Alex Sudheim
Bargo, 15 Mitchell Crescent, Greyville racecourse. Durban’s nattiest nightclub provides a seamless combination of live music and clubstyle DJ action this week, kicking off on Thursday April 26 with a concert featuring, for the first time in Durban, Cape Town electronica legends Moodphase 5ive, Krushed & Sorted, Felix Laband and DJ Honey B. Presented by African Dope Records, The Dope Show (not Marilyn Manson’s one) is an enormous sound rocket with DJs, VJs, musicians, multimedia shows and cuttingedge hypermodern music cranking all night long. Tickets are R20 before 9pm and R25 thereafter. On Saturday April 28, DV8 Productions presents Sherbet, a raucous allnight dance party featuring a brace of international DJs. On Friday May 4, Battery 9 and Ohm team up for some postindustrial electrotinged rock’n’roll. Tel: 309 6066.
Bat Deck, Bat Centre, Durban harbour. Perking up the atmosphere of Durban’s scenic bayside balcony is the Bat’s new season of jazz, which on Friday April 27 from 5pm to 7pm celebrates Freedom Day with a free sundowner performance by top jazz horn virtuoso Paul Kock. Put the weekend on track with cool sounds, refreshing drinks and spectacular views from the deck. Every Sunday evening from noon to midnight the High Society DJ Collective presents Sunshine Sundays, featuring sweet, chilled sounds to wind the weekend down in a halcyon haze. Website: www. batcentre.co.za. Tel: 332 0451.
Bat Hall, Bat Centre, Durban harbour. The everinventive Friends of Chaka Network has devised a stimulating new musical initiative taking place every Thursday evening from 7pm. Art Attack! is a gathering of visual and performing artists, musicians and patrons of the arts. Providing exposure, entertainment and inspiration, Art Attack! features resident DJ Eric “Coolfire” Hadebe, invited DJs and other acts, as well as a mini flea market with food, drinks and art works. More information: Tel: 083 364 8312.
Briar Ghyll, Howick. Join Pietermaritzburgbased classicalmusic initiative Music Revival for the first of its popular picnic concerts in this pretty park on Workers’ Day, Tuesday May 1. The enticing musical event raises funds for the Music Revival piano repair fund and features a wide array of performers, including the A La Mer String Quartet, a Dixieland jazz band and PianoFOURte four pianists playing two pianos. Tickets are R30 (student and pensioners pay R20 and kids under 18 get in free). The fun starts at 12.30pm. To get there, continue along George Macfarlane Lane from the Howick Road/Cordwalles Drive intersection. Email:[email protected]. Tel: (033) 342 3051.
Burn, 112 Umbilo Road. Durban’s avatar of the alternative continues to rule the roost with grungy ambience, hard sounds and rawkin’ live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night. On Wednesday nights, join the frantic masses when DJs spin the heavy stuff and all shooters are R1,50. The Goths come out to play on Fridays. The venue is closed this weekend but is back in action on Saturday May 5 with a concert featuring the tightly honed Caffeine Substitute, who seduce with their hardedged brand of melodic rock. Tel: 201 0076/082 964 2280.
Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, University of Natal, Durban. The cemtre gets back in the swing with its nowfamous Wednesdayevening Trios Plus jazz and sundowner sessions. On Wednesday May 2, catch ace jazzmen The Mfana Mlaba Trio in action. The show kicks off at about 5pm, entrance is R5 and there is a cash bar available. Tel: 260 3385.
The Jam, St Michael’s Sands hotel. Dishing up rock for the South Coast locals every Sunday night, The Jam on April 29 hosts Durban indierockers 33. The gig starts at 7.30pm and tickets are R10 at the door. Tel: (039) 315 0821.
live@35, 35 Montgomery Drive, Athlone. Acclaimed American clarinettist Diana Bures has been performing a selection of clarinet favourites in a series of intimate evenings entitled Dizzy Fingers, culminating at this cosy venue on Saturday April 28 from 7.30pm. Bures, who studied at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts, currently plays with the KwaZuluNatal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban. The programme includes excerpts from clarinet concertos by Mozart and Weber, music by Schumann and jazzy pieces such as Dizzy Fingers and Benny Goodman’s Caprice. Tickets are R40, which includes wine, coffee and biscuits. Booking is essential. Email:[email protected]. Tel: (033) 342 3051.
Natal museum, Loop Street, Pietermaritzburg. Celebrate Freedom Day in exotic style on Friday April 27 with a unique musical event taking place in the Mammal Room of the museum. Visiting American clarinettist Diana Bures and pianist Christopher Duigan perform a celebratory programme of music in this sublime acoustic space, surrounded by an elephant skeleton and a multitude of animals. Bures is currently playing with the KwaZuluNatal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban. She will perform the beautiful Adagio from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and music by Stravinsky and Schumann. Duigan will play the Anthem of Liberation, Chopin’s Polonaise in A Flat and music with African influences by South African composer Michael Blake. The concert starts at 11am and tickets are R20. Those under 18 pay R5. There is safe parking and refreshments will be on sale. Email:[email protected]. Tel: (033) 342 3051.
Playhouse Drama, Smith Street. It’s Cooking in the Melting Pot is a fusion of exciting rhythms and exotic African sounds that explodes on to the Playhouse Drama stage on April 26 and 28 with the vocal talents of Xolisa Gqoli Dlamini (winner of last year’s Old Mutual Jazz Encounters competition), Lihle Nene and Nina Mkhize. They are joined by hot kwaito outfit Shana (Simply Hot and Naturally African) as well as contemporary and traditional dancers. Adding flavour to this happening programme is a guest appearance by the internationally renowned Busi Mhlongo, no stranger to the South African music industry. The vocalists will be accompanied by a fourpiece band led by Susan Barry. The inspiration for the show is drawn from Zulu, Pondo and Xhosa traditional music and includes African jazz. Tel: 369 9444.
Pietermaritzburg City Hall. Pietermaritzburg and Midland concertgoers are treated to a Beethoven Spectacular on Thursday May 3 from 7.30pm when the KwaZuluNatal Philharmonic Orchestra will perform in this acoustically and atmospherically superior building. Conducted by Durbanbased, Russianborn conductor Naum Rousine, the allBeethoven programme will comprise three of the classical master’s bestloved and most thrilling compositions. The Coriolan Overture opens the proceedings, followed by the Symphony No 5, which became famous during the dark years of World War II due to the appropriation of its opening bars as the Allied Forces’ victory signal. After the interval, Pietermaritzburg’s own international concert pianist, Christopher Duigan, will be in the solo spot to join forces with the orchestra for the Piano Concerto No 5 (The Emperor). Tickets range from R25 (students and children) to R55 (discount for pensioners). Book at Computicket.
Rivets, Durban Hilton. Rivets is considered by many to be one of the most upmarket music venues in town. Providing a suitably sophisticated sonic atmosphere on Wednesday May 2 are accomplished melodic rock outfit Caffeine Substitute. The Johnny Walker Jazz Season continues on Thursday May 3 with the featured band of the week, Platform Jazz, playing Dixieland hits and many more obscure tunes as well. From 8pm, free entry. Tel: 336 8204.
Shongweni railway tunnels, Shongweni. If you are in the mood for a trance extravaganza of note, steer your locomotive down these tunnels on Friday April 27. The event is called Seratonum and is a monster outdoor psychedelictrance party that ought to have the dance faction squirming with glee. Trance lovers all over the country are expected to flock to the first such party held in Durban in more than two years. To mark the occasion, South Africa’s top psychedelic trance DJ, Mikey Dredd, is being flown in from Gauteng. Dredd is a member of the Tax and Mushroom Mafia DJ collectives and is rated in the top 10 of world trance DJs. He will be supported by DJs Clybax and Rapture. The venue boasts scenic views with a waterfall, swimming, food and drink stalls, chill areas, fire performers and a 10 000W sound system. Tickets are R25, available with directions from Idols (Musgrave centre). Tel: 082 220 7796.
? Splashy Fen, Underberg. South Africa’s longest running music festival celebrates its 11th birthday this year with a threeday event taking place in the lush foothills of the KwaZuluNatal Drakensberg from April 26 to 29. The three days of music feature the leading lights of just about every genre on the South African musical landscape, from jazz and blues to rock, punk, hiphop, folk and country. Headliners Springbok Nude Girls are joined by the likes of Saron Gas, Matthew van der Want, Boo!, TRO, Vusi Mahlasela, Syd Kitchen, Lush Puppy, Richard Haslop, Perez, Wonderboom and many more underground and established acts at the new and improved festival, which has trimmed the fat and reorganised the layout to provide a more focused and streamlined affair. Tickets are just more than R200 at Computicket (www.computicket.com). Website: www.splashyfen.co.za.
Upstage Jazz Caf, The Playhouse, 231 Smith Street. This fine livemusic venue will host awardwinning pianist, composer, arranger and producer Themba Mkhize on Saturday April 28. Born in Durban and playing the piano from the age of eight, Mkhize has over the past 18 years collaborated with artists such as Hugh Masekela, Sibongile Khumalo and Miriam Makeba, and is also a graduate of top Afrobeat groups such as Bayete and Sakhile. At the sixth South African Music Awards, Mkhize scooped best South African traditional jazz album and best producer for Tales from the South, as well as best soundtrack recording compiled for a stage musical, motion picture or television production for his compositions for Milestones. In 2000 Mkhize won the DaimlerChrysler Award for South African Jazz 2001. See this talented musician live from 8.30pm. Limited tickets at R50 are available at Upstage Jazz Caf. More information: Tel:083 630 8981/082 533 9778.
The Winston, corner of Clark and Umbilo roads. Battlehardened linchpin of the Durban underground livemusic scene, the Winston takes a breather on the livemusic front over the Splashy Fen weekend but remains open to entice patrons with free entry and specials on drinks. Every Wednesday night the Winston shows the latest alternative music videos. Entrance is free and there are specials on quarts and shooters. Tel: 201 1165.