Reggae outfit, The Wailing Brothers, had a nightmare on New Year’s day when the band endured the reality of performing to a sizable audience in Lilongwe.
Low patronage to the show, which was held at the new Kaya Club in Chinsapo Township, could be attributed to lack of publicity.
Led by Takudziwani Chokani, the band stormed the venue at around 4 pm with enthusiasm and renewed hope; hope that they would have impressive turn-out under their musical wand.
However, it was not to be.
The dance-floor was almost empty, save for a couple of inebriated fans stomping their feet to the rhythmic synergy.
Some fans, clad in Rastafarian regalia, just nodded their heads too, while mouthing incomprehensibles about former Ethiopian ruler Emperor Haille Selassie.
Surprisingly, save for their own two songs, The Unfinished Business (the album title), and another A Tribute, the Blantyre-based group performed both Matafale’s and Gift Fumulani’s songs. It was youthful Moda Fumulani who bared it all, trailing clouds of nostalgia in his wake.
What the Chileka-based group mastered was instrumentation itself. It was something out of this world to see The Wailing Brothers strumming to perfection, reminding fans of the talent that walks freely in Malawi.
Life, at last, got into the concert in the dying minutes when Sally Nyundo came on stage by invitation. His Ras amadya Mzimbe piece saw the audience back on the dance-floor. He wowed fans before jumping into another act, Kukuchedwa kucha.
Sally’s leaving ignited a barrage of shouts from the audience.
Whatever the case, The Wailing Brothers showed their magic as a doyen of reggae in the country.
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