Party on with Park Acoustics

by Ashleigh Pascoe | Mar 22, 2022 | Breaking Headlines, Entertainment

On one Sunday of every month, Pretorian music lovers convene at the Voortrekker Monument to enjoy local entertainment provided by beloved performers, and this event is known as Park Acoustics. On 27 February, PDBY attended this festival, to support previous Featured Artist, Kenny Hughes. 

Kenny Hughes gently warmed the crowd with his enticing introductions of blues and rock. There is something special about a performer enjoying their performance almost as much as the crowd does. The beginning of the afternoon was mellow, with people dozing off in the sunshine, and the smell of Black Label in the air.

Vodka and brandy reared their head when van Pletzen sauntered onto the stage and declared “lekkerness”.  The vibes were stellar, and it did not take long for the stage area to become crowded with a sea of colourful blobs pumping their fists and yelling “if you’re a decent ou” (if you know, you know. If you do not, see the Park Acoustics playlist). Van Pletzen did not fail to elicit a reaction from the crowd and was one of the most interactive performances of the afternoon. Every single event that performed at Parks, was an event specifically chosen, and not a single one disappointed. 

It is uncertain as to whether there is anything as enjoyable as being at a Desmond and the Tutus concert, surrounded by good vibes, doing the t-rex dance with Shane Durrant, and yelling “What, am, I gonna do with you!”. The album that was being performed was literally called “Enjoy Yourself”, and the crowd did not take that task lightly. Not only was the performance phenomenal, but the chemistry between the band members truly made fans realise how incredible it is to have a South African band as captivating as this. Continually, Durrant would hand the spotlight over to Bower, and Bower would accept the limelight with unbridled enthusiasm, while Craig Durrant would be consistently manning the drums. The way in which this band performed for the Parks crowd, really did show that they love Pretoria Girls.

As the Tutus ended their performance, the clouds opened, and the downpour came. Even the rain respected the performance enough to wait until the end of their set. Throughout the day, nothing deterred the Pretorians from completely immersing themselves in this festival. Direct sunlight in a South African summer – who cares. A thunderstorm that creates puddles that could give Shrek’s swamp a run for its money – who cares. No signal in the area – who cares. The attendees were here to have a good time, and they truly did. 

Park Acoustics is an event that can be enjoyed by those looking for a way to unwind before the week begins again. The next event will be Park Electric on 3 April, and will be featuring artists such as Loufi, Chunda Munki, TIMO ODV, Internet Girl, and Easy Freak, and appears to be well worth the price of the tickets.

 

Photo: Ashleigh Pascoe

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My name is Ashleigh Pascoe and I am doing my Honours in Publishing. This is my fourth year studying at UP. I would describe myself as a bubbly extrovert with a passion for written work and writing!