Bulwer Park Glenwood: Sat 16 June
Some great music can be found on Youth Day in Glenwood at the second day-long Imbumba Fiesta which will take place in Glenwood’s Bulwer Park on Youth Day: Saturday 16 June.
The line up for the featured concert offers a great selection of musicians representing a myriad musical genres – both proudly local and from further afield. The concert starts at 3pm and ends at 7pm, and is a free event.
The line up includes Holly Rey – whose distinctive Afro House sound is a cross-continental blend of Afro Tribal, infused with Broken Beats and Jazzy grooves; the beautiful-voices of maskandi outfit of Shwi noMtekhala; Kyle Deutsch – former Idols contestant and Durban-born acoustic pop artist; KwaMashu born award-winning gospel powerhouse, Hlengiwe Mhlaba; vocalist Nicky Shange whose songs range from soulful, African rhythms and jazz; one of the veterans of Hip hop DJing – DJ Vigilante; Bexx – a solo musical act from Durban, performing her own band of “Angsty Anti-Folk”; Christian and Gospel vocalist, Simphiwe Mdunge; Kepza – writer / producer and freestyle / hip hop / rap / DJ and DJ Phelzo a professional house and hip-hop DJ.
As well as the free afternoon concert, Imbumba Fiesta has a full morning on offer – a winter themed market, food stalls, info stands and an open mic – all with an underlying message of encouraging good neighbourliness, supporting underprivileged children and showcasing local artists and crafters.
For this festival – the different aspects of the day are: open market to support businesses all day from 9am until 4pm; a Kids Zone caring for children all morning from 9am until 2pm; an Open Mic stage to expose raw local talent from 10 until 2pm; an on-site library drive to keep the nation informed and to get kids to read, with loads of literary themed events, readings and stories; from 11 until 2pm comprising a mobile library and reading marquee; a healthy living promotion from noon until 2pm and a sun-downer concert from 3 until 7pm.
The Imbumba Fiesta is a project of Pietermaritzburg-based Mzala Nxumalo Centre for the Study of South African Society which works to promote the legacy of social activist, thinker, orator and writer, the late Mzala Nxumalo by focussing their research on the national question: What does it mean to be a nation? The centre has identified Glenwood as a social microcosm of South Africa: it is a proactive neighbourhood with a well-developed sense of community – an area which houses institutions for vulnerable children, a revamped public park and an active community gallery, among many attributes. Their vision is to create a fun day which brings together families from the neighbourhood, visitors to Glenwood, but more particularly the children, caregivers, staff and host families of the homes in the area.
The event will be hosted by Brithm Productions and supported by the Office of the Premier, eThekwini Municipality, neighbouring KZNSA Gallery, corporate partners, donors, sponsors and community groups. One of the key strategic partners, Colgate, will be bringing their events truck to the Fiesta staffed by dental care professionals offering free dental check-ups and handing out complimentary toothpaste and toothbrushes to children.
The KZNSA Gallery will be open – inviting visitors to visit the gallery and shop, and also inviting visitors to enjoy their licensed restaurant and coveted coffee!
eThekwini Parks and Recreation will be supporting the day with a display of indigenous plants and trees and staff who can share knowledge about indigenous gardening. They will also be starting the day with an hour long park clean up from 8am to 9am to which the Glenwood community is invited to attend and participate.
Imbumba Free Concert Artist Line Up:
Holly Rey: whose distinctive Afro House sound is a cross-continental blend of Afro Tribal, infused with broken beats and jazzy grooves
Shwi noMtekhala: Both from the KZN homelands, Shwi – a tenor singer noted for his flair with the guitar and Mtekhala, known for his energetic performance and good vocals. The two collaborated to form the maskandi outfit, Shwi noMtekhala.
Kyle Deutsch: former Idols contestant and Durban-born acoustic pop artist. His unique tone of voice and his acoustic set is comparable to no other
Hlengiwe Mhlaba: KwaMashu born award-winning gospel powerhouse
Nicky Shange: vocalist whose songs range from soulful, African rhythms and jazz. She has been performing all around KZN honing her craft, playing with her band.
DJ Vigilante: one of the veterans of Hip hop DJing
Bexx: a solo musical act from Durban, performing her own band of “Angsty Anti-Folk” Her lyrics written from her own life experiences, as well as those of her friends.
Simphiwe Mdunge: Christian and Gospel vocalist,
Kepza: writer / producer and freestyle / hip hop / rap / DJ
DJ Phelzo: a professional house and hip-hop DJ.