340ml in new guise at Red Bull

THE Red Bull Music Festival continues to raise the bar, and has lined up a variety of acts that will cater to the music market in its entirety.

Among the scheduled performers is prominent worldmusic group 340 million, which rose from the ashes after the collapse of the original 340ml group in 2012.

The group, which many still mistake for the Midnight hit-makers, are excited to be awarded a spot to participate in the upcoming festival, as this will mark their return home.

“Red Bull has been a huge player in the local music scene for years, always challenging boundaries and providing a platform to those who choose to do things a bit differently,” said lead singer Pedro Da Silva Pinto.

“Therefore our decision to participate this year was a no-brainer. We’re really excited about performing in Jozi again. Coming home,” he added.

Since their formation, the group have not yet released an album but have worked with a variety of artists since their glory 340ml days, highlighting Thandiswa “King Tha” Mazwai as their favourite to work with thus far.

“We worked with her on a song titled Make it Happen, and she is an extraordinarily talented artist,” Pinto said.

He explained the group as “essentially being a live act. Half of the show is visual. We’re not too sure yet about how this will translate onto a record. With inspiration and time, this could morph into something we could record, or just leave it as a live set.

“The group rose up as a kind of experiment,” explained Pinto.

“Firstly, as a DJ set and then slowly integrating live vocals, then bass and guitar and finally drums and visuals. Try to imagine an electronic 340ml tribute band whose members just happen to be three-quarters of the original line-up.”

And because of this new music format, the group saw it fit to change the name.

“We never intended to mislead people into thinking that 340ml was back,” he adds.

The band, which originate from Mozambique, have over the years mastered the art of inclusion of various sounds and tribes, managing to make themselves well known across the world. This makes them a perfect fit for the world stage that Red Bull aims to create.

The festival will also feature acts such as legendary group Trompies, Oskido, Moozlie, Destruction Boyz, jazz sensation Langa Mavuso, and reggae duo Admiral and Jahseed.

It will start on April 3 in Joburg and will showcase many genres.

‘Our decision to participate was a no-brainer’