Busy Signal fans in Bulawayo have to wait a little longer to watch their star live on stage as his debut gig slated for Friday August 4 at the Large City Hall was abandoned after fans, frustrated by a series of problems experienced during the show, hurled missiles at the stage and then stampeded through the venue, looting various wares that were on sale by vendors.
Several technical glitches began after fiery opening performances from Seh Calaz, Killer T, Mzoe 7 and Judgement Yard and that was when trouble started.
Things got worse when show host, Babongile announced Tocky Vibes as the next act after Mzoe 7 and after waiting for a good 20 minutes, bottles started flying on stage as the chanter was nowhere to be found.
In panic mode, organisers rushed an unprepared Winky D on stage. The crowd cooled down and welcomed the Gafa.
However, during his third song, there was a sound glitch and Winky stepped aside waiting for it to be fixed. Fortunately it was rectified in a short space of time.
Much to the angst of the crowd, the sound glitch occurred for a second time, forcing the Ninja President to pull off an accapella performance.
The frantic engineers rectified the glitch and the party went on.
It was during the third cut in sound that the crowd lost its patience and round two of the missile throwing began.
Things got totally chaotic – people running all over the show, trying to take cover as the party zone become a battlefield.
Stampedes broke out as other hapless revellers tried to exit the venue and vendors were looted in the process.
The angry mob pulled down Fly Africa advertising banners and anything that they could grab.
Fleeing the mayhem... These men hid under the stage.
Mzoe 7 on stage.
Before the chaos... Killer T was also in fine form.
Aftermath - The scene outside the Large City Hall after the stampeding at the Busy Signal show.People in the VIP area could be seen using plastic chairs as shields from the flying bottles and others hid under the stage.
The show was immediately abandoned as fans fled from the venue.
Show organisers could not be reached for comment.
Fans are now hoping the Harare gig slated for tonight, August 5, will play out differently and the UK based Y2K Promotions (the promoters of the show) need to make sure that there are some good memories made during this much talked about Busy Signal tour of Zimbabwe.
