City artistes paid using show tickets

Bruce Ndlovu
To avoid any skirmishes with disgruntled unpaid artistes, city promoters seem to have devised a new payment method to deal with this problem once and for all.

Instead of promising artistes heaven only to deliver peanuts, Bulawayo promoters now give artistes tickets to sell as payment for their services during a show.

The trend seems to have been gathering momentum in the past year, with artistes carrying batches of tickets with them that they sell to whoever might be interested in seeing them live.

The trend was perhaps most visible for the first time at last yeara��s Ibumba International Festival and has continued through the year.

At the recent Fill Up White City Stadium show, artistes turned virtually into vendors as they milled around the gates, selling tickets for as little as a dollar for two.

Opinion is divided on this new system of payment. According to award winning DJ, Skaiva, the trend is one that is unique to Bulawayo.

a�?I have never seen it anywhere else. This is something that started here and it is very disadvantageous to artistes. I for one spend my days in the studio and I cana��t afford to go around selling tickets.

a�?These promoters dona��t have anyonea��s interests at heart but their own and this is just another way for them to swindle artistes,a�? he said.

Comedian Ntando Van Moyo who also runs Umahlekisa, said that the new method was designed specifically for up-and-coming artistes.

a�?Ita��s rare to see someone try it with more established artistes. What basically happens is that because artistes like Sandra Ndebele and Jeys Marabini have their own following, they get paid while the younger guys who dona��t have a fan base get those tickets which allows them to also earn something from their work,a�? he said. .