Michelle Matthews
8Tease Fever, Eikestad mall, Stellenbosch. On April 30 (yes, there’s another public holiday on Tuesday) Nick E Louder, Richard Carter, Carsens and Dexter club each other with their DJ bags over who plays the best commercial dance music Cape Town or Stellenbosch? Ringside seats cost R20.
Adrenalin, 38 Neptune Street, Paarden Island. There are all sorts of exciting things on offer at the Contact party on April 28, including free ice lollies and threedimensional, synchronised graphics. DJs include Nick E Louder, Phil Good, Andre and Astro Boy, for the best in unrelenting house. Cover is R30 (R50 for VIPs). Tel: 510 7333.
Afrogalactic, 19 Dorp Street. This trance club combines its fourth birthday celebration with its closingdown party. The Aliens Are Leaving Home on Thursday April 26 has Wobble, Dave, Sasha, Tank and DJ Vu giving the Galactic’s green men their sendoff.
Bellville Velodrome. Ireland’s Westlife perform here on May 18. They will include all their hits there have been eight off nine singles in what the organisers have promised will be a live show. Member Mark says they’ll be playing lots of uptempo stuff, speeding up some of the songs they usually do as ballads, so there’ll be no excuse not to dance. Semisane will be the support act. Prices: R110 to R250. Book at Ticketweb (www.ticketweb.co.za or Tel:0861 400500).
The Bijou, 178 Lower Main Road, Observatory. Cake, those gals with the cool beaded brooches, launch their “broekies” here on April 28. It’s a multimedia affair with projections by Orange Juice Design, lights by Boogie Lights (Brett Murray and Conrad Botes), an audio exhibit by Sinema and groovy music from Nick, Baambata and Jools. Cover is R30.
City Hall, Darling Street. The Cape Town Philharmonic opens its new threeconcert season here on Thursday April 26 with a tribute to Tchaikovsky. Croation conductor Alexander Kalajdzic and Russian cellist Alexander Ivashkin join the orchestra for a programme of the Russian composer’s greats. Ivashkin will perform the seven Rococo Variations for Cello and Orchestra. Kalajdzic will also conduct the Philharmonic in three works Romeo and Juliet, Francesca da Rimini and Serenade for Strings. The next two concerts, on May 3 and 10, feature Russian conductor Vladimir Verbitsky. Upcoming soloists are pianist Nina Schumann and violinist Zo Beyers. Details: Tel: 424 5280. Book at Computicket (www.computicket.com).
Concert Hall, Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch. Swedishborn Thorlief Theden is considered one of the best of his generation of cellists. He performs here with pianist Albie van Schalkwyk on April 28. Book at Computicket.
Detour, Somerset Road, Green Point. Therapy Meets Detour on May 5 sees the Jo’burg gay club team up with its Mother City counterpart for double the fun. DJs are Stuart H, Sista C and Craig. Cover is R50 and doors open at 11pm.
District 206, The Shack complex, De Villiers Avenue, District Six. District 206 will be closed during the week for the next few months as Rob tours around the country. He and Leyton are planning a European tour soon. The new name for the Friday party is Fracture, due to the nature of cuttingedge breakbeat, which is the evening’s focal point. Saturday is Old Skool Rules. “This is not a night of golden oldies,” explains Leyton, “but a collection of tunes that sticks to the oldskool rules of live funky music.”
Dockside, Century City. On May 4, the Ministry of Sound party headlines with Fragma, Funkstar Deluxe, Warp Brothers, Storm and our own Derek the Bandit. Tickets are R120 at Ticketweb (www. ticketweb.co.za or Tel:0861 400500).
DorpStreetTheatre Caf, 59 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch. April 27 and 28: Laurinda Hofmeyer with her new production, Agter Gewone Woorde; May 1: A revue, mainly of FAK songs, with Antoinette Pienaar and Jacques Geldenhuys; May 2: Blues band Spinnekop; May 3: Anika; May 4: Band on the Run with Beatle Mania 2001. Tel: 886 6107.
Dune, 227 Long Street. At Twister on Thursday April 26, AK47, Grinder, Blunted Stuntman and DJ Stumble (also known as Peter A) bring you twostep garage “the freshest United Kingdom sound that fuses house, garage, hiphop and drum’n’bass over a breakbeat rolling at 130bpm”. R15 before 11pm, R20 thereafter.
Green Dolphin, V&A Waterfront. April 26: 4×4; April 27: Soi Soi Gqeza Quartet; April 28: Taylored Sounds; April 29: Sylvester Mazinyane Trio with typical Afrojazz; April 30: Natasha Roth Trio with upbeat, Latin jazz. On May 1, the upstairs barcumlounge opens with a performance by JAK, a groovy trio with Andrew Lilley on organ, James Scholfield on guitar and Kevin Gibson on drums. This new extension means you will no longer be bullied into buying dinner if you want to see a band. Gavin Minter also plans to make the winter lineup more “cutting edge”, as the lounge should attract more serious jazz lovers. May 2: Young pianist Mark Fransman; May 3: Natasha Roth Trio; May 4 and 5: Sylvia Mdunyelwa Quintet. R20 will be added to your bill. Tel: 421 7471.
The Jam, The Shack complex, De Villiers Avenue, District Six. Loose presents Alternative Crossover on Friday April 27. Skark, Marcus and Brueski are on decks and newskool punk bands Ridicule and Super Fine (winners of the Quervo Untamed Sounds competition) perform. R15 before 11pm, R20 thereafter. Roots Renegade happens on Saturday April 28. The rage ragga of Firing Squad and the upbeat reggae of the Dread Kings provide the live element. Dubmasta China, Blunted Stuntman and Spekta deliver the dancehall style. R20 before 11pm, R30 thereafter. Coming up in May is the third All Dressed Up party, a showcase of excellent music throughout the Shack complex. And it looks like the dress code will be strictly formal Max Normal is the cautiously confirmed live act. Tel: 465 2106.
Jo’burg, Long Street. Bugs in the Bassbin happens every Thursday. “Salsa slams up with twostep, Brazilian breaks flirt with newskool beats and AfroCubana cuts Asian electronica.” So says Simon W, one of the DJs. He’s joined by Omar, Simon H, LJ, Jools and Bambaata. Really nice toons (and they’re free).
Life, Adrigo Street, Stellenbosch. Loophole, the breakspeddling posse lead by Blunted Stuntman, holds Hedphunk here on Thursday nights. Apparently the venue has a great sunken DJ booth. But firstyears will have to stay at res no under 21s allowed. R10 cover charge.
Market Hall, Grand West Casino. The Cape Town Symphony Orchestra has repeat performances of Over the Rainbow, based on Rollo Scott’s Springbok Radio show, on April 28 and 29. Tickets are R56 at Computicket or at the door.
More, 74 Loop Street. The Gauloises Global Groove goes down on Thursday April 26 (Friday is another holiday). Eric Rug, the French guy from Paper Recordings and Radio Nova, is back. Rug and Laurent Garnier kickstarted the Frenchhouse scene in 1988 with their Discomuzak parties at the Locomotive club in Paris. Today he’s best known for his Waxgrooves night at the Rex club, although he plays all over the world. Tickets are R40 at the door. On Saturday April 28, dance to another international guest. Rob Mello is a United Kingdom DJ and producer who plays at clubs such as Space, Bar Rumba and Plastic People, produces top London house acts and also cowrote the music to Human Traffic. R30 cover. On Sundays, More hosts twostep garage and breaks parties with DJ Stumble (Peter Abrahams) and Blunted Stuntman. Mocca Java Mondays feature Craig de Sousa, Jody K and guests and then there’s More Soul on Thursday evenings. On Friday May 4, Foo Funk is back. Tel: 422 0544.
Rhodes House, 60 Queen Victoria Street. Style magazine holds a fashion party here on Friday April 27. The AtoZ of Cool event features designer labels Jean Paul Gaultier, Plein Stud, Sonja Rykiel, Alberto Ferreti, Hugo Boss and Morgan. There will be a performance by pinkhaired, pubescent pop poppie Mia. Tickets are R85 at Ticketweb (www.ticketweb.co.za or Tel:0861 400500).
Rhythm Divine, 156 Long Street. There are several parties vying for the big finale here. Yup, Rhythm Divine is closing down, so make the most of what’s happening here over the next week or two. Enter the Cheese on April 27 sees the Cheese parties coming back like tight white flares. It’s a Kung Fu Disco party from the Sleaze Syndicate featuring Jazza, Jody K, Charlie Brown, Dr Love and a “very special Secret Samurai guest”. Play in the “Zen garden of pimp” for only R30. Legend on Saturday April 28 claims to be the official closingdown party and has the allnight free shooters to prove it. Taking advantage of the freeflowing tequila are DJs Craig de Sousa, Ryan Dent, Jazza, Jody K and Nick Birkby. R20 before midnight, R30 thereafter. Friday May 11 will be a “best of” Essential Mix. Vote now for one of your favourite Essential Mix DJs, of which there have been 60 over the past two years, on www.event.co.za. You choose the bill!
Studio 47, 60 New Market Street. Tidy Trax has a monthly residency here. On Thursday April 26 there’s a prelude to Freedom Day with Lee Haslam. He’s presented by Liquidreams, which has held a slew of successful parties at this venue. Haslam offers “energetic, bouncy and truly mesmerising hard house” and is one of the label’s best upandcoming DJs. Tickets are R60 expect to queue. On Saturday night there’s another theme party. This time, pop your fortune cookies and take a trip to China. Tickets for the Red Lantern party are R40. May 1 is Workers’ Day another public holiday! On April 30, DJ Direct features another popular South African DJ this time, Paul Almeida.
Troubadour, corner of Boyes Drive and Main Road, Kalk Bay. Friday April 27 and Saturday April 28: Prana, featuring David Ledbetter, Buddy Wells, Tony Paco, Dave Ridgeway and Kevin Gibson for the best in original jazz; May 3 to 5: The Strings and Skins concert with Greg Georgiades, Ashishi Joshi and Syd Kitchen and Amakool.