Ma Blacks, gospel gurus battle it out in Mzuzu

It may not have been a competition in Mzuzu on Sunday to gauge who commands a bigger audience than the other. They were separate shows, launching two different albums, at venues two kilometres apart.

It was, however, inevitable for the gospel show organisers to experience jitter signals run through their spines as the Black Missionaries Band took Kuimba 10 to Mzuzu Tourist Lodge.

With faith, the organisers went ahead with the show, inviting a contingent of gospel artists, including The Great Angels Choir, Thocco Katimba, Favoured Martha and Lloyd Phiri to perform at Mzuzu Hotel Boma Park.

Unfair as it might be to compare the two worlds of music with different audiences, it was still worthwhile considering the lukewarm reception that Mzuzu can sometimes accord artists.

But, the shows proved that the Black Missionaries and the gospel gurus supporting Donnex Muva’s Messiah album launch are giants in their own right as both attracted impressive patronage.

It was estimated that Muva’s show attracted about 2 000 people whereas Ma Blacks attracted about half that figure.

And Muva was visibly all smiles.

“God has fought for me. I didn’t know that things will be like this considering that the Black Missionaries are crowd pullers. But I just had to believe in God that all will be well,” he said.

The gospel show started with Mzuzu-based artists as curtain raisers before the main acts took over the floor. These were Martha Kasambala, Favoured Martha, Muva, Katimba, The Great Angels Choir and Lloyd.