By Princess Eugene Majuru
Birmingham , England ( News of The South) – The recent Jiti Godfather show in Birmingham, featuring popular Zimbabwean artists Baba Harare and Gemma Griffiths, has become a significant talking point, not for the music, but for the serious sound engineering issues that plagued the evening. While the event eventually salvaged itself into a lively disco session, the frustration and disappointment among artists, fans, and key attendees highlight a concerning lack of professionalism in the production, turning what should have been a celebration of Zimbabwean music into an operational crisis.
The core of the crisis centered on the sound system, which proved inadequate for a live performance. Gemma Griffiths’ set was the first and most affected casualty. Her manager, Zvaponeswa (who is also a manager at Sony Records), revealed that they had waited extensively for a sound check that never happened.
When Gemma finally took the stage, the issues were immediately apparent. News of the South, who were present throughout, witnessed a period of “very loud feedback and screeching”. Gemma, with commendable patience, spent approximately 45 minutes trying to prompt the engineers to fix the problem before eventually having to leave the stage. The failure of the engineers to resolve the issue forced the organisers to switch to a disco session while awaiting Baba Harare’s performance.
The artist’s frustration was palpable. News of the South caught up with Gemma, who was “very upset” about traveling all the way from Harare only to be met with poor sound, leading to a decision to postpone an interview to allow her to recover from the “shock” of the incident.
The response from the organizers and those involved has been marked by contradiction and confusion:
Dexter, owner of King of Clubs and a partner in KS Creations (the hosts), admitted the sound engineer arrived late at 6 pm. This late arrival is a critical failure, making a necessary sound check impossible and effectively setting the event up for disaster.
However, after Gemma left the stage, Dexter provided a baffling counter-narrative to News of the South, claiming “there was nothing wrong with the sound.” He dismissed the issue by saying, “as u can hear the disco is sounding great,” and suggested Gemma was simply “overpowered by the sound,” stating it was “too powerful for her.” This denial directly contradicts the eyewitness accounts and the experience of the artists.
The root cause of the sound crisis appears to lie with the technical supplier, Stella Entertainment. Information suggests that Stella Entertainment was hosting three separate live events on the same day, leading to a critical shortage: the equipment necessary for Gemma’s live band performance was insufficient as it was shared across multiple venues. This decision by Stella Entertainment to over-commit their resources and under-equip the Birmingham show places them at the centre of the technical failure, though efforts to get their side of the story have so far been fruitless.
Fans’ reactions were mixed, largely due to lowering expectations. Many attendees said they still “had a nice time” because they treated the event as a disco, not the live show they initially bought tickets for.
Baba Harare’s performance was still appreciated, with one fan, Martha, enjoying dancing to his jiti music, branding it a “true return to jiti music.”
Conversely, former Zimbabwe footballer MaRhino 7 Maxwell Dube was deeply disappointed, branding the show a “waste of money” and a letdown for having “brave[d] the cold and wet weather.”
Beyond the stage, another issue arose. Birmingham-based businessman Nigel Mujuru was “furious” after being prohibited from entering the Shisha lounge to meet Baba Harare. He claimed event hosts, including Dexter, were seen in the VVIP area consuming expensive drinks that he had purchased, leading to his outrage over being denied access to the artist. This detail, alongside a fan’s concern over “constant distractions” and side-stage chatting during Baba Harare’s performance, highlights poor artist management and a lack of focus on the fan experience by the organisers.
The Crisis Management Failure
Perhaps the most glaring failure by KS Creations and King of Clubs is the lack of public accountability. Gemma’s manager and others were clear about the problems, yet no public apology has been issued by the organizers. The general consensus is that this situation is a crisis that demanded an immediate official statement.
The Jiti Godfather show incident serves as a cautionary tale for event promotion in the diaspora. The issues involved were multifaceted:
The late arrival of the engineer and the subsequent failure to conduct a sound check, combined with Stella Entertainment’s under-resourcing, created an immediate technical breakdown.
Organisational Mismanagement: Dexter’s conflicting statements—acknowledging the engineer’s lateness while simultaneously denying any sound issue—demonstrates a failure in taking responsibility.
The neglect of Gemma Griffiths’ professional requirements and the subsequent frustration of high-profile attendees like Nigel Mujuru and Maxwell Dube indicate a profound breakdown in event logistics and hospitality.
Nigel Mujuru
For Zimbabwean music to thrive on international stages, the quality of production must match the quality of the talent. Event organisers have a duty to secure adequate technical support and maintain professional standards. Until a comprehensive and transparent statement is issued, the reputation of the Joti Godfather show organisers will remain tarnished by this unfortunate “Harare Thing” gone wrong in Birmingham.
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