BIG GAME, BIG SHOWS! The Norton Times While the Premier Soccer League clash between MWOS and Scottland is occupying the most spaces in sports and entertainment social media platforms, several popular musicians have found themselves in subplots that has the potential for diverse interpretations and misinterpretations. One of the biggest Zimdancehall artistes in Zimbabwe, Freeman HKD has a show in Norton, scheduled for the evening of Saturday 31 May 2025. The “Dancehall Doctor” is scheduled to headline a show at Pakare Paye Arts Centre, featuring, among other A-Listers, Delroy Shewe and Fidel Country Boy. Ordinarily, that would be a sure full house. Or maybe it will be. Only that there is an equally high-profile gig, a walk or mushikashika away, on the same day. And unlike the Pakare Paye show, this one is free-for-all. As is now customary, PSL giants MWOS’s partners, Al Jazeera Bar & Restaurant, will host an after-party to celebrate their victory over Scottland. Actually, they will have a party, no matter the result. And it’s a huge one, featuring show queen Nisha Ts, Makafanana hitmaker Chipo Muchegwa and Pakare Paye product Mbeu. And it gets even trickier. Norton’s flagship club act, Chillpill Family, is advertised for both shows! Out there, there is a feeling that Freeman HKD should have moved his show to the following weekend, as it seems he will be the one to suffer from this “Clash of the Gigs”. Mainly because, as mentioned earlier, his show is pay-per-entry, while the MWOS FC afterparty is free. And expecting a postponement of the afterparty would be like expecting, as they say, a Premier League championship victory parade in the red side of London. On the other hand, Scottland faithful may find the Pakare Paye show a better attend than their rivals’ Al Jazeera afterparty. That will the most probable prayer of Music to the World clan boss Elder Gadzo and energetic performer Fidel Country Boy, who both usually bring the house down at Sam Mtukudzi Conference Centre. Across town, Muchegwa, who is on record pleading for more hometown shows, gets one: at the scene of a recent sad incident in which she lost several gadgets to thieves. A question, among many, revolves around business mogul Tinashe Mutarisi, popular in entertainment circles for the NASHtv initiative which saved many a musician well during the showless COVID-19 lockdowns era. Mutarisi is a known industry ally of Freeman HKD. He is also the one who brought Nisha Ts to bigtime showbiz. How then is it that the two artistes so dear to him find themselves in “rival” shows on Saturday 31 May 2025? Which one will he devote more view minutes to? Then there is Mbeu. And his former manager Eugene Museredza. Could their convergence at this afterparty signal a thawing of relations after that split of yesteryear? Especially coming soon after the Mhodzi Tribe released a MWOS song? There has been speculation that after that disengagement, a simmering rivalry ensued, especially after Museredza took over management of another Pakare Paye product, Sarungano. To many, Mbeu and Sarungano are worthy of being “rivalried”, by their fans, the same way as Jah Prayzah and Winky D are, by their fans. Ordinarily, Museredza would be expected to lean towards the Pakare Paye show, but chances of bumping into him at the Al Jazeera afterparty are higher. He is now one of the top officials at the PSL side, and in charge of their brass band! Surely, the afterparty will do with some brass, or top brass. Lastly, there is the case of Chillpill Family, made up of likeable duo Bishop Mockery on the turntables and MC Mighty Killi. They are probably Norton’s best-loved and followed stage act. A dilemma for some of their fans will be “where to enjoy them”, come Saturday night? Whatever happens, may everyone enjoy themselves, at the game and at both shows.