September 28, 2007
By Ndaba Dlamini
FANS have been promised a "big party" by Guinean vocalist and kora player Mory Kante when he performs at the Arts Alive Lockdown Festival in Newtown this evening.
The Lockdown Festival is an intense burst of music, dance and poetry over two days in Newtown. It is part of the annual Arts Alive programme.
Kante is playing at Mary Fitzgerald Square on Friday, 28 September at 8.30pm sharp. Vieux Farka Toure from Mali and South African jazz sensations Vusi Mahlasela and Mimi Ntenjwa are also on the bill.
Guinean vocalist Mory Kante will perform at the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown
The Guinean superstar is best known for his 1987 hit Yeke Yeke, which was the first African single to sell over a million copies and a European number one in 1988. This is his sixth visit to South Africa, and the artist says he loves the country.
"My first performance in the country was during the United Nations World Food Day in Cape Town 15 years ago. I was very well received and the crowd loved me. My subsequent visits were also hits."
Asked what he has in store for this evening, Kante promises "joy and good dancing". "This is going to be a joyous festival. I have been giving my fans in South Africa good performances and I will do it again."
And he will dish up a second helping of his magic at the same venue on Saturday, 29 September.
Besides Kante's shows, Newtown will be sizzling this weekend - there is music, dance and poetry at a number of venues in the precinct. Hip-hop artist K-OS from Canada, South African hip-hop artist Zuluboy, Kenzhero and Blindfold are on at Newtown Park this evening from 8.30pm.
At Bassline, an international line-up consists of Hermeto Pascoal from Brazil, South African Winston Mankunku, David Friedman Tambour from the United States and the trio Vikku Vinaykram, with musicians from India and South Africa. The show starts at 8.30pm.
Carfax will be buzzing from 9pm, where the original muthaland funk band Kwani Experience is collaborating with Frenchmen DJ Oil and Jeff Sharel. Also performing at Carfax is the United Kingdom's Joe Driscoll plus a host of local DJs, including Kid Fonque, DJ Bob and Blunted Stuntman.
Speak the Mind poetry sessions are at the Market Theatre from 7pm to 11pm on Friday. Kgafela Oa Magogodi and a host of fellow South African poets perform alongside Sam Farai Monro from Zimbabwe, Samantha Raheem Thornhill from Trinidad and Tobago and Ishle Yi Park from the States.
Arts Alive's Lockdown Festival continues on Saturday, 29 September with Pascoal, Tambour, Mankunku and South Maxico from Sweden setting Bassline alight from 7pm.
A few steps away, Newtown Park hosts K-OS, DJ Papercut from the States, and South Africa's Mo Molemi, Tumi and Zubz. The party starts at 7pm.
Once again Carfax is happening from 9pm, this time with a battle of the DJs. Gilles Petersen from Britain battles it out for dancefloor supremacy against local acts like Sound System, Kid Fonque, DJ Bob and Kwani Experience.
At R100 a person, tickets for the Lockdown Festival cover entrance to various Arts Alive venues and events over the two nights in Newtown; the exception is the Speak the Mind poetry sessions, for which tickets are R30 each. Tickets are available at Computicket and at the venues.
There is parking in Newtown, but additional parking is available at the Oriental Plaza in Fordsburg, where there is a park-and-ride shuttle service. Shuttles run every 15 minutes from 7pm until all the events end on both evenings.
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