The annual Hip-Hop Indaba takes place this weekend, and The Used stop in the Cape after Oppikoppi.
? Masote Music presents Coming Home, a jazz-gospel musical drama first performed in South Africa in 2008. Narrated by Sello Maake ka Ncube and featuring celebrated soprano Sibongile Khumalo accompanied by a 60-strong choir and full orchestra, this powerful drama tells the story of the return of the prodigal son. It brings together elements of African-American spiritual music, which has its roots in Africa, as well as the Zulu choral tradition of isicathamiya (exemplified by the music of Ladysmith Black Mambazo).
Concert Hall, Baxter Theatre Centre, Rondebosch, on August 6. Book at Computicket. Tel: 021 685 7880. Website: www.baxter.co.za.
? Given bling and booty rap’s ongoing colonisation of the airwaves, it is tempting to say that signing a major-label record deal, making megabucks and getting out of the ghetto are all that hip-hop has to offer today’s youth. But Emile Jansen, member of legendary Cape Flats hip-hop crew Black Noise and organiser of the annual African Hip-Hop Indaba, disagrees. ‘The version of hip-hop that the world’s media promotes globally is a strange sissified version of its true self,” he says. ‘Real hip-hop is [about] educating the youth, fighting Aids, exchanging cultures and breaking down racism.” The indaba is not just about reminding today’s MTV Base generation what ‘keeping it real” can mean on a personal level, it is also about spreading that message in the community.
Platinum Lounge at 88 Short Market Street hosts the indaba on August 5 at 7.30pm. Tel: 021 706 0481 or 082 474 4750. Website: www.africanhiphopindaba.co.za.
? ‘In the past we’ve always kind of brought pop sensibility into heavy rock, but this is going to be much more tantalising and brutal,” said Bert McCracken, lead singer of The Used, about their album Artwork a few years ago. ‘Our songs are 10 times messier and noisier than they’ve ever been.” At the band’s Cape Town gig this weekend, Fokofpolisiekar will remind us why their garage-punk anthems have defined alternative Afrikaans rock in the main support slot at 9pm and P.H.Fat’s Mike, Narch and Disco will surf through psychedelic bass raps from their album Dinosaur Blood in the opening slot at 6.30pm. Lark’s Inge and Paul will do songs from their highly anticipated new album at 8pm.
Grand Arena, Grandwest Casino & Entertainment World, 1 Vanguard Drive, Goodwood, on August 8 at 6.30pm. Entrance costs R220 to R250. Book at Computicket. Tel: 021 505 7777.
? Few punters who witnessed Tony Cox and Steve Newman spontaneously swap spit after they had run out of songs for their third encore in a sold-out Baxter Concert Hall in 1982 imagined that the acoustic-guitar duo would still be trading licks three decades later. But here they are, celebrating 30 years of performing together by showcasing songs from their latest album, Return of the Road Warriors.
Olympia Bakery, 134 Main Road, Kalk Bay, August 5 and 6, at 8pm. Entrance is R120.