LOCAL musicians have fired a salvo at United Kingdom-based music promotion company, Y2K Promotions, for advertising a “bogus” show.
WINSTONE ANTONIO OWN CORRESPONDENT
The musicians allege that the promoters have been advertising a gig dubbed Tuku Tribute and Friends concert slated for Leicester on December 6.
According to the poster of the show, artistes like Alick Macheso, dancehall chanters Tocky Vibes and Ras Pompy, Afro-jazz musicians Prince Musarurwa and Pah Chihera, Ammara Brown, Cynthia Mare, Busi Ncube, Ba Shupi and contemporary musician Jah Prayzah are supposed to perform at the gig.
Musarurwa and Pah Chihera have since taken to Facebook to announce that they were not part of the gig being advertised by Y2K Promotions.
“Our United Kingdom fans, Prince Kudakwashe Musarurwa and my niece Pah Chihera will be performing at the Zimbabwe Winter Festival UK 2014 on the 28th of November and the 29th of November. These are the only dates we have for you in our diaries and any other dates are misleading. Thank you,” Musarurwa posted on Facebook.
Pah Chihera wrote: “My uncle Prince K and I will be gracing the Zim Winter Festival on the 28th and 29th of November in the United Kingdom. That is the only event we are having in the UK, all other shows are misleading. Do not miss this once-in-a-lifetime event.”
Thomas Mapfumo was also included on the poster, but his publicist Blessing Vava told NewsDay that they only got to know of the event on social media. “Thomas Mapfumo and The Blacks Unlimited have only one show in the UK on Saturday 27th September. Any other show that is not announced by Chimurenga Music Company is misleading,” Vava said.
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“We sincerely apologise to our fans for the misleading information, mudhara is not part of that gig (Tuku Tribute & Friends Concert) because there has not been any communication between us and the organisers.”
Vava said as Chimurenga Music Company, they would have loved to be part of the show as they had a good relationship with Tuku that dates back to the 70s and all the years, they have been supporting each other.
Musarurwa told NewsDay he was shocked by Y2K Promotions’ behaviour.
“I was shocked to learn that Y2K Promotions were advertising a show that I was going to perform at Tuku Tribute & Friends Concert without signing a contract with them,” Musarurwa said.
“What Y2K Promotions have done could affect our official shows as the promoters of the gig might come to believe that we double-booked shows.”
Efforts to get a comment from an official from Y2K Promotions were fruitless as they had not responded to an email sent to them until the time of going to print last night.
Musicians, of late, have gone all out accusing promoters, with Patson Chimbodza of Chipaz Promotions, being attacked by dancehall musicians for various misdeeds that centre around advertising performances before engaging the artistes.
Although Chimbodza refutes the claims, accusations have been flying from different directions with some of the musicians releasing diss tracks.
In the UK, some artistes have resorted to handling their own promotions to maximise on profits and avoid being duped.
So far, Sulumani Chimbetu has gone it alone on his recent tour, while Mapfumo has also signalled he is following suit.
