South Africa Blog

Cape Town-based fusion band CODA will be kicking off the new year with 2 free events at one of the city’s most scenic venues.  The band will performing at Relish (70 New Church Street) on Friday’s the 1st and 15th of February at 7 PM. Their distinctive sound gained immediate popularity amongst an astonishingly broad range of audiences – CODA’s diversity has resulted in a new style of South African music that appeals to audiences from Soweto to Paarl, from Gugulethu to Bloemfontein and from Dubai to the Seychelles.

Within a year, this Afro-Classical outfit was nominated as one of the country’s top five bands in the 2006 Top Billing/Lifestyle Awards.   Coda has been described in the media as the ‘next big thing’ in the South African music industry.  Says Bianca Coleman of the Cape Argus  ‘CODA is just so hot right now…You simply cannot think about having a party without at least trying to sign them up for the evening’s entertainment… CODA is the city’s most in-demand band.’

John Bartmann of the music website Overtone, having recently attended a CODA performance with Arno Carstens, comments, ‘Coda is, quite simply, the hottest new act to hit the stage since FreshlyGround.’ CODA has entertained some of the country’s most eminent celebrities, business people and politicians, and their music has been known to get some of South Africa’s leading figures on the dance floor.   CODA performed at FW de Klerk’s 70th birthday and was requested, personally, by Desmond Tutu to perform at his own 75th birthday event.

The group has performed at numerous high profile events and international events, including concerts (Jazzathon, Jazz on the Rocks, Home For All, Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Woman of the Year, Nederburg Concert Series, Paul Cluver Forest Amphitheatre), fashion shows (Cape Town Fashion Week, Durban Fashion Week), sports events (J&B Met, Durban July) launch parties and government events.  Internationally CODA has performed in the Seychelles (New Year 2006), Dubai (May 2007) and Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls (March 2006).  CODA has been invited to perform again in Dubai in March 2008.

Coda is a unique collaboration between vocalist Yolanda Yawa, electric cellist Carol Thorns, saxophonist Judy Brown, electric violinist Gabriella Rivera, dancer and backing vocalist, Amanda Martins, and House DJ Nick Matthews. Their popularity has been cemented since the release of their debut album, Believe, with several tracks being play-listed by radio stations throughout the country such as KFM, Metro FM, East Coast Radio, Radio 2000, Radio Sonder Grense, Maties FM etc. 

CODA had featured constantly in the media since their inception at the end of 2005.  They have enjoyed coverage on TV programmes such as Top Billing, Noted!, SABC 2 News Awards, Red Carpet Show and The Showbiz Report.  Print coverage includes O Magazine, Cape Etc, Glamour, Top Billing, In Style etc and numerous daily papers across South Africa.

CODA is currently recording their second album with renowned producer and song-writer, Gabi Le Roux. 

Contact:
CODA band manager – Carol Thorns 082 480 3964
Relish - 021 422 3584

Organised. Fair. 4th South African Blog Awards. Cool.

Quite a few people have been working pretty hard to get the 4th Annual South African Blog Awards off to a good start. Start supporting their effort by thinking about your nominations which open on the 11th February 2008. Some cool new categories have been included (best Green Blog, best African Language Blog, best Travel blog), there’s a cool new logo, new rules, new judging formula – This is a Blog Award Process well worth supporting, in particular to recognise those individuals who provide us daily with interesting tit-bits to read about over our morning coffee.

Whether we read their blogs to learn something new, get info about events, get design tips, advice, for a good giggle or just to waste some time – here is the opportunity to reward the writers behind the blogs. (okay, the prize is only 2008 cents, but lets at least give them the recognition they deserve!!).

Visit the Official Website at: South African Blog Awards 2008

Life on Earth is not a documentary. The Earth is a living organism that responds to each day with different subtlety. At any moment in time a complex cycle of natural wonder is playing out somewhere on this planet, while a butterfly flits in the Amazon, a lion roars in the African night and a great white shark silently moves through the Indian ocean. This intricate choreography that we are a part of is often hidden from view – playing out in some remote and undisturbed part of this planet. Earth-Touch strives to capture the best of this activity every day – quickly, simply, in the highest quality possible and then to relay it to audiences everywhere in the world, in the shortest time possible. Earth-Touch puts people in touch with the Earth, Now.

All the Earth-Touch content producers, film makers and editors are commitment to making entertaining and educational wildlife films and new media in ways that are environmentally and ethically sound. The footage is not sensationalized, the subjects are not antagonized…the mission is simple, to celebrate truth and the beauty of nature.

Any representation of the natural environment demands from the crew, a very high level of personal integrity that supports the values of environmental awareness and concern.

This is best achieved when high standards of journalism are merged with a profound respect for the natural world. Earth-Touch content producers scrupulously avoid harming or disturbing their subjects and the habitats in which they live in.

On the website you can download weekly podast highlights, featured stories, backgrounds and screen savers, earth-touch audio clips etc. We encourage people of all ages, backgrounds and demographics to come explore the natural beauty of their planet!

Visit this spectacular website at http://www.earth-touch.com/

Theatre @ The Pavilion is proud to announce Let’s Mix It 2, Double the Trouble, Twice the Spice which will run from 24 April to 31 May 2008, Thursday to Saturday nights.

Hadji Fatima Abrahamse, samoosa maker, baker, trader, newspaper columnist, radio and TV talk show maker and winner of the prestigious Abantu Ubuntu award for TV talk show excellence, is back together with her ever-nagging floor manager, Albert, for yet another hilarious romp. This time Hadji Fatima and her brand new quirky guests will be tackling (in true Cape Flat’s style) subjects like spice, mice, lice, rice, ice and thrice!
 
Starring Abduraghmaan Adams & Gary Naidoo.
Written by Gary Naidoo, Rafiek Mammon and Abduraghmaan Adams. 
Directed by Rafiek Mammon.

For bookings or for more information contact the Theatre @ The Pavilion on 021 419 7661 or send an or visit their website www.thepavilion.co.za. Find accommodation for this events at Cape Town accommodation. (Luxury to budget, in Cape Town and surrounds).

Cape Town – Although the Hospitality Industry does not have a reliable visitor number measurement tool, this season certainly seems to be a far busier summer season, with virtually no seasonal dips in mid-December and mid-January, says Chris von Ulmenstein, Chairman of the Smaller Accommodation segment of FEDHASA Cape.  The festive season peak usually begins around the 11th of December and ends around the 5th of January, although recent trends see this period expanding.  Commenting on visitor numbers, Von Ulmenstein says that the 2007/8 Summer season started off disappointingly slow in September and the first half of October, which can be attributed to the Rugby World Cup taking place at that time.   “Since then Cape Town has been booming, with many last-minute bookings, even now over the most sought-after New Year period.  Occupancy levels in accommodation establishments have improved and are far better than last season, even if the bookings have been very last minute.”

Guests are desperate, and many did not think of booking for this period in advance, which traditionally is booked out nine months ahead of time in areas such as Camps Bay and Plettenberg Bay.  Von Ulmenstein, owner of the Whale Cottage Portfolio of guest houses in Camps Bay, Hermanus, Franschhoek and Plettenberg Bay, says that the increase in visitor numbers is very welcome for the Hospitality industry, given that South Africans have been burdened by several interest rate and petrol price increases, and have to tighten their belts – clearly something they have decided to delay until 2008!

Late minute bookings challenge the Industry to meet sudden demands, but many residents on the Atlantic Seaboard and in popular holiday destinations rent out private accommodation, so there always is “room at the inn”! New accommodation establishments open all the time, and many locals visit their family and friends, and are less likely to use the formal accommodation industry. Many visitors to Cape Town have had to accept that they cannot stay in Camps Bay and have had to look for accommodation in other suburbs of Cape Town. Guest house owners are excellent at passing on their overflow to other colleagues in the area, which means that guests wanting to book are almost always accommodated.

“Heavily populated roads to Hermanus and the Garden Route just after Christmas, and throngs of shoppers in popular shopping centers are proof of the vast numbers of out-of-town visitors in the Western Cape,” says Von Ulmenstein.

Their presence is certainly felt in shopping centres and restaurants.  Chairman of the Restaurant segment of FEDHASA Cape, Rey Franco, says that eating establishments in the Blouberg area are definitely experiencing an increase in visitor numbers, with double dinner bookings every night, and Cape seafood dishes an all-round favourite.

One of the challenges facing the Accommodation sector during this time of year, is that many suppliers to the Hospitality Industry close over the Festive Season, a practice that cannot be understood, given that the Hospitality Industry is at its busiest right now.

Also, staff arriving for work over the festive days is always a concern for accommodation management, given that most of their friends and family have annual leave at this time. Availability of basic service providers such as plumbers and electricians also is a concern, as their services are much needed in such a time.

FEDHASA is the lobbying body and watchdog for the South African hospitality industry nationally, and in all tiers of government on tourism, legislation, trading conditions, taxation, education and related industry issues.  The association services four segments: the Hotel segment, the Small Accommodation segment, Restaurant and Catering segment, and the Suppliers segment.

Related Sites:
FEDHASA
CampsBayInfo.com