Mavado expected on Wednesday

Standard People
BY MELISSA MPOFU and SIMBARASHE MANHANGOJamaican award-winning superstar, Mavado (David Constantine Brooks), whose concert in the country failed to take place last year, is finally headed for a dance with dancehall lovers in Zimbabwe.

The Money Changer hit-maker is expected to jet into the country on Wednesday, C&A Entertainment, organisers of the show have confirmed.

The concert will mark the first international act this year. A number of Jamaican artists performed in the country last year. Initially, Mavado was billed to stage one show but organisers have announced that he will also perform in Chitungwiza at the Aquatic Complex on January 28. The show is dubbed “Chi-town Gullyside Concert”.

The main concert is slated for the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) on January 27. In an interview with Sta-ndardLife&Style, Clint Robinson, the director of C&A Entertainment said the decision to have two shows was basically to make up for the previous disappointment.

“This is more like a surprise to the fans who did not go down well with the postponement of the show last year,” said Robinson.“As a promoter I keep my word and I can safely say that all is in order now as we have secured the two venues. The Chi-town show is definitely a bonus concert to Mavado’s fans in the ghetto.

“We are taking him out there to the ghetto and that is what he is known for, his love with ghetto people, just like what his nickname suggests.”

Mavado is popularly known in the dancehall circuit as the “Gully God” (the ghetto god) a nickname he earned for having contributed immensely to the rise of dancehall in the small ghetto of Cassava Piece where he grew up.

An arrangement has been put in place for the Chitungwiza show and this will see the first 200 people to throng the venue paying an entrance fee of US$5. Advance tickets for the main concert at the HICC are pegged at US$20 and US$30 for the VIP tickets while those for the Chitungwiza show are retailing at US$10.

C&A Entertainment has so far hosted Jamaican artists that include Sean Kingston, Elephant Man, and Mr Vegas who all performed in the country last year.

Mavado’s hit tracks include So Special, Gyal a Mad Ova, Money Changer, One By One, Give You My Everything, Unda Yuh skirt, Fly Again, Come Into My Room, Delilah, Brown Bottle, and Heart Beat.

Local artists set to curtain raise for Mavado include Winky D, Sniper, Gusspy Warrior, Lady B, Jiggaz, Freeman and Lady Squandaa.

Advance tickets to the Harare show are already being sold at Kick Start (Joina City), all Food World outlets, Chicken Slice outlets, Mensons for Men, Food Express First Street, Spar Five Avenue and Spar Groombridge.

Mavado will be accompanied by his six-member band and a welcome party will be held for the Jamaican at the Red Fox Hotel on Thursday evening.

 

Playlist compiled

 

While in the country, he will also have a chance to tour Harare and visit various orphanages. Meanwhile, a playlist with Mavado’s hit tracks in Zimbabwe has been compiled for the artist by the promoter so as to give him a guideline of local fans’ favourite songs.

“After noticing that some revellers felt cheated by Mr Vegas’ performance when he failed to perform their favourite tracks, I have decided to compile a playlist for Mavado with the core songs so as to give him the basics,” said Robinson.