#lip2015

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Ivor Price: Die man agter die TV skerm wat danksy sy positiewe ingesteldheid sukses behaal het.

Daardie kenmerkende glimlag wat jou landswyd saans om 19:00 groet as jy inskakel vir die Nuus om 7 wag my in by die Plataankafee.

Ivor Price is ʼn gunsteling in meeste Afrikaanse huisgesinne want buiten sy werk as nuusleser, is hy ook ʼn radio joernalis vir RSG.

En radio en televisie lieg nie: Daardie stem van hom betower in lewende lywe ook.

Tussendeur die roet wat waai ten tye van die Jonkershoek brand, deel hy sy lewenswyshede.

Hy  vertel van sy eerste artikel wat op 14 jarige ouderdom in Die Burger se jeug bylaag, JongBurger (vandag Jip), verskyn het: “Op daai ouderdom, tipies, het my storie oor tienerseks gegaan. Ek het my vrek geskrik toe ek sien dis gepubliseer die Maandagoggend.” Ivor beskryf hierdie as die oomblik toe “daai gogga” gebyt het, en hy praat natuurlik van die joernalistieke gogga.

As Ivor nie destyds tot die skoolkoerant redaksie verkies was nie sou hy moontlik ʼn politieke loopbaan gevolg het oorsee. “Dit het alles begin met ‘n skoolkoerant kursus wat deur Die Burger aangebied is. En daai dag het my kop geswaai.”

Volgens Ivor is hy nou vir die eerste keer in jare op die enigste plek waar hy wil wees nadat hy vir byna 11 jaar van sy loopbaan ʼn verskeidenheid van goed probeer het. Hy wil eers radio en televisie bemeester voor hy weer aanbeweeg. “Ek dink in hierdie bedryf maak te veel mense die fout om te spring van die een ding na die ander ding.”

Dit is die eerste Woordfees waar Ivor die aanbieder van RSG se Praat Saam is en hy vertel met trots hoe daar daagliks honderde mense is wat na hom kom luister. “Mens besef nie die impak wat radio het nie, by elke program en vertoning is letterlik mense wat toustaan vir ʼn halfuur lank om ʼn praatjie te maak. Dis fassinerend.”

Hy vertel van ʼn paartjie uit WesBank wat petrolgeld geleen het om net vir hom te kom hallo sê en mens kan in sy oë sien hoe spesiaal die interaksie met die luisteraars vir hom is.

Ivor kry ʼn glimlag op sy gesig as hy vertel oor die eerste aand wat hy die Nuus om 7 op SABC 2 uitgesaai het en vertel dat sy senuwees nou nog knaag voor elke uitsending. Voor die uitsending het Riaan Cruywagen, by wie Ivor oor gevat het, vir hom ʼn boodskap gestuur om te sê dat hy dink Ivor gaan goed doen.

“Daar is ʼn vreemde kalmte wat jou beetpak tot 7de Laan klaarmaak. Maar as jy eers deur daai eerste berig is dan doen jy dit. ”

Ivor se raad aan jong joernaliste is om jouself eers as ʼn koerant joernalis te bekwaam. “Televisie en radio is baie uitdagend, maar jy moet leer om woord vas te wees en dit gaan jy net leer by koerante.”

Hy het al baie studente aangestel waar hy gewerk het en hy meen dat die wat oorleef, die is wat ʼn grondige kennis van skryfwerk het. – Suzaan Potgieter

 (Foto: Melissa da Costa)

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A to Zeeman

Eight hours before Elisha Zeeman takes the stage in Agter Elke Vrou, she can be found roaming the streets of vibrant Stellenbosch, with Koos’ Liefde uit die oude doos ringing in her ears. She draws energy from her surroundings; people, places and scenes, all in preparation for the numerous characters she takes on during her one-women cabaret performance.



Four hours later, the ritual continues as she heads to the theatre to apply minimalist make up and jump up and down several times in an attempt to contain the stress that slowly but surely sets in.  The minute Zeeman walks onto the stage, this is transformed by quirky sketches, and perfectly executed satire.


In a bustling Stellenbosch coffee shop, after several moments of doubt we establish that Zeeman was born in the small-scale town of DeLaRayVille in the Northern Cape, “minor details” as Zeeman remarks. She is the epitome of quirky. Comfortably positioned with her feet up the couch, she begins chatting away about her love for life. Her facial expressions are fascinating and she is completely elated when she speaks about the arts.


“No one knew who I was in Primary school, I had one friend whose name was Mariska…I can’t remember her surname. We would eat our sandwiches together on the same spot every day. Then she decided to ditch me. I spent a while eating my sandwich alone in the bathroom, then she came running back, but if you piss Elisha off, you don't get a second chance”.



Zeeman was introduced to the world of drama by chance when her mother was late for school one day, “I didn't really know what ‘acting’ involved, but when a friend of mine auditioned for a play, I was the only person left at school to do a read-in, and I wasn't too bad at it”.



A degree in Drama and Theatre studies was in order, and upon attending the University of Stellenbosch Zeeman decided to shed her responsible academic front and have some care-free fun, “at the end of the day it doesn't matter what you have on paper”. She was cast in several productions by Marthinus Basson, worked with Antoinette Kellerman and was trained by “the best cabaret artist in the country”, Gretha van der Merwe.



An honours degree in cabaret and puppetry later, Zeeman embarked on a year of freelance acting, “I was quick to discover that one is not able to support yourself if your only form of income is a puppet show on a Thursday morning somewhere in a mall. It is very important to continually be stimulated and fed”.



Hoping to incorporate marketing and performance, and become an entire one-woman package, Zeeman is currently completing a “real” postgraduate program in marketing at the SU. “It is not easy to juggle studies and a career in performance, but we sacrifice a social-life for the arts”. She adds that it is lovely to have something challenge her brain after a year of frustration, “I am not giving up, I am merely adding to my repertoire”.

At this year's festival, Zeeman performs in her one-woman cabaret, Agter Elke Man, as well as Beter as niks alongside Llandi Beeslaar. She says that she prefers to play the stage alone and be responsible for the production's energy and success. “If you write and perform a 60 minute one-woman show, and people sit and spend valuable time watching your work, then when you are done all stand up in unison, clapping away at your success. The feeling is indescribable.”

Teaming up with Beeslaar is something that Zeeman has really enjoyed, but will not be embarking on again anytime soon. It is evident that they have very different tempos, which adds an interesting dynamic and energy on stage. They are both very young, and feed continually off one another. “Beter As Niks is very tight, and has infectious energy.”

“Several challenges come along with attempting to become a self-made cabaret queen” says Zeeman. “During studies at the drama department, rehearsal spaces, props and costumes are available in an instant, but this is not the case when you are self-dependant”. Having to resort to living room spaces, no technical support and homemade props has become the norm, however this has granted the opportunity to learn how to deal with issues and find solutions. “I feed off stress”.


She glances down at the time, “how much longer are you going to need me for, I have to go and put on my life-sized animal suit, Llandi and I are doing a Beter as Niks flyer handout”.



Zeeman has been in the industry for a mere two years, yet she has already written and performed numerous very uniquely crafted cabaret productions. Along with her go-getter personality, exceptional talent, and soft-hearted nature, Zeeman is well on her way to becoming a name among those esteemed.
 - Nicola Jo Bruns

(Photo: Gaenor.co.za)

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Hierdie boeke vlieg van die rakke af

Die Boektentwemel elke dag van mense wat na gesiene skrywers se staaltjies, stories en gesprekke luister.

Daarna gaan maak feesgangers gewoonlik ʼn draai by die ATKV-boekwinkel waar daar dan ʼn boek (of soms meer as een boek) gekoop word om huis toe te neem.

Die topverkoper boektitels by vanjaar se US Woordfees lyk soos volg:

1.      Ikarus – Deon Meyer.

Ikarus, Bennie Griesel se jongste avontuur, sal eers op 23 Maart in landwye boekwinkels beskikbaar wees. Tydens die US-Woordfees is dit egter reeds by die ATKV-boekwinkel beskikbaar en dit vlieg van die rakke af.

2.      Film verse.

Dink Bitterbessie dagbreek van Ingrid Jonker, Finis van Lina Spies en nog vele ander.

3.      Rooi Rose: Versamelresepte vir elke seisoen.

“ʼn Versameling van die mees gewilde resepte van die rubriek Versamelresepte uit die Rooi Rose” – LAPA-uitgewers.

4.      Hoe masjiene werk.

“Ontdek die wetenskap agter eenvoudige masjiene en meganismes… hierdie interaktiewe boek bevat alles wat jy nodig het om 12 werkende modelle te bou.” – LAPA-uitgewers.

5.      Eerste diere (glinster).

Kuier saam met Danie by dierevriende die wêreld oor. Die perfekte manier om kinders oor verskillende diere te leer. – Heike Werth

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Mahola’s star keeps on shining

A petite dynamite, whose expressive stage performances epitomises longing for storytelling, pop singer Zolani Mahola says she feels at home on stage.

“I love and live performing. And music provides such a wonderful platform to do just that,” says the youthful singer.

Mahola, a lead vocalist for popular group Freshlyground, has risen to become one of South Africa’s sought after songbirds.

Her velvet voice continues to mesmerise fans not only locally but also internationally.

The 34-year-old singer descended on Stellenbosch on Thursday night as she was lined up for one of the shows at the week-long US Woordfees.

With a smile written all over her bubbly face, she graces the stage wearing a traditional inspired dress.

She shared her performance with popular Afrikaans rock singer Karen Zoid and opera soprano Zanne Stapelberg.

Mahola says she has deep respect for Zoid.

“She is very experienced and every time I perform with her I feel honoured,” says Mahola.

As the show heats up, Mahola’s energetic and expressive stage performance defies her visibly small stature.

Born in the Eastern Cape capital, Bhisho, Mahola packed her bags, left her Port Elizabeth home and headed for Cape Town on an ambitious tertiary education mission in 2000.

She did not want be a doctor. She did not want to be an accountant either. She wanted to tell stories, and a good leap towards that was to enroll for drama at the University of Cape Town.

Little did she know she would later receive an accidental musical calling, as opposed to an acting career two years later.

“I did a few acting roles, including in Tsha Tsha, but I have since put acting on the back seat to focus on Freshlyground,” she says.

According to Mahola, it was when she sang in a university theater play that she caught the eye of a fellow student who would later found Freshlyground.

With five albums under its belt already, the multi-award winning band plays a mixture of English and Xhosa pop songs, heavily influenced by kwela and traditional folk music.  

Mahola, on top of leading the group vocally, is also one of its main writers.

An articulate orator, whose natural talents of storytelling are complemented by her conversational and personal style in which she writes her music, Mahola says she learnt it all from her father.

"My father is a community man. He has always been interested in people's stories," she says.

She says on top of opening up opportunities for his children by sending them to good and multiracial schools, her father has also instilled a sense of community and love in her and her siblings.  

"As a result, I always wrote songs while growing up, even though it was never my life's plan to really become a musician," says Mahola.

While many of the songs she writes may have been about the stories she heard from other people's experience, some are very personal.

Nomvula, the title-song of  Freshlyground’s 2004 album, tells Mahola’s story of losing her mother as a seven-year-old and how this took a toll on her father.

The song is a thank you to her parents, especially her father, she says.

“I wrote the song to give respect to him for all that he has done for me,” she says.

The soft-spoken singer is also tight-lipped about her marriage, calling it private.

On acting, Mahola says she has not given up on her acting career and that she would consider going to the big screen if chance allows in the future. - Siviwe Feketha

(Photo: You.co.za)

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Asking J’Something.

The South African music industry has exploded over the past decade. Artists like Goldfish and Freshlyground have made headway overseas, and more recently Die Antwoord has used its shock-tactics to grab the world’s attention. However, the group currently at the pinnacle of the South African music scene is undoubtedly Mi Casa - and they got there because of the vision of Joao Fonseca, known to fans as J’Something. I sat down with the jazzy-house singer this past week, and got to know more about the ambitious Matie behind the brand.

Doing an interview over Skype is a daunting task. Maybe what made this experience worthwhile was the manner in which it happened. There I was, three hours before the scheduled interview, sitting in front of the laptop in my pajamas. I was still getting my interview questions together, and I was not at all ready to speak to J. You can imagine that I was a little nervous when Joao’s partner, Dale Herbst, emailed me to do the interview at that exact moment. Skype wasn't working, the connection made video impossible, but eventually things got rolling, and I was more or less in the zone. The most striking thing about J is his confidence. He speaks his mind and he almost never rephrases what he says. Everything is either really well rehearsed or very well thought through. He basically did the interview for me.

J is possibly the most forward-thinking artist I've met. He has a clear vision for the future. He’s also very positive-minded. “I really am a firm believer in the power of the tongue and the power of the mind”, he said. “You reap what you sow. People need to start sowing thoughts and ideas and outlooks of positivity. If you think negativity, that’s what you’re gonna get.”

Joao is first and foremost an entrepreneur. Yes, he is a talented musician, but he takes branding very seriously. “I majored in marketing”, he said when asked about university. “When I finished school, all I wanted to do was music, but I thought that it was kind of impossible”. Then he learned about the importance of a brand. “I’m a brand enthusiast because I truly believe that Mi Casa and J’Something within Mi Casa have really changed the music scene in terms of how bands perceive themselves”, he said. He’s not wrong. He’s far more than a musician. Joao has a band, three TV shows and his own production company. “I know that I’m one of the leading brand enthusiasts in the industry at the moment”, he said, and I believe him.

He speaks of his time as a Matie with obvious fondness. “Those three years shaped my life.” When he was studying, he just wanted to get the degree over with. “I’m sure a lot of students kind of have that mind-set”, he admitted. “But I am a brand, and Mi Casa is a huge brand globally, so the degree actually taught me a lot. “He is the archetype of a new breed of South African musicians who recognise that to be successful, you need to be totally involved with your brand. This is what has brought the group so much success, including multiple South African Music Awards, global recognition and an invitation to play at Barack Obama’s inauguration.

Joao has high hopes for our country, too. He thinks that the label of third-world country just means that we have more room for improvement. “I've recently been to the States and I've been to Europe countless times, and when I’m there, what I feel is that these guys just have no space for development. We can shape ourselves in a way that they can’t.” He admits that as a country, we've been through very hard times, but that we can only learn from the struggle. “Struggling doesn't scare me”, he said, obviously excited by the topic. “Struggling makes me excited. It makes me think that we’re growing and moving on, especially with all the political uproar at the moment.”

Even through a laptop, I can’t shake the aura of optimism that this guy emits. He has big dreams, but considering what he’s already achieved, they don’t seem so far-fetched. He loves cooking, and has multiple cooking shows running at the moment. He hopes to turn this passion into a restaurant one day. His TV career is blossoming, and he loves it. “Within TV and production I hope that in 10 years I can say that I've created something as big as pop idols”.

It’s not often that you get to speak to someone who has no doubts about where they want to be. I was prepared to learn about the guy, but I think I ended up being a little motivated by him. People think music is about talent. The truth, however, is that we should learn from his hard-working and positive attitude. Without hard work, he admitted, Mi Casa would never have been big. Joao seems near-fearless, and his only fear seems to be boredom. “I’m not scared of change”, he said. “I’ll be scared when I’m stagnant and not moving anywhere.” – Mikail Baker

(Photo: Mikail Baker)

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Jaco of all trades

His white t-shirt drenched and clinging to his body, and a cigarette placed nonchalantly between his lips, Jaco Venter sits down to an interview.

It is just after a show and the drummer of aKING and Fokofpolisiekar is visibly exhausted. The dim light in the backstage tent is not flattering and the years of late nights and a ‘rock and roll’ lifestyle cannot help but creep onto his face. Even in the shadow that is created by his flat-cap, one can see that this man is worn.

Jaco Venter, known by his friends, family and fans as “Snakehead” or “Snake” is a forming member of both Fokofpolisiekar, started in 2003, and aKING, formed in 2007.

He grew up in a musical household. “My mom was very into classical music. She played the piano and violin.” Snake, however, went in a completely different direction to his mother, preferring a life of sweaty, loud performances in front of head-banging, air-guitar yielding, bra-throwing fans.

Snake received no formal education or training with musical instruments. “I started playing the guitar and learnt just from practising.” He then made a change to the drums in Fokofpolisiekar. “Our drummer wasn’t working out and I thought that I would just make the change over to the drums instead of having to find someone new.”

Snake played exclusively for Fokofpolisiekar until 2006, when he broke his arm. He had to stop playing the drums for six months, which he said was a tough time in his life as he was prevented from doing what he loved.

He knew that Laudo Liebenberg, lead vocals and guitar for aKING, and Hennie van Halen, bassist and vocals for aKING, were busy playing together so he decided to join. “I started jamming with them to slowly build up my strength after my injury. I also knew that Fokofpolisiekar was about to take a break, that it did at the beginning of 2007, and that was sort of how aKING started. It was more a series of events instead of a plan to form another band.”

Snake explains that the name of aKING is actually a creation of Laudo’s. “He knew that there was already a Queen and a Prince, so he thought about naming the band King.” However, it turned out that there was already a band in Sweden called King and Laudo could not simply add the article ‘the’ as ‘the King’ is synonymous with Elvis – someone they believed they could not compete with. “So he just added “a” and that’s how aKING came about.”

Snake is artistic in many ways. In addition to his musical talents, he enjoys dabbling in art. He was the assistant art director on the “Man Unkind” music video. “I like taking photos, so I was involved in that; just giving direction here and there.” The music video features an array of unrelated images and scenes such as dogs, bubbles, ladders and greenery. He says that there was no unified idea behind the images, they were merely put together because the director liked them. Their randomness makes the music video interesting.

When asked about the band’s new album, Morning After, Snake says that he does not know how the album is faring in comparison to their previous albums, Dutch Courage, Against All Odds and The Red Blooded Years. “Times are so different now. How music is sold and the fan base have changed so much.” He sighs. The ways in which music is bought and stolen these days have not left South African artists unaffected.

aKING’s fan base is still primarily South African. “We are all older now and it is pricey to take your music overseas,” Snake explained. He says they would obviously love their music to reach an international fan base, but that they have responsibilities now in South Africa. “We have bills to pay and if we are overseas playing music, then that means there is less time spent at home playing gigs and getting paid.”

But it is not all doom and gloom – the band is still booking gigs all around South Africa, primarily in Pretoria and Potchefstroom. “Wherever there are students, there will be shows.” However, their music is not exclusively aimed at students. “Our second album, Against All Odds, was more accessible for older people,” Snake said.

“I play at whoever booked me first,” Snake said with regards to managing his time, between his two bands. Easy and simple as that. He loves playing for both of the bands and prefers neither over the other.

When it comes to organising his personal life, he says that this is even easier. This is surprising considering that many entertainers are not able to maintain personal relationships. “My fiancée understands and when I am gone, I am not gone for long.” Snake and his fiancée will have been together for 13 years this April. She is involved in the corporate world, but understands the way his life works and they work through the trips and late nights together. – Tatum Morley

(Photo: Manni-Photography)

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US-Koor g’n koortjie wat net mooi singnie

DieStellenbosch Universiteitskoor (USK) is nie sommer net ’n koor nie. Waar die koor gewoonlik hulle eerste uitvoering in Mei het, het hulle vanjaar al vroeg Maart hulle eerste uitvoering gehad. Die hele koor, sowat 100 lede, het vier weke gehad om hulle repertorium voor te berei.

Daar was nie ’n stukkie bladmusiek op die verhoog nie. Alles is gememoriseerd uitgevoer.

Wat die USK so uniek maak, is dat hulle nie net ’n koortjie is wat mooi in rytjies staan en soos orrelpypies ingeryg is nie. Elke koorlid staan vas, gee ’n behoorlike uitvoering en sing met passie en deeglike begrip vir die genre wat hulle sing.

Die program was puik saamgestel met eksperimentele werke wat komplekse harmonieë bevat wat die koor met deernis en presiesheid uitgevoer het.

André van der Merwe, die dirigent, het ongelooflike goeie beheer oor die koor. Wedersydse vertroue tussen hom en die koor is duidelik sigbaar wat die fyn beplanning van elke inval en dinamiese variasie soveel meer suksesvol maak.

Hulle het drie werke van die komponis Jake Runestad by vanjaar se Woordfees gepremière wat opwindend was om na te luister.

Die eerste werk, We can mend the sky, is ’n toonsetting van die 14-jarige meisie, Warda Mohamed, wat saam met haar familie na die VSA toe moes vlug vanaf die burgeroorlog in Somalië.

Die koor het elke element in die werk - geweld, hongersnood, liefde en lyding – só uitgebeeld dat hulle jou op ’n gemoedsreis geneem het wat jou elke element laat ervaar het.

Runestad se ander twee werke was sy toonsetting van Psalm 121 en Alleluia.

Die koor was deur die hele uitvoering gefokus ten spyte daarvan dat dit vreesaanjaend kan wees om die repertorium in vier weke te leer én te memoriseer.

Die intonasie was meestal perfek en die diep, ryk en warm klankproduksie het die Endler se goeie akoestiek tot sy reg laat geskied.

Die koor het nie mooi gesing nie. Hulle het goed gesing. Baie kore kan iets mooi laat klink, maar of dit goed is, is ’n ander saak. – Hannes Kruger

(Foto: Hannes Kruger)

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Woordfees is Klopjag se gunsteling

Die eerste ding wat jou opval van die lede van Klopjag is dat hul sonder twyfel so gemaklik en eerlik is soos hul lirieke. Tussendeur die rook en die wyn en die grimering wat vinnig agter die verhoog aangesit word, is hul so pretensieloos, menslik en plat op die aarde soos kan kom.  

Dié mense het al ’n lang pad gestap. Om tussen hulle te wees en selfs deur net na hul vertoning te kyk, kry jy die gevoel dat hulle al jarelange vriende is. Agter die skerms lag en gesels hulle bo-oor mekaar sonder om kwaad te word. Van die verhoog af gesels hulle met die mense, maak grappies oor hul piekniekmandjies en vra selfs waarvandaan die mense gekom het om die vertoning te kom kyk.

Klopjag het redelik afgeskaal in terme van die hoeveelheid vertonings wat hulle per jaar doen. Maar mense kom steeds van heinde en verre om vir daardie uur of so totaal in vervoering te raak deur die soet klanke wat hulle vir die gehoor bied.  

“Elke keer wat ons op die verhoog klim skok dit my om te sien hoeveel mense na ons kom kyk.  Dis elke keer soos daai ontvlugting wat dit aan die begin was. Dit is amper nou lekkerder as ooit,” het John-Henry Opperman, hoofsanger van Klopjag, gesê.  

Marie-Louise Diedericks, die roos tussen die dorings soos Opperman na haar verwys, het bygevoeg dat hulle veral na soveel jaar dit glad nie verwag nie.  

“Aan die begin het ons omtrent 20 vertonings ’n maand gedoen so ons het gewoond geraak daaraan, nou is dit weer soos back in the day, jy waardeer dit meer,” het sy verduidelik.  

Na amper ses jaar gaan die geduldige Klopjag aanhangers in die nabye toekoms vir hul getroue ondersteuning beloon word met ’n nuwe album.

“Ons probeer al van laasjaar af werk aan ’n nuwe CD,” het Diedericks gesê. Opperman het haar in die rede geval en bygevoeg: “Dis nie vir my ’n vraag van of ons dit gaan doen nie, ons gaan dit verseker doen.”

Diedericks het verder vertel dat hulle lank daaroor gepraat het, maar dat hul dit nie net half wil doen nie.

“It’s got to be something special, veral na soveel jare, ek dink daar is verwagting, nie net van die fans nie, maar van ons kant af ook, ons wil kan wys we still got it”

Die band was eensgesind oor hul gevoelens oor die US Woordfees.

“Woordfees is vir ons soos die slimste kind van al die kinders, en jy het ’n sagte plekkie vir jou slimste kind,” het Opperman met ’n groot glimlag vertel.  

Die res van die band het behoorlik uitgebars van die lag ná die uitlating.  

“Dit is ’n klomp like minded mense, die fees het ’n mooi verloop geloop, ons het lekker eerstes hier gehad,” het Opperman verder vertel.

“En dis in die Kaap” het Werner Griesel, die drummer, haastig bygevoeg.  

Voordat Opperman Musiek vir die Agtergrond gesing het, het hy vertel van daardie oomblik wat ’n mens ervaar wanneer jy ‘lig’ voel, en as jy om jou gekyk het kon jy sien dít is presies hoe die feesgangers tydens die vertoning gevoel het.  

“Dit was ’n voorreg om my hart te kon oopbreek vir Woordfees.  Ek kon sien dit was vir die mense in die gehoor lekker en dit maak dit vir ons ook lekker,”  het Opperman vinnig na die vertoning gesê.  - Mizan van der Merwe

 (Foto: Kayla Alexander)