Power hitches interrupt Mibawa Lilongwe show

Lilongwe fun-seekers on Friday braved the potential risks emanating from the Tripartite Election impasse and thronged Chameleon Bar in Lilongwe where the Blantyre-based Mibawa Band performed.

But a thrilling concert was let down by intermittent power outages which were blamed on the equipment’s high power wattage which burnt electronic fuses three times.

The band, however, discharged its duty diligently as evidenced by the punctuality on stage and the quality of copyright music, two key factors that are unusual among most Malawi bands.

Mibawa sent into frenzy the craving audience as early as nine o’clock in the evening with a concoction of music, be it international or local, as the equipment blared in a venue that proved too little to host the ‘gigantic’ Mibawa Band.

But unexpectedly, the first glitch reared its ugly head at exactly 10:14 pm and that was power failure only within the venue which was later restored but apparently many loathed the moment as manifested by the jeers and booing to their chagrin.

The band never gave up and performed popular hits such as Y’tjukutja, Awilo Longomba’s Calorina, Burning Spear’s Identity and P-Square’s Beautiful Onyinye which reinstated the reveller’s high-spirited dancing mood.

But a re-occurrence happened at exactly 12:20 pm as power disrupted the show again when the band performed Mkazi Wachingoni and patrons had to wait for about five seven minutes for the equipment to reboot for continuation.

The band’s front-man Goma Nyondo proved beyond doubt that he is a force to reckon with in the music industry as he enthusiastically sung any every kind of music with ease, apparently, flummoxing many patrons.

The show rolled into a last phase but was thwarted again at 1:33 pm following another power failure and that marked its pre-mature ending as many patrons started dispersing.

Mibawa Band new manager MacDonald Muwawa attributed the three power outages to the burning of electronic fuses at the bar which he said succumbed to the equipment’s power wattage.

“I think basically, the show was good and we did our best but it’s a fact that the power disruptions let the show down. But generally, we are happy as a band that we came here to entertain our Lilongwe fans to the best,” he said.

On Sunday, the band, alongside Skeffa Chimoto, Soul Raiders, Lulu and Faith Mussa performed at the spacious Lilongwe Gold Club a concert which was spiced by a stunning makeshift stage and blaring sound exuded by a multiple of sound speakers displayed at the venue.