After a year of absence the biggest arts spectacle in Zimbabwe, Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) returned on Tuesday May 2 running under the theme, ‘Staging An Intervention’.
Day one if the six day showcase was pretty much laidback with finishing touches still being done on some of the stands, owing to the delays caused by the rains that hit the capital over the past few days.
However, the mood wasn’t as vibrant as is usually associated with the HIFA opening day.
Maybe this will improve as the festival progresses.
Most of the shows staged were topnotch, as per the HIFA standard, but it was sad to have the much anticipated, opening night concert lacking the zing and magic that it usually carries.
To make matters worse, the show started way after the scheduled time, but the revellers patiently waited till the action started, well after about 40 minutes.
The show featured maestro’s in the music game namely; Steve and Bokani Dyer, Dr. Tuku, Sam Mataure, Mangoma, Hope Masike, Mabuso Khoza and Xixel Langa.
Bryan K at HIFA PIC: T. CHIHAMBAKWE | ZIMBOJAM.COM
Guitar Maverick, Sylent Nqo PIC: T. CHIHAMBAKWE | ZIMBOJAM.COM
Tuku and Hope's performance at HIFA opening. PIC: T. CHIHAMBAKWE | ZIMBOJAM.COM
Audience enjoying Sylent's groove. PIC: T. CHIHAMBAKWE | ZIMBOJAM.COM
Some of the dancers part of the opening concert showcase. PIC: T. CHIHAMBAKWE | ZIMBOJAM.COM
Xixel Langa doing her thing. PIC: T. CHIHAMBAKWE | ZIMBOJAM.COM
Mabuso Khoza singing at the HIFA opening concert. PIC: T. CHIHAMBAKWE | ZIMBOJAM.COMHowever, all these amazing individuals combined failed to stage an intervention.
Their set was musically on point but very monotonous and lacking the surprise element that is associated with a HIFA opening night concert.
It was only when Tuku sang his hit track, ‘Ziwere’, when you could feel that musicians had hit the the right code.
From then on the show went a tempo higher, spiced up by some energetic dances from various local dancers.
The show abruptly came to end with the traditional fireworks display.
With many having mixed feelings after the concert, it took two of Zimbabwe’s rising stars namely Sylent Nqo and Bryan K to bring back the real HIFA spirit.
Performing on the popular Coca Cola Green stage, now rebranded to ZimGold Green, the two belted the hearts out, serenading the few festivals attendees that were still lingering in the chilly Harare Gardens.
Up first was ‘Heavy Machine’ hit maker, Bryan K backed by his band. He got people dancing and singing along to his afro fusion vibes.
His vocals as usual were on point and his band showed that they know how to rock a crowd as the knew when and when not to play those sophisticated codes that just make the crowd say wow.
Soon after Bryan then came Sylent and his crew and they took the bar even higher.
Dropping covers and some original tracks, the crew got the crowd dancing from the start to the end of their set.
Their versatility saw them accommodate literally everyone as they played a number of genres.
To add to that their charisma on stage got everyone’s attention, drawing the crowd closer to the stage away from their chairs.
 returned on Tuesday May 2 running under the theme, ‘Staging An Intervention’. Day one if the six day showcase was pretty much laidback with finishing touches still being done on some of the stands, owing to the...Read More){kind=link}