GIG GUIDE: OLD MUTUAL MUSIC AT THE LAKE SERIES presents a special Mother’s Day treat - South African music legend, JOHNNY CLEGG

                     

Event: OLD MUTUAL MUSIC AT THE LAKE SERIES presents a special Mother’s Day treat - the South African music legend, JOHNNY CLEGG

Venue: The Durban Botanic Gardens, 9A Zikhale (Sydenham) Road, Durban
Date: Mother’s Day, Sunday, 13 May
Gates open: 12:30, opening act starts at 14:30
Tickets are available online at www.webtickets.co.za
Tickets prices:  R130 online, or at the gate for R140 on the day
Kids between 8-12 pay R50, kids under eight are free

Facilities Available:
All children are welcome at the KidZone for some extra fun and games.
Drinks, cooler boxes and picnic baskets are welcome
Everyone is welcome to bring picnic baskets and blankets.

Secure parking is available on the Juventus ground.  Entrance to all parking is off lower John Zikhale (Sydenham) Road, adjacent to the Botanic Gardens and the Munies Hockey Field also off lower John Zikhale (Sydenham) Road.

Jeremy Loops - the musician and the conservationist

Jeremy Loops is probably not as well known around Durban as he should be. On a wet December night he appeared at Durban Botanic Gardens as the opening act for Freshly Ground. Sometimes opening acts only help to pass the time before the headline act but Jeremy Loops didn't fall into this category. He wowed the Durban audience despite the miserable weather. He had done the same thing in Pietermaritzburg earlier last year. I was amazed to see the rush of young people to snap up the limited number of CD's that Jeremy had on sale.

It is, however, another side of Jeremy Hewitt, as he is known in his day job, that I was reminded of today. While reading the inflight magazine on board a bright green aeroplane there was a fascinating article about Greenpop of which Jeremy is one of the founding members. Greenpop is an organisation that started off trying to raise money to plant trees. They have been very successful and grown in numbers and reach. They describe their organisation as a 'social enterprise that runs urban greening and reforestation projects in sub-Saharan Africa'. Visit www.greenpop.org to find out more about this worthwhile project. And don't forget to look out for the next time Jeremy Loops is in town. The 'one-man folk band' is definitely worth seeing.

Getting back to the magazine mentioned above I was amazed to see the guest editor was none other than Newcastle's favourite (?) rap artist Jack Parow. He takes on the role of an interviewer, loses the swear words, and provides passengers with some enjoyable reading material. 

LEGEND AT THE LAKE!

The OLD MUTUAL MUSIC AT THE LAKE SERIES presents a special Mother’s Day treat - the South African music legend, JOHNNY CLEGG at the Durban Botanic Gardens on the 13th of May.

The Old Mutual Music at the Lake continues its commitment to bringing topline acts to the Durban Botanic Gardens every month by presenting one of the most celebrated musicians ever to come out of our country – Johnny Clegg. Clegg will be headlining the Music at the Lake concert at the Gardens on the 13th of May (Mother’s Day).

The continued association with the Botanic Gardens allows Old Mutual to ensure funds are raised to maintain and improve biodiversity.

Johnny Clegg is a dancer, anthropologist, singer, songwriter, academic, activist and French knight. Whilst all of these tags are fitting, none of them can accurately describe the energetic, passionate human being who has become one of South Africa's greatest musical exports. He has campaigned against the injustice of apartheid South Africa and been instrumental in putting the new South Africa on the map as a cultural ambassador.

Says Johnny Clegg, “Living in the City, it is extremely important to reconnect with a living environment that lives and breathes independently of the cities artificial man-made character. We know from psychological studies that the colour green produces feelings of calmness and pleasure. Botanical Gardens remind us that within this space thousands of living trees, plants, flowers, and all the insects, birds and small mammals, have a place in our life. It is a wonderful thing to go to such a space and rediscover this fundamental truth.”

Clegg will be in good company on the day as the brilliant Hot Water will be opening the show. The eclectic and unique band’s music incorporates elements of traditional South African music (such as
Kwela, Mbaqanga, Maskandi and Kwasa Kwasa) with folk, blues and indie-pop rock.
Southern African music has a natural instinct for celebration and Hot Water’s live
performances have a magical way of spontaneously warming any event – and is certainly bound to do so at the Gardens!

The Old Mutual Music at the Lake series presents live concerts every month throughout the year at the Durban Botanic Gardens. Proceeds from the performances go towards an innovative people and plant development programme, the Garden Window Project, within the Durban Botanic Gardens. and the Wildlands Conservation Trust’s Trees for Life initiative which sees community members growing trees to support their livelihoods.

For more information about this and other events at the Durban Botanic Gardens, visit the website – www.durbanbotanicgardens.org.za or call the Info Centre 031 322 4021.

Tickets are available online at www.webtickets.co.za
Tickets prices:  R130 online, or at the gate for R140 on the day
Kids between 8-12 pay R50, kids under eight are free.  All children are welcome at the KidZone for some extra fun and games.
Drinks, cooler boxes and picnic baskets are welcome

Gates open at 13:00. First act starts at 14h30.

Secure parking is available on the Juventus ground.  Entrance to all parking is off lower John Zikhale (Sydenham) Road, adjacent to the Botanic Gardens and the Munies Hockey Field also off lower John Zikhale (Sydenham) Road.

Sunday SAMA Winners

On Sunday night, the first ceremony for the South African Music Awards took place.  Here are the winners from then:


Lifetime Achievement Award - Vusi Mahlasela and Ray Phiri


Best Engineer - Johan van der Colff for Zahara's album, Loliwe


Best Selling Full Track Download for the Year - Loliwe by Zahara


Best Selling True-Tone Download of the Year - Facebook by DJ Cleo


Best Selling Ring Back Tone of the Year - Facebook by DJ Cleo


Best Video of the Year - Ryan Peimar for The Parlotones, 'It's Magic'


Best Producer - Dan Roberts for Laurie Levine's 'Six Winters'


Remix of the Year - DJ Sbu's Lengoma ft Zahara


Best Live DVD - Simphiwe Dana's 'An Evening With Simphiwe Dana'


Most Played Song on South African Radio - Alone by Liquideep


Best Alternative Album - The Dirty Skirts for 'Lost In The Fall'


Best Collaboration - Zahara ft Georgy for Incwad’Encane


Best Kiddies Album - Wendy Oldfield for Singalong Kidz Volume 2


Best Classical & Instrumental Album - CH2 for Ping


Best Smooth Urban Music Album - Zahara for Loliwe


Best Contemporary Faith Music Album - The Plain Truth for We Are The Shining Ones

Shortlisted Nominees for SAMA's Record of the Year

The SAMAs will be taking place on the 29th and 30th of April.  The awards ceremony will be aired on SABC1 on Monday at 8:30pm.  The voting lines will be open until 9:30pm on Monday.  This is your last chance to vote.  So here is your shortlisted nominees...


B) Casanova - DJ Choice
H) Lengoma - DJ Sbu Feat. Zahara
K) Loliwe - Zahara
P) These Streets - Mi Casa
Q) Thinking About You - Theo Kgosinkwe Feat. Zonke


All you need to is to SMS the letter assigned to your favourite song to 083 123 SAMA (7262)

Some upcoming gigs in the Durban area

28th April - The Anti Retro Vinyls, Fruit and Veggies and the Carboot Vendors at LIVE at 8pm

29th April - Goldfish at Chris Saunders Park

30th April - Prime Circle at Barnyard Gateway

1st May - Prime Circle at Barnyard Gateway

2nd May - Catlike Thieves and Scoundrels at LIVE

3rd May - Dan Patlansky at Pumpkin Theatre, Ballito

4th May - Dan Patlansky at Pumpkin Theatre, Ballito

4th May - Catlike Thieves at Amsterdam

8th May - Gainsford at Zacks at 8 pm

9th May - Zarchia Zacheus at the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music

11th May - Catlike Thieves at Amsterdam

11th May - Me and Mr. Brown at Beach Bums, Tongaat

12th May - Goodluck and Pascal and Pearce at Suncoast

13th May - Johnny Clegg and Hot Water at Durban Botanic Gardens

18th May - Southern Gypsey Queen and Shadowclub at The Red Door, Pietermaritzburg

18th May - Young Guns showcase at The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music

19th May - Southern Gypsey Queen and Shadowclub at Live

25th May - The Ocean Doesn't Want Me and Strage at The Red Door, Pietermaritzburg

Presidential award for Johnny Clegg

Congratulations to Johnny Clegg who has been awarded the Order of Ikhamanga by President Zuma. He received the award for "his excellent contribution to and achievement in the field of bridging African traditional music with other music forms, promoting racial understanding among racially divided groups in South Africa under difficult apartheid conditions, working for a non-racial society and being an outstanding spokesperson for the release of political prisoners."  Well done for a richly deserved award!

Johnny Clegg will be playing at the Durban Botanic Gardens on 13th May. Don't miss it!