Tony Bala (Thursday 5 October, 14:00-15:00 @ TOP BAR)
Tony Bala heads to OppiKoppi for the first time with a few surprises, maybe a full band, hint hint……
Maria Mombelli and the BelliButtons (Thursday 5 October, 15:30-16:30 @ TOP BAR)
Musicians: Maria Mombelli – Composer and Keys, Angus Hardcastle – Bass, Nicholas Bjorkman – Drums, Nick Rumpelt – Guitar
Maria Mombelli, a young South African composer has put together a group of experienced musicians called ‘Maria Mombelli and the Bellibuttons’. With Maria on Wurlitzer Electric piano, her music is a fusion of styles, influenced by Avishai Cohen and Radiohead. The band has a strong groove element with infectious drum rhythms supported by melodic bass lines and gypsy-folk inspired violin over Maria’s trance-like piano ostinato riffs.
Dirty Moonshine (Thursday 5 October, 16:00-17:00 @ SKELLUM)
Dripping with sweat, and smelling of booze, Dirty Moonshine is everything your mother told you to avoid.
Rumbling and thundering from the Gauteng highveld, Dirty Moonshine sets the South African music scene ablaze.
Reminiscent of hot days, boozy nights, and dusty shoes, Dirty Moonshine has taken their own unique brand of rock’ n roll across the country, with a view to turn every single venue upside down.
Four members with a collective experience old enough that it could legally order its own scotch, the band has forged its own inimitable sound within an otherwise decaying market.
So if you like some grit in your music, and dust in your soul, follow the thud of the bass to find Dirty Moonshine on a stage near you.
Riaan Nieuwenhuis (Thursday 5 October, 17:00-18:00 @ TOP BAR)
Riaan Nieuwenhuis is a composer and multi-instrumentalist, based in South Africa. His music spans the genres of Indie Rock to New Age, Classical and Blues. Compositions range from spacious, ethereal and melodic piano, to adrenalin-pumping, power-driven rock instrumentals.
Riaan has travelled the world, exchanging musical ideas and interacting with foreign musicians. Fusing his own ideas with these and local South African influences, he creates dynamic and delicate world compositions while maintaining his originality.
The Tazers (Thursday 5 October, 18:00-19:00 @ JAMES PHILLIPS)
The Tazers are a three piece psychedelic rock ‘n roll band from Johannesburg, with Jethro Lock on lead vocals and guitar, Tim Edwards on drums and backup vocals and Guido Assmann on bass.
New tunes coming at you for Oppikoppi Festival. Art by Elio the Illustrator
Jack Mantis Band (Thursday 5 October, 18:30-19:30 @ TOP BAR)
The Jack Mantis band formed in Cape Town/South Africa in 2007. The Kommetjie based band have focussed most of their attention touring the United Sates and Europe, with seasonal tours on home soil. These traveling ‘Gypsy Rockers’ are well known for their jam band and collaborative approach to the big festival stage. Jacks booming voice and emotive lyrical approach to the songs of JMB give their audiences a healthy dose of nostalgia and a heart felt experience.
Black Cat Bones (Thursday 5 October, 21:00-22:00 @ MAIN STAGE)
The Black Cat Bones is a South African rock band formed in Silverton, Pretoria in 2007. The group consists of founding members Kobus de Kock jr (vocals) and Andre Kriel (guitars) with Chris vd Walt (bass) and currently Gareth Bunge (drums) rounding off what is considered to be one of the current top performing acts in the country.
Both their debut album ‘Silverton Swamp Songs’ (2009), and the critically acclaimed second helping ‘The Long Drive’ (2011) were heavily influenced by Kobus and Andre’s blues roots but, in 2013, the band released their third (SAMA nominated) studio album ‘Beatipliller’ which showcased their collective influences as a diverse 4-piece rock act. In the same year the band also won the MK Award for ‘Best Live Act’ and emerged from being underground sub-culture champions to a group that is adored nationwide by a constantly expanding, and ever-loyal following from all walks of life.
The Motherland (Thursday 5 October, 21:30-22:30 @ The Motherland)
The Motherland is an indie/folk rock band from South Africa. Their unique sound is a captivating blend of space, serene vocals, beautiful guitar riffs and a driving rhythm section.
It wasn’t long after the release of their EP that the band started writing music together, the culmination of musicians resulted in a much edgier mix of indie, rock and folk, drawing influence from a much broader array of artists. The sound hit its apex when Louis joined the band, with his unusual and high energy drumming style, the band had the drive it needed to write ‘Three Sheets to the wind’.
With the recent addition of a fifth band member, Jean-Louise Parker, The Motherland are currently writing their second album. Jean-Louises backing vocals, keys and viola mean the band is able to push their sound and creativity further.
Following the success of their debut album, the band continue to tour and perform regularly, providing their fans with the intimacy and honesty they are known and loved for.
Beatenberg (Thursday 5 October, 22:00-23:00 @ JAMES PHILLIPS)
“No sound is dissonant which tells of Life”
Beatenberg is a fresh new face in pop music from South Africa. Or rather, three faces, handsome and young and intelligent. The faces are of Matthew Field, who also has a beautiful voice and plays the guitar, Ross Dorkin, who has beautiful hands that play the bass, and Robin Brink, who has a beautiful life-force and plays the drums like a nutcase.
Despite being in love with and schooled in ‘serious music’ like Beethoven, Debussy and John Coltrane, (Ross and Matthew studied music together at the University of Cape Town) Beatenberg is adamant that they are heard as ‘pop music’, which they believe is actually quite serious too.
Songwriter Matthew says: ‘It’s about emotions, images and fleeting senses of things: the mad stuff that everyone feels and almost understands.’
Cold Water Morning (Thursday 5 October, 23:00-00:00 @ TOP BAR)
Cold Water Morning is a 3-piece Blues-Rock band. The band started as a studio project, with a focus on being true to the songs. For this to be fully realized, Jon sought out the musicians that could not only bring the parts to life, but to offer their own creative energy to the project. This forms the engine room of Cold Water Morning; a group of people who understand how to make the music they want to hear, create what they know they are capable of, and have a good time while doing it.
Hellcats (Thursday 5 October, 00:00-01:00 @ JAMES PHILLIPS)
Hellcats are a two piece, stripped down, bare knuckle rock n roll band from Johannesburg. They are Alessandro Benigno on drums and vocals, and Warwick Rautenbach on guitar.
The duo started the band in August 2014 and played their first gig as Hellcats at the famed Arcade Empire in Pretoria. They had one song when they were asked to play that gig, so they wrote 8 tracks in two weeks leading up to it and came out the gates swinging. That’s kind of how things have rolled ever since. Hard and fast. Their sound is is exactly the same, driving riffs and wailing vocals, with a clear 70’s rock influence. Filthy. Uninhibited.
In their short time together, the boys have torn through the local underground scene and have also held their own sharing the stage with giants like Fokofpolisiekar and Aking, to name a few, at venues all around the country.
Hellcats are a live band. Their music is unashamedly raw and their live performance is full throttle energy. They’re a two piece with a colossal sound, and audiences respond emphatically.
Download the full programme here.
