Running out of time

It has become a trend that arts performances in Malawi never start on time. Whenever the issue has been raised, artists and event organisers always throw the blame back and forth. ORAMA CHINAMULUNGU took the liberty of talking to both parties and held them accountable to this sickening trend.

Of late, most shows do not start at the exact or around the time they are scheduled. In most cases, a show starts two or three hours later than the advertised time.

Starting shows late affects the performance and the patronage as well. The performing artists usually do not perform to the satisfaction of the audience as, in most cases, they perform fewer songs than expected because of time limitations.

The malpractice also lets down patrons as they stay up long waiting for the artists.

Sometimes the impatient ones leave the venue before the artists’ performance.

Evidence to this is a recent show that was scheduled to start at 8 pm at Blue Elephant in Blantyre on a Saturday night, but was prolonged to somewhere around 2 am the following morning when the artists started performing. Because of the time factor, the artists’ performance was limited to three songs each, leaving fans, who had been anxiously waiting for them all night, feeling short-changed.

Telling his side of the story, Malawian urban musician Maskal, who was one of the performing artists at the said event, says he came to the show at the time communicated to him by the organiser as he was just a hired artist.

“I usually do as assigned by the event organiser since I am mostly hired by organisers. I come at the time the organisers assign me to and sponsored shows are hard to control. There is this delay simply because times have changed and usually people come late for the shows.”

Explained Maskal: “This problem can only be put to an end if people start attending shows at the scheduled time. What happens is we are forced to perform twice because we avoid disappointing our fans who miss our performances because of coming late which is not healthy for us.”

In agreement, renowned Malawian musician Lucius Banda says only if people start coming early for shows will they get the best performances because their favourite stars will perform at a good time and rest at a good time which will help them enjoy.

Telling his side of story, Black Missionaries leader Anjiru Fumulani says there are delays in the commencement of shows because people report late for shows and the artists are forced to start the shows late as well.

“It is not our fault that the performances start late; we simply cannot perform to a few people. We wait for the place to be fully parked and start our performances,” he said.

In agreement with Fumulani, well-known Malawian urban event organiser DJ Cool says shows start late because people usually do not keep time.

“Shows also start late depending on the venue. In some venues, people are used to coming at the place late. For instance, at Blue Elephant, people usually come late and we just incorporate them in our event. We cannot start a show with just a few people we wait till the people come and start of,” explained Cool.

One of the county’s renowned music promoters and event organisers Jai Banda observed that there is indeed a delay because patrons turn up late, but this is because the artists themselves have for over the time reported late for shows which has made people cease to go to shows on time.

“I recall the time I used to work with the late Bright Nkhata, the time scheduled for shows was exact. When we scheduled an event for 7pm, we could start at that exact time,” he said.

The delay in the commencement of time has seen the death of family shows in the country. In most cases, those with families, especially women give up and go home to attend to other business.

FM 101 DJ Kenny Klips, who is also an event organiser, says the delays can be curbed only if Malawians become mindful of time.

“Malawians in general do not respect time, it has now become a culture to come late for shows, even if the artists come early, they are laid back because usually,  there is no one for them to perform to  at the scheduled  time” he said.

But for Nde’feyo Entertainment director Khumbo ‘Kabuzi’ Munthali, it is not just patrons who are to blame but the organisers as well for they sometimes delay in commencing the shows.

“It is a complicated situation. Frankly, the audience, artists and organisers are all to blame for, generally, we all lack time management. For the organisers, sometimes, we start setting the stage and the equipment late. Both artists and the audience also come late for the shows” he said.