Stage invasion

I went to see Ladysmith Black Mambazo last night. They were wonderful, a beautiful blend of sound that starts in the chest and ends up in the head and makes you think that everything will be alright.

I cynically thought their might be some sort of South African LMB franchise system, but no, it was the original guy who worked with Paul Simon twenty-four years ago and founded the group forty-eight years ago. That's a long career!

At the interval (chocolate cornetto, mmm) the friends I was with said that if they called people onto the stage they would definitely go. There's no way they'll call people onto the stage, I thought. I was more dreading the bit in gigs when the band get the audience to sing. It usually starts with them announcing that it's "your turn now!" No it's not, I think. We're paying you. I get to listen, you get to play.

Sure enough, after the interval LMB made us sing in a 'competition' with their choir. 'You won', one of them said. 'That's not fair', another said, 'they have women'. 'Well maybe we should have some of their women come and join us?'

Bad mistake.

Two of my friends jumped up like they'd had an electric shock and started running towards the stage. From the very last row in the stalls. Running, and waving their arms in the air. (In the post incident debrief they were not able to explain adequately why they were waving their arms.) LMB remained frozen on stage as two tall Australian women bore down on them and lept up alongside. It must have been terrifying.

It became obvious that LMB had only intented the statement as a hypothetical 'what-if?' and never expected anyone to see it as an actual invitation. After a whispered word in their ear from one of Africa's most famous musical heros they made their way back to their seats, simultaneously deflated and triumphant.