This Saturday, 1Africa’s Ryniel Muthusami headed out to the much-anticipated Majozi & Friends at the Aandklas (“evening class” in Afrikaans) event in the heart of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Full disclosure: Ryniel is not easy to impress. And we’re not even kidding.

“I don’t usually attend events with bands because I’ve never been a ‘band’ type of person. I’ve just never liked the typical band sound. Real musicians probably want to kill me right about now – but I was just never attracted to that sound,” he explains.

So, since he is such a tough customer, we asked Ryniel to give us his honest impression of each of the acts on stage. Here’s what he had to say!

Opposite the Other

“I never got to meet these guys after their set, which is a shame, but they played really well and I have to admit that I really enjoyed their set. The vibe was very upbeat, featuring synth mixed with really good vocals. They really had the crowd bobbing and dancing. They were also really good live performers, engaging with the crowd and just having fun. Opposite the Other, you get full marks!”

Josh Wantie

“I’m not sure if it was the cold or the nerves but Josh got off to a shaky start. I was, however, quite impressed because he plays both guitar and keyboard, and is backed up by a drummer. Things picked up by the time he performed his single, Go Under, the crowd singing along. There is no doubt that Josh has some skills and Im looking forward to what he does in the future.”

Majozi

“I have heard Majozi’s music on iTunes before and I have to admit that It wasn’t my cup of tea. It felt  very ‘country’ – but then again I’m all about hip-hop. Even though I knew the style wouldn’t appeal to me personally, I nevertheless decided to hang around and take some pics. As Majozi and band came on stage, the whole atmosphere changed – everyone in the place seemed to gather around the stage, almost as if the rest of the venue stopped what they were doing to come watch.

I do have to admit that after a few songs that I’ve heard a couple of times on the radio, I kind of got into it. Majozi is a great performer – he knows how to interact with the crowed and have fun. The music was excellent and really got the crowd on their feet. At one point I actually found myself singing along!

What I really loved was the individuality of the performers and the “art” of the music. It was so pure and raw as the artists belted out their songs and played from their hearts. I left the venue feeling really happy – and I’ve even gotten over my ‘bandophobia’! It turned out to be a really enjoyable evening!”

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