Latty, a well-known figure in Gaborone’s nightlife community, has ignited a fresh debate about the sustainability of the city’s live entertainment scene after posting a blunt critique of the popular venue Deja Vu.
In a candid video, he argued that Deja Vu’s business model, which he says features an international artist every Thursday and does not charge gate takings, has drawn audiences away from other clubs and promoters and made it nearly impossible for events that rely on ticket sales to survive. As Latty puts it, “Deja Vu has an international artist every single week on Thursday. And they don’t charge gate takings.” He goes on to explain the financial logic behind his concern, noting that when a venue offers high profile acts with no entrance fee and instead requires bottle purchases, patrons naturally gravitate there and smaller promoters lose the gate revenue that once supported artists, DJs and event organizers.
Latty questions how Deja Vu covers operating costs while keeping entry effectively free and asks for transparency from the venue owner, saying he wants the owner to share the blueprint for how the business makes money because the numbers do not add up to him. His comments tap into a wider tension in growing nightlife markets where a single successful venue can reshape audience habits and revenue flows, leaving independent promoters and local talent scrambling to adapt. The issue raises practical questions about how revenue is shared across the scene, whether bottle minimums and bar margins can replace gate takings for sustaining local acts and what role sponsorships or private bookings might play in subsidizing headline talent.
Latty promised a follow up and invited viewers to ask for more detail in the comments, signaling that this conversation is likely to continue as stakeholders weigh the costs and benefits of Deja Vu’s approach and consider what measures might help preserve a diverse and viable live music ecosystem in Gaborone.
