If your music is getting airplay, streams, or gigs – but your bank account isn’t seeing the love – you’re not alone. Welcome to the maddening maze of South Africa’s music rights organisations: SAMRO, CAPASSO, and SAMPRA.
Imagine being in debt for a festival ticket. That’s the reality now; we’re buying vibes on lay-by and financing joy like it’s a washing machine. This is the reality for many South Africans who’ve started financing not just essentials, but enjoyment. In Cape Town, with its skyline of rising costs and shrinking dreams, even a night of music comes with a payment plan.
You see the poster. You send it to your friend with a “This looks cool!” And then… nothing. No ticket bought, no commitment made. Maybe you’ll decide on the day. Maybe the weather will suck. Maybe you’re broke. Or maybe, like so many Capetonians, you’re waiting to see if “something better” pops up.
Welcome to Cape Town’s last-minute ticket culture—where hesitation isn’t just a personal habit, it’s becoming a collective obstacle to a thriving live music scene.
Every album is “a triumph.” Every gig “an unforgettable night.” If you read most music journalism today, you’d be forgiven for thinking we’re living through a golden age of perfection. But we’re not—we’re just not being honest. Music journalism has gotten too soft, and it’s failing the very people it’s meant to serve.
Walk into the basement of The Athletic Club & Social any night from a Wednesday to a Saturday, and you’ll find a crowd that looks more like a Boiler Room audience than your grandpa’s jazz club. Young people hunched over Negronis, heads nodding, bodies swaying, fully locked in. This is jazz—but not as the world once knew it. This is jazz with an edge, a bounce, a future. Welcome to Cape Town: one of the new jazz capitals of Africa and the world that, frankly, has been carrying the spirit all along.
Newest single by Teagan, ‘Lock You Down’, hits like a ray of December sunshine—a track that somehow feels both deeply familiar and refreshingly original. The Cape Town-based singer-songwriter has found a sweet spot between glossy pop hooks and the airy, upbeat sensibilities of amapiano. This isn’t just another throwaway summer tune; it’s a layered piece that radiates confidence, underscored by warm percussion and a chorus that practically begs you to sing along while dancing barefoot under the sun.
The South African cultural landscape is in the midst of a seismic shift as Afrikalt, an alternative Afrikaans music and art collective, continues its much-anticipated “Paarl to Pretoria” tour. Kicking off on 29 August 2024, this tour has already set the stage for a groundbreaking celebration of creativity, diversity, and the vibrant undercurrents of the Afrikaans-speaking community.
As the Folklore Festival returns for its third year, this dynamic celebration of culture and heritage promises to be more immersive and intimate than ever before. Set across three cities over 30 days, this year’s festival is not just about revisiting the past; it’s about shaping the future through the art of storytelling, as South Africa commemorates 30 years of freedom.
Cape Town’s rising star, Alex Biaya, continues to expand his sonic landscape with the release of his latest single, Midnight Serenade. Released on 23 August, the track marks a pivotal moment in Biaya’s journey as an artist, showcasing his versatility while remaining deeply rooted in his signature emotive style.
Australian prog-metal outfit Caligula’s Horse will be hitting Stellenbosch and Johannesburg this weekend as part of their international 2024 tour. Long-time locals Deity’s Muse will be supporting them at both shows, alongside other heavy South African acts Megalodon, Sunken State, and New Earth. We spoke with Jim Grey of Caligula’s Horse and Wayne Boucher of Deity’s Muse to put a spotlight on the bands and the always-dedicated local metal scene.