With the dust long settled and the yearning for good, alternative entertainment becoming too great to resist, Grahamstown’s art lovers can finally look forward to some jam packed weekends.
This weekend Bua Poetry Society will be hosting their meet and greet on Sunday, March 4, at The Mon Astry. One can brace themselves for some thought provoking poetry and a good vibe overall. The session is free for members while non-members will be charged R10.
Later on this month Blah Ze Blah will also be hosting a session on the 24th of March at Olde’s 65. Organisers, Kanya Qabaka and Sinethemba Mzwali, say that they will be working together with various societies such as Bua and Hip Hop Soc in order to secure artists.
Mzwali says that the sessions are going to be hosted on a monthly basis at Olde’s 65, and promises that they will be a hit. “The long term plan is to bring in artists from all over the Eastern Cape,” says Mzwali. “For this month we are looking at bringing in some artists from eBhaye, Can of Worms (hip hop) is pulling in and they just finished recording their album and have already shot a video for one of their singles.” Supremacy which consists of rappers Epic and Optic will also be making the trek. The duo is currently based in PE although they were born and raised in the City of Saints. Ming, from the Smaq Lawnj Kamp, is also confirmed for the event while talks with the implausibly soulful Band Named Ohayv are still in progress. The band is scheduled to do a live recording of their EP the following week at Opera House in Port Elizabeth. Single tickets for the event are R30 and R50 will get you double tickets.
Qabaka says that there will be an open mic for the first two hours of the show while the rest of the night will be set aside for the performers. “The reason we have the open mics at the beginning of the show is because we realise that there are a lot of artists out there, they just need a platform,” he adds. “That’s where we come in; we give them a chance to share the stage with more established artists. What more could you ask for for just R10?”
