arrived in the country on Monday from a successful tour of the United Kingdom, kicks off his series of homecoming gigs starting with Pamuzinda tonight, supported by Progress Chipfumo.
Tomorrow, he invades The Aquatic Complex in Chitungwiza again backed by Chipfumo while on Sunday; he entertains his legion of fans in the Harare Gardens during a family show where the duo of Chipfumo and Freddy "Kapfupi" Manjalima alternate with him on stage.
But before Macheso takes to the stage tomorrow night, gospel music couple Baba naMai Olivia Charamba would have entertained their legion of faithful followers at the same venue during the same day which Macheso plays.
Both have a record of being probably the only musicians who can fill the complex to capacity whenever they play, even without joint artistes.
The evergreen Police Band are still in the fray and make a date with them at the oasis of joy, Joy Centre at Makoni Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza tonight.
Diva Mudzudzu, the owner of Joy Centre, aptly put it when he said this about the Police Dance Band: "This show will prove to many people that the Police Band too can hold successful shows in pubs just like any other band. "
On the other side of town Zimbabwean representative in the Big Brother Africa reality show Munyaradzi Chidzonga -- who returned home early this week -- provides fans with a chance to rub shoulders with him at a homecoming party thrown in honour of the celebrity at Klub Monako in Chisipite tonight.
"Dubbed the Official Eviction Party," the gig features turntable aces T Bass, P Styles and Mos Def while DJ Rax comes in as the guest wheel spinner.
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