The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube
Entertainment Correspondent
THE usually entertainment-starved Mutare last week on Friday reverberated into sound when ladies’ favourite, Freeman and energetic Zim-dancehall chanter, Jah Master lit up the city with stunning performances at The Platinum Leisure Centre.
Scores of fun lovers — particularly teenagers with the majority being girls — flocked the venue for the show which went into overdrive when Jah Master jumped onto the stage around 10pm.
Jah Master put up a scintillating performance and belted out his all-time hit, ‘Hello Mwari’, as well as his latest offering, ‘Vhuramai’, among other songs.
Despite Jah Master’s spectacular performance, it was clear that the majority of the appreciative crowd was anxiously waiting for the man-of-the-moment, Freeman, to perform.
The venue was unusually packed to capacity, thanks to the US$5 cover charge.
As expected, the lanky musician did not disappoint as he played with a full live band that was full of verve and energy.
He managed to capture the hearts of his fans as they sang along to every song the multi-award winner belted, including ‘Zimbabwean Queen’ which features Jamaican icon, Chris Martin.
However, just as the show was about to reach climax with Freeman on the verge of sending his fans into ecstasy with his hits, the show was brought to a premature end.
Unexpected visitors — law enforcement agents — appeared on the stage and ordered Freeman to leave the stage.
Scores of fans stood still in disbelief as the show was brought to an abrupt end around 1am.
It was not clear why the show was called off. Disappointed revellers had to troop out of the venue and some of them, without their own transport, had to go to alternative joints to while up time.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Norbert Muzondo could neither confirm nor deny the incident, while Freeman’s management could not be reached for comment.
However, fans who thronged the event felt short-changed.
“While we were having fun, we were surprised to see him (Freeman) and others leaving the stage.
“Noone told us about what was happening, but we only saw some law enforcement agents on the stage, while some of them were in the VIP section. It was quite a disappointment as we had to look for other joints that were still open at that time,” said a fan, Kudzai ‘Vialy’ Bunya.
The incident happened barely two months after sungura king, Alick Macheso, was also forced to leave the stage by law enforcement agents at the same venue, leaving hundreds of revellers disappointed.
The show organiser and venue proprietor, Isau Mupfumi, who was in Harare then, apologised to the fans.
