BBC launches new Africa Beyond website
Tuesday 06 March 2007 saw the launch of the new BBC website Africa Beyond celebrating African arts in the UK. Africa Beyond casts its net right across the African continent to illustrate the diverse and complex cultures of the 54 African nations and the Diaspora – in cinema, television, photography, literature, music, architecture, visual art, history, craft, design, performing arts, workshops and debate. The website will be a hub for information, discussion and exploration of African arts, beyond the geographical borders of the continent, and beyond any preconceptions about Africa and its culture. The new site brings under its wing the BBC’s existing music website Africa on your Street, with its interviews, features and CD reviews covering everything from Afrobeat to Hiplife to Mbalax, plus gig listings from across the UK. Coinciding with Ghana’s 50th year of independence there will be a special focus on Ghana’s impact on the UK arts scene over the past 50 years. DJ and music promoter Rita Ray kicks off the new website with her preview of Ghana-related events this year. There’s an interview with playwright Ama Ata Aidoo whose classic play Dilemma of a Ghost will be revived in London later in the year. You can browse a photo gallery of Max Milligan’s extraordinary images of Ghana and read about innovative Ghanaian company Theatre for Change. Coming soon will be features on Ghana’s up-and-coming new writers, and more Ghanaian music from old-style highlife to reggae to hiplife. Africa Beyond carries on the BBC’s African web coverage where the Africa 05 festival left off. Africa 05 left its mark with many high profile events such as Africa Remix at the South Bank, Back to Black at the Whitechapel Gallery and Africa Live at the British Museum, and even incorporating commercial partners such as Time Out, Starbucks and Borders and Books Etc. The Africa Beyond programme will also include live events, including the Word from Africa festival, a week long celebration of African languages which launches on 02 June 2007 with an event at the British Museum featuring musicians, poets and storytellers in the galleries and theatre halls. Further events will be happening in African restaurants around London. Africa Beyond is supported by the BBC and Arts Council with other core partners including inIVA (Institute for International Visual Arts), the British Museum and South Bank...
SHARPILE for coming to Good Life 2! Photos…
Thanks to everybody that made it out on a Thursday night and rocked our Good Life party at Roka…You made our day! Special thanks go to S’bu from Red Bull for the amazing sponsorship and support, Morafe and Zondi (Sharp Eugene!) for doing us another big favour (karma guys – you know it’s coming back threefold or more), Earl and UJU for sharing the stage and the night and for their incredible music (Wandi we missed you!), Jameson for his soulful sounds and his company Asiboni Mbala – Corinne, Martin and the team for the partnership, Abey aka Phonogenic for his sweet tunes, Miss P, Phephile and Dede from SoulProviders (Represent’s mother company) for working so hard and being such an awesome team, Shakir and his team from Roka, especially our waiter Shane and Dudu on the door – for the venue and excellent service. YFM especially Pabi, Lee, AK and Rude Boy for letting everybody know about it on air,To all of you that passed on the invite, to rage.co.za, JHB Live, Thunda, Heat (thanks Nicole) Mail and Guardian and everyone else for spreading the love…And of course ADRIEN for the beautiful invite yet again. THE PHOTO’s SAY IT ALL. Just click right here. SHARPILE! See you at Good Life 3 in June/July. “Good Life! Good Life! Good Life! Good Life! It’s the Good Life!” Tell somebody, tell everybody! Yep it’s finally time for number 2! Represent is hosting another Good Life party and if you missed last years debut then you should mos def get yourself to this one. We are celebrating the Good Life and we want all of you there! We’re giving away **10 pairs of tickets** to the event… simply email editor@represent.co.za and tell me why you wanna be there! Let us take you to the place you know you wanna go… It’s the Good Life! If you’ve not yet caught the funked up energy of UJU live on stage nor the talented boys from Maftown… Morafe … or if you’re simply in the mood to party on a Thursday night with GOOD PEOPLE… Best you join our world and STAND UP FOR THE GOOD LIFE! Click on the image for the flyer… tell all GOOD people about it. Cocktails two-for-one before 8:30pm! The food is great too… Table bookings for Roka on 011 482 2038. Details: GOOD LIFE Venue: Roka – 44 Stanley Ave, Milpark Price: R40 Performances: Uju and Morafe DJ’s: Jameson, Phonogenic &...
CT @ Design Indaba Week – Blissville all over again.
When I heard there was a female pilot steering our fruity flight to Cape Town I should have known it was going to be a week with a bitter-sweet difference. I absolutely love going to the Mother City for a visit, some of my best connections live in ‘blissville’ – in this instance they proved to be thoroughly divine inexhaustive distractions dragging me down the paths of Long and Kloof street to mountain oblivion… As the plane hit the runway at the recently expanded and earily quiet CT airport, the shocked cries of fellow passengers woke me from my jozi ratrace and deadline reverie – I was dangerously bouncing down the tar into one of the most beautiful cities on earth and ready to lap up every moment. It really helps having “out there” friends who know who’s who and what’s vying on and all… especially when you can’t afford the real Design Indaba experience and you’re totally fronting and hanging out pretending to be in Cape Town for the shplindaba when you know it’s for so much more than that. See our CT and Design Indaba pics here. We started off the sejour with a suprise turn at the Terenzo Hair Dressing school in the City Bowl where we were cajoled into being models for some nervous students. It just happened to clash with the “must be at” presentation by Brian Eno at the Michaelis art school we were supposed to be attending, but our dedication to supporting the aspirations and dreams of young South African hair dressers meant we opted for the pamper session instead… Damn. The Terenzo school is housed in an awesome building with the latest in equipment and facilities – fabulara -darl …. Big generalised Observation about Cape Town Number One – Cape Townians have better architectural, design and general aesthetic taste than the rest of the country. Gross generalisation that may be, but just look around you at most of the beaauuutiful architecture of Joburg’s overrun Tuscan suburbs and you will have to agree. Even the RDP houses in Cape Town have style . Have you tried to find some affordable fabulous furniture that doesn’t come from the somewhat ‘tres beaucoup imali’ Tonic or boutiques at 44 Stanley in Jozi? Not really possible…But CT is heaving with great local design. (PS: if you’d like to contest this, please give us addresses of where to find good local products for good prices for our good life.) During our stay in Cape Town, and yes it was Design Indaba week, we enjoyed some of the most fabulous design work from great local talent that made us seriously consider maxxxxxing the credit card again just when we were recovering from Dec’s...
Gang of Instrumentals Launch
Last week Thursday saw the CD launch of SA’s latest hot trio “The Gang of Instrumentals” (GI). If you don’t know them yet, you will soon, in fact two of the members acated on and produced the SABC 1 comedy series City Ses’la. The groups members come from as far a field as Pimville, (Mandla N) and Kwathema (Bongo Riot) and Diepkloof (Tumi Masemola aka Lady Naturelle). Jo Burger and his photographer friend Zama were there… The Bassline was packed and everyone looked the part. The ladies represented with the latest fashion trends from the tight leggings and mini skirt combo ala Betty Boo with the Vanilla Ice fringe. The guys also took themselves seriously and were stylin’ the latest pink golf shirts with cargos and a trucker caps. But can someone please explain the tight jeans, blazer and the white shoe finish? Point is, the GI crowd was well integrated from fashion victims to b-boys to kugels, Rasta sistren, black & white. GI’s music is reflective of influences that range from soul, kwaito, hip-hop to roots rock reggae. The group had a five piece band accompanying them to couple their range and versatility. They know how to work a crowd, and take them on a journey. It was surprising to see the group change outfits not once or twice but three times. They really take their presentation seriously and therefore their audience. They performed songs from their new album that people already knew like “My Number One” which is really tight and has been topping the charts. The show was to point, concise and precise. They started and ended on time leaving DJ Fresh the rest of the crowd to play with, which he did. Fresh blazed it up so much that a certain mrapper, Amu was getting down to house with the ingwaza and all! Click here to see more pictures of the...
Fashion Week: Dazzling Gavin Rajah
The Audi Joburg Fashion Week launching South Africa’s first Autumn/Winter fashion week, was a great success and who better to close off the event than the man himself, Gavin Rajah. After successfully showing his range at the Paris Fashion Week last month, Gavin Rajah brought the collection back to the origin, Africa! And as his reputation precedes him, he did nothing less than dazzle the audience. Using luxurious silks and lace the Gavin Rajah collection is comprised of colourful eclectic/ oriental flowing gowns that seem to wrap themselves effortlessly on a woman’s body. His use of hosiery added a tantalizing twist to all the outfits Not only is Gavin Rajah a talented designer (fashion and jewelry) but he is an extremely active philanthropist. Click here to see photos from the show. These images are supplied by Audi Joburg Fashion Week, click here to go to the site....
Fashion Week: Paul van Zyl
I’m guessing that Paul van Zyl’s gowns are what millions of women (those who picture themselves in wedding dresses), dream about when they think about their ‘big day’. I guess what I’m saying is that I was finally tempted to picture myself in a wedding dress and it’s all because of Paul van Zyl- when those models came out in those gorgeous white pieces, I had the girly “oh how beautiful” thought. He tied in a very important HIV/ AIDS and crime theme. A cape with a huge AIDS ribbon made up of little badges positioned the back of it made a very unsubtle statement about HIV/ AIDS. Just the amount of time it took to put the garment together is a contribution to positive messages about the disease. (It must have taken hours) Paul van Zyl’s wedding gowns and evening wear truly leave one gawking! Click here to see photos from the show. These images are supplied by Audi Joburg Fashion Week, click here to go to the...
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