Sungura star and big lineup to wow Bay fans

CHESO POWER: Popular Sungura bassist Alick Macheso will perform at the Raymond Mhlaba hall in NU4, Motherwell, tonight

Picture: SUPPLIED VETERAN Sungura musician and bassist Alick Macheso is in Port Elizabeth tonight for a one-night show that will also include other top musicians.

Known for his wicked style of bass guitar, which endears him to Sungura and Mbaqanga fans all over Africa, the star from Zimbabwe will be performing at the Raymond Mhlaba hall in Motherwell for the first time.

The show starts at 7pm and will go on until late.

Macheso, 48, burst onto the music scene in 1998 after breaking ranks with The Khiama Boys, the group that groomed him.

He quickly established a name for himself, as he could not only play different guitars but introduced different dance styles.

Today he has produced 10 albums, all of which have gone platinum.

Macheso is rated one of the best Southern African bassists and remains the best-yet top-selling Zimbabwean artist for his hit album Simbaradzo.

Born to parents of Malawian origin, Macheso grew up on a farm. Many home-sick Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and Malawians are expected to attend tonight’s show.

“He is not your ordinary artist because he can speak fluently in ChiShona, Sena, Venda and Lingala.

“This allows him to pen hits for different nations on the continent. I have known him since the heydays of 1996 and he delivers consistent and memorable shows,” Goldteeth Soundsystem’s Donny Nikisi said.

Among his dance styles that have been adopted by House and Kwaito artists is his “borrowdale”, a fast-paced style that imitates a racehorse.

His other styles include razorwire, chikopokopo (helicopter) and zora butter.

Macheso, whose eagerlyawaited new album is titled Tsoka Dzerwendo, will be supported by Tedius Matsito and the Ngwenya Brothers.

Matsito’s career was cut short due to an accident in 2008.

However, he is back in the limelight and has produced many Sungura hits, with Gede Mwana being his most requested hit at parties and events.

Nox Guni – Johannesburg’s answer to Chris Brown – will also perform his popular urban groove love ballads.

The Kirkwood pair of Visco-T and Periko – riding high with their track Daddy – a Xhosa and ChiShona song, and dancehall stars Chaps Ryder, Khayaman and Lutan Chris will also thrill fans.

Tickets are available at Computicket, Shoprite or Checkers for R150 per person, R180 at the gate, and R400 for VIP.

For more information visit: www.facebook.com/goldteethsound