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Bruce Ndlovu
The first thing that revellers noticed last weekend when they made their way into the Burnside Plot where this year’s All Star Party was held was the heavy security presence at the main gate.
During All Star Parties of yesteryear, the young and restless would fly through the gate, a bottle of alcohol swinging in one hand, with the amateur security detail at the gate turning a blind eye as long as they had received the $5 that was the usual charge for entering the bash.
This year, however, things were different.
The guards at the gate went through cars with a fine-tooth comb, searching for any bottles that might turn from a beverage to a weapon later during the All Star party’s usual booze fuelled activities.
Only the driver of the car was allowed to remain in the vehicle, and after this strenuous exercise, they would meet with more security detail at the entrance of the venue proper, where members Zimbabwe Republic Police stood watch.
Clearly if one was expecting the wild, uncontrolled scenes of frenzied alcohol consumption and random sex, as has been reported in previous vuzu parties, they had clearly come to the wrong address.
Vuzu parties have over the past few years led to much head scratching for authorities and heart palpitations for parents whose children frequent these wild events.
One of the problems that authorities face in combating these parties that have turned every caring parent’s nightmares into a walking, talking reality is that they are organised by young and impressionable people without a care for any sort of rules.
Last Saturday’s All Star party was different however, as rules were strictly enforced.
Instead of the bring-your-own-bottle spirit that characterises most vuzu parties, things were different at this party. Fully stocked bars where the finest whiskeys stood neatly next to each other were in full view, with bartenders armed with Colgate smiles ready to serve whoever was ready to meet the steep price of drinks on the night.
Those who fancied meat or beer were required to purchase coupons, a far cry from previous years when cash on hand was the preferred mode of transaction.
Instead of a few novices scratching about on the decks, the DJs that played at this year’s event were mostly the cream of the city’s crop, with DJs Kananjo, Tick Tock and Dakudu plucking hits from the wheels of steel to thrill the mostly teenage crowd.
This year’s event was, however, not totally devoid of the spirit of spontaneous fun that has characterised previous parties. With the cut off time being midnight, many danced the few hours they had before the gig shut down.
The heavens were also kind enough to allow party goers the opportunity to dance the portion of the night away without pounding them with the heavy downpours that have characterised Bulawayo in the last few weeks.
The orderly fashion that the party was held was perhaps a reminder that the organisers of the annual event had grown not only in age, but in mind as well. As the years tick, their motivations for holding the gig have also changed, and rather than spontaneous fun, their lives now demand organisation and order.
Perhaps the biggest turn off of the night was the $10 cover charge, which in these economically tough times was beyond the wallets and purses of the youthful crowd that the gig tries to attract. At the beginning, anger at the charge led to small parties around cars outside the venue, with the sparks of excitement that these impromptu celebrations ignited keeping party-goers warm enough during a chilly night.
In the end, sanity prevailed and the young revellers got in for $5. When all was said and done, as cars loaded up and turned their headlights to town where they spilled their party-crazed cargo at various clubs and nightspots, the organisers reflected on what was another successful but different night.
For them it marked another step on a journey that has given them ample reward. The people party started as a combined birthday celebration between, three friends Adrian “Tedashii” Ncube, Leeroy “Roy” Mufudzi and Prosper Ndebele. The three sat down and hatched a plan to make their birthday epic and the talk of the town.
“At that time I was turning 23, Roy 22 and Prosper 21. So we sat down and decided to hold a party to celebrate our birthdays which fall in the same month,” said Ncube.
From such humble beginnings Bulawayo’s biggest vuzu party was born.
