Whenever it comes to my favourite artists, I'm always yearning for that live music experience. The intimacy of being in the presence of the artist and the music itself as it is performed. This past Saturday night was one such intimate experience with Tahle We Dzinza. A poignant unfolding of magic as artist and audience converged in the same space.
Under the red glowing lights of the Old Mutual Theatre at Alliance Française de Harare, Tahle We Dzinza was truly the light of the tribe. Adorned in a designer gown, the concert experience was a serenade in all meaning of the word. A band of 3 was behind her, with guitars and drums, and they didn't falter for even a moment.
Tahle We Dzinza performing at Alliance Française
The audience was muted, either in contemplation or simply absorbed by the performance, as Tahle took us on a journey of love and emotions. Lyrics of longing reverberated from the walls and the gentle nodding of heads was the symbol of the audience's collective love for the music.
Tahle treated us to stirring renditions of "Karolina", "Ghost Town", "Teleunga", culminating in a performance one of her latest releases "Damage", which was duly followed by an encore. The hour long performance simply drifted by, as Tahle drifted with us across continents sonically. Harmonic vocals being the bow that tied this musical gift together.
While outdoor concerts have a certain euphoric feeling, Tahle's acoustic show felt like a deeply personal experience reserved for a few. There was the gentle flutter of lyrics on the ear, and the music sounded better than it does on earpods. Almost as if the digitally encoded vocals on Spotify and Apple Music are a corrupted version of what Tahle can actually do in person.
The Serenade concert experience is a regular feature on Tahle's performance calendar. Hosted 2/3 times, the concert is just her as close as she can be to her fans. One of the experiences is always dedicated to fundraising for a good cause and this past Saturday the concert was done in support of the construction of classroom blocks for Zimunya Primary School.
I’ve always said music is a ministry, it’s bigger than self and we choose what impact we make in our communities by how we channel our influence. I pray other creatives within sector catch onto that fire. - Tahle We Dzinza
From conception, to execution, "The Serenade" is a truly beautiful concert. One that allows you to be close to the music.
As far as closing remarks on the experience go, I would collectively call upon Old Mutual, Alliance Française and the creatives that frequent this theatre to see to it that it is accessible for all. Any home for the arts should have disability accessible and I'm looking forward to that being addressed the next time I'm there.
Greedysouth rating: 7/10
Enjoyed reading this news report? Support Greedysouth by buying the team a cup of coffee. Your support assists in the production of such quality reports. Thank you.