The New Tracks Tour
The South African music scene is thriving. Why else would there be three festivals in one weekend? With enough local acts to go around, choosing a festival this weekend is nearly impossible.
Splashy Fen has held a monopoly over the Easter Weekend for 27 years, and have promised a revival with new management this year. Unexpectedly, however, two new festivals – Lush and Outland – arrived on the scene and it’s put festival goers in a tight situation – how does one decide?
In an ideal world, we would go to all three.
Thankfully, our friends over at Chevrolet came to the party to make the impossible happen, and brought the New Tracks Tour to life. The New Tracks Tour features a collective of photographers and journalists travelling in convoy with Go Barefoot, Shortstraw and Josh Kempen to three of South Africa’s most interesting festivals. The talented troupe will be bringing to life the festivals you couldn’t attend, so you don’t have to miss out on a thing.
Go Barefoot have brought something extremely special to the stage, with their funky beats moving feet at every show. They’re set to release their latest single, Drive, soon and word is they’ll be playing the kwaito-influenced track this weekend. Every show is a unique experience, the guys aren’t afraid to jam. It’s tight and it’s groovy, and you’ll regret it if you miss it.
Josh Kempen is a heartthrob singer/songwriter with charisma and a performance tugging on the feels of girls and boys everywhere; his stripped-down sets this weekend are sure to pack a crowd. Listen out for Howling at the Moon, you’ll catch yourself howling along with the best.
Shortstraw have consistently brought their A-game to festivals in recent years, with a tight performance and loud presence, every anthem has the crowd singing along. They interact with their audience in a way that makes you feel you could be on stage along with them. They’re headlining both Lush and Splashy Fen as SA’s favourites. We don’t need to tell you to be there; we know you will.
Outland festival is the maverick newcomer that’s catering more towards the Durban underground scene. Low-key though this scene may be, there’s some serious and diverse talent from all over the country represented here; acts such as Black Math, Push Push, Desmond & the Tutus, Hezron Chetty, Existing Consciousness, Aewon Wolf and more all pulling through.
Acts to watch out for at Lush and Splashy Fen include Xavier Rudd, Civil Twilight, Goodluck, BCUC (watch them – seriously) and Adelle Nqeto.
All three festivals are set in beautiful locations, but don’t forget sunscreen and gum boots because the weather can be unpredictable. Check out our map below and make sure you follow the journey; this is too epic not to see.
Three festivals. Three days. One crazy road trip. This is set to be one of the wildest tours of the year, on a route that’s never been done before. Add newtrackstour on Snapchat for exclusive content and keep your eyes on #NewTracksTour to be a part of the journey. We’re finding new roads, new music and new experiences, and we’d love you to come with us.
Follow The Fuss and Leah on Instagram and Twitter for live #NewTracksTour updates
Words by Leah Jasmine Reed
