According to Computicket:

Neil Diamond will be performing LIVE in South Africa for the very first time during April 2011. One of the most anticipated live music events ever seen on these shores, he will be performing four shows in the new stadiums built for the FIFA Soccer World Cup.

The dates are listed below:

Sat 02 Apr 11 8:00 PM
F N B Stadium, Johannesburg And Reef – Gauteng

Tue 05 Apr 11 8:00 PM
Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban – Kwazulu-Natal

Fri 08 Apr 11 8:00 PM
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth – Eastern Cape

Mon 11 Apr 11 8:00 PM
Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town – Western Cape

BOOKING ARE NOW OPEN!

Tickets are available through Computicket.

Related posts:

1. Confirmed: U2 Coming To South Africa
2. Seether In South Africa
3. Coldplay In South Africa

Dear Big Concerts,

Last year, we asked you to bring out Kings of Leon, but alas you ignored us. It’s okay – we forgive you. We understand our relationship has had its ups and downs, particularly when you cheated on us and brought Enrique out here instead. However, we’ve thought about this and feel we’ve come so far to end things abruptly, so we’ve decided you can make it up to us by bringing Avenged Sevenfold to South Africa.

We love you for bringing out 30 Seconds To Mars twice already, but we really, really, REALLY would love it if you brought out A7X in the near future. Seriously, the OC rockers have been cooking up quite a storm in the music world over the past few years and they’re selling out venues quicker than a Megan Fox/Kim Kardashian lesbian porno would.

Let’s look at the facts:

For all the guys, Avenged Sevenfold are guaranteed to bring a flood of quality boobs to the shows. They seem to attract only the hottest girls, who aren’t shy of whipping their surgically-enhanced melons out, to their gigs. Men who are in the company of pretty women are also likely to spend more money to impress them. Boobs + beer + male ego = empty wallet. It’s a formula which has served the music world well in the past and continues to do so today.

For the ladies, the dudes from the band are apparently cute in a bad boy sort of way (according to our groupies aka girlfriends), so you won’t be left out in terms of eye-candy. They also play some mean ballads, so you’re bound to shed a tear or two over the acoustic numbers and emotion-stirring solos.

In terms of commercial viability, the band just recently hit #1 on the Billboard charts with their latest release, Nightmare – so they’re definitely selling thousands of albums. Can you believe it? A legitimate rock band actually selling CDs! Wow, it’s like finding a barking shark – woof, woof, snap, snap!

Anyways, we think we’ve made our point pretty clear, so we’ll leave it to you to do what you do best – organising killer concerts.

Lots of love,

MusicReview

PS if you ever bring Justin Bieber to South Africa, it’s over.

If you want to see A7X in South Africa, drop a comment beneath this post.

Related posts:

1. Dear Big Concerts – Please Bring Incubus To South Africa
2. Dear Big Concerts – Please Bring Foo Fighters To South Africa
3. Which Bands Should Big Concerts Bring Out In 2012?

From undercover cops to angry underage visitors and rough bouncers, Seasons Wither 4 had already hit the headlines before we’d even woken up. On arrival, we were pretty blown away by the number of people already there, who were drunk and having a good time.  Once we had walked past the twenty-odd open car-boots blaring some form of metal, and handed in our press passes (although there was much confusion at the gate over which queue to stand in), we were in and ready to experience the event.

One of the most, albeit bizarrely, entertaining experiences of the event was the MMA punch-out.  Wow, those people were scary – certainly not the type to bump into in a dark alley – especially that guy who knocked out the 130kg+ fighter in 58 seconds.  Ouch!  Watching these guys fight each other, while sipping an ice cold – but expensive Peroni – felt almost surreal.  Sort of illegal.

So many people wearing black, a few break-ups, one crying lesbian, some heavy tunes drifting out of the nightclub’s entrance and loads of latex wearing hotties (much to the MusicReview editor’s delight) pretty much characterised an event which one really has to experience at least once a year.

In terms of the musical acts there, the event’s title of ‘Beauty and the Beasts’ pretty much sums up the music we saw and heard before us.  Some bands were exceptionally brilliant – one such band which really blew us away was Man as Machine.  Wow, where on earth did these guys come from?  Since then, the MusicReview office has pretty much had Man as Machine’s EP on repeat.  Did I say wow?  If anything, this event was worth attending just to see this band.

Hard rockers Knave came onto stage with a really nice surprise for the crowd – a brand new band member. Former Chromium guitarist/vocalist Matthew Engelbrecht was formally introduced as Knave’s second guitarist – pretty insane move and I’m sure Matt’s addition will take them to the next level. After everyone managed to process this initial shock, Knave got the moshpits going with their infectious hard-hitting rock. Absolutely top-notch!

Another notable act, which really got the crowd going, were the hooligans, commonly known as Fuzigish.  Their set was dirty (partly the fault of Facing the Gallows blowing half the system with their powerful set), but really got the crowd going.  In fact, they got the crowd rocking like no other.  Another band which really surprised us in their ability to get the crowd going was CrashCarBurn.  But honestly, we can’t see why.  A regurgitated Tweak with forced American accents, uninspiring songs and structure, and a weak medley of AC/DC, Metallica and Bon Jovi left us feeling so uninspired that we went out to get more drinks.

Speaking of drinks, one of the most common critiques of the night were prices.  We can’t remember much about exact prices, but we remember spending something like R19 a beer and R14 a coke.  Although this is expensive, people tend to make more of a scene about this than is necessary.  Clubs + Music + People = Expensive drinks.  Nothing has changed, it has always been that way. So save up and get over it.

Apart from the heavyweights on the main stage, we also managed to creep into Stage 3 & 4 from time-to-time (we’ll discuss the logistical problem of the 4 stages in the next paragraph). Even though local metallers Arise To Conquer played to what looked like a 3-man-moshpit at Stage 4, they absolutely nailed a jaw-dropping rendition of Sepultura’s ‘Roots Bloody Roots’. These guys packed quite a punch, and if they just developed a little more stage presence, they could go far in the metal scene. The craziest thing was that immediately after ATC finished their set, the audience just turned around and watched Fragmented Children on Stage 3. I actually felt bad for FC, because the sound levels were exceptionally terrible and I think a few people went home with ruptured eardrums because of the bass explosion, strangely reminiscent to a Citi Golf’s sound system outside of a Boksburg nightclub.

We tended to spend most of our time at Stage 1.  And there is a reason for this.  Trying to juggle 4 stages was an obscene concept – especially considering the amount of people at this event.  In fact, it was so packed, that if you got a nice space at Stage 1, it was in your best interests to stay there.  Stage 3 & 4 were particularly neglected by the Seasons Wither crowd.  Being an under-18 area, no bar was on offer.  In fact, no food or cool drink stands were there either.  Although, we were pretty amped to see bands on these stages, it just didn’t work out well.  Less stages next year, guys!  Too much of a good thing!

Another major talking point was the time change and short set of Afrikaans rap phenomenon Jack Parow. Parow only performed 3 songs and played much earlier than originally advertised, leaving many fans annoyed and actually causing people at the gate to turn around and go home. I do know that Parow performed in Cape Town on Saturday night as well, so perhaps he played an earlier set to catch a flight. Who knows? Everyone is still awaiting the official word from the organisers on this matter, as of the time of writing.

While this festival was marked with its difficulties, so is any festival, and this didn’t stop us from experiencing one of the best music events of the year.  It was an experience, not just a gig.  It was like homecoming for a day, something to lament about in the future.  In fact, Seasons Wither is such a good, fun and popular event, that we think it has outgrown its residence at Jet.  This year seemed to be the biggest turnout (can anyone confirm this?), and we can’t see this number doing anything but growing in the coming years.  Here’s to Bianca, Jean and Louie – see you next year!

- Bret Dugmore
- Sergio Pereira
info@musicreview.co.za
www.twitter.com/MusicReviewZA
Join MusicReview on Facebook

Related posts:

1. Seasons Wither 4 – The Beauty and the Beasts Official Video
2. Seasons Wither 3 Line Up Announced
3. Seasons Wither 5

Over the last couple of months, Geoff and I have been chatting over Twitter. Quite often, it’s been mindless banter and giggle-a-minute RTs of anything that has made us laugh like 14-year-old boys who’ve just discovered the sexual connotation of the word ‘hard’.

Anyways, to cut a long story short, Geoff told me about a new band, which he had recently joined, called Dimeshift. Normally, I wouldn’t even bat an eyelid because every time you shake a bush a musician falls out, but since Geoff promised to buy me a pizza – if I came to watch his band – I agreed.

So off I went to the new Cool Runnings in Victory Park, but the journey was not easy. I found myself braving the dangers of Johannesburg traffic, potholes, pouring rain, howling winds, street kids posing as pantomimes, and a girlfriend who threatened to kill me if the rain frizzed her hair.

Eventually, I arrived – safely and without bruises – and finally met Geoff and lead singer/guitarist of Dimeshift, Mo Nortje’. They were kind enough to furnish me with their new album, In One Basket, which had been mastered just that afternoon, and Geoff confirmed that he’d still buy me a pizza – I kindly declined as my mother would’ve probably beaten me if she found out I was taking food from other people (if she isn’t reading this, food donations are still welcome. Please contact our editor, Bret Dugmore, for further information) [ed - I lol'd. Please mail all food donations to my kitchen. Thanks.] .

Finally, at exactly 21h30, the boys climbed up on stage and got into their set. The first 15 minutes of the set was relatively dead, but I blame it on the crowd, who were about as lively as an old age home over New Years Eve. However, the venue soon came to life as the band dropped jaws with their amazing Live-inspired original ‘Fallen Angels’ and covers of Blink182’s ‘All The Small Things’ and The Smashing Pumpkins’ ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’. On a side note, I was also grateful that I didn’t have to hear another cover of ‘Mustang Sally’ – that poor song has been done to death by cover bands, who often massacre it and make it sound like a treffer off of a bargain bin album.

Musically, they were near perfect. I was even more impressed when I found out that the current line-up has only been together as a unit for just under a year. I’ve watched and listened to bands that have been together for decades, but lacked the cohesiveness and chemistry of Dimeshift.

In terms of the stage performance, Mo certainly has a presence that captivates the audience – he’s humble, but also a great, talented entertainer who understands the value of interacting with the crowd. Geoff is just a pure drum machine – I don’t think he missed a beat the whole night as he pounded away on the skins. Now if I could just convince bassist, Kevin Jenkins, and second guitarist, Mark Booysen, to move a little bit more than 10cm the entire set – they’d have a flawless live show. Seriously guys, it’s a rock show, you’re allowed to enjoy yourselves and rock out.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for some decent soft rock, you should definitely check out Dimeshift in the near future. They’re built in the mould of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but rock with the power of Live. Who knows, maybe Geoff will buy you a pizza too.

Recommended for fans of: Mean Mr Mustard, Prime Circle, Watershed, Live and One Day Remains

- Sergio Pereira
sergio@musicreview.co.za
Join MusicReview on Facebook

Related posts:

1. Dimeshift Playlisted on US Radio Station
2. New Profile Added: Dimeshift
3. Review: Dimeshift – In One Basket

I went to The Parlotones Concert at the Dome this past weekend, which concluded their successful world tour. To be totally honest I was not a fan of the Parlotones going into the concert, but my girlfriend likes them and I actually know a lot of their songs, so I thought why not? I hadn’t seen them live before anyway. Also, I heard the production level was going to be amazing and far surpass anything a local band had ever done before, and that got me very interested. I was also surprised about the venue, the Dome! This is definitely not the norm for a local band venue, and I am sure there was a considerable amount of risk involved in renting it out.

The venue had a nice chilled feel that I think made the whole occasion very enjoyable. Apparently the crowd reached 10 000, so it was not packed to the brim. People of all ages came, and we saw many families.

Opening bands included CrashCarBurn and a Canadian band called Spirit, who The Parlotones apparently opened for at their first big gig. Both did a good enough job to keep the crowd entertained, and after they played, the stage was setup for The Parlotones! And this is when I started to get excited.

The set was made up of five large inflatable objects, resembling bed mattresses in a way, on which fancy propagandist and song related visuals where projected upon. These objects were also lit up with fancy lighting to give an excellent moody effect. The lighting over the stage and onto the crowd was also top-notch.

When they started playing, the crowd went wild! I have to give it to them, they played excellently, and had everyone joining in. They played all their well known songs. My personal favorite was when they played ‘Overexposed’ – the vibe and energy within the venue was overwhelming. The vocalist from Gang of Instrumentals joined them near the end to perform a song, her voice is amazing!

When I was about to leave I took a look at the people in the crowd. So many people with fake tears drawn onto their faces and dressed for the occasion, it was so nice to see. I have to say there were even some girls with real tears! And I think that is just amazing for a local band. They really do have fans that absolutely love them.

Straight to the point, well done to The Parlotones for putting on a great show! I hope other local bands also get brave enough to put on shows of this calibre.

-JasonD
Join MusicReview on Facebook

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2. The Parlotones’ Gig Guide
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It is that time of year again, winter has come and gone, spring has set in with a warm welcome and it’s the end of September, meaning a long weekend and festival time. Unlike most festivals I usually attend, White Mountain gets its character from its laid back vibe and amazing setting. Nothing better than waking up in your tent, stepping outside and breathing in the fresh Berg air, enjoying the wondrous sights the area has to offer. All this combined with the knowledge of 4 days worth of the best acoustic acts South Africa has to offer makes for one hell of a breakaway from the stressful rat race of city life.

After negotiating time off from work, and a whole bunch of transport issues, I finally found myself on a ‘Shaggin Wagon’ headed to White Mountain with a good friend and long time festival veteran, Conrad. Led Zeppelin blasting on the speakers and Black Label in hand, I wasn’t the designated driver obviously, we’d hit the open road, and festival mode started sinking in.

By the time we’d reached the gate it was dark and rather chilly, and it being a day early, we were surprised with the amount of festival activities already under way. It seemed as if a lot of people had the right idea, get there early, set up camp, and be ready for action in the morning. So we set up camp, as quickly as humanly possible after a few beers and in the dark, and headed off to Tom’s Tavern expecting a quiet drink before heading off to camp for some well deserved rest. Were we ever wrong? Walking up the path to the bar we were pleasantly greeted by the sounds of Forest Drive, an intimate duo performing a set for the minions who couldn’t wait until Thursday to get their festival on. The bar was abuzz with a friendly atmosphere, smiling faces all round, young and old, hippie and rocker sharing past festival stories over a “few” tequilas and jagers, a recipe for a serious hangover and lost memories.

Waking up surprisingly early on Thursday morning, I ventured into the mist looking for something to settle the stomach and fuel the start of a busy day, luckily Burger Express was open and serving the breakfast of champions, a mighty bacon and egg roll that instantly became a favourite for the weekend. The rest of the morning unfolded quite relaxed as we watched the flocks of people arriving from the comfort of our campsite, awaiting the official start of the weekend’s lineup.

Between missioning around trying to document as much of the festival as possible and hitting the bar for refreshments I managed to catch a few of the acts on offer. Larry Amos blew me away as he did two years ago when I last saw him and Andra was mesmerizing with her haunting vocals and skilled guitar work. After her show though, was that time in the evening where everything started getting fuzzy and the tons of jager I was fed caught up with me, but I managed to focus enough to enjoy Barry Thompson’s set and find my way back to the campsite, in one piece, luckily.

Crawling out of my tent on Friday morning, I had that all too familiar festival feeling, where am I, and where is that damn bulldozer that drove over my head, and what is a bulldozer doing at a festival anyways? But after a good litre or two of the trusty H2O and a decent breakfast I was ready for action, yet again. Opting for a more chilled day at the campsite, jamming some guitar and trying to recollect the broken memories of the night before proved to work in my favour. I got around to checking out more shows and one of my local favourites, Josie FIeld, who once again proved why she’s one SA’s most promising acts.

Towards the end of the evening I was hit with the news that we were going to have to leave the next day, as there were prior commitments to get back to by Sunday, and leaving at 4 o’clock in the morning, as planned, after yet another day of getting “festified” was just not going to happen. So I made the most of my last night at White Mountain, and what a last night it was. Missioning around with a new friend I had made, spending the last of my festival budget on as many shooters as I could stomach, dodging campfires as we stumbled to and from the campsite for refills and eventually crashing on my half-deflated blow-up mattress with a beer in my hand was definitely a successful way to say goodbye.

Looking at my festival scars on the way home the next day, I couldn’t help but smile. Another notch on my festival belt, another weekend of great memories, the ones that stuck anyway. It’s always a pleasure getting home alive after a festival, but after White Mountain this year, I had gotten home with more than just my life, I had made new friends, caught up with some old ones and was part of something that everyone should have the pleasure of experiencing at least once in their life, a festival for the people, a celebration of life and a damn good party. The beauty of it is, next year it’s happening all over again, so cheers to all that were there, and to all that missed it, hope to see you next year.

-Milan Milosevic

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1. White Mountain Folk Festival – Acoustic Music and a Great Getaway
2. White Mountain Festival 2011
3. Comedy Comes To White Mountain Festival

JOHN LEGEND
With Special Guest KERI HILSON

And local artist BANTU SOUL

Heineken® are excited to announce the phenomenal local artist Bantu Soul to support John Legend with special guest Keri Hilson on all 3 performances this October, beginning at the Grand Arena, Grandwest Casino & Entertainment World in Cape Town on the 15th, the Indoor Arena, International Convention Centre in Durban on the 17th and at the Coca-Cola Dome, in Johannesburg on the 18th of October.

HEADLINE ACT: JOHN LEGEND
John Legend’s renowned voice has captured millions of fans around the world since his debut album Get Lifted was released in 2004. A critical and commercial triumph, Get Lifted earned John an astounding eight Grammy nominations — he won Best New Artist, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (“Ordinary People”) and Best R&B album — while selling more than three million copies worldwide. Prior to the success of his debut album, Legend’s career in the spotlight was elevated through a series of collaborations with established artists, working with some of the best artists in the business including Jay Z, Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill and Kanye West.

SPECIAL GUEST: KERI HILSON
Keri Hilson is part of a collective of writers and producers known as The Clutch. Through the early and late 2000s, Hilson wrote songs for multiple rappers and singers, including Britney Spears and Ludacris. Hilson’s debut solo album In a Perfect World… was released on March 24, 2009. In A Perfect World… debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

LOCAL SUPPORT: BANTU SOUL
No one can deny that there is something fresh about Bantu Soul. An exceptional singer songwriter whose sound has an undeniable South African flavour mixed with house and R&B. His ability to mix different native languages in a single verse and still have it make perfect sense is nothing short of pure genius. Bantu Soul has worked with some of the industry’s finest including Guffy, Zwai Bala and has shared stage with international acts such as Erica Badu and Chante Moore. However nothing compares to him supporting John Legend. He stated ‘I believe John Legend has revolutionised the RnB industry and it will be amazing to see him in action and I am honoured be part of the action’.

TOUR ITINERARY
Cape Town – Presented by Heineken®, in association with Heart 104.9 FM and MNET
Thursday October 15th 2009
Grand Arena Grandwest Casino & Entertainment World Cape Town
Tickets from R243.00 to R321.00 (incl. service charges) SOLD OUT

Durban – Presented by Heineken®, in association with Gagasi 99.5 FM and MNET
Saturday October 17th 2009
Indoor Arena International Convention Centre Durban
Tickets from R218.00 to R294.00 (incl. service charges)

Johannesburg – Presented by Heineken®, in association with Kaya FM and MNET
Sunday October 18th 2009
Coca-Cola Dome Johannesburg
Tickets from R218.00 to R321.00 (incl. service charges)

Tickets available from Computicket, www.computicket.com

________________
Press release sent to info@musicreview.co.za

- Bret D
info@musicreview.co.za
www.musicreview.co.za
www.twitter.com/MusicReviewZA

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Jesse Clegg’s first concert production, ‘When I Wake Up’, will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 7 November 2009 for one show only.

Jesse Clegg released his debut album, When I Wake Up, in October last year and is already nearing Gold status and received 2 x SAMA nominations. The first single, ‘Today’, has received extensive airtime, and shot up the charts in the first week it was released.

Jesse’s live performances recently, include sold out concerts at the Joburg Theatre, and an appearance on the “Mandela Day” concert held at the world famous Radio City Music Hall in New York. Expect to hear the #1 singles “Today” and “Heartbreak Street” as well as the upcoming 3rd single “Girl Lost In The City”, other hot tracks from the album and even some unrecorded new material! Jesse Clegg had some surprise artists join him on stage in Johannesburg which I am sure he will repeat in Cape Town as well.

Jesse was born in Johannesburg in 1988. By the time he was six months old he was on tour with his father, Johnny Clegg, and between 1988 and 1994 he spent at least five months a year on the road. He was a classic road kid and grew up backstage and on tour busses. In 1994 his father’s band broke up and the touring subsided. Jesse schooled in Johannesburg at Crawford College and matriculated with six distinctions in 2006.

In school Jesse experimented with a number of different instruments – including saxophone, clarinet, drums and piano – until he finally settled on guitar. He started playing when he was about 13, focusing mostly on chord structures and simple licks.

Early on, Jesse carved out an independent direction for himself in the rock genre, very different from the world music style developed by his dad. As someone who grew up in the environment of a successful musical father, he strived to express himself in the most authentic way possible and understood the importance of being able to perform live.

After Jesse matriculated, he took a gap year to record more demo tracks and put together an album. He also started a band which gave him the opportunity to rehearse and perform some of the songs around Johannesburg – appearing under a number of different band names. It was here that a few of the songs took shape in terms of arrangement and guitar sounds. By this time, Jesse was looking to professionally record the songs with producer Brian O’Shea, who joined the project and they began work on what was to be the final album, When I Wake Up.

The highlight of Jesse’s career came in June 2007 when he got the opportunity to tour internationally with his father Johnny Clegg once again. He performed alongside his father at a number of festivals in France to crowds of more than 10 000 people. Another highlight for Jesse was when a major Belgian producer, Nicolas Fizman, agreed to co-produce his album alongside Brian O’Shea. By the end of 2007 the album was completed and in early 2008 he signed a major record deal with David Gresham Records.

Be first in line to witness this exciting new talent LIVE in Cape Town!

Tickets are available at Computicket from R130 (excluding Computicket booking fee). Show starts at 8pm.

Proudly presented by 94.5 KFM

___________
Press Release

- Sergio Pereira
sergio@musicreview.co.za

Related posts:

1. Jesse Clegg Live At The Fringe
2. Jesse Clegg to perform alongside the world’s best in New York
3. Review: Jesse Clegg – When I Wake Up (Special Edition)

The fourth Verkykerskop Festival, moves to the warmer month of October and boasts a new indoor venue and some special entertainment acts and activities for young and old, as well as food and entertainment for the whole family.

The main day of the festival is Saturday 3 October, however Verkykerskop bar and Smiley’s Restaurant will be open all weekend with DJ’s warming things up for the big day and chilling the vibe down as we head towards Monday.

PERFORMING ARTISTS

KAREN ZOID
Born in Brussels as the daughter of a South African diplomat, Karen grew up in Belgium and Johannesburg where she became a teenage busker, honing her song writing, guitar playing and singing skills on the streets of Melville.
In June 2001 EMI released Zoid’s first solo album, Poles Apart, which fired the imagination of both critics and the public to such an extent that Karen Zoid became an icon of the South African youth, which the press renamed the Zoid Generation.
In 2004 both Time Magazine and US News & World Report highlighted her role as an icon.

In June 2003 EMI released her second critically acclaimed album, Chasing the Sun.
Both Poles Apart and Chasing the Sun have been accorded Gold Record status.
In July 2005 her third album, Media, was released by EMI. Her work as a singer-songwriter has been included on many albums of other artists as well as compilations and she receives daily fan mail from all over the world. Because of this also Karen has on average 2 tours per year to England, Dubai, Canada or the United States to perform for her fans overseas. She has written songs for several artists in South Africa, recorded by them as well as the theme for a TV series.

Touring the country and often headlining major festivals, she is supported by her accomplished band members Don Reinecke on lead guitar, Rixi Roman on bass and Marlon Green on drums and percussion

IRENE… The Voice!
Besides entertaining people with her singing, Irene is also a well known motivational speaker and presents the popular Kyknet program, Glitterati. Irene regularly shares her microphone with legends such as Coenie De Villiers, Dozi, Kurt Darren, Steve Hofmeyr and more. Irene was also chosen as the support acts for international artistes such as Smokie, Boney M, and Bad Boys Blue.

CHRISTIAAN
No stranger to the area, Christiaan was born and bred in Bethlehem, where the tall, blonde with the deep, soulful voice is a hit with the ladies and men alike!

ANDRE MICHAEL
Singing popular hits from the 70’s and 80’s; some original Afrikaans songs by his own pen; as well as songs from his very popular album “Tribute to Country Legends, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Don Williams”; Andre Michael is always a hit!

VOXDAY
Hailing from Bethlehem, this young and energetic female fronted band describes their music as Pop Punk Rock and they won the Bethlehem Battle of The Bands competition.

SUSSIE WIE
She’s funny, Afrikaans, full of energy and she can sing! “Ring Ka Ting Ting” is her debut album, with thirteen screamingly funny songs. The 24 year old singer songwriter doesn’t just have a great voice, she’s also a brilliant comedienne.

Main Music Hall – Sat 3 October
12h00 – Andre Michael
13h00 – DJ At Nel
14h00 – Voxday
15h00 – Deborah Gill
16h00 – Irene…The Voice!
17h00 – DJ’s and fishing competition prize giving with Frank Opperman
18h00 – Karen Zoid
19h00 – DJ’s
20h00 – Christiaan
21h00 – Sussie Wie
22h00 – Andre Michael Country performance
23h00 – DJ’s til end

DJ’s
DJ At Nel (Somerfaan) – SAMA Award Winner, Kyknet Award Winner
Andre Michael – 60’s, 70’s and 80’s hits.

EMCEE
Frank Opperman

OUR NEW VENUE
This year sees the Verkykerskop Festival in a new under cover venue – situated in the heart of Verkykerskop. Our new venue has an awesome 1000 square meters to offer and includes toilets and a bar facilities.

GYMKANA
On Saturday 3 October from 1p.m to 3p.m the Witkoppe Gymkana Team will hold an exhibition of their skills.

BAR
As with every year our party partners SA Breweries host the bar area with everything you could possibly want from a bar including a shooter bar for quick shooter service. Proceeds from this bar will go towards the Kranskop Akademie in Memel new equipment.

LIVE TO EAT? So do we…
Chip on a Stick, Chipdog, Potjiekos, Popcorn, Skilpaadjies, Biltong, Pap en Vleis, Offal, Lamb on a Spit, Blesbok Wors, Springbok Cabanossi, Pork, Free Range Chicken, Koeksisters, Vetkoek, Home Made Salamis, Potato Salads, and of course the finest in German sausages as a salute to the typical “GERMAN OCTOBER FEST” parties throughout the country and world. Enjoy Eisbein, Sauerkraut, Bratwurst, Knatwurst and other German specialties. As with previous years the Verkykerskop VLU will also run their own coffee shop, selling delicious pancakes, cakes and hand made goods.

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Emergency Services will be professionally handled by Freddie Halgreen and his Medisponce crew and will encompass all emergencies ranging from fire, crowd control and access, medical, parking and any other and safety needs.

SMILEY’S RESTAURANT
This year, in celebration of our 4 year anniversary we host SAMA Award Winner and Kyknet Award Winner, DJ At Nel (Sommerfaan) from JHB to entertain us with his choice of music in the restaurant, bar and on the deck while you enjoy delicious German food and the renowned Smiley’s Pizza’s. Be there for the funky tunes in the sun!!

FLEAMARKET / ART GALLERY
As is our ethos, we only invite the more traditional marketers, selling everything from hand knitted goods, water colour paintings, quilts, pottery, glassware, beading and grass work, hand made dolls, toys and second hand Bric a Brac. Come stock up on home made foods such as delicious skilpaadtjies, boerebrood, koeksisters, koek, salami, skaap vleis, biskuit, jams and preserves. Please note: we do not encourage mass made goods or plastic “Made in China” toys.

WHAT WILL THE KIDS DO?
During the day children will be entertained with a petting zoo, jumping castle, loads of running space, fishing in the dam, pony rides, and quad rides. As the sun sets a special area has been allocated close to the adult entertainment area, with DVD’s showing all night and comfy mattresses, beanbags and duvets. Board games will be on hand for the older ones and teachers and mothers from the Kranskop Akademie in Memel will oversee everyone in attendance. Kids can also visit the Cave Of Horrors/Gruwelgrot free of charge all day and night. Free gifts on arrival for the younger ones (over 12).

HORSE TRAILS
From beginners to advanced, Aansluit Landgoed offers horse trails over the beautiful farm Afsluit across the road from the main venue. On the Saturday all our horses will be saddled at the main venue gate, to take kids around the werf, but you are welcome to join a guided outride on Sunday 4 October. Patrons are also welcome to bring their own horses which will be taken good care of on the landgoed, from where members of the public can take self-guided outrides on the farm or on the gravel roads in the area, at no charge. Please contact Louis Grobler at 083-628-9699 or lgrobler@lidwala.com for enquiries and arrangements for all horse stabling and outrides.

BICYCLE FUN RIDE
Bring your own mountain bike and enjoy 600ha of open land on Afsluit Farm, with trails taking you over streams, up hills and down to the Old Spookhuis. Alternatively, do the route by foot with “verkyker” in hand and enjoy our exquisite bird and game life.

On Sunday morning, the Harrismith Cycling Club will host all interested festival goers who bring their cycles along, for a fun ride on the new tar road from Verkykerskop towards Harrismith and back. The turning mark is approximately 20km from Verkykerskop, but less energetic riders will determine their own turn around point. Please contact Jurie Naude at 082-779-8404 for more information.

SO YOU THINK YOU’RE A FISHERMAN?
A new and exciting addition to the festival!! This is not a pro event, but devised for fun: Under the patronage of the Harrismith Hengel Klub, we challenge all fishermen and women to catch the most and the biggest bass or yellow or carp in our 21ha dam just 13 km’s from VKK central. There will be a prize for the “catch of the day”, “junior with most fish in the net” and “senior with most fish in the net”. Entrance to the fishing competition is R40 per person and all entrance money collected goes towards the “catch of the day” winner. Prizes include a blesbok to be hunted by the winner, a weekend for four in Ou Skooltjie Cottage in Verkykerskop, a Hamper of SAB products and of course; cold hard cash!

Entrants depart from the main entrance at any time with a map in one hand and a fishing rod in the other! You may spend any part of the day as long as you enjoy yourself; weigh your catch in upon departure from the dam, with the prize giving taking place at 5p.m in the Music Hall. For more info please contact Callie da Silva at 082-377-8571 or Johan Kriek at 073-260-1768.

YOU CAN CAMP IF YOU WANT TO!!
At the centre of VKK lies a beautiful bass dam, surrounded by non-electrical camping sites. Campers have access to the Ablution Block with showers and toilets. Each campsite has a braai area and mountain view. Camping is charged at R50 per site, per night. Should you not wish to cook, Smiley’s Restaurant is there for you!!

No charge bundu camping is available at the Ou Spookhuis site on the farm, a klipgooi from the main venue. As there are no facilities at all, this should be viewed as an “out in the veld experience”.

GENERAL DEALER
Be sure to visit the amazing Retro General Dealer in Verkykerskop for a blast from the past and some old school treats.

ANTIQUES
Grab a bargain at the Antiques stores. From smalls to furniture.

SABLE’S FARM YARD ZOO
A favourite with kids of all ages and backgrounds! Come feed and pet the sheep, goats, pig, chickens and geese. Play with an Nguni calf and some newborn Arab foals.

SO WHERE ARE WE?
Situated on the beautiful and picturesque Maluti Route, where our proud Afrikaaners once fought and were victorious in the Boer War, Verkykerskop sits between Harrismith and Memel on the R722. Just 50 kms from Harrismith (off the N3) and 46 kms from Memel, Verkykerskop is the perfect party point between Durban and Johannesburg (less than 3 hours either way). Coming from the N3 will be a pleasure for Gauteng or Durban travelers as we can now boast a new tar road all the way to Verkykerskop Central. For those of you with high clearance vehicles, take the gravel road from Warden to Verkykerskop.

GATES OPEN AT 10AM ON SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER!!!

ENTRANCE FEES FOR SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER
ADULTS R50
CHILDREN UNDER 12 R30
CHILDREN UNDER 5 FREE

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Source

- Bret D
info@musicreview.co.za
www.musicreview.co.za
www.twitter.com/MusicReviewZA

Related posts:

1. The Ultimate Full Moon Festival
2. Heart of Windhoek Festival 15 – 16 October
3. Review: White Mountain Folk Festival 2009

Celebrate Woman’s Month with a series of Monday blues gigs.

According to an email sent to Music Review:

“Woman’s day on 9 August has become a very significant day such so that it is a national public holiday. SA has elevated this day into the entire month of August becoming National Woman’s month. This month commemorates the national march of women in 1956 to petition against legislation that required African persons to carry the “pass”, special identification documents which curtailed an African’s freedom of movement during the apartheid era. Monday Blues will run a series of Mondays in celebration of woman and the roles that they play in homes, communities and the world at large.

Monday Blues, in its current series of sessions that happen every Monday at Kospotong in Melville, will run a Woman’s Month Series the entire duration of the Woman’s month:

• Monday the 3rd August 2009
• Monday the 10th August 2009
• Monday the 17th August 2009
• Monday the 24th August 2009
• Monday the 31st August 2009

We ask all you powerful woman to come through on Mondays; be it you DJ, sing, write poetry, play an instrument, or you’re a designer, or a painter…. we’d love to see you there!

Check out updates weekly on facebook or our blogspot to see what surprise guest we’ll be bringing you through out the month of August.”

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Sounds interesting, go check it out!

- Bret D
info@musicreview.co.za
www.musicreview.co.za
www.twitter.com/MusicReviewZA

Related posts:

1. August Gig Guide – Add Your Gig
2. Old Mutual Series: Karen Zoid in PTA and JHB Botanical Gardens
3. Backsberg Picnic Concert Series Part II Kicks off