Joe Thomas rocks Harare (UPDATED)

THE TIME was around 23:30 (after all but one of the supporting acts), and the shouts began; “JOE!, JOE !,JOE!” which mutated fast into “ We want Joe!, We  want Joe!” and then  “Where is Joe?, Where is Joe?” The Harare   International Conference Centre (HICC) reverberated whilst Tich Mataz and Elen Makanda, MCs for last Saturday night, struggled to coax fans to clear the main arena to allow for a cool entry to the main act, the awarding-winning rhythm and blues artiste, Joe Thomas.

Finally the crowd cleared.

With one bang Joe’s team of a drummer, bass guitarist and deck-tables scratch DJ cranked it up. In jumped two stalky girl dancers and the American hip hop wiggles which we, until then, most of us saw only on telly, turned the air really electric. JOE jumped in, the crowd went wild on a new song many could not sing along.

The big American quickly switched to the familiar, “Where were you last night?” (a theme song in Zimbabwe) and shouted, “Put your hands up” and fans obliged as they danced away to the danceables, Don’t wannah be a player, I wannah ride with you, Babe where you at?

There was no relenting; what with some ten danceables in a row and the likeable artiste constantly shook hands with his crowd that came near enough. The Before  the ballad  began at song “My name is JOE?” he invited an  astounded girl on stage who groped on him, jumped all over and waved goodbye to us all obviously on her way  to  the States (there were some three more to do the same later).

The ballads stole the night away, oh, Joe is a romantic fellow. He can stick to his mellows and still be the icon.  “Why are all the good girls taken”, I thought, was the climax. All the good girls screamed and sang along as the silky JOE voice neatly came out to a mesmerized crowd. Even Stunner, our own urban grooves ladies man, popped from backstage somewhere, peeped from a vantage point, danced and smiled. A stunned Stunner?

But then there was another climax to the ballads. I have always known Americans to be never short of adventure where ever they are and this happened on song “All the things your man won’t do”. Joe announced, “I wannah come out, I wannah come out there”; promptly the man descended the stage.

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Joe wows the crowd at The Harare International Conference Center

Oh no! The whole VIP ground floor leapt and ran guns (hands) blazing at him. Did they want to tear him to pieces? That could happen, I am afraid, so his security reacted swiftly and shielded him from a marauding pack, and still the man insisted on going ahead but later bowed and hopped on stage. I realized it was only an American gimmick, much later.

The song “I wannah know” flattered JOE because he could hardly believe himself as the whole auditorium decided to sing it for him. He had no choice but to stop singing and turn choir master, nod his head in appreciation and salute the crowd his way, that is beat his chest with a clenched fist. I thought it was the last song, but no, he sat in a chair and brandished into his acoustic guitar.

A glass of water to cool off and JOE treated all to the sounds of the acoustic on “All that I am”, “No one else comes close”. The screams from the crowd turned into accolades of applause. A rendition of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song prompted the crowd to fill the dance floor not for a dance but to catch a closer glimpse of the man? I thought Bob Marley’s spirit hovered somewhere as I found no convincing explanation to the behavior.

One last danceable and JOE went off stage at 00:26, all in all some twenty-four hits!  “This is my first trip to Zimbabwe; I promise it won’t be my last. I love you Zimbabwe”, Joe said as he thanked all and disappeared. A promise is a credit Joe!

The man was given presidential escort to Crowne Plaza for an after-party at the instantly famous Room Ten.

Well before Joe, Mafriq opened the show and people loved their Chizevezeve.Plaxedes  Wenyika did  Kamanzi among other songs whist Dino Mudondo renditioned Sanchez, Gannett Silk and Enrique Iglesias ( I can be your hero babe) on one of his popular beats. He endeared himself with the crowd as he sang amongst them, off stage, all slot.

Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave showed the star in her as she easily turned on the crowd with Makomborero and Tiende Kudenga and Ndiye Jesu. The sister can rock too you know, the good choreography will turn her into a respected African queen. Keep on keeping on Fungisai.Our own Roki compares with JOE rather very closely. People just liked his spirited one song wonder, Chidzoka and no one complained.

Our urban groovers may just realize the need to experiment with a combination of live instruments and the CDs the way Joe did. It looks good use of technology and gives value for money too.

Tuku came on last  at 00:45  after Joe, gave a serenading closing act with some ten hits in a row., I got tickled at the acapela, Humambo (new to me)  in which he his band act really jazzy funny. At 01:30 Tuku bade fare well. Game Over!

Hangers on remained for their kwaito on disco.

Why did the entry tickets jump from the announced Z$100 million dollars to the unofficial Z$200 million. I nearly ducked from losing life and limb if not only for this awkward desire to see from closer range. The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the promoters of the show, shouldn’t make our tourism unreachable to the rest and only attainable on black market.

Otherwise each of us, in our own small ways can contribute to make Zimbabwe a destination of choice before 2010 and beyond.