Full tea: there isn’t a shortage of women DJs in South Africa. There hasn’t been for a long time. Yet somehow, every August, line-ups across the country suddenly remember they exist. Funny how that works, isn’t it? Women’s Month shouldn’t be the only time promoters think to book women, but if it means more women behind the decks, more women curating dance-floors, and more women shaping our nights out, then hell yeah! Here are five parties led by women, organised by women, or stacked with women-fronted line-ups that you should definitely go to this month.
What do you mean there’s a party happening inside a living art installation called The Womb? Get us in there, stat! The brainchild of DJ and creative director Talia Zaken, SENSES is quickly growing a reputation for their immersive, alternate universe deep house and melodic techno dance-floors. With Talia and formidable talent RARESOFTWARE behind the decks, don’t walk to Apollo Warehouse this Friday – run, bitch!
When: Friday, August 7 | Where: Apollo Warehouse, Cape Town | Tickets: Here
Tribal Exchange Presents: what SHE* said
Happening at The Muizenberg Commons (great venue), Tribal Exchange’s event highlights women and gender-diverse talent behind the decks on stage. Featuring a lineup of local baddies like Soulchoke and the good sis Queezy alongside international talent DJ BBL from Brazil, this is the kind of event you want to be at not just on Women’s Day but like – everyday, ma’am!
When: Saturday, August 8 | Where: The Muizenberg Commons, Cape Town | Tickets: Here
Anything that manages to make ADAM look good in Lichtenstein gets a resounding round of applause from me. Even if it’s herself. Okay, but seriously – with the iconic Pona Colada, Caley-Jane, and Kamo WW on the roster alongside the incomparable drag artist, this one is bound to be as good as her beat lately (she made me say that).
When: Saturday, August 8 | Where: Smoking Kills, Melville | Tickets: Here
I was just saying that there aren’t enough darkwave, industrial parties around. Enter The Temple. You can expect a night of “Berlin-inspired Hard, Dark & Industrial Techno” set inside a “A raw, dark, intimate and underground atmosphere where music is ritual, not background noise.” Also, this edition features an all-female lineup of DJs including Thera.Pri, Enya, Drew, and Miss Strange. Where better to go bump in the night?
When: Saturday, August 15 | Where: Badmanors, Johannesburg | Tickets: Here
Emo Night: A Decade Under The Influence
An institution in its own right, the beloved Cape Town and sometimes also Joburg based party run by Doomed Oracle and Ari Smit is marking a major milestone. And they’re taking it back to where it all started: EVOL! A love letter to their community, Emo Night’s 10 Years promises non-stop classics from Panic to Paramore all night long. Plus, you can get your ass tatted by the mad talent that is Amelie Seipler if you’re feeling a bit senti(mental).
When: Saturday, August 22 | Where: EVOL, Cape Town | Tickets: Here
