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Allan Foti, Sunday Life Correspondent
FOR how much longer will Bulawayo music lovers acquiesce the annual Kalawa Homecoming Show? After seven years of jaw dropping performances by celebrity artistes ranging from Professor to Cassper Nyovest to Oskido, does the event still have the wow factor, the question gnaws.
On Wednesday, the Homecoming tour was held at AmaZulu Sports Club for the first time. And as usual the stage set-up was state-of-the-art, the sound was electrifying, VVIP and VIP settings were impeccable. So too was the management at the entry points!
And here ends whatever applause due to Kalawa. Here ends whatever credit was due to Kalawa for their usual “job well done”.
This year’s event failed to live up to its billing despite some outstanding performances, evidenced by the diminished crowds. While previous shows have required one to move around with a cattle prod just to get around in the concert venue, this year one could literally twirl in circles blindfolded without actually bumping into anyone. The crowd was fairly sizeable but did not match the numbers expected or previously seen at the traditional mother of all shows!
This year’s event featured a playlist bereft of the big names that have made this Zimbabwe’s premier concert for the last seven years. Gone are the headline acts that pull crowd as individuals and absolutely rip when performing in the same arena.
Recognisable names included Oskido himself, DJ Fresh, Character, Professor and Nokwazi while Winky D, Sandra Ndebele, Mzoe 7 and Killer T with the big names from the local scene.
And as usual, the “Gaffa” Winky D gave his appreciative Bulawayo fans value for their money with yet another polished stage performance that, expectedly, led to repeated calls for an encore. His was perhaps the best of all the acts that got on stage that night and literally saved the event for Kalawa. Before the Ninja president got on stage, the crowd was gradually beginning to lose interest in what was happening on the stage. Even a leading DJ like Fresh never quite seemed to set the scene on fire.
Winky D got the crowd going and had them eating from his palm and singing along his every verse during the almost hour-long set.
The only other act to reach nearly the same level was crowd favourite, Professor who also gave his fans a polished performance. Popular tracks like Fingerprint were just what the doctor ordered for a crowd that was struggling to get into the groove for most of the night.
To the neutral, this event was easily a flop, encumbered by expectations that could not be met by the organisers. Expectations such as the availability of leading acts from the Kalawa stable and other South African big names was a major contributor to the fan apathy at this year’s event.
From the very first edition, Kalawa brought in mega stars like the late Mandoza, Zola, Mafikizolo, the late Robbie Malinga, Cassper Nyovest, AKA just mention a few, which built the show’s reputation. Until the 2017 edition, Kalawa had managed to maintain this quality, but now seem to have lost the plot raising questions with regards to their continued presence in the country.
While most of Bulawayo was looking forward to partying till the brink of dawn at the Homecoming Show, when the artistes’ line-up was made public it literally took the wind out of the fans’ sails. The usual anticipation and energy for the show was missing and it became clear early on that the show could possibly be a flop. And as much as they got crowds in, for Kalawa and its annual Homecoming Show, this year’s event could be equated to a pre-school pantomime. — @AllanFoti
derick.khumalo