JAZZ music fans were left high and dry on Saturday as the much- publicised Stay Alive Jazz Festival was a no-show.
According to placards posted around East London the festival, which was sponsored by Amathole District Municipality, Buffalo City Municipality and the Eastern Cape provincial government, was scheduled to start at noon at East London’s Jan Smuts Stadium.
The festival was meant to feature high profile musicians such as Letta Mbulu, Caiphus Semenya, Ringo Madlingozi and Siphokazi of Amacala fame.
But when fans arrived at the stadium they were faced with locked gates. Some said they believed that the wet weather might have played a role in the cancellation of the show. Others said they should have been told in advance about its cancellation.
A visibly unhappy Mufamadi Mkondi, who travelled from Durban for the festival, said he was completely disappointed.
Zola Hlola of Mdantsane said he could not find a ticket in shops in East London so he went to King William’s Town and bought a ticket at Shoprite. “When I arrived here (at the stadium), the gates were locked. I then went to the Orient Theatre because I thought the venue was changed since the weather was not good.”
But he said when he got to the Orient Theatre there was no show there, either.
“I feel I have been played for a fool by everybody involved in the show,” he said.
“I have wasted my time and money for nothing.”
According to placards posted around East London the festival, which was sponsored by Amathole District Municipality, Buffalo City Municipality and the Eastern Cape provincial government, was scheduled to start at noon at East London’s Jan Smuts Stadium.
The festival was meant to feature high profile musicians such as Letta Mbulu, Caiphus Semenya, Ringo Madlingozi and Siphokazi of Amacala fame.
But when fans arrived at the stadium they were faced with locked gates. Some said they believed that the wet weather might have played a role in the cancellation of the show. Others said they should have been told in advance about its cancellation.
A visibly unhappy Mufamadi Mkondi, who travelled from Durban for the festival, said he was completely disappointed.
Zola Hlola of Mdantsane said he could not find a ticket in shops in East London so he went to King William’s Town and bought a ticket at Shoprite. “When I arrived here (at the stadium), the gates were locked. I then went to the Orient Theatre because I thought the venue was changed since the weather was not good.”
But he said when he got to the Orient Theatre there was no show there, either.
“I feel I have been played for a fool by everybody involved in the show,” he said.
“I have wasted my time and money for nothing.”
For more information contact All About Jazz.
