Tickets sold out for Ladysmith Black Mambazo performance at SMU; waiting list will be available

WINONA, Minn. — At this time there are no tickets available for the Page Series Ladysmith Black Mambazo performance Tuesday, Feb. 11, in Saint Mary’s University’s Page Theatre.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Some tickets will become available at the door the night of the performance. A waiting list will begin at 6:30 p.m. the night of the show. Tickets are $27 for adults, $24 for seniors and students.

Nominated 17 times for the Grammy awards, the South African a cappella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo celebrates more than 50 years of joyous and uplifting music that marries the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions to the sounds and sentiments of Christian gospel music.

Assembled in the early 1960s in South Africa by founder Joseph Shabalala, the group took the name Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Ladysmith being the name of Shabalala’s rural hometown; Black being a reference to oxen, the strongest of all farm animals; and Mambazo being the Zulu word for axe, a symbol of the group’s ability to “chop down” any singing rival who might challenge them. Paul Simon visited South Africa in the 1980s and incorporated Black Mambazo’s rich tenor/alto/bass harmonies into his Graceland album.

The ensemble just released an album “Always With Us” on Jan. 15.

As part of the evening concert they will play tribute to the late South African leader Nelson Mandela.

After-show reception

The SMU Solidarity Committee will host an after-show reception in the lobby of the Performance Center as part of the SMU Multi-Cultural Week celebrations. Light refreshments will be available.