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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent 

ZIMDANCEHALL chanter, Bazooka, Madlela Skhobokhobo and Clement Magwaza are among those headlining the Bayethe Bulawayo Youth concert taking place at the Large City Hall at the end of this month.

The concert, which is part of the Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo festivities, will be held next Friday. 

Also performing are Khuxxman, Ngoma Ingoma, hip hop artistes Cal_Vin, Asaph, Kidd Eggo, Msiz’Kay and Fish McSwagg, dance groups – Iyasa, Sungura Masters and Pakare Paye Arts exponent, Mbeu. 

Intwasa director Raisedon Baya said preparations for the five-day festival, which kicks off next Tuesday, are at an advanced stage. 

He said the Bayethe concert, which has been held for the past two years, is targeted at youths.

“As we’ve been doing over the years, we’ve segmented the festival so it appeals to children, women and youths. With this concert, we’re targeting youths with the idea of luring them to participate in the festival as artistes and audiences,” said Baya. 

He added that the concert will be a mixed bag hence why there are various artistes on the line-up. 

“We always try to get to as many people as possible. Bulawayo isn’t like Harare where when one is targeting the youth, they use Zimdancehall as a genre. Here, we haven’t got one specific genre of music; hence we have this diverse line-up in terms of music.”

Advance tickets to the concert are already on sale at the Intwasa offices and cost $7 each. 

“Some of the artistes have been given tickets to sell as we want them to get their own fans to attend the show. Our hope is to fill up the Large City Hall,” said Baya.

The Intwasa opening ceremony will be held on Tuesday at the Bulawayo Theatre with an ensemble of artistes set to perform. Some of the events to look forward to at the festival are a Covers Night taking place at the Large City Hall Car Park on the last day of the festival. It will be a free event.

Poetry lovers will be treated to an Amazwi, Imizwilili leSginci at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo next Wednesday. The event, which is a fusion of poetry and music in indigenous languages, will feature performances from Izwi Dewe, Sinkende, Lyndah Sonkomose Sibanda, Mvelo, Ntuthuko Mart OkaMabulala Nyathi, Khumalo Kapitol C Sithandekile and Chester.

Next Friday, the National Gallery’s Friday Late will have an Intwasa special edition with performances from rappers Msiz’Kay and Mawiza and a fashion show by Umceco.