Top musos to flock to the city

EAST London partygoers are in for a treat this festive season as top musos make their way to the city from next week for the annual Cruel Summer Picnic.

Today, the switching on of the lights takes place at the Botanical Gardens in King William’s Town. On Sunday it is East London’s turn to light up the night at a musical event at the Esplanade.

Next Saturday the annual Cruel Summer Picnic is on at the Absa Stadium. Celebrating its fifth year, the Cruel Summer Picnic was created to entertain students and young people from the Eastern Cape who are studying or working away from home.

Organisers of the event said it was going to be bigger this year. The lineup includes AKA, Heavy K, Prince Kaybee, Maraza, Dream Team, Yoba, Welo and Cooley S.

On December 10 the Metro FM Heatwave is on at the Absa Stadium as well. And the celebrated Buye Pan African Music Festival is on at the Buffalo Park Cricket Stadium on December 18.

In its eighth year now, the event attracts thousands of people from all over the country. This year’s line-up includes Msaki, Black Coffee, Babes Wodumo, Dorothy Masuka, Ringo Madlingozi, Siphokazi, Jonas Gwangwa and Mobi Dixon.

For the first time the show will have a fashion exhibition which will feature top designers David Tlale and Thula Sindi.

This week the organisers of the show hosted a fashion workshop with Tlale at the Eastern Cape Audio Visual Centre for up-andcoming designers.

Of the 60 in attendance, eight were selected to attend a 10-day training stint in Johannesburg at Sindi’s studios.

During the training they will be expected to make garments to be exhibited at a fashion show on December 16 at the Orient Theatre.

The next big event that will follow Buyel’ekhaya is The London Roots Party at the Cambridge Police Park with Idols SA judge Somizi Mhlongo as host. Artists such as Monique Bingham, Pastor The DJ, Big Nuz, Tbo Touch, Naak Musiq, Riky Rick, Sphe and Naves are expected to keep the masses entertained.

Other events to look forward to include The Chase Fest on December 27 at the Absa Stadium with DJ Kent, Nasty C, PH, Sliqe, Yanga, A-Reece and Bonang Matheba as host.

The annual Mdantsane Summer Reunion is also taking place on December 27. The Real Countdown Music Festival is on December 31 at the Buffalo Park Cricket Stadium. —