Oppikoppi Pulls out the Stops
Oppikoppi have upped their game – we’re guessing to widen the net and bring in a more diverse crowd – also as a way to fire-up their growing popularity – so guys, how can you not take up the offer and Represent. Groove Armada (wow!), 340ml, HHP, Lark, Dirty Skirts, DJ Khenzero, Violent Femmes, Harris Tweed, Kwani Experience, Max Normal Tumi, Zubz, Zuluboy, Fokofpolisiekar… it goes on. R399. 9-11 August. NW. Tempted? If not then how about “Dagga Davis” and “DJ Afro Whitie” 😉 We’ll try hook up some ticket give-aways. Oppikoppi.co.za Represent Tips: plan ahead, go in a group of chomees, take a proper tent, loads of wood, loads of whatever warms you, loads of blankets, a mattress, cash for munchies en beer, looroll, torches, energy drinks, hoodies en gloves… it’s awesome maar it can be fkn koud. Camping in comfort obligatory for full effect. BTW, has anyone else noticed the DASSIE emerging as a sub-culture icon… it’s moment is clearly here. Fabulous graphics! OPPIKOPPI: THE WAY OF THE DASSIE 9- 11 August 2007 Brought to you and us by Levis® Original Music, Jose Cuervo Tequila and MK. Dassies, Dassies everywhere! And not a drop to drink. Well sort of. Although there are many types of Dassies and most do not need that much of drink (check out Maxnormal.TV for a full list). And looking at the lineup confirmed for the festival there won’t be much time for ocean faring and other Dassies to spend at the convivial bars of the bushveld farm. Not only has some of the South African heavy weights added there hats to the annual tune extravaganza list, but for the first time ever OppiKoppi will be playing host to a day full of international and South African artists on the inaugural Ampli5 music tour. Effectively this means a whole lot more Dassie power for everyone: just like the Dalai Dassie. A full alphabetical list of the acts to perform over the course of the weekend is listed below with daily breakdowns available from http://www.oppikoppi.co.za/ soon: The Ampli5 line-up is as follows: (See mini band biographies at the end of this press release.) – Dev and the Dudes vs. Max Normal – Dorp – Fokofpolisiekar – Groove Armada – HHP – Jimmy Eat World – Love Jones – Stanton Warriors – The Loose Cannons – The Parlotones – Violent Femmes – Young Blood Brass Band The rest of the line-up for the weekend, is as follows: – 340ml – Andries Bezuidenhout – Architecture of Aggresion – Bed on Bricks – Blunted Stuntman – Bouvevard Blues – Chris Cameleon – Closet Snare – Cooper (NL) – Dagga Davis – Desmond and...
Represent Review: Tshwane Comedy Festival
Kom nou mense – why was the Afrikaans night so poorly attended? Sies! Let’s make it up this week by supporting the last few days of the thoroughly enjoyable Tshwane comedy festival at the State Theatre. “Dankie” to all involved, our writers have had a great lag and are looking pretty toned for it. In our last installation, AmorAmor covers last weeks “Afrikaans night”: 27 June at 20.00 – Afrikaans Night Host: Joey Rasdien Featuring: Nicky van Niekerk – Denzel – Pierre Breytenbach – Melt Sieberhagen 28 June at 20.00 – Black Comedy Night Host: Trevor Noah (pic) Featuring: Kedibone Muluadzi – Loyiso Gola (pic) – Dave Kibuuka – Kagiso Lediga (pic) 29 June at 20.00 – Hardcore Comedy Night Host: Mel Miller Featuring: Kyle Thorpe – Trevor Gumbi – Nqoba Ngcobo – Malcolm Ferreira 30 June at 20.00 – Comedy Showcase Night Host: Tshepo Mogale Featuring: Mike – Magic Man – Roni Modimola – Mel Miller Tickets: R70 throughout The Pretoria/Tshwane Comedy Festival should be something of a landmark on our cultural calendar but, having spoken to few people, it seems to have gone by almost unnoticed. At least that would account for the poor turn out at Saturday night’s Afrikaans night. Have to tell you people, it was a shame you missed it. Now I am not an Afrikaans fanatic but I do believe that it is a lyrical and beautiful language and a proud part of our South African heritage that should be preserved. The beauty and emotion of Afrikaans is best appreciated in its poetry but just as emotive is its application in swearing. Yep, swearing. There are just some things that are so much better in Afrikaans. And, yes, the boys put the full lyrical power to good use. To quote our engaging host, Hannes Brummer, “Daar gaan waarskynlik vanaand gebruik gemaak word van ‘n bietjie kras taal, so as dit julle pla, Fokof maar nou.” God bless Afrikaans. The line-up included Nicky van Niekerk, a ‘ware boer-seun’, with his assortment of ‘my scary wife’ and oom Piet stories, Denzel Edgar, our colored homeboy with his astute observations of colored culture, the unlisted but immensely charming and funny Pierre Breytenbach and Melt Sieberhagen, who I would definitely recommend you invite over for a beer if you need cheering up. The boys had their work cut out for them as the small audience seemed a little shy to laugh too loud (myself and my companion obviously excluded from this) but they were consummate professionals and immensely entertaining, which is after all the whole point of such an event. I must admit I am a bit biased as...
G-Town festival coming up…already!
Can you believe it! The Grahamstown Festival has snuck up on us again – signalling that we’re nearly half-way through 007… ahhh. I wish I could go! So many good memories of a cold G-town valley – me and the chommies drifting around semi-broke absorbing the non-stop talent, donning hideous tie-die bell-bottoms just to fit in… catching the hottest jazz and then dancing all night to unknown dj’s… If you love art and you haven’t yet been, put it in your “must do” agenda. You can even camp! We did. You just may need some special help keeping warm. This year it’s from the 28 June – 7 July, check out all the details here. Catch Nik Rabinowitz and his One Man One Goat comedy show – details below – we’ll let you know what else is happening as and when we find out! GRAHAMSTOWN SMILES AS NIK FINDS HIS GOAT Stand-up comic Nik Rabinowitz takes his sell-out, hoof-kicking third show, One Man One Goat, to the Grahamstown Festival from 28th June to 7th July. Suitably “fringe”, Nik’s comedic timing has audiences howling with laughter at material that ranges from Tintin to Tutu and Yengeni to Yoko Ono. Says Argus Tonight critic Derek Wilson in his December ‘06 interview: “One often hears – and can confirm – that a comedian off-stage can be tediously serious, if not downright morose. Not Nik. He had me laughing at the outset of our interview – and all the way through…it became like a hilarious multi-lingual conversation at one point.” Rabinowitz’s fluent use of Xhosa, Zulu, English and Afrikaans in his shows has become his signature. Says Cape Times’ Peter Tromp in a January ’07 review: “Rabinowitz is an amicable presence, and has such a relaxed and warm disposition, that he keeps any suspicions that he might be just another smart-aleck mining South Africa’s loaded cultural trough at other people’s expense, comfortably at bay. His stage personality is also a generous one, and even though his material is far from politically correct or timid, Rabinowitz is unlikely to offend anyone with this show…..(whilst) probing cultural nooks and crannies, that few, if any, other comedians feel comfortable to pursue.” Covering everything from arrests to accusations, trials to tribal relations, One Man One Goat is an inspired, colourful journey across the rough terrain of the old-new South Africa, as we track one goat’s quest for freedom. Rabinowitz’s animated and offbeat humour astutely captures the goat-eat-goat world of today in an hour of rollicking fun. For guaranteed side-splicing laugh a minute, catch One Man One Goat at the Drill Hall and Rabinowitz as MC at the Sundowner Concerts taking place at the...
Represent Review: A Wet and Splashy Fen 007
We know it’s late and often we are early (well compared to traditional media) but our dear Panda has spent weeks coming down from the Drakensburg Mountains where she found herself in hippy heaven and was very tempted not to return to the real world 🙂 Sharpile Panda as always. See our pics of Splashy Fen here. There’s no better way to sample South African music than to attend a festival like Splashy Fen. Not only is there a wide variety of music and activities, it’s a great way to see that beautiful lush part of the world and catch up with long lost friends – and there’s no need for drinking and driving. Granted, not all South African music is represented and we didn’t have the biggest names in the business this time, but there’s enough music to keep your mind off any discomforts you might experience if you’re averse to mud. If I have any advice to give when going to any festival, take gumboots. You will consistently have clean, warm feet and that is more important that anything at two in the morning in the rain when you can’t see what you’re walking in…and there was plenty of rain at Splashy Fen this year. Furthermore, a fabulous pair becomes an essential fashion accessory and I was delighted to see how many people went to extra lengths to make their’s the coolest. It certainly beat’s the “packet-tied-around-the-takkie-and-knotted-at-the-ankle” look. Luckily my friends and I went up in a camper van, kindly sponsored by Maui Motorhome Rentals http://www.maui.co.za/ (thanks guys!). Hiring them isn’t as costly as you’d think either, if you compare it to other comfortable accommodation. There were times when I felt awful being so warm and dry and clean, sipping on a frosty drink from the fridge in a comfortable deck chair when a cold, filthy hapless festival goer, wobbled past our camp, slipping in their slops. We arrived on Friday around mid-day and the sun was out but weakened by a few thin clouds. The first act we caught as we ambled into the Grant Erskine Marquee was Adrian Shannon’s acoustic set followed by Roly Struckmeyer’s gentle acoustic indie-style music. When we felt like moving around, we strolled amongst the stalls which offered food to suit all tastes from boerie rolls and chips to fabulous falafels, smoothies and soups and clothes, accessories (for those who forgot gloves and scarves), beautiful jewelry, cheap trinkets and tie dye everything. There was even a tattoo parlour which, incidentally, was busy each time I walked past. Later that evening, when we were well-wrapped, we watched Somebody’s Child featuring 14 year old Zoe...
CT International Jazz Festival – AWESOME!
Thanks to PANDA who outdid herself and attended nearly every live performance at the 2007 Cape Town International Jazz Festival on behalf of Represent. Gel you know you rock! See her stunning pics of the festival in our photoblog here. In a nutshell, she rated Leela James, Lira and HHP as her highlights… we LOVE them all and wish we could have been there! Read all about it here: Jazz is an almost useless term to describe the variety of music at this gathering of musicians, producers, media and enthusiasts from all over the world. If music was as popular as cricket, I can guarantee, South Africans would be sitting in bars all over South Africa celebrating the success of our local artists, dissecting each composition and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival would be one of the many music festival events populating everyone’s social calendars. We’d be spared Guns & Roses and the rest of the B-list international acts that come out here, in favour of only the best current and most inspirational music. They’d have to hold all events in stadiums and sell season tickets, and broadcast live for days on our national channels and our musicians will get the attention they deserve. African music has inspired jazz, rock and roll, hip hop and R&B across the world. We have every reason to be proud. I can’t think of anything better than sitting on a fold up chair in the autumnal Cape sun watching the artful string pickings and soulful trumpetings of our countrymen and other international stars sipping on a something something and watching the beautiful people stroll serenely by. The festival kicked off with Concord Nkabinde on the big stage, a difficult thing to do but with his beautiful strong voice and big stage presence, he did a great job. Last time I went to the jazz festival I nearly did myself in trying to see everything. Ladies, a tip, don’t wear heels if you can possibly help it, I saw many a footsore woman walking around later in the evening, stilettos in hand. I saw Ester Miller featuring Jeremy Pelt next, a beautiful voice from PE, now living in the UK. Alongside her was a very debonair Mr Pelt. The MC announced that all the beautiful ladies should check out his website and let him know if they’re available – and there were very many beautiful ladies, beautifully dressed. The CTIJF has become as much as a social and fashion event as a celebration of music. The Rosies stage kicked off with Vivid Africa, they’ve found a lot of success in the “world music”...
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