VIDEOS: CMDA teens provide feel-good entertainment

The teens of the Casterbridge Music Development Agency (CMDA) had great fun performing for a crowd of locals at the Cargo Lounge in KaBokweni on Mandela Day.

The Buzz, Township Roots and Zebra Xing, as well as gumboot dance group, Vernac Boots and a street-dance crew got the chance to show off their talents.

The CMDA youth bands will become a regular fixture at the entertainment venue on Thursday evenings. Mpumi Masilela, event organiser of Cargo Lounge, says they give locals the chance to showcase their talents.

Poets, rappers, singers and bands share the stage. Cargo Lounge is trying to change the cultural environment and show people that they don’t need to go into town to be entertained.

Jo Poole of the CMDA says this exposure is very good for the performers as they gain confidence and their performance level improves.

The evening was a great success as the crowd loved the gumboots dancers and even threw money in a hat for them. The bands also quickly had the audience on their feet and dancing with covers of hit songs. These hits included Prime circle’s She always gets what she wants, Beyonce’s Halo, Freshly Ground’s Doo be doo and Brenda Fassi’s Weekend Special.

The bands’ members are between the ages of 12 and 18 and surprised the audience with their professional performances. They are all members of the CMDA’s music hubs, where they are coached on keyboards, drums, guitars and vocals by senior CMDA members and specific instrumental coaches.

When members have grown proficient in their chosen instrument, they are placed in bands. Currently the Zwelisha Hub has three bands – the Buzz, Township Roots and the Sunshine Band.

Pool says even though there is much work yet to be done, the bands are blossoming and improve with each live performance. The CMDA can be contacted to book these bands for events.

View the videos here:

Township Roots performs at Casterbridge

The members of Township Roots had great fun performing at Cargo Lounge. The crowd loved their music and danced along to their covers of well-known songs.

The Buzz

The Buzz, one of CMDA’s Zwelisha Hub bands, performed a few instrumental songs and covers of well-known Rock and Pop songs.

Zebra Xing

The four lead singers of Zebra Xing, a CMDA youth band from Kabokweni, jived to the music and entertained the crowd with favourites like Beyonce’s Halo and Brenda Fassi’s Weekend Special.