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Kundai Marunya

Arts Correspondent

Internationally acclaimed Afro-fusion band Mokoomba will treat local fans to a farewell show at Reps Theatre on Friday evening as they gear up for a two-months tour of Europe.

In a concert supported by Bulawayo-based group Iyana, the band will use the show to release another single “Makisi” off their upcoming album “Tusona” (Tracings in the sand) to be released on July 7.

This year, the band has released a chart-topping single “Nzara Hapana” and has performed locally in Mutare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, while internationally they recently performed at the MTN Bushfire Festival in Eswatini.

Mokoomba’s manager, Marcus Gora, said the concert was part of the group’s tour.

“The concert at Reps Theatre is part of a tour to support the rollout of the Mokoomba’s new upcoming album titled Tusona (Tracings in the sand) that will be released on all platforms on the July 7, 2023”, he said.

“At the Reps Theatre concert this Friday, the band will release another single from the album and launch its music video.”

“Makisi” is a celebration of the Makishi masquerade which is now part of the UNESCO intangible heritage of humanity list.

The show will allow the group to bid farewell to local fans as it gears to tour Europe from June 22 to August 5.

In Europe, Mokoomba will perform at the Schönau 8, European Union Capital of Culture in Scharnstein, Austria, Ethno Folk Festival in Saint-Thurien, France, Porgy and Bess in Vienna, Austria, Treibhaus Open Air in Innsbruck, Austria, Globaltica Festival in Gdynia, Poland, Jazz Cafe in London, Howard Assembly Room in Leeds, The Apex in Bury St Edmunds, WOMAD festival in Malmesbury, The Cornish Bank in Falmouth, all in United Kingdom and POK Festival in Bialystock, Poland.

Mokoomba spokesperson Abundance Mutori said the band was looking forward to staging at Reps Theatre.

“We are happy to be promoting our new upcoming album which we produced ourselves and carries music that speaks to a number of social issues and some traditional stories and tales that are still relevant and instructional to our lives today,” he said.

“We look forward to the concert on Friday at Reps Theatre, our first time to perform there and we hope people will come in large numbers to support us before we travel on our tour to spread a positive image of our country and its people and to promote all the beautiful destinations that we have.”

Mokoomba is a multi-award-winning band from Victoria Falls that vastly tours the world on an annual basis.