Doors opened at 8 PM, and by 8:10, I was contemplating my options: stay at home or venture out solo to the Fokofpolisiekar show at Foul Play. The allure of live music won, and I found myself at the venue by 8:25, beer in hand, watching a diverse crowd filter into the dimly lit space. This was my first live show in Cape Town, and attending alone made me a bit apprehensive.
In the heart of Cape Town’s vibrant music scene, a captivating singer-songwriter has recently set the stage ablaze with his long-awaited album launch. Keanan Eksteen, a rising star in the music industry, showcased his most recent masterpiece, Golden Fever, to a rapturous audience at one of Cape Town’s most prestigious music venues, District. The evening itself was a testament to the significance of an album launch, as fans and music enthusiasts gathered to celebrate this talented artist’s artistic journey and immerse themselves in the soulful melodies of his debut album.
Released in July 2022, Luh’ra’s sophomore EP Nice showed off a versatile indie-soul sound, full of cymbals, sunny brass, and tender vocals. To celebrate the anniversary of its release, producer and DJ, blaqkongo, offers up a bouncy electronic reimagining of the single ‘Give It All’.
Cold is the debut release from Cape Town-based musician Jean-Paul Britz, released in December 2022. The album’s eight tracks serve as a pensive meditation, with its experimental production choices resulting in a weighty, liquid soundscape.
[Face Jackson insists on being the best dressed in a room. PHOTO: Samara McQueston]
Every other month, the SGT Pepper bar on Long Street is transformed into The Funky Bazaar — a kaleidoscope of local bands, DJs, and vendors. Offering a curated night of Cape Town artistry, The Bazaar is a labour of love organised entirely by the local band, Face Jackson.
[Cam Trichart performs alongside Almost Alive at The Daisy Jones Bar. PHOTO: Supplied/Golden Blue]
Golden Blue is the solo project of Cam Trichart, a Cape Town-based musician, producer, and sound engineer. He combines a range of guitar styles with sparkly synths and electronic production to make a soundscape that is impressively cohesive.
Gladiolus Tristis is Aaron de Kock’s, better known as RT Palmer‘s, second official EP. This project follows his 2021 release, Amalgamate, which featured BLACACTUS. Gladiolus Tristis marks the first-ever solo project from RT Palmer and is one that he took the time to meticulously curate into the oscillating seven-part production that was released on 9 December.
[The Incidentals in Cape Town PHOTO: Die Vetman]
Cape Town-based folk-rock group, The Incidentals, was formed in 2019 and includes former founding members of bands Chiaroscuro and The Swingsetters. Recently, this guitar, bass, and drum trio have performed at Cape Town venues such as Woodstock Brewery and café Roux.
[The boys from Pearl Rose (from left) Jacques Holloway, Kristiaan de Kock, Cobus du Plessis, Dirkie Joubert and Leon Kotze at the Upstairs Theatre in Stellenbosch on 18 November 2021. PHOTO: Supplied/ Pearl Rose]
Pearl Rose is a five-man rock outfit from Stellenbosch. They began playing in 2021, with shows in Cape Town at the Open Sesame Bar and closer to home at Bohemia in Stellenbosch. The band released a four-track EP titled Love At Last Sight on 28 October, which follows up their debut single ‘Can’t Live With It’ from November last year.
[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.
