Kolo Novo Movie Band
The Kolo Novo Movie Band are a Cape Town based group known for their collaborations with a diverse range of musicians and performers. The bands performances range from a small intimate trio to an explosive live stage act of twelve musicians. The music has its roots in Eastern Europe but the aim of its founder member and musical director; Grada Djeri is to incorporate many diverse styles into this gypsy music. The Balkan style of music is one of eclecticism; it is a fusion of cultures and musical styles ranging from the Middle Eastern to the Mediterranean and Balkan. It is a music of great energy and passion that mirrors an energy that is found on this continent and especially in southern Africa as a meeting point of many different African and eastern cultures. The band’s aim is to be an example of this style within a modern African context. Their many artistic collaborators range from Zolani Mahola (Freshlyground), Siya Makuzeni (Vivid Africa, The Prisoners of Strange), Rus Nerwich( A Cape-Town based jazz saxophonist) and Neo Muyanga (Blk Sonshine) to electro musicians and dj’s Markus Wormstorm and Humanizer of Lark.
Kolo Novo’s live performance is one of unbridled energy. After sharing the stage with Salif Keita and drawing crowds of over 2000 people to the infamous Balkanology parties in Cape Town, Kolo Kovo Movie Band has become one of the most sort after acts in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
DJ Toby2shoes
Toby2shoes has always had a keen ear for interesting music and has been actively DJ’ing since he was 17. In 2004 Toby2shoes planted the first Balkan seed during one of his famous Afrobeat sets. The Cape proved fertile and the seed sprouted, soon taking over his set entirely.
Toby’s set of Balkan Beats and Gypsy Bangers have left audiences in Johannesburg, Cape Town, London, Harare and Bologna screaming for more.
Toby2shoes has played alongside many live acts in Cape Town (Freshlyground, José Gonzalez, Missy Higgins, Vusi Mahlasela, 340ml & Adamu to name a few). He has the innate ability to create a vibe at a live concert through music by feeding off the crowd at an event. The musical moods range from down tempo vibes, suitable for pre and mid concert atmospheric buildup, to frenetic and fabulous tunes during his ‘killer’ set of crazy gypsy beats.
Playing with Fire
This spectacular 12 piece “brutal Balkan brass band” has been integral to the Balkanology parties in Cape Town since their mysterious beginnings. This high-voltage band, kitted out in construction gear, pitches its energy sky-high, providing set after set of driving, contemporary, funky Balkan dance music.
Matthew Reid leads the band and is not short on raw talent. He plays a mean sax and clarinet, and also sources and arranges the music. Dragana Jevtovic from Serbia sings authentic Gypsy lyrics and keeps the band on Eastern-European rails. The line-up: three trumpets, tuba, sax/clarinet, accordion, violin, vocals, guitar, darambuka, tabla and drum kit.
Angela Nemov
Angela Nemov is predominantly a set and costume designer for the theatre, which is perfect for Balkanology as these parties are typically one big theatre piece! Balkanology is not just a party – it is another world. The design of this world is fundamental, and everything down to the smallest detail is taken into consideration.
Her job is to transport the party reveler into an exotic, foreign reality: a world of pigs, chickens and goats, of straw (fireproofed) scarves, baubles, flags, caravans, fires, hair curlers, bird cages, unhinged gates, garish things, garnets, gismos, moustaches, gypsies, gypsy gold, gypsy pots, random farm debris, wash basins, washing lines, replete with washing… this complete immersion in her fantasy world allows for an alteration of consciousness and an ability to really let go.
In addition to theatre styling, Angela is also involved in space design such as event and party décor, interior decorating, styling for individuals, corporate identity, promoters, bands, musicians and people who just generally can’t dress themselves. Her achievements to date include graduating with distinction from the University of Cape Town (2005) with an MA in Theatre Making and a nomination for a Fleur du Cap award for best theatre design for ‘Antigone’ directed by Sean Matthias. She was most recently in charge of the production and styling for a new music video for Freshlyground, directed by Ian Gabriel.
Ma’or Harris
Ma’or arrived in South Africa in 2002 from Israel to study Sound Engineering. After graduating with distinction he pursued an unexpected career as artist manager, which gave him invaluable insight into the live South African music scene.
After a visit to Israel in 2004 where he attended a No Smoking Orchestra concert (Emir Kustarica’s Band, Director of Black Cat White Cat) in Raanana, Ma’or contracted a bad case of Balkan madness. By the time the band struck their second chord, the whole crowd was on their feet. By their second track the crowd had climbed onto stage with the band, and joined them in singing and dancing whilst sticking paper money on the musicians foreheads. A sign of utmost respect! This is when Ma’or decided that his mission was to spread this feeling, to share it with South Africa, to expose as many people as possible to it. This was the birth of his career as Impresario.
Rosebud&Grumpers
When Rosebud&Grumpers grew up, even though they grew up in different kitchens, they both liked banging pots together. These days they still like banging pots, but prefer tight crops, flashing lights and flowing beer.
Not content with live VJ-ing, Rosebud&Grumpers blend unconventional, traditional and modern equipment and methods to produce a slapstick adrenaline-infused live VJ performance.
When you look at Rosebud&Grumper’s ingredients, it’s no surprise that what you get out is a multimedia feast. Using a mish-mash of found vintage and self-shot footage, and live capture video from their self-designed ‘stage’, looped and relooped to create stop-frame style animation that happens before your very eyes. (In the past the team has created skits with objects ranging from origami to broccoli).
Chuck all of this into a blender, hit ‘go’, and you’ll get a couple hours of ten minute sets, packed with fast, choppy images that are more stimulating than having coffee beans massaged into your grey matter.
