On "Masterclass" Roland Clark opens with the statement "Some of our best days are behind us..." A statement that sounded ironic when the song played on Saturday night because right there then we were having one of our best days. As Samuel Cosmic mixed the track together with Swedish House Mafia's "Don't You Worry Child" it unlocked a core memory for me.
Suddenly it was a Saturday night from a decade ago. My A level exams were starting on Monday and the same song was still playing but we were dancing on top of the Blue Lounge sofas while belting out "Don't you worry, don’t you worry child, Cambridge has a plan for you..." Responsibilities were on the horizon, but we were absolutely care free, a golden moment.
Now while AfröFrenz is not a new event on Harare's Afro house scene, this past weekend it dared with a new concept. Golden Moments brought together our love for sunsets and our love for house music. A sensible combination for an event in the depths of winter, even though close to tempting the cold.
In a forest on the edges of Harare, against the backdrop of the sunset, the twilight and the starry sky, we danced and sang like long lost friends reunited. The setup was imaginative, the sound crisp enough to speak to the trees, and the winter air had woody scents and the aroma of Ciao Bella's wood fired pizza.
Yet for all the ambience the bar service at Farm At Art still reminded us that while Harare has many great venues, its still lacking in venue management to match. However despite the wait and inconvenience, the music was what it was supposed and the crowd was a community in love with the sound of house.
As the afternoon faded Sikhulile and Kush set the mood with selections of cushioned percussion that had a driving rhythm behind each chord. Mimi delivered ambient textures that felt alive. Jay raised the tempo and ignited the dance floor. Ryan Synth was true to form in introducing us to selections we'd never heard before, while making the songs we knew sound completely different, and Samuel Cosmic was one with the audience in rhythm and voice.
The DJs fostered a connection in sound that sometimes waned in strength but never lost its signal. There was Vanco & AYA's "Ma Tnsani," Afrozone's "Ayelê," Choujaa, ZIDDO & MJ Sings' "Mwari," and Dlala Thukzin's "Bo Gogo Magical Remix." We crisscrossed the length and breadth of Africa, while celebrating home, and the audience had a particular hunger for Zimbabwean made house.
Beyond being sunbathed, the moments at AfröFrenz had been golden in experience. There were some imperfections in execution (Farm At Art let's do better), but the concept was sound and it could only get better from here.
Greedysouth rating: 7.6/10
Suddenly it was a Saturday night from a decade ago. My A level exams were starting on Monday and the same song was still playing but we were dancing on top of the Blue Lounge sofas while belting out "Don't you worry, don’t you worry child, Cambridge has a plan for you..." Responsibilities were on the horizon, but we were absolutely care free, a golden moment.
Now while AfröFrenz is not a new event on Harare's Afro house scene, this past weekend it dared with a new concept. Golden Moments brought together our love for sunsets and our love for house music. A sensible combination for an event in the depths of winter, even though close to tempting the cold.
In a forest on the edges of Harare, against the backdrop of the sunset, the twilight and the starry sky, we danced and sang like long lost friends reunited. The setup was imaginative, the sound crisp enough to speak to the trees, and the winter air had woody scents and the aroma of Ciao Bella's wood fired pizza.
Yet for all the ambience the bar service at Farm At Art still reminded us that while Harare has many great venues, its still lacking in venue management to match. However despite the wait and inconvenience, the music was what it was supposed and the crowd was a community in love with the sound of house.
As the afternoon faded Sikhulile and Kush set the mood with selections of cushioned percussion that had a driving rhythm behind each chord. Mimi delivered ambient textures that felt alive. Jay raised the tempo and ignited the dance floor. Ryan Synth was true to form in introducing us to selections we'd never heard before, while making the songs we knew sound completely different, and Samuel Cosmic was one with the audience in rhythm and voice.
The DJs fostered a connection in sound that sometimes waned in strength but never lost its signal. There was Vanco & AYA's "Ma Tnsani," Afrozone's "Ayelê," Choujaa, ZIDDO & MJ Sings' "Mwari," and Dlala Thukzin's "Bo Gogo Magical Remix." We crisscrossed the length and breadth of Africa, while celebrating home, and the audience had a particular hunger for Zimbabwean made house.
Beyond being sunbathed, the moments at AfröFrenz had been golden in experience. There were some imperfections in execution (Farm At Art let's do better), but the concept was sound and it could only get better from here.
Greedysouth rating: 7.6/10
All media included in this article was shot by JimShinky and Koopy Kwacho.