The best spots for local live bands, jazz and live music
Live music is a real treat to stumble upon and often that is how you find out about these little places. The smaller and more secret, the better! However with our guide, we hope to give you a little more direction so that your evenings are less “hit & miss” especially if your days in Cape Town are limited
There are a multitude of options for enjoying live music in Cape Town. It all depends on what type of music you are into….
Asoka is famous for its Jazz on Tuesdays between 21h00 and 23h00 hrs. Asoka is nestled in an old Victorian townhouse on Kloof street. Its stylish and intimate lounge exudes comfort and relaxation.
If rock and alternative is what does it for you, then you may want to pay Mercury Live on 43 De Villiers Street a visit. They have a huge range of live gigs usually scheduled for Wednesdays, Fridays or Saturdays. Look out for gigs by Bed on Bricks, Fokofpolisiekar (or one of their spin-off bands aKING and Van Coke Kartel), The Rudimentals, Taxi Violence, The Shy Guevaras & Them Tornadoes. From “Monday Madness” which is generally a student night to “Wasted Wednesdays” this is the place to be if you want to see the latest in local live music.
The Zula Sound Bar on 196 Long Street is also a place to go if you are into hip hop and grunge. A highly recommended night is when hip hop DJ Ready D is playing.
The Assembly on 61 Harrington Street in Cape Town has recently become a very popular venue for live music. Whether it’s live electronics, punk, rock, Indie, Jazz, Ska, Pop, Comedy or anything else that is new and fashionable you will find it live at The Assembly. Just be aware that it can get extremely packed inside.
The Waiting Room with its narrow little steps up to the entrance on 173 Long Street is a tiny but happening little venue which hosts live bands on Mondays and Tuesdays. Try to see bluesman Dave Ferguson or Babu. Their fantastically pulsating rythems are driven by Kesivan Naidoo, one of the most amazing drummers you will ever come across.
Fiction is located in a historical building in the heart of Cape Town’s city centre with a large corner balcony that overlooks Long Street.
You will get to see all the new hot and happening musicians of Cape Town here. Musically, the concept behind the venue is to give djs an opportunity to promote the more less established types of music.
Further out of the centre of town there is The Alma Café on Alma Road in Rosebank. Formerly the Alma Supply store, it traditionally supplied newspapers and groceries to the area.
Taken from a blogger off realtravel.com was a comment that sums up Alma café perfectly “The cosy café seats about 26 diners but we noticed that two or three people popped in for music only. Sash windows and sections of bare brickwork and cupboards burdened by old tins, jars and mementos – something unusual wherever the eye leads.” Alma café is a rather unassuming little place but hosts some really great and very talented local and national bands. Go there for a small and intimate, casual, laid-back evening.
In Newlands you will find Barristers where on the odd Sunday night you will find a local band playing. The pub serves excellent food, has an outdoor heated deck and a truly wonderful atmosphere, very popular amongst the locals.
More recently you can enjoy jazz between 16h30 & 18h00 at Polana cocktail lounge at Harbour House in Kalk Bay every Sunday. Another good one on Sundays is Sotano in Mouille Point not far from the lighthouse where live music plays every Sunday from 15h00 to 18h00 whilst watching the sun go down.
In Durbanville go to Die Boer and Durbanville Kunskafee which frequently hosts live bands especially Afrikaans artists. The Levi’s Vintage Sundays sessions are free and a fun end to the weekend.
About an hours drive away in Darling is a fabulous annual music festival usually in September called Rocking the Daisies on a wine farm.
Not to forget the annual and very well attended Jazz festival in Cape Town at the end of March every year hosting nothing less than 40 International and local African jazz artists at The Cape Town International Convention Centre and a culmination of world-renowned musicians playing at different venues and on different stages.