Despite the June coolness, over 200 music lovers gathered at the British Council on Saturday night for the Sofar Sounds Harare concert. They unrolled picnic blankets, carried bin bags and snuggled around buzzing gas heaters. The pop-up event, organized in collaboration with the British Council and the Embassy of Switzerland, followed Sofar’s signature format: subscribers were given the location 36 hours before showtime, and the lineup was kept secret until the first chord.
Curator Khumbulani Muleya, who has managed Sofar Harare since 2023, described the garden date as “our coziest yet” and promised a Bulawayo chapter “before the year is out,” which garnered an audible applause. Muleya credits Sofar’s rising local popularity to “a hunger for small, listening room spaces” in a place where massive commercial festivals are the norm. His assumption proved correct: within minutes of the final encore, ticket requests for the next event were flooding the social circles.
Chioniso Tsikisayi opened the evening with a blend of afro-fusion and reggae, featuring rangy alto and mbira chords. The Bulawayo multidisciplinary artist recently received the 2023 Bulawayo Arts Award for Outstanding Poet and premiered her short film Bureau de Change. Her lyrical concert, equal parts prayer and protest, established an introspective tone that lasted throughout the night.
Danai Clay followed with songs followed by spoken word compositions that used iconography and roots cadences. Clay, a singer known for tunes such as Blessings on Blessings, is an unashamed “work in progress,” and the crowd rewarded her vulnerability with the night’s biggest applause.
Raven Duchess, known as “the songbird of Zimbabwe,” impressed the crowd with her energetic jazz and folk music. Raven, a mental health advocate who has taught female musicians through Music In Africa’s Musicable project, combined traditional Shona vocal phrasing with brushed drum swing.
After a ten-minute intermission, the stage opened for Gog’ Bekezela,born Bothwell Nkomo, whose breakout single Bekezela (“Patience”) won Bulawayo’s Song of the Year in 2018. The SA based crooner performed originals from his sophomore album Asiwine alongside classic Zimbabwean versions by Mateo and Oliver Mtukudzi.
Josh Meck, a bassist and composer who is a Sofar alumni wrapped up the event with a merry vibe. Meck is a self-taught prodigy who began performing in Chitungwiza churches at age five, and has toured globally with the Southern African super group Mahube. His 2024 album Nhaka Yemusha recently won Best Jazz Album at the Zimbabwe Music Awards.
True to Sofar fashion, the production was purposely low-key, with a knee-high riser, fairy light strands, and a decibel level that allowed the crackle of kerosene lamps to be heard between songs. However, minimalism increased viewer attentiveness. “I’ve never heard Harare this suttle,” said master of ceremonies Michar, before asking the audience to “clap with your hearts if your hands are frozen.
Food and beverage vendors lined one side of the lawn. For those who forgot their camp chairs, the British Council personnel brought out extra seating, which many attendees praised the host site for, on their way out. Attendees expressed their appreciation for Sofar nights, which feel more like a backyard jam.
Sofar Sounds (short for “Songs From a Room”) was founded in London in 2009 and now has programs in over 400 cities. In Harare, the franchise debuted in 2023 and has since presented pop-up performances in private houses, bookshops, and even a 6-star recording studio, always staying under the radar until the last minute. The strategy exposes developing acts to attentive audiences while allowing seasoned artists to try new material without the pressure of an arena.
Saturday’s engagement with the Swiss Embassy and the British Council demonstrates a growing diplomatic thirst for cultural diplomacy via grassroots music.
As the last sounds of Meck’s thumb-slapped bass faded, Muleya took the mic one last time. “Tonight proves we don’t need pyrotechnics, just brave artists and open ears,” he remarked, confirming that Sofar Bulawayo would be released “within months.” According to the line at the entrance and post-show conversation about carpooling to the City of Kings, the mysterious concert already has a waiting list.
For Harare music fans thirsty for small-room enchantment, Saturday night felt more like the start of a winter residency, one where a gas heater, a borrowed blanket, a hidden address, and a generous donation are the only tickets required.