Polisiekar in Cape Town January 28th, 2010

Visiting Cape Town has never been easier, nor has it ever been more exciting.  It has always been a place where the culture is extremely lively, and also innovative.  Some of the musicians here play sounds that are very traditional, but then again, these are some of the oldest traditions in the world, and it’s expected that some of the history would seep into the creative forms.  In recent years, however, there seems to have been a rather successful push as developing new local forms that hit a larger sphere of influence.  It seems almost fortunate that some of these forms are likely to hit the U.S. market, because that gives you another reason to visit and see it for yourself.

Visiting is extreme fun, and there are many ways to have a fantastic time here.  This site has some excellent lodgings to get you situated in rare style, and the rest is up to you.  If you’re here in South Africa’s summer months (if you’re in the U.S., remember this is the other side of the world, and the months are reversed), try to get to see the Summer Concerts at Kirstenbosch.  This is an outdoor arena, with absolutely breathtaking views.  It boasts a warm and friendly environment, and is a great place to see Johnny Clegg.

Interestingly, this coming year they’re also hosting Polisiekar, which is not your typical warm and friendly band playing feel-good melodies.  This is Afrikaans punk, and so far, they may have cornered the market on this particular niche.  The band started as a joke that caught on, but the musicians are no joke.  They’re really talented, and have a lot to say about how things are today.  It’s almost like seeing a rowdy art band, like Sonic Youth, playing music about music, but with an unusually developed sense of form.  This will probably be one of the most fascinating events of the year.

• Posted by Cliff
• Tagged Travel