The four-day Easter weekend is the perfect reason to party and promoters have pulled out all the stops this year to bring punters a diverse range of events, from an outdoor trance gathering to a gypsy wake and a multi-stage festival of bands and DJs.
- The first Warehouse Project takes place at the Old Biscuit Mill in Salt River on Thursday night, boasting seven dance floors covering everything from deep house, R&B, club classics, alternative rock and some of South Africa's top bands.
The Biscuit Mill is becoming a destination of note for big events like this, which is by far the most ambitious thus far. Already home to permanent nightclub DecoDance Underground, there will also be an elevated live music stage featuring Prime Circle, Van Coke Kartel, Taxi Violence, Dirty Skirts, Tait and The Ragdolls. Many of the band members plan to hang out in DecoDance where they'll be doing signings and meeting and greeting their fans. The club will be playing its usual alternative and dirty rock classics.
Good Hope FM will have its own dance floor where you'll see and hear on-air talents Suga and Tyrone Paulsen. The stage will also showcase some of the top vinyl DJs in the city like Ready D, Fast Eddy, Garth B and Mario who will set this hip hop and R&B dance floor alight with the best in local and international tunes. GH FM's Nightwatchmen, Dino Moran and Craig De Sousa, will also be playing at the event. De Sousa will be on the Deeper Sounds Of Cape Town floor along with Bruno Morphet, Peter Abrahams, Clint Hill and Roy Block, while Moran plays alongside Shaun Duvet, Anton Kingsize, Vanessa Holliday, Roy Hendrikse and Andrew Dunn in the VIP area.
On the main Warehouse stage you'll find Roger Goode, Lady Lea, Dean Fuel, Danny Cash and Andrew F. Last but not least, the legendary names of Jason 47, Nick E Louder, Dimitri, Basil and Adrian Gemini complete the lineup on the Club Classics floor.
Needless to say, there will be plenty of bars and plenty of toilets. Tickets are available at Computicket on 083 915 8000 (R120/R200 plus booking fee) or at the door. VIP is limited to ensure complete comfort. There will be a free shuttle service running along all major roads around the venue, so don't stress about wearing heels. For more info listen to Good Hope FM, or see www.soundscape.co.za.
- The fifth Balkanology party returns more or less to its roots with a gypsy wake as its theme. It will be held at the Oriental Plaza (Sir Lowry Road, Cape Town) on Thursday night.
Regulars will remember the great Balkan wedding from the event before last. Sadly, the groom has not survived and this time we are invited to pay our last respects to Milovan Blagojevic as he is laid to rest in a rather unique way.
Organiser Ma'Or Harris of Golden Calf explains that the event will initially be theatrically over the top, with the deceased in his coffin at the entrance, a funeral procession, dancers in widows' weeds, and eulogies. Since this is in essence a proper show, it is advisable to get there early or you will miss it.
Headlining this Balkanology is Dunkelbunt, billed as "Balkan goodness from Vienna", who is one of the pioneers of remixing Balkan music. The festivities will begin with the Kolo Novo Movie Band, this time featuring the guest talents of Freshlyground's Zolani Mahola and Buddy Wells. Regular Toby2Shoes is also on the bill.
The venue will be transformed into a Balkan village, utilising what were once the shops inside the plaza. Tickets are R140 pre-sold or R160 at the door. Get them from outlets, or online at www.webtickets.co.za/balkanology. For more info, call 072 211 5563, or see www.balkanology.co.za.
- For the outdoor party enthusiast and genuine trance bunnies, the Vortex Easter festival happens from Saturday till Monday at a very special venue.
It's been six years since a party was held there and it's going to bring back some very special memories for many people as well as creating new ones for the next generation. As usual the venue is kept under wraps until the last possible minute, but if you have your ticket already or have good sources, you'll know - and be very excited.
Vortex is of course the premier trance promoter in the Western Cape and for a while grew almost out of control. They've scaled back to just two annual parties - the first Saturday in December and Easter - and in doing so have returned to the essence of what the psychedelic trance lifestyle is all about.
The mission is to bring you pure and real psychedelic experiences produced with the utmost care, with an attention to detail that you have come to know and expect over the years.
"We believe that the commercialisation of the scene worldwide has diminished the message of what trance teaches and are on a mission to bring back the true psychedelic experience," say the Vortex crew.
The line up is a mind-blowing wish list. Ready? Mr Peculiar, Anna Annarchy, Broken Toy, Shane Gobi, Kai Mathesdorf, Colin Oood, Twisted System, Lost & Found, Indiginus, On, Aum, Zion Linguist, Gravity South, Slug, Tickets, Skragg, Aleph, Shift, Bruce, Stomps, Connecto, Sonic, Petra, Spies, Richard and Moog.
Complementing this awesome line up will be the joy of Nice Toilets, plenty of camping in the orchards, showers, food stalls, bars and all the breathtakingly pretty décor you can handle.
- Open from Friday to ticket holders. Call 021 531 2173.
- See you on the dance floor.