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Showbiz Reporter
It was perhaps the most successful show after the ushering in of the Second Republic. Thomas Mapfumo live in concert alongside a list of just local Zimbabwean artistes.

And after a back and forth on social media, the organisers of the Big Bird, Entertainment Republic have taken their dreams to another level. Or perhaps madness is the word rather than dreams if one looks at it. The Big Bira 2.0 that has been slated for the end of October will be held at the gigantic National Sports Stadium, a venue which organisers say they intend to seal.

Their madness would have some formula if they girded themselves in this battle with the biggest drawcards Zimbabwe has to offer. Instead, they are gunning to fill in big boots using the little-heralded.

“People kept saying we need to change the line up as promoters to involve the ‘so called’ small artistes and not the regular line up and we challenged them to put their money where their mouths are. If we put together a lineup of all the hottest upcoming and unheralded artistes, would they come and support the emerging generation of artistes? So, we have made Big Bird 2.0 all about the new kids on the block,” said Max Mugaba of Entertainment Republic.

Max is a known dreamer and often a stark-raving madman with a plan. Having brought in Zahara, Tarrus Riley, Thomas Mapfumo and many other countless stars, dicing with risk is his forte. But this is undoubtedly his biggest mad experiment. Yet he is unperturbed. He has an ace up his sleeve.

Thomas Mapfumo

“Matabeleland is the answer. You have no idea about the amount of talent, quality and class that is unheralded in Matabeleland and Bulawayo province and they shall have a great cake of the line-up. We want to discover the future in music by shining a light on them because we know that ordinarily, they wouldn’t get a fighting chance,” said Mugaba.

“I’ve listened to people like Zhezhingtons from Gwanda, Fab G MtshanakaGogo from Old Magwegwe, Bulawayo and if you have a good ear like mine, you’d know that the future is here. It lives in Matabeleland. That’s where the revolution is starting.”
Mugaba however has a national plan which he is sure will win him a full National Sports Stadium.

“People should move their support of the artistes outside of the so-called big four or five from social media to real life. They should support the dream of us doing a purely home grown festival and concert and filling it up while supporting smaller artistes.

“Otherwise promoters will continue to go to their default settings of settling for the same old names or shipping in artistes from outside Zimbabwe. If we support local, we grow local,” he said.

Entertainment Republic have hinted that they will make known their line up within the next couple of days.
“We’ll win. The obvious win is us getting those artistes on stage. Anything after that is icing on the cake. And with the support we are getting from bodies like the Nick Moyo-led National Arts Council, it’s impossible to fail!”