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Bruce Ndlovu
BULAWAYO says goodbye to the chilly month of June tonight with an awards ceremony that is expected to warm the hearts of those who for years have yearned to see the city’s brightest stars showered with the praise and adulation that their talents deserve.

The excitement that gripped the city in recent months reached fever pitch this week, with all eyes now on the organisers of the inaugural Bulawayo Arts Awards (BAAZw) to see if they can pull off a spectacle that justifies such unprecedented levels of enthusiasm.

The city’s artistes, fans and followers are expected to turn out in their numbers at the Large City Hall where the who’s who of the city’s arts scene will make the first pilgrimage to the debut of an awards showcase that is expected to become a permanent fixture on the city’s arts calendar.

The talk of the town has been the much anticipated red carpet, with many eager to see whether the city’s stars are able to come up with spectacular garments that justify their celebrity status.

For the past week at least, fashionistas have been begging designers to make magic with needle and thread as they want to look their best when the lights start flashing and the cameras start rolling tonight.

For the glitz and glamour on the red carpet, Cde Phil and Bathabile Dlamini will be the presenters, ushering in the stars and guests as they make their way into the venue.

On the main stage, a cast of some of the most experienced and skilled presenters has been put together to make sure that on a night where 38 awards are set to be given out, everything runs without a flaw.

With so many awards to be given away on the night, organisers would want the night to play out with minimal fuss and with Charlene Mangweni, Chief Koti, Morris Touch, Master E and Sithandazile Dube as the presenters on the main stage, they appear to have made sure that they have the right personnel for an error-free outing.

With all the prestige and style associated with such high profile events, some can easily overlook the reason why everyone has come together. While the stylish outfits will keep eyes peeled and cameras flashing, all those who attend will do well to remember that the arts are the reason that Bulawayo has united in such a spectacular fashion.

For this reason, the performances on the night should do justice to the city’s tag as the cultural hub of Zimbabwe. It would be a pity if the performances on stage did not match the explosive fabrics on the red carpet. With that in mind organisers have tasked arts aficionado Saimon Mambazo Phiri as the director of the show, with Thembelani Mdlaziba in charge of music while Ricco Andrews and Richard Ndlovu will be the choreographers.

The soundtrack for the night will be provided by the house band which will comprise drummer Erastus Nleya, bassist David Mabhena, keyboardists Sam Mabhena and Oktopus, guitarist Hudson Simbarashe, saxophone player Mbaki Nleya and percussionists Othnell Mangoma and Bruno Ashley.

Performers on the night will include Nobuntu, Edith Katiji, Mimi, Sandra Ndebele, Kadder, Cal_vin, Asaph, Guluva 7, Mzoe7, Methembe Oxide, Salt ‘n’ Light dance crew, Magesh Tornadoes, Explosion Dance Crew, Khaya Arts and Impumelelo Shining Stars among many others.

The winners will walk away with plaques as the ultimate recognition for their excellence in the arts. Gold and silver stars balanced on a black base are their most prominent feature, with a silver plaque displaying the name of the category on offer. The colour of the gong’s base is black which signifies “Bulawayo as a base where our stars are birthed and or launched” and “represents abantu as the majority of artistes were born or are practicing in Bulawayo”.

Despite the overall excitement and enthusiasm for the ceremony, news started filtering through on Thursday morning that the country’s national broadcaster ZBC would not be beaming the ceremony live as promised.

One of the ceremony’s organisers, Raisedon Baya, revealed this on his twitter page yesterday morning, raising the ire of followers who felt that the national broadcaster was reneging on its commitment.

While the late withdrawal of the broadcaster is still shrouded in mystery, it is unlikely that this development will dampen the mood for an awards ceremony that is expected to illuminate the Bulawayo entertainment scene.