Square Cat Vinyl
1054 Virginia AvenueSeptember 30, 2026
All Ages
Tickets - $25 Advance/$30 Doors
Doors - 7 PM
Sweet Poison Victim - 8 PM
WITCH - 9:15 PM
WITCH Bio
A pioneering Zambian psychedelic act, W.I.T.C.H. (the name is an acronym, standing for We
Intend to Cause Havoc) were one of the defining acts of Zamrock, a fusion of Western rock and
rhythm & blues with traditional African sounds. They were among Zambia's most popular and
influential bands in the 1970s as a wave of psychedelic and hard rock gained an audience in
Africa. A landlocked nation in the South of Africa, Zambia was formerly Northern Rhodesia until
gaining its independence in 1964, and as Zambia established its own national identity, local
musicians began embracing the progressive influences of artists such as the Beatles, the Rolling
Stones, and Jimi Hendrix, as well as the forward-thinking soul and funk sounds of James Brown.
By the mid-'70s, Zambia was falling into political chaos as the nation's once-profitable mining
industry ran dry, and many Zamrock bands reflected this with a darker, more psychedelic-
influenced sound that suggested a familiarity with the likes of Deep Purple and Grand Funk
Railroad. W.I.T.C.H.'s 1972 debut, Introduction, was the first commercial album released by a
Zambian band, and they continued to deliver music until fading into dormancy in the mid-'80s. A
reissue campaign launched in 2011 brought the band to a new generation of listeners, and
W.I.T.C.H. reunited in 2014 and started touring again shortly thereafter. In 2023, they released
Zango, their first new album in almost 40 years. The original lineup of W.I.T.C.H. included vocalist
Emanyeo "Jagari" Chanda, guitarists Chris Mbewe and John Muma, bassist Gedeon Mulenga, and
drummer Boidi Sinkala, who were veterans of Zambian cover bands of the late '60s; Chanda
(whose nickname "Jagari" came from his fascination with Mick Jagger, one of his strongest
influences) had worked with the Red Balloons and the Boyfriends (the latter group would evolve
into another key Zamrock outfit, Peace), while most of the other members were members of
Kingston Market. In 1971, Chanda sang with Kingston Market at a school function, and he was
invited to join the group; they soon changed their name to the Mighty W.I.T.C.H., and then simply
W.I.T.C.H, using the acronym they'd coined as explanation. Fuelled by marijuana and Western
rock and soul, the group's debut album, Introduction, was released in 1972, and was among the
first commercially released LPs issued in Zambia. W.I.T.C.H.'s third album, 1975's Lazy Bones!!,
is generally regarded as their finest work; while they were hampered by the primitive recording
technology available in Africa, they developed a large following in Zambia and were playing
stadium-sized shows throughout the continent. After W.I.T.C.H. toured as an opening act for
Osibisa, the U.K.-based Afro-rock band, they began including more local influences on their next
album, Lukombo Vibes, but in 1977 the group began to splinter when Chanda left to return to
school and become a teacher. A reshuffled version of W.I.T.C.H. continued to record up until the
mid-'80s, going in a more disco-influenced direction with Patrick Mwondela, on albums like
1980's Movin' On and 1984's Kuomboka. Around the mid-'80s, however, the band ground to a halt.
In the 21st century, crate diggers interested in idiosyncratic rock sounds from around the world
rediscovered W.I.T.C.H., and the German reissue label Shadoks released new CD editions of
Introduction and Lazy Bones!! In 2011 the American label Now Again Records released We Intend
to Cause Havoc!, a comprehensive W.I.T.C.H. box set that featured their five studio albums plus
a bonus collection of single tracks and unreleased material. This sparked new interest in the
band, and by 2013, a Chanda-led W.I.T.C.H. with Mwondela, had regrouped and was touring
again. In 2023, W.I.T.C.H. released Zango, their first album of new material in almost 40 years. It
included contributions from fellow Zambian artists such as Sampa the Great . In June 2025, they
released Sogolo, their second album. ~Mark Deming, Rovi
Sweet Poison Victim
Trying to describe Sweet Poison Victim can be a bit difficult. Sure, there are some familiar elements in their music, from the plucky pop of West African High-Life to the rhythmic groove of Reggae and Cumbia to the impassioned wail of classic Soul and the hypnotic pulse of garage rock, but the final product is impossible to pigeonhole. Their influences are mutated, melted down and molded into something new and wonderful. Something that has to be seen and heard in order to be believed. But don’t waste your time trying to describe their sound. Just remember to dance. Named after booze, Sweet Poison Victim blends sounds from Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, the Caribbean, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil with Western Pop and Psychedelic Music. The result is a buzz like no other.
Wed, Sep 30, 2026 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Square Cat Vinyl
1054 Virginia Avenue
Square Cat Vinyl is a one of a kind record shop in the Fountain Square Cultural District in Indianapolis. The space is comprised of a record store, performance venue, and a bar serving beer, wine, and coffee drinks. Our mission is to be a music communal space for local and traveling musicians. We serve as a meeting ground for musicians of different types and ages along with music aficionados throughout the region.
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