Musicians Roy View and Phexado have criticized the free show trend which is being encouraged by some gigantic figures in Malawi`s urban music.
After Fredokiss pioneered that fashion of music events, a number of top urban artists in the country are emulating him.
Roy View argues that free shows are instilling a certain mentality into people. He believes, that mentality will make it hard for the fans to attend music events which have the attachment of charges. Phexado concurs with him.
In his prophetic Facebook post made earlier this week, Roy who also happens to be a fashion designer speaks out his mind.
“10 years from now there will be only free shows in Malawi…People will get used to free Masintha ground shows you are instilling this mentality in fans slowly but surely,” he says.
In support of Roy`s view, Phexado cited a life experience regarding the effect of free shows on the receiving end.
“We once organised a free show ku (at) Area50 in 2016 the ground was fully parked we filled the available space and fans inafila heavy koma pano tikapanga show ya K500 dera lomweli fans simabwera kwambiri imati ikufuna ijaso yaulere (the multitude that turned up for the event enjoyed the moment but when we hold a music show at a charge of K500, people do not come) says Phexado
However the musicians at the center of the zero-charge shows claim such events will only be happening once in a blue moon. Tay Grin has joined the trend in celebration of his awards which come once in a while.
Some quarters have argued that if musicians have solid sponsorship for a music show, then they have liberty to throw it the way they want.
You guys phexado, roy view just work hard on your music playing skills. Free shows have never stopped people from patronizing pay-up shows. Its done overseas quite often but still people go to charged shows.
Even here locally, the Blacks hold free shows, come next day they hold a pay-at-the-door gig, it gets sold-Out.
Mumayimba chani kodi ? (What do you play worth paying for?)
there are no free shows in the civilised world and moreover it’s a security risk holding a show at an open ground without making sure that the attendees are safe,if it’s free then who pays for the security and safety of the pple patronising it?
Phexado and Roy View are just being timid. It depends on how good the musician is. The Blacks hold Matafale memorial shows in Chileka, Bt every year – absolutely free. However, people still patronize their ‘pay-at-the-door’ shows right there in Blantyre, even in Chileka itself.