Old Mutual turn 165 in style and NS was there to make sure it came at little expense to the environment

I'm still stuck in a translucent haze of flashing lights, A-grade line ups and a stage setup fit for festival. I hope my 165th goes out like that!

Moved from the pristine surrounds of Backsberg Wine farm to the cold concrete shell of the Bellville Veledrome, this party couldn't have been plagued by worse weather. With no sign of sunny skies the event was postponed from Sunday to Tuesday night. Odd seeing as I'm sure they'd want their staff not all red eyed and glassy first thing on a Wednesday morning.

Moving an event of this scale is going to be a last minute artery clogger but the guys from Oppkikoppi did a good job in trolleying this event through the hills and deeper into the boerewors curtain. With it comes with it's own logistical nightmares that are sure to rot the core of any hardened events coordinator.

Anyway, well done to the team for making the smooth transition.

So, back to last night. If i turned on the radio and asked for a local mix I couldn't have done better than Hotwater, Freshlyground, Johnny Clegg (Himself), Lira and Goldfish'ies. It was like opening a pot of South African talent and pulling out 6 winners throughout the ages. Old Johnny boy gave it all and for a man who's fought apartheid and raised a kid who now shines in fame's eyes, he's got a everlasting stage presence. He's Xhosa is also as sweet as sugar cane.
I'd never heard of Lira before, i was actually wondering how she made it so far up the pecking order of such a group of well known artists, but when my newly appointed side-kick Lee told me that she'd SA's top diva (and won herself 4 SAMA's) I thought I'd been living in a bubble for too long. All expectations were shot out of sight. So long to expectations I think.
Then the squeaky clean sounds of the men'jetwa (forgive the spelling) group, Goldfish, soothed the late night demons with their ever developing easy afri-dance-house sounds.

There was beer and wine, food and caffeine, No Standing, cake, big shows and now, nothing more than the empty echoing shell of a venue that brought no warmth, like an indoor shower, but good times and vibrations that I can still feel in my corneas.
fotos will follow soon