- With the city light's blazing and 50 000 of the Mother City's citizens there to enjoy it, the festive season is more than officially underway. This weekend sees Obz Festival return with a star-studded line-up, multiple stages, street-bands, market stalls and kiddies activities.
"ObzLoud" features 340ml, The Rudimentals, Rus Nerwich and DJ Fletcher (Friday), and aKing, visitors Napalma, Blaq Pearl and the legendary Nine, amongst others (Saturday).
"ObzAcoustic" sees Jitsvinger, Adamu, Ezra, Joshua Grierson, Riccardo Moretti's Tribal Need and an album release by Mr Cat & The Jackal (Saturday), and Grammy- nominee Cofield Mundi, Barleycorn-winner Natalia, fineART founder Kyle Shepherd with Buddy Wells and Afro-Latino sensations Xixel, amongst others (Sunday). Sunday finishes with a jazz line-up par excellence: Hot Water, Claire Phillips, Closet Snare and Moreira Chonguiça, back from launching his new album in South America. (Lower Main Rd, Observatory, details on ObzFestival.co.za).
- Little Hearts Music Festival sees a three-day benefit courtesy iLoveMusic, encouraging the music-loving public to donate toys for the Red Cross Children's Hospital, CHOC and Cotlands Baby House.
Hear more than 25 artists, including Tasha Baxter, The Plastics and The Beams (tomorrow), Abavuki, The Gugulethu Tenprs, Jamali, Natalia and Andy Lund (Saturday) and Coda, Josie Field, Hot Water and Julia Jakobsen (Sunday), all at the V&A Waterfront. (Free. For donations to the charities involved: 073-259-2049 and Little HeartsFestival.co.za).
- On the other side of town, the impeccable Kirstenbosch line-up continues with Sama-winners Freshlyground. (Sunday, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Rhodes Ave, Newlands. Tel: 021-799-8783, 5.30 to 6.30pm, picnics welcome. Ticket: 021-7612-866. See SANBI.org).
- Jazz-wise, the Hanepoot Big Band returns to Swingers for another "South African Big Band Jazz Evening", featuring the All Star Rhythm Section of drummer and Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner Kesivan Naidoo, bassist Shane Cooper, guitarist Bruce Muirhead and composer and jazz organiser, pianist George Werner. Expect solos by trombonists Hanepoot van Tonder and Jasper Cook, tenor players Chris Tokalon and Simon Bates and trumpeter Lwanda Gogwana, and tunes by Hugh Masekela, Kippie Moeketsi, Dudu Pukwana and Zakes Nkosi, as well as Naidoo, Douglas Armstrong and Merton Barrow, and arrangements of tunes by Errol Dyers. (Wetton Rd, Landsdowne. Tel: 021-762-2443, 6pm, R40; or 084-660-6158).
- Diary Note: The Assembly turns 1: hear Ninja Tune turntablists DJ Food, Strictly Kev and DK (Solid Steel/Now Listen Again); also Sibot, DJ Low, Klinikal and more. (December 12. R100 from Assembly.co.za).
- The Road To V winners have been announced: Captain Stu, Gonzo Republic and 3rd World Spectator play with One Republic, Maroon 5, Goldfish and The Parlotones for the pre Virgin Festival concerts. (December 17, Grand West; 13 December 13, Joburg; December 14, Durban).
Sign the SA Music Quota Petition: www.samqc.org.za
- Submissions to [email protected] or fax 086-689-3282 by Friday noon.