South Africa Music Awards (Sama) award-winning guitar maestros Guy Buttery and Nibs van der Spuy are headed to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to perform a series of concerts together for the first time in over two years.
The duo have been sharing the stage for more than two decades and are now eagerly awaiting their home province tour.
The musicians’ folk music extravaganza will begin at the KZNSA Gallery on Thursday, February 29.
They will then head to the Westville Theatre Club on Friday, March 1.
As part of the KZN tour, the duo are also set to perform in Zululand, Pennington, Howick, Salt Rock and Botha’s Hill during March.
The pair have established themselves as long-standing staples of the South African music scene and are known to mesmerise audiences with their deep, meaningful and emotive songs.
These two virtuosos first collaborated in the early 2000s.
This was before their respective solo careers took off, which included a whirlwind of individual touring schedules across the globe.
Their paths crossed at a festival in Toulouse, France, which inspired a combination of performances and sowed the seeds for their debut album.
The musical offering, “In The Shade of the Wild Fig”, showcases their mutual interest in different folk styles from around the world.
It also features numerous instruments such as the cuatro, mbira, tanpura, sitar and various acoustic guitars.
Meanwhile, Buttery and Van der Spuy went on to win a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival.
This led to sold-out performances at numerous festivals and concert halls in South Africa and abroad.
They were also invited to perform with the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra and were voted Top Live Show of the Year by the “Cape Times”.
After an eight years hiatus, the talented musicians came together to release their second album, “Live in Lisbon” in 2020.
Their stripped-down performance was beautifully captured beside the mighty Tagus River, just outside Portugal’s capital city.
Speaking about the album at the time, Buttery said: “Knowing Nibs so well as a friend often reminds me of how transparent music really is.”
“We both always talk about the ability to ‘see’ where either of us are taking the music with each moment and more importantly, what each other’s intentions are when going in a certain direction.”
“This always feels very special to bear witness to, he said.”
Where: Various KZN venues.
When: From Thursday, February 29, into March.
Cost: Tickets for their live shows can be purchased for R200 and are available through Quicket.
Bantu Time Comedy Show
Audiences can prepare for a night of laughter at the “Bantu Time Comedy Show”.
Comedians like Justice Kubheka, Amahlaya noNonto R, Tsoro, Ndlebe, Gab noSalad and others are set to entertain guests with their wit, humour and engaging storytelling.
The show promises to deliver hilarious performances in a unique vernacular style that will leave guests in stitches.
Where: Tropical Nites Theatre at the Wild Coast Sun in Durban.
When: Saturday, February 24, at 8pm.
Cost: R180 via Computicket.
KZN Theatre Festival
Durbanites can immerse themselves in the performing arts at the debut KZN Theatre Festival.
The festival highlights themes from both African heritage and behavioural change intervention, with a focus on the cultural and artistic impact of the theatre on humanity.
The three-day festival will include more than 10 performances as well as a question and answer session with directors and actors.
There will also be panel discussions, acting master classes, theatre business workshops and visual arts vendors.
Dubbed as a “celebration of a shared African heritage”, the event aims to bring together people of all races and ages who have a strong theatrical history and an even stronger future in the performing arts.
“The festival is the first behavioural change-driven theatre festival in a province strong in theatre culture, a culture which will only grow with the restoration of live theatre and development of the new theatre audiences,” read a statement sent to the media.
Where: The Stable Theatre in Greyville, Durban.
When: February 29 – March 2.
Cost: From R50 via Quicket.
The DurbaNite Race
Runners can gear up for an electrifying experience as the popular DurbaNite Race lights up the night sky in a new North Coast location and route.
The five kilometre race promises to be an unforgettable event which is geared for adventurous runners and walkers of all ages.
Phindi Gule-Burley, founder of the DurbaNite Race, said: “We want to offer locals a different type of outdoor experience where people can walk and run freely with peace of mind, while exploring this beautiful part of KZN at night.
“The much-anticipated race is a fusion of fitness and festivity, where seasoned runners and novices dressed in colourful apparel, donning headlamps and armed with glow sticks unite and transform the streets into a moving, living, breathing light show.”
Where: Starting and finishing at the Marine Walk Shopping Centre in Umdloti.
When: Thursday, February 29, at 6.30pm.
Cost: Tickets start from R120 with corporate discounts available.
Visit www.durbaniterace.co.za to register and for more information.