Reggae Roadblock will merge live reggae performances with a fashion showcase at the British Council Gardens on 30 August, marking a new direction for the monthly entertainment platform as it pushes to widen Zimbabwe’s reggae audience.
The August edition will see fashion designers paired individually with performing artists, dressing each one ahead of a ten-garment collection showcase that organisers say creates a direct link between the two creative disciplines for the first time on the platform.
Reggae Roadblock coordinator Chido Musasiwa said the concept began in August last year as a series of live reggae shows rotating across different venues, bringing together established and emerging performers for a monthly gathering built around music and collaboration.
She said teaming up with the British Council gives the movement access to a setting and crowd it does not typically reach.
“We are super excited about working with the British Council because it is opening up the reggae movement to a different context and sphere than what we usually have,” Musasiwa said.
She added that organisers are pushing artists to perform in venues that draw crowds beyond their usual base, pointing to a July collaboration with Cafe Momos as an example of the approach paying off.
“It is very easy to keep performing to your regular clientele, but when you are partnering with the likes of the British Council and Cafe Momos, like we did in July, it exposes you to another audience that you are not usually performing to,” she said.
Beyond its monthly shows, Reggae Roadblock also takes on private and corporate bookings, covering club performances, birthday celebrations and corporate functions.
Ten resident artists currently anchor the platform, each running their own bands and solo careers outside the collective. They converge once a month under the Reggae Roadblock name, drawing their individual fan bases into a single audience.
The 30 August bill includes Prime Minister, Fuzzy L, Buhle, Empress Helga, Junior Bantan, Mannex Motsi, Dino Mudondo, African Shumba and Jahs Word, with DJ Muffin holding down the decks. Organisers say a surprise guest will also be revealed on the day, a device the platform uses to keep each edition unpredictable.
Musasiwa said the platform has also begun inviting artists from outside reggae to perform reggae sets, a move she described as adding fresh texture to the monthly lineups.
The show runs from 2pm to 6pm, with entry set at five US dollars and tickets sold at the gate from 1pm. Food will be available for purchase and the venue will run a cash bar. Because the event takes place on British Council premises, attendees must carry valid identification to gain entry.
Musasiwa is calling on reggae fans, live music followers and fashion enthusiasts alike to turn up for what she frames as a genre-crossing afternoon.
“If you love reggae music, if you like live music, and if you like fashion, and if you like the fusion, then this is definitely the place for you to be,” she said.
Reggae Roadblock takes place on 30 August at the British Council Gardens in Harare, from 2pm to 6pm. Further details are available on 0787 908 574.
