At its core, Things We Love is about expression and community, but that’s not what sets this new series apart. What’s truly exceptional is how they pull off an event that’s tangible for a cross-section of people. Standing in a crowd anticipating what amounts to a festival line-up on a Friday night is gnarly in all the right ways.
Alternative group Babble Hume, who I’ve been waiting to see live, kicked the festivities off. They had a wobbly start but clever quips quickly covered that up. Once they found their rhythm things just clicked into place as they performed tracks off their latest EP Mulberry Tree, and I was reminded why they’re a band to watch.
Having different experiences during a show is my favourite thing. Mars Baby stepped on stage and shifted the atmosphere completely. His meticulous delivery is professional but incredibly intimate. Watching parts of that set felt like sharing secrets with an old friend. His set was a dreamy balance of R&B and pop and was a great buffer for what followed.
What hasn’t been said about Internet Girl? The Cape Town trio gave the large chunk of people who came for them, one hell of a show. Their high-energy set was packed with singalongs from the very eager crowd, and their overall aesthetic was aided by a super slick light show. The hype here is warranted and IG is the real deal.
Majority of the crowd that came for IG dispersed before Blxckie. Those people played themselves. The rapper is one of the best I’ve seen live in a long time. His command of the stage and the audience is immaculate. Teasing the crowd with “ye ye ye ye” before coming on stage was standard, but genius, like a piped piper announcing his arrival. I watched some of that set standing next to the most fashion-forward person at Sognage and we had the time of our lives. His effortless glide between different genres got us moving and told us why he’s a force.
Things We Love is fast becoming one of my favourite events to attend. The concept of what I like to call a “big little show” is great and the fact that these kinds of shows are becoming prevalent again is exciting. More please, Wandile.
Photos courtesy of Henry Tafadzwa Moyo.
