By Bongani Ndlovu
For any other show this was a decent crowd. But for a Kalawa Homecoming party, it was a yawn! AmaZulu Sports Club in Bulawayo on Wednesday played host to the lowest crowd to ever grace the Kalawa Homecoming party.
The annual party always attracts thousands of people with its venue teeming at the seams as people jostle to catch a glimpse of Mzansi’s biggest stars on stage.
This is the prime party in Zimbabwe that is held in Bulawayo and has become the envy of many people around the country and some from neighbouring countries who save up for it as from January.
However, the pushing and shoving at the gates that was usually witnessed at previous Homecoming parties was non-existent this year.
One could sense it in the air that this was not the Homecoming Party that they were accustomed to as there was no excitement, verve or flair.
By 11PM, the place would have been packed with merrymakers already half drunk, but this year, it was the time that people started to trickle into the venue.
It was weird that most people could find a place to dance and walk around until they got to the front, which for years has been known to be the most inaccessible position if you get to the venue late.
Also, when the Homecoming Party is in town, some bars feel the pinch as the number of patrons dwindle significantly, but this year, some bar managers smiled into the wee hours of the next morning as it was business as usual.
Certainly, it was clear this event would not draw crowds as leading up to the day of the show, Bulawayo was not gripped by the Homecoming fever.
Most hinted that they were disinterested as the line up was somewhat pathetic as compared to previous editions.
This may be attributed to the fact that the Homecoming Party lacked that star attraction to draw the crowds to make it a must-attend show.
The likes of Mpumi, Nokwazi, DJ Sox, Bhizer, DJ Fresh, Stiff, AB Crazy, DJ Lyquid and Character have not released a killer track that people can dance to in December.
Compared to previous line-ups such as the 2015 one that had Cassper Nyovest and AKA at the height of their feud, this one was a major anti-climax for Oskido.
Making waves in South Africa are Durbanites DJ Tira, Distruction Boyz and Tipsy who unfortunately are not in Oskido’s stable and were absent from the line up.
The inclusion of Winky D and Killer T showed that these were the headline acts who Oskido and crew appeared to bank on to pull the crowds.
And as expected, Winky D, who was on the Homecoming stage for the second year running, never put a foot wrong and the evergreen Professor gave the crowds something to dance to during the night.
Apart from these three, including Killer T, there was nothing to write home about.
Also, perhaps the $15 entry fee was too steep for some hence the reduced numbers at the Homecoming Party.
Again like all the years, some people had dogs let loose on them while in the process of buying booze.
The Homecoming organisers may want to go back to the drawing board and try to bring a slice of the hottest artistes in South African showbiz if they want to attract crowds here. The Chronicle
