The listings: Durban: October 15 2010

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Music
Art
Theatre

Music

• Durban City Hall, Smith Street. The Spring Season of the the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra’s World Symphony Series is in full swing and, in keeping with the high standards maintained by Africa’s only full-time professional orchestra, features a top-drawer selection of internationally acclaimed soloists, conductors and choirs to complement its own considerable musical prowess. The concert on Thursday October 21 sees Tickets available at Computicket or at the door. Significant discounts for season tickets. Tel: 031 369 9438 Visit www.kznpo.co.za

• Emmanuel Cathedral, Durban CBD. Taking place in this historic venue on Sunday October 17 from 2.30pm to 3.30pm is the annual Cardinal’s Concert in which the world-acclaimed Aachen Cathedral Choir from Germany perform with local musicians in an exciting multi- cultural choral experience. After the concert refreshments will be on sale in the Cathedral piazza with a live Zulu marimba and Zimbabwean drumming combo band providing the live entertainment. Guests of honour at the event include Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM and Mahmoud Youssef-Baker. Tickets can be obtained from the Cathedral office (Mon – Fri 8:30am to 4:30pm) for a minimum donation of R20 or purchased at the door before the concert. Tel: 031 306 35 95.

• Harbour Café, BAT Centre, Durban Harbour. Every Friday night from 9pm with entrance free, in their smouldering furnace Durban band Soulfire smelt a potent alloy of funk, soul, R&B, Afropop, Afrojazz, acid jazz and Mozambican sounds to which is added a heavy dose of lead singer Lihle Ngongoma’s mesmerising stage presence. Ngongoma oozes confidence and charisma and possesses a set of pipes that moves effortlessly from mellifluous R&B crooning to soaring soul rhapsodies. Soulfire’s profound instrumental capabilities are in the hands of Thabani Gapara on saxophone; peerless Mozambican musician Zoco Dimande on guitar; top Durban jazz pianist Susan Barry on keyboards while Bheka Mthetwa provides the lithe bass grooves and Kariem Darries is on drums. For some more laid-back jazz/fusion/funk/pop catch Quiet Storm featuring Philani Ngidi on bass; Sean Duvall on vocals and saxophone; Mark Rooypen on keyboards and Karriem Darries on drums every Sunday at Harbour Café at 7pm with entrance once again free of charge. Tel: 031 332 0451 Email [email protected]

  Heritage Theatre, Westville. Popular Durban musician Barry Thomson, a gifted singer, songwriter, guitarist and showman, returns to the stage here with the fourth incarnation of his hit show, A Taste of Thomson. A veteran of many a tribute show and fresh from performing his original material at The White Mountain Folk Festival and The Durban International Blues Festival, A Taste of Thomson 4 showcases Thomson’s inveterate talent for interpreting some of the greatest tunes from the rock canon. For two hours Thomson takes control and, together with a host of guest artists, weaves a spell of rock guitar magic from bands like Procol Harem, Dire Straits, Jethro Tull, The Eagles, Grand Funk Railroad, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, Stevie Ray Vaughn and more. Thomson is backed by Dawn Selby (keyboards, Hammond organ vocals); Mali Sewell (drums) and Jason Andrew (bass) and then goes solo for the acoustic segment of the show. Tickets, which include a two-course meal, are R165 Tuesday dinner (7pm) and Sunday lunch (12.30pm) and R190 Wednesday to Saturday (7pm). Tel: 031 765 4197 Visit www.heritagetheatre.co.za

• Hilton College Theatre, Hilton. I Love A Piano is concert pianist extraordinaire Christopher Duigan’s annual piano extravaganza which takes the form of an entire evening celebrating the joy of music around the piano at this elegant venue on Friday October 22 at 7.30pm. Duigan, who was recently welcomed into one of the world’s most prestigious folds by being named a Steinway Pianist, on this occasion brings together music from the worlds of jazz, classical and popular music in a programme featuring a stellar line-up of guest musicians. These include fellow pianists Evan Roberts and Andrew Warburton; vocalist Shelley Mc Clean and London- based saxophonist Joanne Rozario. On the programme are works by ‘nuevo” tango composer Astor Piazzolla; music for two pianos by Sergei Rachmaninoff and a host of other popular classics, showtunes and jazz greats. Tickets R100 in advance. Tel: 033 383 0126

• Howard College Theatre, UKZN. An inspired treat for both the mouth and the ears can be found in the form of the Annual African Cultural Calabash, the celebration of sound, movement and tastes from around the African continent presented here on Saturday October 16 at 7pm by the African Music Outreach: Community Development class of 2010 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Music. The event showcase Africa’s diversity of dance, music and cuisine and features performances by Zulu dance troupe Buya Afrika; the Durban-based Congolese ensemble Amani Band; classical Indian dance company Feet Across Earth; maskandi band iZakithi Group; Botswana Student Society Dance Group who specialise in the trademark setapa music and dance; acclaimed nogoma / amahubo youth group iGugulesizwe as well as various African Music and Dance Students in a variety of traditional song, dance and music routines. Also on the menu is seswaa and morogo from Botswana; aMadumbe from KZN; breyani from Kenya and samusa from India to mention a few. Tickets R50 at the door. Tel: 076 166 0031. Email: [email protected]

• Krakatoa, Sibaya Casino. This smouldering nightclub every Friday night features a Bhangra Bash which takes place from 10pm with entrance R60 and a Club Night with DJ Chunky Charles every Saturday which likewise kicks off at 10pm with entrance R60. Tel: 031 580 5601

• Phansi Museum, 500 Frere Road. At this intimate, atmospheric venue on Thursday October 28 at 7pm some soulful strumming takes place courtesy of Shannon Connolly and Jaspar Lepak, two troubadours who produce their own distinctive blends of folk, country and blues. Durban’s Connolly last year released her debut album of breezy, wistful tunes while 29-year-old Lepak recently relocated to South Africa from Minneapolis where her graceful Midwestern folk-rock resonates as beautifully. Tickets are R40 at the door with CDs for sale on the night. Tel: 031 206 2889 Email: [email protected]

• The Rock, Umzumbe. This fine establishment – a national monument – on KZN’s South Coast every Sunday afternoon features a varying selection of laid-back homegrown acoustic folk and roots hosted by Dave Marks of crusading Durban-based underground music archive initiative 3rd Ear Music. The regular Thursday night Plug ‘n Play slot welcomes all comers on stage for a jam session. The venue also provides light lunch and bar facilities and a playground for the kids with a wonderful view of the surf. Tel: 039 684 6148 / 083 359 5610 / 082 735 2880 Email [email protected]

• Traxx, Cobham Grove. Durban’s industrial-strength nightclub every Saturday lays on evenings of ucompromising hard dance, minimal, tech, progressive and trance dished up by the venue’s resident DJs. Visit www.clubtraxx.co.za

• Unit 11, 10 Oldham St, off Stamford Hill Road. Durban’s hippest new indie rec venue hosts top Durban DJ’s on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and offers such attractions as table-tennis, foosball, cheap bar and free popcorn. Entrance is free. Tel: 083 378 1237 Email [email protected]

• Zulu Jazz Lounge, Smith Street. After the successful release of their award-winning debut album Collected Memories and hundreds of shows across South Africa over the past 2 years, Zebra & Giraffe return with their much-anticipated sophomore LP entitled The Inside. In support of the album’s release the band are hitting the road hard with shows across the country featuring brand new tracks and old favourites such as The Knife, Arm Yourself and Fight! Fight! Fight! The band’s Durban show takes place at this suave venue on Saturday October 16 at 8pm. Tickets are R50 at the door.

  Art

• The Art Room, 3A Chartwell Centre, Chartwell Drive, Umhlanga Rocks. The exclusive northern Durban suburb Umhlanga Rocks is given cultural cred by the presence of one of the city’s most auspicious galleries which carries an impressive permanent collection of work and a high turnover of individually curated exhibitions. Permanently on show are creations by top South African artists Sanell Aggenbach, Marie Vermeulen-Breedt, Ben Coutouvidis, William Kentridge, Makiwa Mutomba, Hussein Salim, Carl Roberts, Andrew Verster, Karen Fortune, Margaret Gradwell, Peter van Straten, Willie Bester and Norman Catherine. The gallery is open 7 days a week 9.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday. Tel: 031 561 6762 / 082 555 1781 or visit the gallery’s website at www.theartroom.co.za

• African Art Centre, 94 Florida Road. Recently opened at this fine gallery and on show until October 15 is a solo exhibition of new paintings and drawings by Mduduzi Xakaza. One of KwaZulu Natal’s most prolific artists, Xakaza Mduduzi was born in 1965 at Maphumulo and, despite pursuing an administrative career, remained a dedicated artist who recently successfully obtained his MA in Fine Arts at UKZN which was followed by a post-graduate diploma in Museum and Heritage Studies. He is currently completing his PhD thesis titled “Power Relations in Landscape Photographs by David Goldblatt and Santu Mofokeng” through the University of the Western Cape. Xakaza’s own work concerns itself with depicting and deconstructing physical world with his oil-on-canvas paintings carrying titles such as Totured Enviroment Outside Vanderbijlpark; Landscape with Homesteads and Deserted Sites and Lonely Homestead at KwaMasiwela, Maphumulo. Tel: 031 312 3804/5 Email [email protected] www.afriart.co.za

• Artisan Art Gallery, 344 Florida Road. Amangwevu is an exhibition of the mystical and whimsical wire-armature beaded creatures made by Caesar Mkhize snd Thafa Dlamini which runs at this smart, modern gallery until October 22. The husband-and-wife team are SA Crafts Council award recipients and their work is to be found in numerous public and private collections as well as in the Constitutional Court and at Buckingham Palace. Tel: 031 312 4364 / 083 3015747 Email [email protected] Visit www.artisan.co.za

• artSPACE durban, 3 Millar Road, off Umgeni Road. Recently opened here for a run until October 16 is the enigmatic exhibition entitled We Are What We Wear; We Wear What We Want To Be by self-described “reluctant fashionista” Steve Mandy. Mandy tripped into the fashion world by chance: he was only painting T-shirts to promote his art when he ended up painting the winning garments at the J&B Met for two years running. As a voyeristic outsider of the fashion industry, he has observed this surreal dimension with utmost fascination and captured it all in this exhibition. artSPACE durban is open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday and from 10am to 1pm on Saturdays and public holidays. Tel: 031 312 0793 Email [email protected] Visit www.artspace-durban.com / www.artspacedurban.blogspot.com

• Bean Bag Bohemia, Windermere Road. Recently opened here is the BBB’s new season of “creative activism” entitled Guerilla Garden which is a collaborative initiative that pays homage to Durban’s vibrant graffiti culture in the form of an exhibition which showcases paintings by emerging graf artists and their documentation by various students from the DUT School of Photography. The show combines graffiti painting with fine art photographic documentation to create an instillation that explores the mystifying codes of graffiti art. Tel: 031 201 1743

• Crouse Art Gallery, 254 Windermere Road. This airy, atmospheric gallery is a repository of outstanding originals by myriad inspirational South African artists both of a contemporary and classical nature and sports a permanent display of work by 63 artists including Errol Boyley, Anton Benzon, Charmaine Eastment, Christiaan Nice, Frans Clarehout, Di Erasmus, Garbriel De Jong, Lienkie Lombard, Munro, Carla Bosch, Bea and many more. The gallery is open weekdays from 9am to 4pm and Saturday from 9am to 12pm. Tel: 031 312 2315 Visit www.crouseartkzn.co.za

• KZNSA Gallery, 166 Bulwer Road. Curator Nontobeko Ntombela spent four months scouring every nook and cranny of South Africa’s contemporary arts landscape to select four finalists for this year’s MTN New Contemporaries Award. The fact that the judges had a stygian battle on their hands picking out an eventual winner is testament to her curatorial prowess. Eventually Kemang Wa Lehulere’s intriguing installation entitled Remembering the Future of a Hole as a Verb saw him pocket the R70 000 prize money. No less engrossing is the work of the other three finalists Dolly Kukama, Stuart Bird and Mohau Modisakeng. The MTN New Contemporaries Award Exhibition is on show here until October 9. Opening on Tuesday October 12 at 6pm is a brace of exhibitions by two of South Africa’s most exciting artists currently working in the medium of paint: Makiwa Mutomba and Conrad Botes. The exhibition closes on October 31. Tel: 031 277 1705 Email [email protected] Visit www.kznsagallery.co.za

• Natural History Museum, Durban City Hall. As their contribution to celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity that is 2010, BirdLife Port Natal hosts a photographic exhibition here from October 14 to 27. As well as showcasing a remarkable range of bird photography, the exhibition, held in conjunction with the Durban Natural History Museum, also highlights the recent upgrades and improvements to the Museum. Tel: 083 271 2919 / 083 231 3408.

• Winchester Fine Art, 20 Loop Road, Hillcrest. Sue Winchester, stepdaughter of the great modernist painter Hannes Harrs, is in charge of this permanent art space. The gallery boasts an arsenal of work from some of the most recognised artistic icons of the 20th Century such as Cecil Skotnes, Victor Passmore, Pablo Picasso, Eduardo Vila, Henry Moore, Ezrom Legae, Sydney Kumalo, Modigliani and Hannes Harrs. The 0gallery’s vision is to create a synthesis between the giants of international art and grassroots arts development with Winchester running several programmes aimed at reaching out into surrounding communities where many outstanding talents wait to be unearthed. Tel: 031 765 3689 / 083 673 7975 or visit www.winfineart.co.za

  Theatre

• Barnyard Theatre, Gateway. Billed as “the tribute of all tributes”, The Big 5 celebrates the music of five of the biggest pop icons of all time in the form of Elton John, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Michael Jackson and Madonna. The highly credible local incarnations of Elton, Tina, Rod, Michael and Madonna are on one stage for close on two hours belting out the hugest hits of all five chart-dominating solo artists. The show features an eleven-piece cast with talented doppelgangers in the form of Ramaine Barreiro-Lloyd (Tina Turner); James Dobson (Elton John); Tian Rautenbach (Rod Stewart); Ernie B (Michael Jackson) and Taryn- Lee Hudson (Madonna). The show runs until October 21. Tickets are R120 from Wednesday to Saturday and R85 every Tuesday night and Sunday matinee. Tel: 031 566 3045 Email [email protected] Visit www.barnyardtheatres.co.za

• German Department, UKZN. Screening here every Monday afternoon at 5pm is an episode of Heimat 1: A German Chronicle, Edgar Reitz’s monumental 11-part recreation of German rural life between 1919 and 1982. Parts 2 – 11 will be screened at the same time on successive Mondays. The epic saga follows the life of Maria Simon, a woman living in the fictional village of Schabbach in the Hunsrück in western Germany. Episode 1 is entitled Fernweh: The Call of Faraway Places and runs for 120 minutes. Reitz’ opus is a unique and highly personal portrait of Germany from 1919 to the millennium. The series explores vast themes ranging from the rise of Nazism in the 1930s to the reunification of Germany in the 1990s via the liberation movements of the 1960s. Fifty-four hours in length, the three cycles of the Heimat Trilogy has taken Reitz more than 25 years to complete and features over 300 characters. Tel: 031 260 1086 / 2380

• Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, University of KwaZulu-Natal. Poetry Africa is the continent’s pre-eminent celebration of the written and spoken word which gathers together some of the planet’s foremost wordsmiths at the University of KwaZulu-Natal until October 8 to celebrate its 14th aniversary. Over twenty poets from twelve different countries feature in this all-star celebration of scribes working across the spectrum of styles, genres and disciplines. For the full programme vist www.cca.ukzn.ac.za Tel: 031 260 2506 / 1704.

• Howard College Theatre, UKZN. Bittersweet tells the story of suffering and helplessness under the iniquitous indentured labour system visited upon Indian labourers in 19th Century South Africa. It’s also a universal tale of sacrifice, hope and the triumph of the human spirit under the most inhuman conditions. Set in the 1860s and revolving around the lives of four indentured Indian labourers, a woman and the Sardar (Indian Supervisor), Bittersweet is written by Yusuf Haffejee and directed by Pranesh Maharaj. As the drama unfolds, the injustice of the labour system intertwines in complex fashion with injustice of India’s caste system; the dynamics of the Moslem/Hindu relationship and the status of women in traditional Indian society. The gripping drama is given a haunting atmosphere by live musical performance by Master Vivek and Master Shakeel. The play runs here until October 10 with tickets R60 from Computicket or directly from Farouk Hoosen. Tel: 084 581 8186.

• Point Yacht Club, Durban Harbour. Durban’s Live Poets’ Society in its monthy gathering on Wednesday October 13 at 5.30pm launches Poems for Haiti: A South African Anthology, the collection of verse dedicated to the victims of the earthquake that struck Haiti in January this year. No less than 87 poets, under the editorship of Dr Amitabh Mitra, contribute to the volume whose foreword is penned by well-known academic Peter Horn. Launching the poetry collection is author Prithraj Dullay whose volume of short stories entitled Salt Runs in my Veins has just been published. Entrance is free. Tel: 031 402 1131 / 083 282 0865. Email [email protected]

• Suncoast Casino, Battery Beach. The Durban Prawn Festival is now in its third year here and sees 75 chefs from KZN’s top restaurants battling it out for the honour of creating the city’s Best Signature Prawn Dish in the Fine Dining and Casual Dining categories. Due to rapidly increasing popularity, this year’s event sees 1.2 tons of tiger prawns and 1.5 tons of rice sacrificed for the cause. The event takes place on October 7 and 8 from 7pm. Tickets R150 from Computicket or at Suncoast.