Cordoned off from the rest of the world by a rectangle of pine trees, Thorn Park Polo Club played host to the 2024 Jacaranda Music Festival in the presence of a simple yet grand stage. It was a celebration of the season, a multi-course sonic experience for the tympanic membrane, and the biggest festival Zimbabwe has to offer.
An event review by Tafadzwa Madzika & Melody Chingwaru
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| Some of the scenes from the 2024 Stanbic Bank Jacaranda Music Festival |
2024 has seen the lustre of the crowning jewel of Zimbabwe's festival under threat. The lineup announcements were not greeted with the usual fanfare and a new kid on the block had the attention of more than a few. Yet doubt Jacaranda at your own peril.
While this year had names that didn't match the prominence of the last, the Jacaranda stage has always been one for performances and notoriety. One thing Expressions by Daniel Deuschle and James Sakala emphasized.
This year, the festival screens showcased performances (a much-needed change to the usual setup), along with a crowd cam (I should say baddie cam because only beautiful women were put up there) that circulated around the audience, showcasing people in their element. If you were somewhere you were not supposed to be or with someone you were not supposed to be with, you might've not enjoyed it like the rest of us.
This year Ace Frvr and Spunj took the CDJ baton from Chiweddar, and while they had their fair amount of time in the spotlight, they excelled as the sonic lubrication to keep Jacaranda going. With great track selection and transitions of practiced ease, the duo were in fine form whenever they were called upon. I'll admit that not hearing "All I Do Is Win" even once during the entire weekend felt like a lost recipe, but it was a welcome relief to the sonic palate.
Friday night was a master stroke of curation. Half the lineup of any other day, yet in execution the story of the night written with an indelible marker. Almost as if the law of the day was that since it's half the average acts, each one had to be twice as good.
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| The Travellers Band on stage at the 2024 Stanbic Bank Jacaranda Music Festival |
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| Mi Casa on stage at the 2024 Stanbic Bank Jacaranda Music Festival |
Mi Casa being accommodating guests, took to the stage with even more vibrancy than the acts that preceded them. Diving deep into their discography, they helped summon up emotions and memories. From "I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend" to "Jika" they even had a moment to honour the late Zimbabwean hero, Dr Oliver Mtukudzi.
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| Freeman HKD on stage at the 2024 Stanbic Bank Jacaranda Music Festival |
Saturday saw the stars of tomorrow gracing the stage under Scripts & Bars. Novuyo Seagirl, Kim Makumbe, Luminous, and Bush Baby X, accompanied by a band, gave stirring performances all around. A rendition of "Imbokodo" - TAPIWA & Simbai remix by Novuyo Seagirl is a particular favourite. The Afro house love affair carried from then, with Shaku Shantè coming on next. Weaving together African rhythms with an incessant tempo that never let up.
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| Shaky Chantè on stage at the 2024 Stanbic Bank Jacaranda Music Festival |
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| Daniel Deuschle on stage at the 2024 Stanbic Bank Jacaranda Music Festival |
If there's to be an award for the surprise act of the entire festival, then that honour goes to Expressions by Daniel Deuschle. A contemplative experience of multiple, that had near perfect accompaniment in the descending sun. Almost cinematic.
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| Mbeu on stage during the Reggae Icons Performance at the 2024 Stanbic Bank Jacaranda Music Festival |
Led by Jose Sax, Sylent Nqo, Mary Anibal and Mbeu, were a reggae time capsule to the 80s. Sylent Nqo worked his guitar wizardry on UB40's "Red Red Wine," Mary Anibal gave us a mbira infused interpretation of Bob Marley & The Wailers' "Three Little Fingers" (Don't Worry about a Thing), and Mbeu was a roaring "Lion in Zion."
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| Skyroot on stage at the 2024 Stanbic Bank Jacaranda Music Festival |
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| Feli Nandi on stage at the 2024 Stanbic Bank Jacaranda Music Festival |
Feli Nandi was a star on the Jacaranda stage. An artist uninhibited by convention, but simply driven by passion. From the vocals to her work on the drums, and the performance from the band in tow. It was, to add an m before her last name, a sweet performance. Not the only vocalist to deliver over the weekend, Nomfusi also had a well-crafted performance.
Rax the DJ, was a master of his art. He had smooth transitions, that had no energy lost, with an amazing acumen for matching tracks in tempo, even though they were from genres on opposite ends of the music spectrum. One of the headliners of Saturday night, DJ Neptune, was also equally adept on the decks. Opening his set with Master H's "Hugwegweshe," then transitioning into Killer T's "Kana Ndanyura," he was the conductor of an orchestra of a few thousand bodies in motion. His transition from "Horns In The Sun" to "Dami Duro" was one of my favourite bits of music.
However, it wasn't quite easy going for the DJ as he had to go on after Nutty O, who had absolutely rocked the stage. "Jegera," "Makanonoka," "Kokai," "Handipere Power," "Safe,"... He had a fair argument for the best act on the night. While regarded as a genre that's fallen off, Zimdancehall certainly had its moments at this year's Jacaranda Music Festival. Friday night there was Freeman, Saturday - Nutty O and Sunday - Master H, who might've been the best of the bunch.
Accompanied by the Bottom Camp Band, Master H was like an action figure in an ad for Energizer batteries. The energy defied human limits (something shared with Mörda), and a chorus of voices greeted every "In the name of Jesus" he uttered. When he brought out Tamy Moyo for a surprise performance of "Kelly Kelvedhura," that might've been the peak of my happiness at this festival. Master H also brought out the rising rapper Shone for a performance of "Gore" and that was certainly another noteworthy moment.
Cassper Nyovest had a fair number of bright moments on stage as he ended the Saturday night lineup, his performance felt somewhat rushed. He gave us several nostalgic hits that did raise the voices of the crowd in some pockets but it just felt like he didn't quite capture the audience's attention.
On Sunday night Mokoomba were in fine form, with a riveting performance that showcased why they have a never-ending global performance schedule. From sultry selections from their own catalogue, the group even had us dancing to nursery rhymes and the iPhone ringtone.
Musa Keys had an unexplained delay in getting on stage, along with a wardrobe malfunction but he seemed to get it together after that. Ready with dance moves at every moment and with vocals to match (although the autotune had its annoying moments), Musa Keys put on a worthy performance. After renditions of "Possible," "Kancane," "Selema," and "Unavailable," the singer took to the decks and showcased how he was just as adept on them as he was with a mic in hand.
The culmination of this year's festival was left in the hands of Felo Le Tee and Mörda, two notable yet markedly different DJs. Felo went up first and his performance was one of soulful rhythm with an underlying tempo of rattling drums and haunting basslines. "Sengzwile," "Asibe Happy," "Adiwele," "Izolo," "Dipatje Tsa Felo," "66," and "Yebo Lapho," were delivered with a seamless yet almost anthemic rhythm throughout the set. Paired with Felo Le Tee's easygoing dance moves and well-timed vocals, it was one of the performances of the weekend.
Mörda closed out this year's festival with an hour-long feat of true showmanship. He was the antithesis of Shazam, playing enthralling deep cuts that could not be found and moving to the execution of his own craft as if he was performing for an audience of one. The tribal merged with the soulful in a sonic experience that verged on the spiritual. I felt like a man on a marionette's cross, at the mercy of Mörda puppeteer.
However, though I feel there couldn't have been a more fitting end to this year's festival, I think Jacaranda should close out their nights with a set from the resident DJ. On more than one occasion, halfway through the closing headliners set, people were already on their way out to beat the traffic and that makes a moment that should be euphoric anticlimactic. A set from the resident DJ at the end would allow people to finish a headline act's performance and also facilitate a smoother exit for the crowd.
The Music, The People, The City. From the initial perception of the lineup, this year's edition of the Stanbic Bank Jacaranda Music Festival had delivered. Yet you couldn't help but feel that it didn't quite match up to last year.
While largely well executed, the bathroom situation this year could've been a lot better, especially in the number of mobile restrooms available. Also although I feel it is our responsibility to ourselves and those around us to have safe practices on the road, I think Jacaranda should look into putting some contingencies in place, because the accidents we saw this weekend were just one too many. Maybe a shuttle service, a taxi/ridesharing parking bay and maybe guarded overnight parking for those who can't drive home.
Note: While there was a wide array of food outlets present, we got into some menu options from The Mixologist on the first day and stayed loyal customers for the rest of the weekend (Well mostly loyal, we did cheat once with Chicken Basket who had a delicious sadza and 1/4 chicken). From the Irish coffee, to the chicken and the boerwors rolls, the food was splendid. Not only did the food truck have the most stunning setup (a black cabana in the front), but she made everyone nostalgic with an offering of candy floss on the last day of the festival
Greedysouth rating: 8.2/10
All photography included in this article was shot by Jimshinky.
If you missed our review of the event last year, you can read it here.
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