Vusi Mahlasela and Guy Buttery are set to share a stage for the first time, bringing more than two decades of musical friendship and collaboration to a special double-bill across South Africa this September and October. Their connection dates back to 2006, when Buttery contributed guitar and mandolin to Mahlasela’s Naledi Ya Tsela, before Mahlasela returned the favour a decade later with vocals on two tracks from Buttery’s 2016 self-titled album. Now, another ten years on, the two internationally acclaimed musicians will finally perform together live.
The performances will move between solo sets and collaborative pieces, pairing Buttery’s intricate fingerstyle guitar and expansive global influences with Mahlasela’s soulful voice and deeply rooted South African folk songwriting. The first leg takes place in Cape Town, with performances at Holy Trinity Church in Kalk Bay on 17 September, followed by two shows at the Slave Church on 19 and 20 September. The tour then moves to the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands for two performances at the Schlesinger Theatre at Michaelhouse on 24 and 25 October.
For audiences, the double bill offers a rare chance to hear two distinctive musical languages in direct conversation, building on a collaborative history that has unfolded in decade-long chapters. With Mahlasela’s unmistakable voice and Buttery’s virtuosic guitar work finally meeting in real time, the shows promise an intimate meeting of two artists whose musical relationship has been quietly developing for 20 years.
TOUR SCHEDULE – click on the venue for tickets
17 September – Holy Trinity Church, Kalk Bay
19 September – Slave Church, Cape Town
20 September – Slave Church, Cape Town
24 October – Schlesinger Theatre, Michaelhouse, KZN Midlands
25 October – Schlesinger Theatre, Michaelhouse, KZN Midlands
