What's REALLY going on Tuku?!

When a song speaks to you if even through a few words or the title only. This song right here is it for me so uplifting and emotional at the same time. Who else would be able to so perfectly create and evoke this feeling in listeners outside Oliver Mtukudzi?! This was the third concert of his I've attended, 1 in DC at a club called Zanzibar & another time in Dar-es-Salaam, TZ. Looking at his audience you see the power of music and only the GOOD kind has! People, mostly white, who I am pretty sure do not understand Shona, sway from side to side with eyes closed or stomp and jig around like they're grandfather used to play the song on the stoepe for them in some standard suburb in Zimbabwe waaaay back in the days. I felt the feelings I felt and went to so many places emotionally and saw people who looked nothing like me looking like they felt the same way. I actually laughed to myself. When I see power in action and am at a loss for reactions that's what happens.

Anyway, the band vibed so well and Oliver Mtukudzi himself REMAINS INSANELY AMAZING! I recorded some of it here (don't mind the woman singing with the fro directly in front of me):

Catch the fancy footwork at 8:50!!!! That drummer gave me life on his little solo dancing part :)))

Overall, even though it was and is always good to see Oliver Mtukudzi, it was a little different and not as exciting an experience as the other times I saw him. I heard similar feedback from other people who went to his show who had been to one before. It might be the theater style seating and him not playing the songs that are most popular and opting to play newer and less nostalgic ones. For myself, I had a preset playlist in my head of all the songs that would bring me back to life, but I can say I heard 4 out of the 12. The rest of the songs played I did not know - they were good, but I could not stand and self hug and sway at how good they were.

I then read, three days ago, about "Poor Turnout For Tuku Harare Gig" on NewsdzeZimbabwe. I had told myself that it might just be that as much as I'm a fan I might just be disconnected from all the songs of his that i don't know, but reading that really got me wondering what's really going on 'Tuku?! If playing at home doesn't give you a home court advantage it's time to huddle and do some tweeking. Still love him and will go every single time I have an opportunity though :)

Tell his people to holla at me for some PR tips ;)

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*@afropolitaine*