The Cape Town leg of Durban-based band Car Boot Vendor’s Easy as Pie national tour kicked off on Monday 24 January at The Waiting Room in Long Street. The band had gigs planned at most of the popular Cape Town venues including Zula Bar, Blizzards Cocktail Bar, ROAR and Octopus Gardens.  The Durbanites shared the stage with a number of local acts including Forgotten Superhero, Captain Stu, Joshua Grierson, The Mochines, Half Price and Sloppy Folk. Did you manage to catch one of their shows?

If you didn’t, don’t fret, their EP Home is Home is available to listen on their MySpace page.  The band is a one and a half years old and has cemented its position as one of the leading advocates of the recent wave of hard-hitting folk-punk-rock that is beginning to come into its own in South Africa.

It has taken Mr Cat and the Jackal over a year to complete their second studio album and finally it is here (well, almost). The album was set to be launched in February 2011 but due to a “leaky ship” fans will have to wait a little bit longer to get their hands on the golden stuff; the new album.

But have no fear little ‘uns, the new music video launch is still going ahead as planned. On 11 February the video for The Devil Always Wants to Dance will be released for your eyes and ears at the Klein Libertas Theatre in Stellenbosch. The video is for the first single off the new album Sins and Siren Songs.

Jock of the Bushveld is a much loved, true South African tale of a dog and his human traversing the South African bush. Jock first became known to South Africans when Sir Percy Fitzpatrick penned and published his adventures with his beloved dog in 1907. In 1986 it was made into a movie and now, more than 100 years after he first appeared, Jock is going to hit the big screen in 3D. Thanks to the tireless efforts of a group of South African animators working on a shoestring budget (especially when compared to animated movies made by Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks) Jock finally gets to tell the story from his point of view.

The Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year award is one of the most prestigious photographic awards in the world. Every year thousands of wildlife photographers vie for top honours; an achievement which will secure their careers for the rest of their lives. Runners up positions are not to be sniffed at either, as those chosen few are considered the elite on the international photography scene. You can see 118 of the best wildlife photos in the world on display at the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town.

Photos have been on display since 9 December 2010 and the exhibition will run until 13 March 2011.

South Africa is rapidly gaining a reputation for hosting out of this world music festivals and RAMfest is no exception. This year marks the fifth RAMfest and it promises to bigger and better than ever. In 2011 RAMfest will hit three of South Africa’s biggest cities: Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. And while Gautengers and Durbanites may rejoice at the opportunity to see some of the country’s most popular music acts in their own back yard, Cape Town is the place to be.

The Cape Town leg of the festival will be held of three days (4 – 6 March) at Nekkies Holiday Resort, Worcester. It will boast three stages, as well as a beach party.

Up the Creek is one of the most anticipated music festivals in South Africa. This year the three-day party will be held from 4 – 6 February at the campsite near the Breede River in Swellendam. For an extra R100 revellers can come along on Thursday 3 February for what the organisers call a “chilled out preview gig”. The extra money is worth it not only for the added entertainment, but also because it gives you a chance to pick your camping spot before the hordes (over 2000 people are expected) arrive.

An entry from one of the KZNSA Gallery members

Durban is widely thought of as a sleepy seaside town with not much happening and no where to go. That couldn’t be further from the truth; Durbs is an energetic city with cultural, lifestyle and fun events happening all the time.

We take a look at some of the events to attend over the next few weeks in KwaZulu Natal’s favourite city and surrounds:

Art:

The KZNSA Gallery opens its doors today to reveal the members’ exhibition for 2011. The theme is The Bold and the Beautiful, and artists were called on to submit a piece of work that they believe reflected that philosophy. The exhibition opens tonight at 6pm and will run until 19 February 2011. To find out more information call the gallery on 031 277 1705.

January/February 2011:

The Fugard Theatre was born out of a desire to acknowledge the diverse community out of which the inspirational theatre genius, Athol Fugard, came. The theatre was built in District Six to pay homage to “one of apartheid’s biggest monuments” (www.thefugard.com). It is easily accessible and is situated in the new cultural zone in the area.

Here’s what’s happening at The Fugard Theatre in the next two months:

“Die Kaptien se Tier”:

Fugard Theatre and Suidoosterfees present Athol Fugard’s “Die Kaptein se Tier”. The story follows a sailor aboard the SS Graigaur. He begins his first novel while out to sea with the help of his illiterate friend, a ship’s mechanic, and a portrait of his brave mother. The sailor struggles to balance love, reality and emotions as he remembers his mother.

We were so excited when we got our tickets to the ODI between South Africa and India at Newlands  because the energy at the stadium is always enjoyable. If you live in Cape Town and haven’t yet been to see a game at Newlands Sahara Park you’re really missing out.

The game started at 2:30 and by 2pm the traffic in the surrounding roads becomes a frenetic challenge. Guarded parking space is available for R50 (during the five-day test it was R30), and is a five-minute walk from the stadium.

Johannesburg is buzzing lately so we thought we’d give you a heads up about some of the great events happening around the city.

Artist Gerard Sekoto has an exhibition at the Johannesburg Art Gallery. The exhibition will run until 30 January 2011. Sekoto’s well-known painting, Yellow Houses, was the first piece by a black artist to enter JAG’s collection. When it was first put up he had to pretend to be a cleaner to see it on display because of racial restrictions of the time. The gallery is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 5pm.