Online Reporter
Blessed Katiyo in JOHANNESBURG
SUNGURA guru Alick Macheso will this weekend make a long-awaited return to South Africa.
This will be Macheso’s first tour of Gauteng where live shows have been few and far between.
High costs of promoting touring artists have deterred many promoters from engaging artists from Zimbabwe.
This weekend’s shows are the brainchild of CC Promotions fronted by Chiedza Chizororo.
Most of Macheso’s shows in Johannesburg have drawn full houses and it remains to be seen if the trend will continue.
He is billed to perform at two venues with the first one being at Madibeng Hall in Brits tonight.
This will be Macheso’s first return to the town in almost a decade. The predominantly farming town is home to thousands of Zimbabweans and shows there have been hugely successful.
Brits is about 100km from Johannesburg and may not be too far even for some entertainment-starved Jozi residents.
Baba Sharo, as he is affectionately known, will be joined there by rising rhumba sensation Shantel Mwana Zimbabwe of the Takazvizama fame.
She has been holding her own in Johannesburg with a number of shows over the past few months. They will also be joined by France Maposa and Sungura Super Beats as curtain raisers.
Saturday will see the Orchestra Mberikwazvo troupe heading back to the Newtown Music Factory (formerly Bassline).
This is the home of Zimbabwean entertainment in downtown Johannesburg.
Macheso will be joined by Keen Marshall and The Black White Band.
The youthful ensemble has emerged to be one of the leading live Zimbabwean jazz bands in South Africa and have graced many formal and informal events.
The event will have Rico Myers as the MC while DJs Inno B and Mr Gee Warrior 1 will be behind the decks.
“It’s all systems go for the shows. All the logistics are in place and fans should come in their hundreds. Security for both fans and their vehicles will be tight,” said Chizororo on behalf of the promoters.
Tickets for both Macheso shows are available of Computicket as well as at the door.
Meanwhile, in Limpopo Peter Moyo and Utakataka Express have been invited to represent Zimbabwe at the annual Royal Heritage Festival in Thohoyandou tomorrow.
This is the biggest music festival in the province and it attracts more than 30,000 revellers annually. Other Zimbabwean artists who have graced the event include Alick Macheso, Jah Prayzah, Leornard Zhakata and Mark Ngwazi.
