‘People Must Experience Emotions Behind Each Song’ – Big Ben

Hooray! It’s that time of the year again: Big Ben will stage his ‘Big Ben Live in Concert’ show at Zoo Park in Windhoek tomorrow.

Born Venaune Ben Kandukira at Omutiuanduko, a village in the Erongo region, the musician spent most of his youth at Swakopmund, where he attended Swakopmund Secondary School and sang in the school choir and the Soli deo Gloria choir. The guitar-strumming singer, songwriter and composer had his introduction to the mainstream Namibian music scene playing the keyboard with a band called Splendid in Katutura.

He eventually decided to go solo because of professional differences.

“I wanted us to do more serious stuff, but my colleagues seemed to have been captured by playing cover versions. I decided to leave, because for me music was about more than just playing other people’s songs,” Big Ben says.

“That was the best career decision I’ve ever made, because I completely came out of my cocoon and started putting my creative mind in motion by composing my own songs.”

With the ‘Okinikini’ hitmaker promising fireworks tomorrow, patrons can gear up for a real humdinger of a show.

“This is my first live concert of the year and I can assure you it’s going to be an electrifying night. My band members also promised fireworks from their part. Every member of the band is a master in his own way,” he says.

“I used to have my show at the beginning of the year, but with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, everything in the world has been abnormal. We now had to readjust our usual way of doing things to the new world order.”

The award-winning star says he will be accompanied by his full band – people he has been playing with for the past 15 to 20 years.

THE LAST BAND

The Last Band consists of Kali Kasinda (on keyboard), Pierre Ntsika (on bass), Sam Batoli (on guitar) and Pio Paulus (on drums).

“We will perform over 30 songs from our rich catalogue. That should be enough to take us through two hours. My band consists of some of the most-sought-after instrumentalists in the country and they really know how to put on an outstanding show,” he says.

“While it’s going to be a night of celebration, I will also perform songs I’ve dedicated to our fallen heroes, like former president Hage Geingob, who was the first sitting Namibian president to pass on, while I also have a dedication to my brother and musician Ras Sheehama.”

The song dedicated to Geingob is titled ‘Leader of the Brave’, while the one he penned for Sheehama is known as ‘Let it Go’.

Big Ben’s other Afropop and Afrobeat hits include ‘Kaira’, ‘Matupondoo’, ‘Mbinyanda Ondenga’, ‘Moro Moro’, ‘Ndjiisira’ and ‘Numbu Numbu’.

He says tomorrow’s concert coincides with Zimbabwe’s Independence Day and that it would also celebrate the day in solidarity with Zimbabwean expatriates in Namibia.

‘ALL ABOUT MY FANS’

The 2015 best artist of the year at the Namibian Annual Music Awards says he wants people to feel the same emotions he felt when he wrote the songs.

“Most of my songs are happy, but I won’t be a worthy musician if I didn’t sing about what my people are also going through in their daily lives. I have to sing about our struggles, which are the real stories people are talking about. One has to be relevant,” Big Ben says.

“If I only write songs about my own experiences it will be like I am singing to myself, because people cannot relate to them. With this show it is all about my fans. I want them to go through the same emotions that I experienced while writing the songs.”

Like many other artists before him, Big Ben believes Namibia has enough artists with the talent to stand their ground against those of other countries.

“The talent is there, but our musicians lack a little discipline-wise. There is not a lot of emphasis on rehearsal to sharpen their craft. Also, they have to sacrifice by travelling around the country and to entertain the masses at the other towns,” he says.

“Some of our artists only love performing in their comfort zone. The people who played music before used to tour the country playing in night clubs and community halls. That tradition is currently dying out slowly, because our artists only wait for the big occasions to play.”

Big Ben, who has also been performing in the United Kingdom and the United States for the last three years, says people are afraid to be on stage outside Windhoek.

“Get into the car and travel to our neighbouring countries. The Brenda Fassies, Lazarus Kgagudis, Dan Tshanda and Splash, Patricia Majalisas, Yvonne Chaka Chakas and the Jonathan Butlers used to tour Namibia, and today they have left lasting legacies in our country. Why can’t we do the same by touring to South Africa?” he asks.

His advice to upcoming artists is to give their music love and attention.

“Be smart and always be on the move, promoting and making yourself visible with your presence. It’s not easy because of the lack of funds, but it’s very rewarding in the end.”

The opening act of tomorrow’s concert is none other than neo-pop and indie pop due The Ells.

The concert will also be graced by two upcoming DJs, DJ Kiki and DJ Ambizzy.

The gates to the venue will open at 16h00, while the show is scheduled to start at 19h00 and the evening’s entertainment will last until midnight.

Tickets are available via Webtickets at Model stores for N$150, N$200 and N$300.

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