MSAKI was quite disrespectful actually, the stunt she pulled at Grahamstown National Arts Festival 2017 (NAF2017) was highly not appreciated – rude! Home gurl legit stepped in bare feet, clad in a bleach treated, distressed, ripped and deconstructed jumper layered with an outsized anarok hoodie situation in a burnt sunset orange completed with a black bowler hat. The whole ensemble set me off, I was triggered, I was shook.
From the first moment she delicately yet forcefully strung the first chord of her guitar, our edge control lost control to the progressive energy that was vibrated across the room and beyond. She then opened her chords to the microphone. It was then I knew that it was game over for our wigs – snatched – gone – the end. Cute was out the door. The spirits within us were unsettled, the physical-self lost to the spiritual-being all because of the music.
Platinumb Heart is a protest album in progress that was presented by Msaki featuring poet Modise Sekgothe.
There was a young white lady with black braided hair amongst the crowd who completely got snatched by the holy spirit half way through the concert. She was up on her feet chanting and vibrating away, it was a pure powerful sight, a spectacle.
I enjoyed most parts of the performance with my eyes closed, transported to unknown territory of sheer pleasure, euphoric sensation. Accross lush and nurturing valleys and peaks. At the end of her performance she was apologetic and said “… it was a work in progress”. Only a gifted perfectionist can see it fit to utter those words after she and her band her band The Golden Circle just did the ultimate most.
Msaki & co. you were sensationally flawless, world class. Thank you for being you and the art. You woke something within me that night.
Smaki’s show was one of the trippiest performances I witnessed at this year’s Grahamstown National Art Festival line up. Up there on my top performances I saw this year at NAF 2017. Next to The Soil’s sensational homecoming performance and the sense-igniting performance by Zenzi Makeba-Lee and Afrika Nkhize.
MSAKI’s show was titled MSAKI AND THE GOLDEN CIRCLE IN PLATINUMB HEART A protest album in progress. Platinumb Heart is a protest album in progress that was presented by Msaki featuring poet Modise Sekgothe. Neo Muyanga with his ongoing exploration of protest music was a natural guide for this work in progress. Perhaps the most important aspect of this project is its attempts to go to cities of recent collective trauma and build a musical monument. #forthestatueswithin #forthestatuesoutside
Msaki & co. you were sensationally flawless, world class. Thank you for being you and the art. You woke something within me that night.
Watch a clip from the show here: https://youtu.be/l1LTXSYvFc4 on According To Jerri YouTube Channel. Subscribe to the channel so you never miss a thing!
