If you’re searching for the best music venues in Cape Town, you’re spoiled for choice. From rooftop sessions to underground beats, Cape Town’s live music scene is as diverse as its people. Whether you’re into indie, jazz, hip hop, or deep house, this city delivers—if you know where to look.
Here’s your definitive guide to the top 10 places to experience live music in Cape Town right now. Plus, some honourable mentions for when you want to explore even deeper.
[The boys from Champion Trees at Evol. PHOTO: Murray Williamson]
Champion Trees‘ debut album, Now 3000, is a diary of personal trials written with the frank honesty of an old friend. The 12 tracks are fleshed out with candid detail and explicitly local contexts, totalling a full-length 42 minutes. That’s an ambitious debut for an up-and-coming band, and something that’s rare in the single-focused streaming era. Released on 1 July, Now 3000 recounts adventures in self-doubt, restless romance, and losing days in the Cape Town suburbs.
Internet Girl is the product of a generation raised online. This unique group wears these digital roots on their sleeves — when they’re wearing any at all. Internet Girl’s appearance and sound may not be easily describable, but their overall vibe is unmistakable — slick, coherent, and undeniably fresh.
An innate storytelling ability and effortless delivery over organic instrumentals are the hallmarks of Cape Town-based rapper Luukhanyo. The anticipation for his upcoming project is undeniable after listening to his latest single, ‘Hii ROLLER’, so we took a look at the man behind the music to learn more about him and how he got here.
Enchanting vocals, effortless style and fearlessness — are a few words that come to mind when trying to describe the Cape Town-based singer-songwriter, Luh’ra. Since breaking into the local indie music scene in 2017, Luh’ra has been an unstoppable force in more ways than one.
With her undeniable vocals, instrumental skill, eccentric aesthetic, and poetic lyricism, Ellenie Eloff makes one reminisce about legendary female musicians such as Karen O, Kathleen Hanna, and Carrie Brownstein. As the frontwoman of local four-piece, Elle E, she and her band have been making waves in the local music scene, so we thought it only fair to sit down with her and learn more about her musical journey, travels, challenges, interests, and future goals.
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing Cape Town’s local band Face Jackson perform live, you’ll know that their brilliant instrumentals, great vocals, and overall groovy vibe make this band an unforgettable experience. Thanks to the release of their self-titled debut EP on 24 September, this same experience is now available to you, in the comfort of your home.
Designer and entrepreneur Jaro Conradie created the one-of-a-kind clothing brand OTZ Home for the fashion-forward individual. It is instantly recognisable thanks to its signature bold colours, statement pieces, unexpected lettering, customised puffer jackets, and accented denim pieces.
With his long unshorn hair and calm demeanour, Josh O’Bree, originally from Port Elizabeth, entered the Cape Town live music scene like a zen saviour. His brand, Foulplay, is playing a major role in the revival of the iconic local live music scene that institutions such as Mercury Live and The Assembly once championed. We sat down with him to talk about his upbringing, Foulplay journey and challenges, his passions, and his future plans.
With a band name like Karel Bester en die Kraaines Band (Die Kraaines) and a self-described genre like “psychedelic boere-punk,” you are here to flip the script. Karel Bester, frontman of this up-and-coming four-piece Afrikaans rock band, sat down with us to talk about his musical journey and how it led him to the formation of Die Kraaines.
