It’s that fantastic time of year again when Melville’s famous 7th Street celebrates food and music in the annual Fete de la Musique. This part of the city is well known for its bars, restaurants and party life, but party life with a touch of culture.
7th Street will shut down next Saturday for one of the coolest street bashes in the country. Each venue will offer some form of original music and a menu of their best dishes.
Fete de la Musique is organised by the Melville Business Association, the Melville Residents’ Association, Alliance Francaise and the French Institute of South Africa.
This year the organisers have added two stages, one at either end of 7th Street.
“We wanted to up the game,” explained Eleanor Koning.
Koning serves on councillor Amanda Forsyth’s committee as the economic development member. Forsyth is the councillor for Ward 87, which includes Melville.
“There will be all genres from choirs to jazz to established as well as up-and-coming artists,” she explained.
Artists booked to perform on the stages include Tu Nokwe and Bheki Khoza, BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness) and a host of French performers.
“From France people can look forward to jazz artist Solorazaf,” confirmed Koning.
“Then there is a performance sponsored by the French Institute called Reve de Herbet. They are the final piece and include artists on stilts. It’s indescribable.”
The event will start at 10am with Reve de Herbet closing as the last act at 6pm.
“We have found that families prefer to come a lot earlier than the sundowner crowd,” said Koning.
The restaurants will also have music on offer. Lucky Bean has hired Melville favourites and locals The Hip Replacements.
Lucky Bean’s menu is impressive. Diners will have a choice of Spanish-style lamb shank done with green olives, sherry, paprika and orange rind. There will also be their favourites like oxtail soup and mushroom, garlic and herb-stuffed chicken breasts.
Popular cocktail bar Six will serve the best cocktails in the country and as usual it will be two for the price of one until 7pm. They will also serve tornado potatoes outside the venue. For entertainment they will feature a new group called My Neighbour’s Wife.
Liberation Café will offer gourmet hot dogs with jalapenos and four sauces. There will also be craft beer for sale. On the musical side, expect a mix of up-and-coming hip hop and soul acts.
Poppy’s have hired their in-house favourite, Ayanda, who performed at the opening of the African Nations Championship tournament in Cape Town. Having enjoyed success at the Delicious Festival, the restaurant will again offer peri peri chicken and prawns on the braai which they will serve on the street.
Nunos and Xai Xai will do their famous take on Mozambican food with trinchado to start, fish and chips, espetada and a choice of five pizzas. They will have a DJ perform outside their restaurants after the live acts end.