- Ladysmith Black Mambazo opened their South African tour at the Durban Playhouse, where crowds packed the venue on Saturday and Sunday for the 65th anniversary shows.
- Sibongiseni Shabalala leads Ladysmith Black Mambazo as children and older fans dance, sing and join the group on stage during the Durban Playhouse concerts.
Fans of all ages crowd the Durban Playhouse for two nights of music, dancing and joy as Ladysmith Black Mambazo celebrate 65 years on stage.
People filled the venue on Saturday and returned on Sunday for another sold-out show. Kids as young as 10 jumped onto the stage to copy the group’s famous isicathamiya dance steps.
Older fans sang along to classics like Homeless, Imbube and Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. Some stood in the aisles. Others swayed from their seats. No one wanted the night to end.
The group, now led by Sibongiseni Shabalala, the son of founder Joseph Shabalala, continue their anniversary tour across South Africa. Their music stretches back to the early 1960s, when they first formed in Ladysmith before rising to global fame.
They worked with stars such as Paul Simon on his Graceland album and later performed with artists including Dolly Parton. Their first Grammy Award came in 1988 for Shaka Zulu. They added four more for Raise Your Spirit Higher in 2004, Ilembe: Honouring Shaka Zulu in 2009, Singing for Peace Around the World in 2013, and Shaka Zulu Revisited in 2017.
With 19 Grammy nominations, they hold the record for the most nominations of any World Music group.
Their South African tour follows a successful run in the United States earlier this year. They head to the Opera Theatre in Pretoria for shows on 29 and 30 November. Tickets range from R250 to R450 through Webtickets.
On Sunday night in Durban, their music pulled generations together once again.
Pictured above: Young and old celebrated the 65th anniversary of Grammy-winning isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo at the Durban Playhouse
Image source: Ladysmith Black Mambazo/Screenshot
