Echoes of love and liberty
A night of poetry at Vinyls Music Cafe
Each poet brought their own unique style and lyrical prowess, delving into the themes of love and liberty.
Friday night, the Vinyls Music Cafe on Independence Avenue in Windhoek transformed into a vibrant cultural hub as it hosted the debut Vinyls Poetry Night. The intimate venue, known for its artistic ambiance adorned with classic cassettes and visual art, welcomed a full house for an evening dedicated to the spoken word and music.The event featured performances by seven poets and a musical interlude by Uejaa Kahirimana, a young and emerging talent. This marked Uejaa’s debut performance, where she captivated the audience with an original song titled 'Remember'.
The song is set to be part of an upcoming EP that she is currently working on.
Love and liberty
The poets who graced the stage included AB.Dul, Papi.Weebz, AHDoesIt, Bupe, Julio, Feroakea and Jemimah Ndebele. Each poet brought their own unique style and lyrical prowess, delving into the themes of love and liberty.
Jemimah Ndebele, who also curated the event, emphasised the importance of these themes.
“The themes of the event were love and liberty, and the pieces recited, as well as the visual art displayed on the stage painted by Edwina Bezuidenhout, were meant to explore these themes visually and emotively," she said.
Ndebele further explained that the Vinyls Poetry Night is part of Vinyls Music Cafe’s broader initiative to create spaces conducive to artistic expression and to diversify Namibia’s entertainment landscape. “The event is part of Vinyls’ plan to cultivate conducive spaces for poets and diversify Namibia’s entertainment landscape. It is the first of many more to come, with future events also exploring themes and giving people a safe space to be moved and immersed in art,” she added.
Exciting debut
The success of the event was evident as tickets sold out, with people eagerly pouring in to support the poets and immerse themselves in the art of spoken word. Tickets were pre-sold through Tambula for N$70 and were available at the door for N$100.
Attendees were deeply moved by the performances, with many reflecting on the powerful messages conveyed through poetry. Grace Cloete, one of the guests, shared her experience.
“The pieces pertaining to the themes of liberty led me to contemplate my ideals of freedom, and magically so.”
The visual art displayed on stage by Bezuidenhout, complemented the poetic performances by adding a visual dimension to the themes of love and liberty. The artwork provided a backdrop that enhanced the emotional and intellectual impact of the evening.
The combination of poetry, music and visual art created a rich, immersive experience for all attendees, promising a bright future for this new cultural initiative in Windhoek.
As the night drew to a close, the overwhelming sentiment was one of excitement for the next event, as Vinyls Music Cafe continues to cultivate a vibrant space for artistic expression and community engagement.