Get ready to party!
The water crisis might have dampened festive season parties in Cape Town, but the rest of the country is ready to celebrate the final weeks of 2017.
One of the most sought-after invitations of the holidays is to a bash in Umhlanga on December 18. It will be hosted by DJ Tira to celebrate gqom sensation Distruction Boyz.
Tira will rent a mansion in Umhlanga for 200 friends of his label, Afrotainment. Guests at the pool party will be treated to a spit braai and copious amounts of alcohol to celebrate the DJ’s success.
Tira says he’s “all about performing for the people”. He will ring in the new year with international acts Black Coffee and Davido at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
His annual Fact Durban Rocks party will be hosted by Idols SA judge Somizi and headlined by Cassper Nyovest and Distruction Boyz.
The City of Gold has a range of options for partygoers. Parties are already under way, with hip-hop artist Da L.E.S opening the festive season yesterday with his party.
This year’s exclusive invite-only event was themed #MoreWater and took place at Soweto’s premium Zone 6 venue.
Lovers of ’90s nostalgia were this weekend treated to international acts such as R&B singer-songwriter Brian McKnight, Brandy, Canadian rocker Bryan Adams and Scottish pop-rock band Texas.
Local rapper Kwesta will be joined by US rapper Wale at Zone 6 in Soweto today. They will celebrate Kwesta’s single going platinum. Kwesta’s hit Spirit, which features Wale, was released in October and certified platinum last week.
Wale is not the only international artist looking to wow local crowds.
US singers Solange Knowles and Anderson Paak are also making their way here for the first Afropunk event to be held in Africa. It will be hosted by singer and TV personality Nandi Madida. After 14 years in Brooklyn, Atlanta, London and Paris, Afropunk’s annual festival takes place in Johannesburg on December 30 and 31 at Constitution Hill.
The annual Buyel’ekhaya Pan African Cultural Festival is in East London for its ninth year next weekend at Buffalo Park cricket stadium. The lineup includes Oliver Mtukudzi, Ringo Madlingozi, Zahara, Berita, Amanda Black, Vusi Nova and Black Coffee.
This season is famously busy for DJs and artists, and it will be a particularly busy time for Black Coffee. He begins his residency at Shimmy Beach Club in Cape Town. He will be at the club on Fridays until December 22.
He’ll also perform at his homecoming in Mthatha on December 21. On New Year’s
Eve he’ll be at Time Square in Pretoria and DJ Tira’s Fact Durban Rocks party. The night before he’ll be at the Vic Falls Carnival.
On December 30, the new year’s celebrations begin with a lineup that includes Mi Casa, The Kiffness, Rubber Duc, Tresor and Black Coffee as the headline acts.
Cape Town's elite will party at various exclusive events in Camps Bay, Long Street and at the V&A Waterfront.
An “A-list” yacht party on December 29 will be hosted by organisers, Party Like a Millionaire. The theme is white with a touch of gold and your R550 ticket includes a meal. New Year revellers can ease hangovers on January 1 with an exclusive live gig at the Life Grand Café. The two-hour party, from 11am to 1pm, will set you back R1 900.