Alick Macheso Proves He’s Master of Sungura Music
SUNGURA King Alick Macheso proved he has reached the peak of his musical career with a splendid performance in Leicester, England, on 4 November.
The much-awaited show attracted an estimated crowd of 3 000 people. It was scheduled to start at 10PM, and was nearly marred by his late appearance on stage.
By 12 midnight he had still not appeared on stage, only to show up at 12.15AM.
But as he took to the stage, the crowd started shouting his name and it did not take him long to impress his legion of fans.
As he belted out song after song, it became clear that Macheso was the King of Sungura. A number of female fans joined him on stage. Watches, jewellery, hats and cash were thrown onto the stage by fans as donations to his band members, while the Macheso sound swept through the house.
As Macheso sang Murume, off his forthcoming album, fans thronged the stage for a close-up of his dance moves and virtuosity on the guitar.
He was later joined on stage by his two former band members who deserted him when he performed in the UK in 2006.
As he introduced his former drummer, Tomson Chauke, now residing in Reading, he said: “We used to play together with this man, but then he decided to leave us when we were performing here in the UK.”
But the bass guitar maestro said all the former members of the band were still “part of the family”.
Alois Machapo, another Macheso prodigy who left the band, also joined his former leader on stage.
Macheso took a deserved break at 3AM and Chauke and his band took over. They sent the crowd into a frenzy with a number of Thomas Mapfumo classics. Tomson Chauke now fronts the UK-based Africa Pamuzinda Sounds.
The show, which ended at 6AM will for long be remembered by Macheso’s legion of fans who had travelled from all over the UK to see their idol on stage.
