Now in its sixth season, the country’s original ecofriendly music fest continues its genre-surfing evolution.
? The tantalising choices facing punters at the Rocking the Daisies Festival this weekend include British retro rockers Band of Skulls, Prime Circle, Yoav, Kevin Saunderson’s classic Detroit techno, Francois van Coke and Tasha Baxter fronting a once-off 15-piece big band and digital punk poster boy Haezer. Now in its sixth season, the country’s original ecofriendly music fest continues its genre-surfing evolution.
The Nu World Beat Ring showcases the global grooves of Afro-Latin party people Tucan Tucan, Congolese singer-songwriter Sylvestre “The Bottle” Kabassidi, Brazilian global-funk nomads Napalma, a carny folk-blues rock battle between Mr Cat and the Jackal and the Nomadic Orchestra, and some cosmic Afrobeat cuts from DJ Ntone.
Main stage major festival circuit suspects include hip-hop crew Tumi & the Volume, Afro-disco party animals Gazelle, rapper Jack Parow and rockers Foto a Dans. Late-night revellers can tune into some mind-bending mash-ups on the Red Bull Electronic Stage.
Rocking the Daisies, Cloof Estate, Darling, October 7 to 9. Entrance is R450 (pre-sale) R550 (gate) and R150 (Subday only),
Website: http://rockingthedaisies.com.
? “Normally I sit in front of the mic and play, leaving it just like that. This time we spent a lot of time in post-production, delving into the possibilities of the studio to highlight the sound of the guitar and really bring it into a sharp focus,” says Derek Gripper. The Cape Town composer-guitarist is decoding the dynamic scope of his brand-new album, The Sound of Water, which sees him sidestep his signature raw and elegant minimalism for a multilayered set of alternately light and dark orchestral and fragile moods.
Newlands Sufi Temple, 183 Campground Road, Newlands, October 9, at 7pm. Entrance is R80. Website: www.derekgripper.com.