On Saturday night music enthusiasts swarmed the Moneymen Club ground in Blantyre, which played host to the highly billed Piano Fiesta.
From the start, the event had all the promise of a not-to-miss aura. The line-up of performers created nothing but an inviting euphoria.
South African amapiano star Leemckrazy led the list which also comprised Namadingo, Fada Moti, Zeze Kingston and Trappy Beatz.
On the day, the weather was kind enough as Blantyre enjoyed one of its sunny days. The rains, which had characterised the previous three days, paved the way for beautiful and clear skies. The atmosphere itself was refreshing and ideal for such an event.
Out of all the artists, it appeared Namadingo was the only one without a leaning on amapiano music. But that did not bother him as well as the audience. He was focused on doing things his way and he did that.
Namadingo was also the only one to be supported by a live band as the rest used CDs. He dished out some of his popular hits such as Maury to the delight of the audience, which demanded more.
Rising amapiano music star Fada Moti also proved to be a hit with the audience in affirmation of his growing profile. The energy in his delivery brought an assuring presence during his set. His popular catch phrase; Afada mwabwera, mwachita bwino mwabwera was fervently sung by the audience throughout his stay on stage.
Then came the big moment, the headliner Leemckrazy jumped on stage and the audience erupted into a huge uproar. The thunderous welcome his Malawian fans gave him seemed to have given him an extra spring in his stride.
His performance seemed to sway the crowd this way and that way. He gave a blend of African rhythms and modern beats. His trending song Ebasini proved a toast for the night as the audience danced and sang along.
Zeze Kingston had the honours of bringing the curtain down on the event. The Alamu Anu creator had the crowd dancing till 4am. I between the live performances, DJs such as DJ Love, Mighty Virus and Bad Up Skills also kept the groove going with a selection of some beautiful music.
One of the patrons, Chikondi Moyo, said the event had exceeded his expectation: “The performances were top-notch and the atmosphere was electric.”
