SPOGWENI FESTIVAL

Over the weekend of August 9 to 12, the unusually leafy, countrified venue at The-By-The-Way-Pub,(which is now the “Spogweni Festival grounds” for many) just outside Ballito on Durban’s north coast, will come alive with the second annual music festival which, by the very nature of its carefully planned programming, will appeal to all tastes in genres of music and offers a great weekend breakaway for all ages, where family attractions and children’s activities are also a great draw card.

With a new shakedown on Ballito’s newest, hottest and largest music festival, this newly–revamped Spogweni Festival (and having no association with past organizers or coordinators save the venue owners) will be

Co-ordinated by new organizers, Swellband Management and supported by a host of credible and professional associates, the purpose of this festival is to support the growing need for live performing musicians in KZN and visitors from other regions. This year’s event will not only host live music but promises live art, various stalls of interest, and fundraising events for some outstanding causes.

“At the same time, the event provides an escalating platform for all “creatives” to come together and support the theory that local is lekker-and it is,” says event publicist Tanya van Agthoven Marais.

Festival Director John Skuy confirms that they have carefully crafted and selected artists for the line-up and have purposely not gone the usual route of submissions. The artists and bands are specially invited and the purpose is to ensure that, whilst the festival is not huge, the line-up is and quality certainly reigns over quantity! This has already created a demand and word-of -mouth publicity and exposure has been exceptional. This has resulted in the fact that the organizers cannot accommodate the demand for participation this year and the bleed over for the 2013 event has already seen some credible names on the wish list.

The Main Festival will present the likes of Josie Field, Boulevard Blues, Albert Frost, Nibs van der Spuy & Guy Buttery, The Sir Walrus Band, Krystle T, Alter Irving, Jack Mantis, Toni Rowland, Azurdee, The Arrows, Soul Avenue, Tim Wells Blues Band, New Hysteria, DJ Martin McHale, Mais Que Nada, Steve Squire, Rise, Pan Latino, Spoonfeeders, Seagreen Blues, Ross Tapson, F’N Ritz, Undivided Roots, The Meditators, Electric Arc, Car Boot Vendors and Basement Blues.

The Spogweni Music Festival runs from August 9 to 12. Tickets R350 (3-day camping), R250 (2-day camping) and R150 Day Pass are available from Computicket. The festival site is opposite the well-known Rain Farm on the Compensation Road and is just a half an hour’s drive from Durban. (S29°26.143’E031°07.870’).

The Festival is endorsed and supported by The Earth Organization. For more information visit www.spogwenimusic.co.za