The Chronicle

Melissa Mpofu in Harare

The Jacaranda Music Festival that was held in Harare was exactly what was needed to cheer up multitudes of Zimbabweans amid the prevailing economic challenges.

Kicking off on Friday with a fair attendance, the festival which was well organised saw people from different parts of the country converge in Harare for the two-day fete.

With a carnival feel, entertainment on Friday was provided by the likes of Ammara Brown, Bryan K, DJ Chucknosis and Black Motion, all who rocked the crowd. 

On Saturday, the party came to life as the revellers came in their numbers, starting in the afternoon when it was more of a family affair. After 6PM, things got more exciting as the top bands and artistes including the late Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi’s Black Spirits, Mokoomba, Mbeu and Tammy Moyo took to the stage. 

However, some of the artistes’ time slots were either misplaced or too long as groups such as Mokoomba, though well-travelled, failed to captivate the crowd. As the group was performing, most revellers seemed to be disinterested after about two songs. 

It was DJ Chucknosis who saved the day with his music selection which was spot on. From his choice of songs, it was clear it was Zimdancehall that the people wanted, especially Enzo Ishall and Winky D as the crowd would get into a frenzy when those artistes music was played. 

DJ Zinhle who performed later on, though not so wow, also kept the crowd busy for a while. 

Unfortunately for Bulawayo’s Djembe Monks, they seemed to have suffered the same fate as Mokoomba because by the time they got on stage to close off the show just after 1AM, the crowd seemed to have had enough as they started trickling out, leaving only a handful of people. Perhaps if they had performed earlier, the crowd could have appreciated the fast-rising group’s immense talent which is similar to that of Black Motion.

Over and above, the Jacaranda Festival whose main mission was to cheer people while giving them quality entertainment did just that as it was clear that people were all about having fun. The oneness witnessed there must be commended as people, like with any festival, forgot their sorrows for a while and mixed and mingled, making new friends, also sharing their food and drinks with others. 

Also, the promoter, for no cost, allowed people to enter the venue with their cooler boxes which made the event more fun as most did not have to worry about having to spend a lot of money on drinks. Those who did not bring their own drinks were also covered as the beverages were fairly priced. 

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