Online Reporter
Liberty Dube
Entertainment Correspondent
DENDERA musician, Tryson Chimbetu, failed to attend and perform at a highly publicised show at Rozvi Bar’s Creche Yemadhara in Dangamvura last Saturday, leaving hundreds of fans disappointed after waiting for him the entire night.
The event, which had been widely anticipated by dendera followers across Mutare, had to be rescued at the last minute by a local group, Just Friends, after it became clear that the artiste was in no-show.
For weeks, posters of Chimbetu fluttered across Dangamvura’s dusty streets like bright promises. The advertisement triggered a buzz that swept through the suburb, stirring excitement rarely felt in the usually quiet pockets of Mutare.
Fans cleared their schedules, polished their dancing shoes and declared that the night would be unforgettable.
By sunset, the bar and the spacious joint were already heaving with anticipation. Vendors sold roasted maize, braai and cold drinks outside the gate, their voices pitched above the hum of arriving patrons.
Inside, the air was thick with heat, laughter and the familiar speculation that accompanies big shows in small towns.
By 8pm, the joint was packed wall to wall.
Local DJs, led by seasoned DJ Ranga T, worked hard to soften the wait, spinning classic dendera hits that sent shoulders swaying and feet tapping.
Each time the speakers blared one of Tryson’s own songs, the crowd roared as if welcoming a ghost.
Everyone believed he was backstage, tuning his guitar, readying his band. But he wasn’t. Still, the fans stayed.
Dangamvura has always loved its dendera deeply, stubbornly, almost painfully. The people refused to believe that the singer would abandon a show that had drawn hundreds from as far as Chigodora, Burma Valley, Sakubva, Chikanga, Hob-House and beyond. Behind the scenes, Rozvi Bar’s management huddled in frantic meetings.
Calls went unanswered. Messages were ignored.
Each minute eroded their confidence like a stubborn rust.
Word eventually filtered in that Chimbetu had another show in Harare that same night. His handlers had earlier assured Weekender Entertainment that everything was set, that Tryson was available for the gig.
But now, with the truth crawling reluctantly out of the shadows, the management scrambled to salvage what was left of the evening.
In a last-minute decision born of desperation, the local outfit, Just Friends, was hired to fill the void.
When the group stepped onto the stage, the reaction was mixed – some cheered, some sighed, and a few angry whistles were heard. But the group understood the burden they had been handed. They launched into their set with raw energy, determined to rescue the night from collapsing entirely. Slowly, they soothed the crowd’s wounded expectations, song by song, harmony by harmony.
Tryson, in a brief phone call, confirmed to Weekender Entertainment last Saturday evening that he had a show on the same night in Harare, before referring all questions to his management.
Their phones, too, had fallen silent.
Outside Rozvi Bar, the night carried its own kind of heaviness.
Some fans left early, heads bowed, muttering disbelief.
Others stayed until the end, clinging to the music that Just Friends poured out in a bid to mend disappointment with rhythm.
Rozvi Bar proprietor, Eddie Gopo, apologised for the boob.
