SA’s acoustic maestro Stuart to play in city

FOLK-meets-pop muso Rowan Stuart is back in the Eastern Cape – this time bringing acoustic sounds as part of his week-long Innerworld tour across the province.

Speaking to the Dispatch ahead of his tour, Stuart said: “It’s always exciting touring my country. The Eastern Cape was once unfamiliar territory but it has become one of my favourite provinces to visit on tour.”

He will be performing in Port St Johns, East London, Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown and St Francis Bay over the next five days, starting tonight.

The Durban-based musician rose to fame with the release of his most recent album Hidden Doors in 2014.

Since his debut album A Thousand Brand New Places, he has released three more but he described Hidden Doors as the album which best captures his signature sound.

“The themes of the songs look into the human condition, past and future romance, as well as paranormal and extraterrestrial elements. It could be best classified as alternative folk pop. There’s a strong element of storytelling that has become a signature of my sound.”

Stuart has opened for South African greats such as Matthew Mole, The Parlotones and Prime Circle.

He is now carving his own musical journey on tour across six provinces between August and September.

“I will be doing this all in three weeks! It’s exciting,” he said.

“I am a natural introvert, and I live in my head most of the time.

“Sometimes my inner world filters through the songs I write.

“I like to draw upon the various worlds, ideas, and philosophies that occupy my mind, turning them into songs,” Stuart said.

His tour will be about taking his music back to its acoustic roots.

“I will be performing brand-new unreleased songs and material from my five albums re-imagined for the solo acoustic format.

“The stage is my favourite place to share this inner universe with others – where words and music turn my thoughts into reality for a moment.” — dispatch.co.za