Bataung Moeketsi
EXPECTATIONS are high tonight after the Facebook broadcast of the debut edition of The Love Letter show last Sunday.
The show, which was streamed on the Mosotho oa Lesotho page from 7 to 10pm, was shot from an undisclosed location. The second edition is on today from 5pm to midnight.
Online shows have become a hit, especially in developed countries where both entertainers and consumers of their content are trying to deal with the boredom inflicted by the Coronavirus induced lockdowns.
Like several other countries across the world, Lesotho has been on lockdown since last month. Lesotho is in a peculiar situation since it has not recorded any cases of the virus. However, the country remains in a precarious situation since it is completely surrounded by the neighbouring South Africa which has recorded nearly 4 000 cases and 75 deaths.
Lesotho went into the lockdown allowing only essential services to continue working since 30 March 2020.
Clubs and restaurants, which are non-essential have thus been closed, limiting recreational activities to indoors.
And to move with the trends, AfroDJ, PabloDJ, Nine24, Toxique, Let’s Chill and Thizozo streamed their show much to the amusement of their followers.
Bigger numbers expected tonight. Jeremiah Skaftin Lebea will host while DJs Thizozo, , Nelo, TenOver10, Kopper Alotsi, Gama, Veenushka, Trybs and Ebonics will be on the turntables while saxophonist Marcx Brass and rapper Unkle Krack will take to the stage.
In the first instalment, DJ Trybs introduced each act and kept the party alive as the show host.
Jams Session Sounds provided stage, sound, DJ equipment and lighting for the concert while Nkopane Mojakisane and Thepa Moiloa shot the footage.
Viewers are still raving about the performances and the entire production.
Tichere Pule Fleet Services was the event’s main sponsor while Jam Session Sounds provided stage, sound and lighting for the concert.
Nkoanyane provided animation and graphic design services, Mosotho oa Lesotho was the executive producer of the show and Thabo Thizozo Tau handled the sound engineering.
One of the organisers, Bokang Khoarai told the Xpress People that although the show was inspired by mere boredom, the failed attempt at pulling a similar show on Lesotho’s national broadcaster was a factor.
“The show was inspired by boredom mostly as we realised that we were all just sitting around with the skills and needed to pull it off and all the equipment required was at our disposal,” Khoarai said.
“It also came from us learning that there had been an attempt to execute a similar idea with our national broadcaster but it failed at the last minute. Therefore, we thought this would be a good lesson to those involved in the failed Lesotho Television (LTV) broadcast. The lesson here is that the young people, the future of this nation, must not seek permission to do great things.”
Last week’s broadcast attracted 3 500 viewers from over 10 countries and the numbers continue to rise since the video is still available online. Viewers have been raving about the performances and the “impressive overall production”.
Thizozo told this publication that he had been streaming his own performances on his page prior to The Love Letter and that the move has garnered positive feedback.
He however, said the disadvantage of performing online was the difficulty of gauging the audience’s reactions.
“In a club you get immediate feedback from the crowd. You will know if the audience is happy or not and you react accordingly,” Thizozo said.
Let’s Chill said he was excited having anticipated such a gig for a long time.
He said although their show was a success, more could have watched if they afforded data.