JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — More than a decade after the end of the apartheid era, when many acts shunned South Africa, the country is becoming a key destination for many international performers.
American R&B artists John Legend, Missy Elliott and Leela James all played in the country in December. In March 2006, several overseas acts will arrive for a major festival series. And in April, superstar Robbie Williams will open his world tour here.
South Africa is now “the best-kept secret on the touring circuit,” says Attie Van Wyk, owner of Cape Town-based promoter Big Concerts. “Why else would we be able to bring Bryan Adams back here four times (since 1994)?”
Big Concerts is promoting Adams’ four arena and outdoor shows during March. “He loves it here,” Van Wyk says. “And someone like Bryan will talk to his buddies — word-of-mouth helps predispose artists towards playing here.”
Legend played in Johannesburg (in a 5,000-capacity venue) and Cape Town (a 3,000-seat hall) as part of the ongoing multi-artist Pan-African MTV Base Live concert series.
“Everyone I know who’d been (there) said (South Africa) was beautiful, the people were beautiful, and it was a nice mixture of Africa and Western culture,” Legend says. “I knew from friends that my music was popular (there), so I was excited to go.”
MTV Networks Africa VP/GM Alex Okosi says the MTV shows provide a platform for local acts to perform alongside global names, “building bridges between themselves and international artists.”
There is also a practical objective, he admits, with MTV recording the concerts to compensate for a dearth of quality music videos featuring African artists.
The South African live market is now “coming of age,” says Mike Fuller, managing director of Johannesburg-based promoter Famous Concerts.
“During the apartheid years,” Fuller says, “we were isolated — correctly so, because it helped to bring change. We’ve had to catch up.” Indeed, many artists boycotted playing South Africa until apartheid was banished.
Fuller insists that nowadays for international artists, the country is at “the same level as playing London or Berlin, whether you’re talking hotels or technical equipment or the business dealings of the top promoters.”
Challenges remain such as the travel time to South Africa and the fluctuating South African rand.
In March, Big Concerts is promoting a one-day festival series that will visit the 40,000-capacity Supersport Park in Centurion, near Pretoria, on March 18; the 52,000-capacity ABSA Stadium in Durban on March 21; and the 45,000-capacity Point Stadium in Cape Town on March 25.
The lineup is not yet finalised, but such home-grown acts as the Finkelsteins and Prime Circle will share the bill with U.S. rock act Seether, Canada’s Simple Plan, Finland’s the Rasmus and British DJ Fatboy Slim.
South Africa’s post-apartheid standing remains a strong draw for many artists, including jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum, who appeared December 17 at Limpopo Province’s Mapungubwe Jazz Festival.
Whalum originally visited the country 11 years ago as part of Whitney Houston’s band. “The biggest moment in my life and career so far happened in South Africa,” he says, “when I stood onstage with Whitney Houston in the year of the country’s first democratic elections.”
Source: Diane Coetzer, Reuters/Billboard