WITH a relaxation of health regulations introduced recently, more Namibians are testing the waters to return to some measure of normality.
Celebrated artist Big Ben is taking full advantage of the later curfew and bigger crowd limits to stage a concert, with supporting acts Slickartie and Ethnix.
The event will take place at Palm Tree Park in Windhoek, a spot that was known for its live shows before the arrival of Covid-19.
Speaking to Unwrap Online, Big Ben said hosting the show under Covid-19 regulations would be a challenge but the team is excited about the opportunity, which gives them hope for the future.
“People are thirsty for entertainment for sure, and the entertainers are hungry as they have not been making any money for over a year and a half. The production team has been briefed on all the regulations and we will have volunteers in the crowd doing social distance policing and making sure that everybody has a mask on,” said Big Ben, stressing that he has faith that the crowd will be well behaved.
“We all know that if we breach the rules, our event can be ruined for both the paying crowd and the entertainers. It is in our best interest to adhere to the rules. The tickets are extremely limited too in order to stick to the prescribed numbers,” he said.
On whether this is the start of more shows to come, Big Ben said it was hard to predict because even if there are bookings for shows, the rules change abruptly, making it difficult to make promises to fans.
“Let us rather wait and see but I can promise you that Big Ben is a self-starter and shows will happen if and when regulations allow.
“Fans can expect good old folks’ music. New and old songs from Big Ben, Ethnix and Slickartie. People miss the good old times and so we will give them just what they come for. Most importantly, it will be live music with musicians playing their instruments and live vocals,” he said.
Big Ben added that Namibia still has a considerable way to go to access affordable online stream monetisation technologies and pay gates, which makes it difficult for artists to provide access to fans who would rather watch the show from home.
– unwrap.online
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