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| Alick Macheso |
Change of management at Alick Macheso’s Orchestra Mberikwazvo seems to have brought positive results. The group’s performance on stage has massively improved and attendance figures at their shows have gone up.
Sources said morale is high in the Macheso camp since the departure of previous managers that were accused of mishandling the band’s welfare and funds.
Macheso fired his long-time manager William Tsandukwa and his assistant Jatiel Machanja and replaced them with Lucky Macheso and Tich Makahamadze. Lucky is managing the band’s affairs while Makahamadze was taken aboard as the musician’s publicist.
Although the musician and his new management refused to talk about the old team and attributed their current success to other issues, sources said the band members were happy with the transition. The improved stage performance seems to be attracting fans to the shows.
At a time when some musicians are complaining of dwindling numbers at shows, especially due to financial challenges, Macheso is going against the tide.
The musician attributes the numbers to people’s anxiety to hear new songs that will make up his upcoming album.
It is not clear when the album will be out but Macheso has been playing the new songs at his shows. It is rumoured that the album might be launched by the end of this month.
Orchestra Mberikwazvo were in top form at Chibuku Road to Fame finals and Police Commissioner-General’s Funfair recently and outclassed other performers.
Their recent shows at Extra Mile, Junction 24 and Chegutu were also a major improvement from the laid-back acts that characterised Macheso’s shows in the past months.
Macheso is taking family shows to various high-density surburbs in the capital to reach out to his fans and on Sunday he will be at Wedza Spacemen Bar in Glen Norah.
Makahamadze said they are preparing a strong campaign for the upcoming album launch and festive season.
“We have always been good but there is a deliberate increase of effort in all areas because we are preparing for the new album and the upcoming festive season,” said Makahamadze.
“We have started a ‘ghetto campaign’ where we have decentralised our family shows to visit different high-density suburbs every weekend and this Sunday we are going to Glen Norah.
“We will be marketing our new album for the last part of the year and this season needs hard work. We have upped our game and our fans are enjoying the improved acts. They are also enjoying the new songs and that is the main reason why they are coming to the shows in huge numbers. It is like a new era.”
Makahamadze admitted that numbers to their shows had fallen in previous months but refused to comment on the issue of management change saying the group was simply gearing up for a new album. The Herald
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