Sitting under the big acacia tree, Urban Village opened the day in quite an imaginative way. Their set started with a pre-recording of birds and insect sounds, taking me straight to the bushveld. The first time I saw Urban Village was not a pleasant experience. In fact, I left feeling disappointed. The band seemed to be improvising on stage but not really in an organised way with everyone on their own trip to different destinations. Their set at Park Acoustics was a full transformation from what I’ve previously witnessed. Urban Village were well rehearsed and on point. Their set flowed in between musical themes as they made use of different genres, allowing their set to breathe through dynamic changes.
Their sound is uniquely their own as they capture elements from various different genres featuring rock ‘n’ roll, folk, classical and infusing this with traditional influences. Tubatsi Moloi, flute and lead vocals, has an eccentric stage presence. He makes use of strange objects such as swimming pool pipes, whistles and horns to produce unique sounds. “I’ve never seen someone blow a bicycle whistle with so much enthusiasm,” says Jason Lume in mid conversation.
Next up was Sutherland. This indie folk band is exactly what one needs on a Sunday afternoon, especially after a wild weekend. I’ve seen these guys live a few times now and they always pull off a great set. They’ve got a chilled vibe about themselves that they fill with poppy elements that get feet moving. Their set is structured and well-rehearsed, which does make their set feels a bit mechanical at times and I’d like to see a more of spontaneous approach.
New Academics ability to mix rock ‘n’ roll, blues and rap styles drew a crowd in no time, their set was powerful and exuberant energy. Guitarist, Dave Baudains, has some slick moves and a great ear for tone. The energy of front man, Joe Penn, was consistent that gives a great vibe to their set. At the end of the day, on the way to the bus, there was still talk about the New Academics’ performance and how good it was. If you ever have the chance, go watch these guys.
Before the next act got on stage there was a sense of anticipation in the air. People waited anxiously for the Nomadic Orchestra to start their set. From start to finish Nomadic Orchestra pulled of a show that kept people dancing. If you haven’t seen these guys perform yet, you are seriously missing out. The five-piece act consists of James McClure (trumpet), Gabriel Du Toit (sax), Joe Bolton (tuba), Marlon Witbooi (drums), Greg Abrahams (guitar). This is a performance that will always keep feeling fresh. Their music has a repetitive approach to it with build-ups and drops. But this is part of their style, which they manage to use in a positive way. Their songs are all rhythmically driven getting you in that dance groove and a key element to their performance is that everyone on stage is having a blast. Trombone player, Joe Bolton, never seems to stand still, he brings everyone on stage together. Their music feels as if it grew from a combustable, spontaneous moment in time.
Afterward Chris Chamelon and Leon Retief, sans Ampie Omo, began to set up but I was a little distracted by the front man’s get up, complete with a black lycra short and heels. The duo filled the stage with the presence of an four-piece, owing mainly to the prowess of Chameleon’s vocal ability. The choice of vocal lines and pitch give Chameleon the ability to jump into characters as he felt the need to, working the stage brilliantly. A Park Acoustics headlining set for the books.
