ZIMBABWEAN Reggae sound house Judgement Yard was in a monumental flop on Sunday at Marafco Lounge in Pretoria, South Africa.
Silence Charumbira
Apparently, the flop seems to have been caused by the violence that marred a Sulumani Chimbetu show at the same venue the previous night.
Joe Nyamungoma, Sulu’s publicist, yesterday told NewsDay a lot of their fans were caught up in the melee outside the venue as hooligans tried to gain free entrance into the venue.
“It was just as the band was starting to play the song Nhambarakishoni when a violent group that was gathered outside the venue tried to evade paying for the show,” said Nyamungoma.
“They tried to tear the security wall with tyre leavers and steel bars and an initial police reaction group failed to stop them. They were only dispersed when reinforcement was called in, but a lot of innocent fans were robbed outside the venue.”
He, however, said the commotion did not affect the show in the venue.
Nyamungoma said the violence could have cause the Judgement Yard flop.
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“It is possible because the venue has a reputation for violence. I am told even Alick Macheso’s fans have suffered the same ordeal at the same venue,” he said.
Sulu performed in Johannesburg on Friday, Pretoria on Saturday and Germistone on Sunday.
Judgement Yard performed on Sunday at Marafco Lounge where, according to Effort Mukaro, one of the organisers of the show, they managed to attract less than 20 people.
Mukaro said he was shocked and did not know what transpired to cause such a poor turnout.
“That was a big flop. I am still in shock,” said Mukaro.
“Some are saying it was not well marketed, but with what I have done I think marketing was fine.
“Actually I think the guys are not known this side as compared to Zimbabwe. We had to go where people were listening to the same type of music and no one bothered to greet them. It was very strategic the way we got there with Washington Arubi, Thomas Svesve and Obediah Tarumbwa so that people would wonder what is happening, but it made no difference as we had to play for less than 20 people. I still do not understand what actually went wrong.”
He, however, said he would continue working with the group despite their poor faring on Sunday.
Judgement Yard is one of the biggest reggae stables in Zimbabwe having started years ago at Mereki Shopping Centre before moving to Red Fox Hotel in Greendale.
In July, the group travelled to Cape Town where they had a good outing, but it appears they managed to attract many people because of the huge number of Zimbabweans and probably no counter attraction from Zimbabwe.
On the contrary the Pretoria gig, which was only their second outside Zimbabwe, was dented by the poor attendance.
But Mukaro remained optimistic that Judgement Yard would in future have a good tour of South Africa.
