A beer festival that never was

14 Oct, 2016 - 02:10 0 Views
A beer festival that never was The flopped beer festival left sponsor counting losses

The ManicaPost

Liberty Dube: Entertainment Correspondent
CONSIDERING the hype that preceded it, the just-ended beer festival which took place last weekend at Golden Peacock Villa Hotel failed to live up to its billing after it was characterised by a massive low turnout and poor organisation.Despite recording a bumper crowd last Friday night where scores of revellers packed the hotel’s posh Glow Bar where celebrated wheel spinners, Raydizz and Smiley put the house on fire, it was a sorry sight the following day after the organisers, Paradise Entertainment, dismally failed to pay up the balance for PA system which virtually turned people away.

There was less activity last Saturday and disappointed fun lovers subsequently returned to their usual merrymaking spots around the city. The fest was supposed to run from Friday to Sunday. Celebrated Zim-Dancehall musician, King Shaddy, failed to perform at the festival after alleging that the organisers “shortchanged” him.

He and his band members spent the better part of the weekend either in their rooms or shooting videos in the swimming pool situated within the premises.

“I am a professional who has been to several beer festivals in the country, but I never seen something like this. I saw it from the start that it was doomed to fail. We are still around sorting out something, but we hoped for a better festival than what happened last weekend. I did not perform because the promoter could honour his promises,” said the Mai Huni hit-maker. Shiek Juen, who was the main organiser, in an interview, admitted that a series of flaws such as his failure to pay for the PA system as well as failure to lure Africa University students who were his major clientele base contributed immensely to the flop.

“I was expecting to acquire some money from somewhere, but I could not get it on time. I could not pay the balance for the PA system and they had to leave. I have to admit, I let down several stakeholders because things did not go the way I thought. Some people I trusted let me down. I thought we could lure students from Africa University, but it could not work out well. I am still in the process of paying up some deejays whom I owe some money,” he said.

He claimed that he paid King Shaddy an advance fee of $100 as well as accommodation and fuel from Harare.

“King Shaddy is ungrateful. I gave him almost everything that he needed, but he never performed for reasons better known to himself. I accommodated him and his band members, but he kept demanding for more money, yet he didn’t perform,” said Juen.

 

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