Trompies performing at SAMA There is an urban hippie attack on all things kasi (township) at the moment. The so-called “global village” phenomenon is eroding the norms, redefining cool and rendering the voices of the “hood” obsolete.
Being fully fluent in tsotsi-taal is no longer a sign of street wisdom and conjuring up new slang terms won’t earn you the adulation it once commanded. Language is a critical component for cultural identities to thrive, and the move from the myriad of tongues to be found in Soweto to, for example, English is problematic.
African names get anglicised – for example, somebody called Lundi would be referred to as “Lu”, Sandisiwe will be called, “Sandy” and Nikiwe will be “Nicky”. Which isn’t right.
So last Friday, those who mourn the dearth of linguistic, musical and dance expression answered the call to go and watch kwaito group Trompies and solo artist Thebe at the Market Theatre. The audience was a mix of folks who were in their teens when Trompies enjoyed their heyday, as well as the current 21-25 demographic who feel that their experiences are not being articulated by the latest crop of musicians.
“Looking pantsula fresh in their Converse All Stars, Dickies pants and mesmerised shirts, Trompies rolled back the years…”
With a repertoire like Trompies’s, it was obvious that most of their old fans would be on their feet for the duration of the set at the Main Theatre. The group could have literally put any of their songs in a hat, picked one and performed it to wild acclaim.
They started off with Sweety Lavo, a tale of love and dedication to good times. Its melodic leaning was suitable for the restrained, dignified choir-like dance moves from the audience. They sang along as the voices of the quartet on stage took the lead.
Looking pantsula fresh in their Converse All Stars, Dickies pants and mesmerised shirts, Trompies rolled back the years, even though their limbs were not as nimble as in the old days.
Jairus “Jakarumba” Khuse stood out, showing how he is a true “pantsula for life” with moves that could put any young pretender in his place.
The audience really took to the group’s earlier material, like Sigiya Ngengoma, Madibuseng, and Fohloza. And the venue exploded when the group performed one of their biggest hits, Magasman. People vacated their seating, seeking the aisles to express themselves fully. It was as if people’s prayers were being answered; as if they had found shelter; or perhaps discovered a cultural heaven where they could be free. Trompies concluded their set early, prompting an unrequited encore.
Thebe took over proceedings almost immediately, but the stage looked a bit lonely after the departure of Trompies. However, all that was soon forgotten as Thebe too was a key player when kwaito ruled the roost. He also relied on earlier material.
He took the crowd through favourites like Lenyora, Bulaboot, Philly, Ugezi and Ungawa Kum. Though minimal, his dance moves proved entertaining, although his set was also too short resulting in another encore call, which also went unheeded.
- Article Originally Published by The Citizen
