Standing Ovation ... #iStart2Sing the Cry of Africa

Hats off to all for sharing your beautiful art and music with all of us on Friday at the Atterbury Theatre! How am I ever going to get the Happy Dancing Zombie out of my head? Thank you for touching so many different emotions. It was good to feel so damn human and proudly South African again! Thank you for making me cry Vangi! Thank you maestros, Pops and Coenie! Thank you all (Cavall, Luna, Sankobo, Tumi & ArtSpoken, Herman (!) , Ashish, Poorvi, Dudu, At, Martin, Lani, Bassbot and Helena for feeding everybody and everybody who came to see the show! Thank you for sharing the Cry of Africa! 

Some comments:

"The show last night was just amazing! World class artists showing their support for sustainability and bringing people together through the arts. It was thoroughly entertaining and awe inspiring! Thanks so much to Pierre du Toit and all the great artists as well as all the people behind the scenes who made it possible." - Anita Stander

"Was indeed amazing" - Tilana Knafo

"Wow, what an awesome experience to see the diversity of character and sound on the stage. A truly pleasant evening enjoying what is South Africa. It makes you think...." - Stuart Martin

"Loved die energie van die konsert !! Hoe meer ek daaroor dink hoe meer is ek beindruk met die kunstenaars se nederigheid en hulle oortuiging om hulle gawes uit te leef !!! Well done !!``' - Helena Laubscher

"Thanks for a beautiful show. It was a blow... what a night... it was such a beautiful day for Lesedi" - Seipati Kau

"Dit was 'n awesome show. Dit was rerig 'n belewenis. Sal more vir Pops ook geluk se - hy is "one of a kind" - Dr Harry Swart

"I start 2 see, hear and fascinasticaly enjoy the new bridges that iStart2 builds in our wounded nation. The arts touched our hearts" - Sietse van der Woude

"Thank u for a wonderful illustration that the rainbow nation is possible and that diversity is indeed strength. Love u always" - Seipati Masokoane

"Briljante vertoning. Divers. Daring. Dem lekker" - Coba Röhm

Thank you to the wonderful people at Atterbury Theatre - Paulette, Alwyn (He deserves a medal!) ... Jane and your staff - for your amazing support. We look forward to play there again next year! - Pierre du Toit. 

I expect more from you ... Vangile Gantsho

"Imagine a performance with the indigenous Khoi mouth bow accompanied by a mesmerizing west African kora, soulful Afrikaans guitar in there with soothing powerful vocals, hypnotising Indian tablas, piercing spoken word by a formidable feme, hauting violin and throbbing primal drums...There are hundreds of events happening this weekend, but none will be as diverse as this. This a truly South African sound bringing everyone together."

 "I like this because its not any particular genre its beautiful music by beautiful people...our people all of them represented. Not performing separately... performing together. Something you've never heard and might not for a while... unless you want it so." - Keitu Gwangwa

We are very proud and excited to announce that Vangile Gantsho will be performing at the Cry of Africa Show on Friday!

Vangi Gantsho is a poet and constant student. A graduate of the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute, she has performed in and conducted workshops at poetry events and festivals around the world, including: Gabon, Malawi, the USA, the Czech Republic and all over South Africa. Her work has been published in a number literary publications and  most recently, released her début collection: Undressing in front of the window. Vangi is currently working towards an MA in Creative Writing at the University Currently Known as Rhodes University.

Book your ticket here

Afrikaans se Groot Geheim ... Pops Mohamed & Coenie de Villiers

Dit is darem so 'n besonderse voorreg om na die nuwe liedjie, Naledi - wat ster beteken in Afrikaans - op die nuwe Emoji album van Coenie de Villiers te luister. Soveel te meer omdat een van die grootste ikone in Afrikaans hier eg Suid-Afrikaanse klanke optower saam met Pops Mohamed en oom !Gubi Tietie van die Kalahari.

In die Afrikaanse leefwereld is baie min mense egter daarvan bewus dat Pops reeds twee toekennings vir sy lewenslange bydrae tot musiek ontvang het. Nog minder mense weet dat Pops se huistaal eintlik Afrikaans is. Ja, hy het groot geword in Benoni en Reygerpark aan die ooste van Johannesburg. 'n Musiek ikoon in eie reg ... nederig, maar 'n iemand wat lief is vir sy mense, sy taal en deur sy hele lewe lank sy musiek die praatwerk laat doen.

Coenie is bekend daarvoor dat hy die grense skuif in Afrikaanse musiek en met die luister na sy nuwe cd vat hierdie grootsheid jou aan die hart. Dit is nie aldag wat ons die geleentheid kry om hierdie besonderse uniekheid en kombinasie op een verhoog kan sien en hoor nie.

Op die 25ste November 2016 het jy die kans om daai magic te ervaar wat gebeur as van ons land se grootste en beste kunstenaars hul talente in een pot gooi en towerklanke gaan voortbring wat jou vir altyd sal bybly. Kom daag so bietjie jou sintuie uit met iets unieks, vars en nuuts! 

Ons hier in Afrika kan oor daai grense wat ons verdeel mekaar aan die skouer vat en die positiewe Kreet van Afrika se mense laat weergalm met die klavier, die kora, die siter, die tabla, die viool ... en die dromme van Afrika kan visioene opwek van 'n land en sy mense wat genoeg gehad het van verdeeldheid, korrupsie en die algemene politieke nonsens wat ons daaglikse lewens ontsier. Ons wil en kan vorentoe kyk en 'n toekoms bou waarop ons almal kan trots wees!

Meesterlike vertolkings deur SAMA wenner Somerfaan en sy band, woord-en-sang kunstenaar Luna Paige en Deca met 'n sexy viool en gitaar gaan defnitief jou aand opkikker. Uit Noord Afrika is daar Sankobo Afrique, Artspoken uit Soshanguve en Vangi Gantsho met haar uitdagende deurlopende woordspel wat tot diep in jou siel gaan praat. Het iemand reeds genoem dat ons land se beste tabla-speler, Ashish Joshi en die pragtige siter speler, Poorvhi Bhana jou na jou asem gaan laat snak met hul talent?

Bring sommer 'n paar van jou vriende saam en gaan eet eers lekker uit by een van die vele restaurante by Lynnwood Bridge. Die Atterbury Teater wag vir jou Vrydagaand! 

Boek daai kaartjie sommer nou! Net hier.

Kom luister gerus saam na 'n onderhoud Donderdagmiddag op die iStart2 Show, op Radio Today, wanneer Pops en Coenie saam gesels oor hul samewerking en ons meer vertel oor die Kreet van Afrika vertoning Vrydagaand by die Atterbury Teater.