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Correspondent

After the successful Book Café pop-ups at the New Ambassador Hotel and around Harare, the Book Café has gone a step further in ensuring life continues in the live music scene. In an exceptional collaboration with Pariah State Avondale, half a dozen shows have been lined up for Friday nights dubbed Book Cafe @ Pariah State.The line-up is decorated with the cream of Zimbabwe’s unique and talented musicians and acts with the first show presenting Victor Kunonga and Norman Masamba’s Duet with several surprise guests.

Duetone, as this new act is known, is a product of Kunonga who was the inaugural act for the “Book Café @ Pariah Sate” series of events.

The night will also have strictly Vinyl DJ “Biko MC” who has played several shows in Germany and Europe and will be joined by “Tindo” Selecta who was formerly based in SA and linked to the popular “Chimurenga Nights”.

“The first show with the virtuoso Kunonga gave the people a new taste of his skills. Called the Duotone, this collaboration features Kunonga with Norman Masamba and other invited guest musicians to give the musicians room for greater improvisation.

“The creative energy of this performance will take fans back to the original Kunonga feel whilst giving some of his classic numbers a fresh take,” said the spokesperson.

This new concept is following on from a very successful series of Book Café Pop-up events at New Ambassador Hotel which have featured Transit Crew, Chikwata 263, Mokoomba, Hope Masike, Mawungira eNharira, Dino Mudondo, House of Stone, Madendera eKumabvazuva, Mudzi, Vee Mukarati, The Screaming Eagle Bus Company, and of course Kunonga.

“The monthly ‘pop-up’ events at New Ambassador Hotel will definitely continue and with the popularity of these events, we are considering doing those events more regularly.

“In spite of the closure of our full time venue more than a year ago, The Book Café has remained resolute in supporting the performance arts of Zimbabwe and we hope to do more and more events at more venues as time goes on,” said Book Café representative Tomas Brickhill.

This six week roller-coaster of events at Pariah State Avondale will indeed be an amazing and exciting experience. It will ignite a fire that will light up in people’s memories for years to come,” said ethnomusicologist Hector Mugani.