Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
FOR countless music enthusiasts, a live concert represents the ultimate escape.
It is a sacred space where the weight of daily struggles is momentarily lifted, replaced by the simple, transcendent joy of dancing and singing along to beloved melodies.
Yet beneath this veneer of celebration lurks an increasingly disturbing reality: Zimbabwe’s live music scene has become a theatre of violence, where artistes and revellers alike find themselves caught in the crossfire of growing unrest.
The reasons for chaos at live events vary significantly from one performance to another, but the pattern is unmistakable.
Over the years, Zimbabwe has witnessed a distressing number of incidents where musicians have been attacked, shows abruptly abandoned and valuable property extensively damaged when tempers flare beyond control.
Some artistes have been pelted with missiles after arriving late, delivering substandard performances or overstaying their allotted time.
Delays in starting shows and perceived overpricing have also been cited as primary triggers of violence.
In the ensuing chaos, innocent bystanders have sustained injuries as running battles erupt between unruly crowds, security personnel, and, in some instances, police details.
In the most disturbing cases, musicians have been physically assaulted directly on stage — a chilling violation of the very space meant to celebrate their artistry.
Shinsoman and the
machete-wielding kidnapper
The recent controversies surrounding the duo Malloti and Hulengende, better known as the Mallongende Movement, have thrust the issue into sharp focus.
Their latest confrontation unfolded at the most recent edition of the Doek and Slay event, where the duo violently resisted arrest, leading to their bouncers attacking reporters and police officers in a reckless escalation.
Prior to this incident, the two singers were implicated in a road traffic accident in Kariba in which an expectant mother was seriously injured.
According to official police reports, the unfortunate incident stemmed directly from violence that erupted when Malloti was pelted with stones by angry revellers following a live performance.
Witnesses reported that the ensuing commotion prompted widespread panic, and a pregnant woman ran onto the road as Malloti drove away, resulting in her being knocked down and hospitalised.
The historical record of violence against artistes is deeply troubling.
In 2020, machete-wielding men in Chegutu reportedly detained Zimdancehall musician Shinsoman and forced him to perform his hit song “Mawaya Waya” repeatedly for over an hour.
The late Soul Jah Love was physically attacked on several occasions during his illustrious career, while controversial rapper Holy Ten endured a nightmarish outing in Zvishavane after being violently attacked on stage.
Sungura king Alick Macheso, who has spent close to three decades navigating the dynamic local music industry, has likewise experienced the darker side of live entertainment.
In 2021, chaos erupted at a Macheso show in Chegutu after an electrical fault left numerous revellers stranded outside the venue.
The situation rapidly deteriorated when those locked out allegedly tried to force their way in, resulting in violent clashes with security personnel and extensive damage to an Orchestra Mberikwazvo vehicle, with eight people reportedly arrested.
Similarly, in December 2018, Winky D was forced to abruptly abandon a performance at Kwekwe’s Solomon Lifestyle Cafe after hoodlums began hurling missiles towards the stage.
The Zimdancehall singer managed to exit the venue unharmed, but the incident underscored the precarious nature of live performances.
The human cost of chaos
Promoter Takunda Tapfuma believes that violence has a direct, detrimental impact on the overall sustainability of the live music business because promoters fundamentally depend on audiences feeling safe enough to attend shows in large numbers.
“Violence at live shows turns away people because they tend to be fearful for their lives and that definitely affects the industry. Shows are meant for people to have a good time and not for violent acts,” he said.
Tapfuma vividly recalled witnessing an incident in Gweru where a crowd became aggressively agitated after an artiste failed to perform.
According to him, the musician discovered that someone had complained and had allegedly involved the police, with the heavy threat of arrest hanging over him, prompting the artiste to return to Harare without ever stepping on stage.
The deeply disappointed crowd reacted by throwing bottles and stones, severely damaging expensive equipment that had been installed for the show.
“It was heartbreaking to see the screens get damaged and I really felt for the service provider who had set everything up,” Tapfuma reflected.
“Sometimes, it is because the artiste could not make it and fans who paid to see them are disappointed. However, there are times when people are just being rude or disrespectful towards a certain artiste.”
Tapfuma firmly believes those who blatantly break the rules at shows should be held fully accountable for their actions and face appropriate consequences.
As these frequent incidents of violence continue to make headlines, attention inevitably turns towards the professionals tasked with maintaining order: security personnel.
Cultural icon, arts manager and festival director Chido Musasiwa noted that while she had personally never witnessed such violent outbursts at the shows she attends, she remains deeply concerned by reports suggesting that hooliganism and violence are steadily increasing.
“It is already disturbing when fights break out at shows, but it is disturbing to hear that hooliganism and violence are on the increase,” she said.
Musasiwa believes there are multiple contributing factors behind this antisocial behaviour, though she wisely cautioned against drawing definitive conclusions without proper empirical research.
“I would assume that people are generally stressed and this would be an outlet. Maybe substance abuse is another probability. It is hard to say really without surveying or experiencing some of these situations.”
She maintains that professional security teams should play a central, proactive role in preventing disturbances long before they have a chance to escalate.
Promoters, she suggested, should brief security personnel properly and ensure that disruptive patrons are promptly removed from venues before situations spiral entirely out of control.
“Security must also be briefed not to be violent because at times they escalate and not de-escalate the situations,” she cautioned.
While security personnel are expected to protect artistes, fans and venue property, the use of excessive force can easily transform an already tense situation into an even larger, more destructive confrontation.
The artiste’s responsibility
Musasiwa also says that artistes cannot simply stand passively by when tensions begin to rise in the crowd.
“Artistes can talk to their fans whilst on stage to pacify,” she pointed out, adding that, “If they are true fans, they would adhere to their artiste.”
Furthermore, Musasiwa raised another troubling possibility regarding the root causes of these disruptions: fierce rivalries between competing fan bases.
“It is also possible that some people come to disrupt shows, especially those super fans that support a rival artiste,” she observed.
“The public attending shows also needs to be involved in ensuring safety for all by alerting security when disruptions are about to erupt.”
Veteran music promoter Patson “Chipaz” Chimbodza believes a significant portion of the problem stems from within the entertainment industry itself.
He made a passionate call for greater professionalism among both event organisers and artistes, arguing that the modern music business needs to be treated as a serious, regulated commercial enterprise.
“There is lack of professionalism from us organisers and also artistes; we should take this music industry as pure business that should yield good results,” he said.
Chipaz believes implementing proper governance and tighter industry regulations could help address many of these ongoing challenges.
“It is my wish that all we do should be within the prescribed governance . . . Events should be organised exclusively by registered and licensed promoters or venue owners,” he urged.
This, he notes, will help promote accountability in cases of violence.
The road ahead
As Zimbabwe’s live music scene continues to grapple with these troubling incidents, one question lingers: Why do shows fundamentally meant to bring joy so often end up as sources of misery?
The answer, it seems, is complex and multifaceted — a toxic combination of unprofessionalism, societal stress, substance abuse and deep-seated frustrations seeking any available outlet.
For an industry that has long been the heartbeat of Zimbabwean culture, the stakes could not be higher. The safety of both artistes and fans hangs in the balance, and with it, the very soul of live entertainment. Whether through tighter regulations, professionalised security or a collective commitment to protecting the sanctity of the stage, the time for meaningful intervention is now, before the music stops for good.
