Michelle Matthews
If you’re reading this on Friday morning, call in sick, grab your sunscreen and a sleeping bag, and get down to the Breede River for a weekend of music and wallowing. The Savanna Up the Creek Music Festival will give you three days of hot bands, warm cider and chilled vibes. Tan, splash, lie in the hay in a haze, dance, drum, skinny-dip with your favourite band members as the moon makes silver ripples on the river … have the perfect long break.
The party starts on Friday evening with four fab acts. Valiant Swart, mystic boer and Afro-Elvis, will play catchy cyber sakkie; the pop-schlock Honeymoon Suites will get you working your skirt with their upbeat antics; The Usual provide pleasant melodic tunes and tight trip- rockers Sugardrive are a highlight.
On Saturday afternoon you won’t even have to move from your beach towel as the music comes down to the river. Last festival the classical string quartet hitched up their tux trousers and performed on the sandbank in the middle of the river – absolutely beautiful! This year they’re joined by Women Unite, the XX-rated marimba and percussion band.
In the evening it’s back to the stage with the enduring Robin Auld, sugar-pop Karma, munki-punkers Boo!, vibey Sons of Trout, Cape Flats rap crew Brasse vannie Kaap and the all-surpassing Springbok Nude Girls. 206 DJs Bob, B-Smooth and “The Twice Blessed Man” will have the party revolving around a dance floor pumping with big breaks, phat jazz, funk and old school hip-hop.
The Sunday wind-down session offers a line-up of laid-back acts. Included are Benguela, playing experimental ambient; the inimitable Vusi and Louis; and the Blues Broers with their humorous harmonica-drenched original classics. It’s enough to make you wish you never had to pack up your tent!
Tickets for the Savanna Up the Creek Music Festival are available at R195 per person through Ticketweb. Children over 10 years pay R130, while kids under 10 are free. For an extra R35 you can hire a tent. There are no designated camping sites, but there are hot showers and flush toilets. Fires can be made to cook food and wood is for sale at the gate. Follow the N2 till just before Swellendam and watch for the signs