Pan Africanist artist Simphiwe Dana will enthrall crowds at the Baxter

IF THE Durban leg of her delightful concert over a week ago is anything to go by, loyal fans of music sensation Simphiwe Dana are in for a magical time at the Baxter this weekend.

- SANDILE NGIDI

On Friday and Saturday, Dana is in Cape Town to round up her three-city 20th anniversary as a professional musician, her debut album, Zandisile took South Africa by storm in 2004 and gave us some of the most loved and enduring songs ever to come from this land recently.

From the time the lights hit the expansive stage of the Opera, the 1224-seater at the Playhouse, Dana made a grand entrance with her anthemic Nkwenkwezi. As fans whistled, ululated, and went absolutely crazy, it was evident the Pan Africanist diva and her forces were in for epic vocal and spiritual libations of joyous music and dazzling lights.

Despite a disappointingly average turnout, Dana and her 24-member band led by Tshepo Tsotetsi stuck to the mandate and turned the night into an unforgettable and intimate celebration I would not have wanted to miss for the world. Special guests, Clermont township choir, Red Light Choir added a perfect choral flavour to the evening.

"I am here to thank the people for supporting me all these years," she said a few hours before the show.