Cape Town music picks: September 10 2010

Miles Keylock

10 SEP 2010, 10:09

3 min read

There’s a celebration of African artists this month that cannot be missed.

The Pan African Space Station (PASS) launches into orbit on September 12 with Songs for Biko, a 24-hour praise party for Steve Biko on the anniversary of his death. An initiative of the Heliocentrics curatorial team of Neo Muyanga and Ntone Edjabe, PASS encourages Capetonians and visitors ‘to engage with the rich and complex web of creative expression that binds Africans across entangled nations and across the globe” by linking the spatial and cultural ghettos in the city physically and conceptually over a 30-day music intervention on radio, internet, and live music venues until October 12. Taking its inspiration from Sun Ra’s proposition, “there are other world’s out there they never told you about” PASS explores the limits of black sonic process. At the heart of this project is PASS radio, a free form online radio station. Uncompromisingly democratic, free form radio, like free jazz, implies a kind of automatism, an endless improvisational riffing that explodes myopic genre categories and cultural divisions.

Now in its third year, PASS expands its cross-cultural and cyber-spatial exploration, bringing together diverse pan-African sounds from ancient techno to future roots by broadcasting from 44 Long Street as well as a satellite studio in Limbe, Cameroon. These live sessions run between 7-9pm daily and are guest-curated by musicians, DJs, poets and artists. Be sure to join the Fong Kong Bantu Sound System for a liberating breakfast of remixed eggs, scrambled beats and flame-grilled toasting from 6am to 12pm. Africa Centre, First Floor, 44 Long Street, Cape Town, September 12. Entrance is free. Website: www.panafricanspacestation.org.za

Sultry trip-hop siren Zaki Ibrahim and lyrically conscious ragga-rapper EJ Von Lyrik spearhead an impressive line up of women who mash up the urban rhythms and electro party starters at the Divas Rock concert on September 11. Relax. These divas aren’t your stereotypical self-obsessed pop prima donnas. They’re artistic role models full of original ideas, confidence, charisma and a conscience. These divas party with a purpose. Billed as ‘a celebratory showcase of diverse performers whose girl power extends beyond the limelight and outlasts a single month”, the concert kick starts Levi’s® Red for Life’s HIV/AIDS initiative. Drawing on the collective strengths of these young women as entertainers and leaders in their communities to effect change and rock a party, the event aims to target a group disproportionately affected by the pandemic – young women. Dubstep femme fatale Funafuji, old skool soul crate digger Miss H, Blush N Bass’s funky indie electro DJ Candice Heyns and rising Jozi indie electro spinner That Girl mash up the genre-surfing groove support. Prior to hitting the stage, the ‘divas’ will host an interactive discussion group focusing on the topic of life and love in the time of HIV and AIDS attended by specially selected members of the public. The Assembly, Harrington Street, East City, September 11, 9pm. Admission is free if you register at http://www.facebook.com/LeviSouthAfrica?v=app_6009294086. Website: www.theassembly.co.za