Two big events are expected to clash in Lilongwe during the weekend of September 3 and 4 as Jamaica’s Busy Signal show and Entertainers Promotions’ Sound and Light take place on consecutive days.
Organisers of both shows have described the development as toxic to events management.
Courtesy of Lucius Banda’s Impact Events, Busy Signal performs at Civo Stadium on September 3 and a day later, Sound and Light takes place at Lilongwe Golf Club.
To make matters worse, Lucius and Black Missionaries are scheduled to perform at both events, an occurrence both organisers have doubted.
“I am disappointed in his [Lucius’s] timing because it appears to be sabotage to my event which I announced early this year. I mean, we cannot have two big events happening almost the same time in the same city and at close range,” said Entertainers Promotion manager Tonderai Jai Banda.
Lucius, popularly known as Soldier in music circles, acknowledged the crisis, saying the programme had been influenced by external factors.
“You may wish to know that bringing an international act of Busy Signal’s calibre is not easy because we work hand-in-hand with other players across the African continent.
“This time around, we are working with promoters from Zimbabwe and South Africa. But because Zimbabwe had cancelled its show, we also had to shift our event to September 3, but I must admit that it is a pity that the two big shows are happening almost same time,” he said.
However, Lucius urged patrons to support both events, adding that Busy Signal is scheduled to jet into the country on September 2. He performs in South Africa after the show in Lilongwe.
Black Missionaries Band leader Anjiru Fumulani said it was not healthy for Lilongwe to host two big events the same weekend.
“I would have loved if the organisers consulted before settling for the dates of their events because they are all big in nature; hence, unhealthy not only to the artists, but also to fans,” he said.
Fumulani could not confirm whether the band will appear at both shows.
“What I can confirm is the band’s performance at the Sound and Light concert because we were booked sometime back. For the Busy Signal concert, let me cross-check with our manager,” he said.
