Unplugged, but not unimpressive at all

THE 10th Cape Town Folk Acoustic Music Festival takes place in the Baxter Theatre concert hall next Friday and Saturday. Twenty-two artists will perform in an unplugged, intimate setting. These concerts are always a fabulous experience of musical storytelling by some of our finest songwriters and musicians.

“If you remember bands like Z-Astaire, Ella Mental, The Usual, Delta Blue, Sweatband, HAMMAK, Springbok Nude Girls, Just Jinjer, Zen What, and SA’s most renowned guitar duo Steve Newman and Tony Cox, then this year`s festival is going to be a treat for you,” says organiser Gavin Minter from Real Wired Music.

“We will feature all the singers from the mentioned bands, plus a few more exceptionally talented artists have been added to this year’s instalment.

There will be a collaboration between two legendary multiple award-winning acoustic guitarists, Newman and Cox, who will be performing on both nights. They have toured the world and played every major festival, and between them have released more than 30 albums. Cox says: “An acoustic guitar has to be one of the most emotively driven instruments on the planet, a small orchestra in your lap.”

Farryl Purkiss says that as an artist one never really truly masters an instrument. “There is always something more to learn.”

The blues infused vocal-rock of Josie Field connects with the intimate folk and country styles of Laurie Levine, who will be performing together to create a unique and intimate musical experience. Levine says: “It is rare to be on a line-up with such a large array of local artists. There’s something beautiful in the coming together of a collective of musicians.”

James Stewart (formerly from The Usual) is looking forward to playing acoustically.

“It brings the song right back into the space it was when it was written.”

Robin Auld says playing a stripped down set has certain practical advantages: “It’s always nice to play at an event where you know the music would survive without electricity.”