This weekend, RnB Dancehall Lovers takes its nostalgia-driven party concept to South Africa as the Zimbabwean entertainment brand continues to spread its wings beyond its home market.
The move comes just a week after the event celebrated its first anniversary with a large-scale gathering at Belgravia Sports Club in Harare, where thousands of music lovers turned up for what was arguably its biggest outing since its inception.
For a brand that spent its first year building an audience through monthly gatherings in restaurant settings, moving to a venue as large as Belgravia Sports Club was a considerable gamble. Judging by the turnout, however, it was one that paid off.
What stood out was not necessarily the size of the stage or the production, but the loyalty of the people who turned up.
Interestingly, the anniversary poster did not feature a single DJ or artist’s name. Instead, it sold the RnB Dancehall Lovers experience itself. Yet thousands came through, with many staying until the final song was played.
That is perhaps the clearest indication of how much recognition the brand has built over the past year. People were not necessarily coming to see a particular performer; they were coming because they had bought into what RnB Dancehall Lovers represents.
A production that rose to the occasion
The organisers deserve credit for taking on an event of that scale and delivering a generally well-executed production.
From the entry points to the stage setup, there was clear evidence of considerable planning. The stage was impressive, the overall layout gave the event a proper festival feel, and the production matched the ambitions of an anniversary celebration.
The fireworks display at the end was another welcome addition, providing a fitting conclusion to the day’s festivities and giving the crowd one more memorable moment before heading home.
However, while the production was largely impressive, there were areas that could have been handled better, particularly the beverage service.
The bar areas struggled at times, with slow service becoming a source of frustration for some attendees. Some products also did not have prices for hours on end and only started being sold in the early hours of the evening when that was sorted out.
For an outdoor event attracting thousands of people and running throughout the day, efficient bar operations are not a minor detail. They form an important part of the overall customer experience.
The organisers will need to pay closer attention to this area as they move towards hosting more events of this magnitude.
The music: nostalgia versus repetition
The music was always going to be central to the anniversary, given that the concept is built around revisiting the RnB, dancehall and reggae classics that shaped an era.
For much of the day, that musical identity remained intact, providing the familiar soundtrack that has become synonymous with the brand.
Bringing in Danny Vybez and Etherton Beenie for the dancehall segment was a nice touch as they ripped through both international and local old school tunes.
Gemma Griffiths and Tamy Moyo also came on and put on great performances.
There were, however, some complaints from attendees who felt that certain DJs were playing sets they had already heard at previous monthly editions.
Understandably, a concept built around timeless classics will have a recognisable musical identity. People come expecting to hear particular songs, and that familiarity is part of the attraction.
But there is also a difference between maintaining a signature sound and becoming predictable. As the event grows, its DJs will need to find ways of introducing fresh selections and different musical journeys without losing the nostalgia that brings people together.
It is an area worth refining, particularly as the brand begins positioning itself for audiences beyond Harare.
From Belgravia to Johannesburg
Perhaps the biggest talking point following the anniversary is how quickly RnB Dancehall Lovers is moving into its next chapter.
On Saturday, 7 November, the brand will stage its first South African show at Maracanã in Sandton, Johannesburg, extending its reach into a market with an established appetite for RnB, dancehall and old-school music.
The event, carrying the familiar slogan “Old Is The New Vibe”, is scheduled to run from 1pm, with the venue located at 58 Wierda Road East, Wierda Valley, Sandton.
The Johannesburg outing represents an important step for a brand that began with regular gatherings in Harare before expanding to other local markets, including Bulawayo.
South Africa presents a different audience and a new competitive environment, but the musical concept is not unfamiliar there. The challenge will be establishing the same sense of community and loyalty that has helped the event grow in Zimbabwe.
Its first anniversary offers some encouragement. The Belgravia turnout demonstrated that RnB Dancehall Lovers has developed an identity that extends beyond the individual DJs playing at its editions.
The next test is whether that identity can travel.
A promising first year, with room to grow
The Belgravia anniversary was not without its shortcomings, but they should not overshadow what the organisers managed to achieve.
Pulling thousands of people to an event without relying on a heavily advertised lineup is no small feat. It suggests that the organisers have spent the past year building something more valuable than an occasional popular party: a recognisable entertainment brand with an audience willing to turn up for the experience.
The overall experience was enjoyable, and the enthusiasm of the crowd provided a fitting backdrop to the milestone.
Now, with Johannesburg next on the calendar, R&B Dancehall Lovers has an opportunity to demonstrate that what it has built in Zimbabwe can resonate beyond its borders.
One year after starting as a gathering for people who simply loved the music, the brand is beginning to look beyond the local entertainment circuit.
The ambition, it seems, is no longer just to keep the monthly party going, but to take the RnB Dancehall Lovers experience to a wider audience.
Andrew Moyo is a veteran entertainment journalist with over a decade of experience. He has worked for some of the biggest publications in Zimbabwe including The Sunday Mail.
