Sulumani Chimbetu’s local fans will go for two weeks without seeing their star in action as he embarks on a tour of the United Kingdom next week.
Club Warehouse in Chitungwiza has presented the fans with an opportunity to bid the dendera musician farewell on Saturday.
Chimbetu is expected to leave the country on Wednesday for four shows in the UK, which will see him spending two weekends abroad. He is expected back home in May.
Paul Goto of Club Warehouse said he had seen it fit to avail an opportunity for dendera music fans to wish Chimbetu the best on his overseas tour.
“We have hosted Sulu before and we are in very good books with him. He agreed to stage a farewell show at Club Warehouse and we are honoured to host such an event,” said Goto.
“He has done very well locally and he has told us that he will be leading the Orchestra Dendera Kings to the UK for the first time. We wish to say our blessings to him and we encourage all dendera fans to come and have fun with the musician and give him an esteemed send-off.”
Chimbetu has become one of the most active musicians on the local scene and has served his fans in Harare and its peripheries with live shows every weekend.
His latest album Non-Stop has catapulted him to immense popularity and he has attracted full-houses to most of his shows.
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The track Kwedu, which he did with Oliver Mtukudzi, has been of particular interest to his fans. Even in the absence of Mtukudzi at Chimbetu’s shows, the track has been well executed as one of Orchestra Dendera Kings band members Darlington “Matoki” Chabata mimics Mtukudzi’s voice expertly.
So, when Chimbetu ventures into the UK, he is hoping to take the exciting tempo of his local live shows with him.
“We are promising the very best. The last time we went to the UK, my uncle Allan led the group but that is about five years ago. I believe our fans there greatly miss our live shows and this is the time to remember them,” said Chimbetu.
“I was still very raw in the music industry when we toured UK but this time I hope to capitalise on the experience that I have gained over the years to give our fans the best and refined dendera music. A lot has changed and we now have three albums that have not been sampled at a live show out there. We are well armed to give them memorable performances.”
On April 22 Chimbetu is expected to perform at Starlite Club in Leicester and goes to Dunstable Leisure Centre in Luton on April 23. He performs in London on April 24 and rounds off his tour on April 29 in Leeds.
