Riaan Wolmarans
It was quite a sight. Trails of dusty cars continually arriving, day and night, until about 13 000 revellers had made their way into the bush. Tents as far as the eye could see. Stalls selling everything from breakfast muesli to hippy beads and CDs. The 1998 Oppikoppi music festival was bigger than ever before, a complete onslaught on one’s senses and sensibilities. And now we’re faced with the 1999 festival, which seems set to make last year’s look like Sunday afternoon tea at grandma’s house.
>From August 6 to 9 music supporters will be treated to roughly 80 bands and musicians, performing on five different stages. There’s the behemoth Mainstay Main Stage, an audiovisual extravaganza with enough flashing lights, video screens and thunderous sound to wake the dead drunk. The smooth standards emanating from the Savanna Jazz Stage, run by The Bassline, are just the thing to help you over some of the weekend’s rough spots.
Many of these rough spots might just occur as a result of the hard rock and hip-hop blasting the bushveld from the Black Label Stage. The 206 crew will keep the music going all night at the Tassenberg Collaboration and Late Night Stage, which also features laid- back acoustic music during the day. Real and wannabe musos alike can jam together at the Martell Busker Stage.
It’s big. Accept that you won’t see all the bands that you plan to – it’s deceptively easy to be waylaid by just one more can of beer or the steep road up the koppie, which gets even steeper as the weekend progresses.
Looking at the line-up, it’s hard to think of bands that are not playing at the festival. The usual mainstream crowd-pullers are there: the boisterous Springbok Nude Girls, the wild Wonderboom, the wicked Boo!, the sublime Sugardrive, the fervid Fetish. Sons of Trout, Valiant Swart, Koos Kombuis, Naked and Karma are more of the festival regulars who feature in the line-up.
For some all-out musical mayhem, mosh and move to Sunways, Squeal, Jane Doe, Never Machine Forever, Mesadoth, The Awakening, Synapsis and Sacrifist. Hip-hop has also found a place at a special hip-hop evening featuring Brasse Vannie Kaap, Prophets of da City, The Original Evergreen, Nine and Blunt getting down on the Black Label Stage.
On a smoother note you’ll be entertained by poetic musician Gert Vlok Nel, jazz masters such as McCoy Mrubata, Zim Ngqawana and Paul Hanmer, and other top-of-the-line acts, including Matthew van der Want and Chris Letcher, Vusi Mahasela, Philip Tabane, Syd Kitchen, Jo Blu and Edi Niederlander and the Little Planet Band. Luscious, whose shows have become a favourite for many festival- goers, are back with another voluptuous cabaret.
The festival also showcases international talent, such as Sander Vos, a rocking post- hippie from The Netherlands, and United Kingdom saxophonist Dave O’Higgins, who will be playing with some of the local bands.
When the bands stop playing at night, the DJs take charge. Mixing, matching and scratching like never before will be DJs Ready D, Myles, Kevin, Admiral, Bob and about 10 more of their fellow turntable wizards. Promised highlights include a jungle and drum’n’bass jamboree and the best in big beats, acid house and chemical breaks.
Those unfortunate souls who have to stay home can follow the festivities on the Internet. ZA@Play and SL Magazine will provide live footage of bands and attendees throughout the festival on : it’s already started with the construction of the stages. The official rundown (and a road map) can be found on .
Tickets for the festival are R200 each from Ticketweb, at or Tel: 0860 400 500