Winnifest 2015

It was unexpected greatness. So great, in fact, that I only made it home last night. Balls to the wall fun. I have been in Durban for a week and was not expecting a party so big. 

Picture this Writer, dreads tied up and walking down Umbilo. 

I hesitate on the corner of Umbilo and Davenport Road. I consider taking a walk to The Winston Pub. The Winston is pretty quiet on a Sunday. But then again, some of my friends may be there enjoying a sun-downer or 3. 

As I approach the Winston, via an alley my mother would never let me walk, I hear a crowd. What the-?

                         

As I turn to Clark Road I see a bunch of folks outside and inside the Winston. Kevin and Matt (staff, friends, co-owners of the joint) are outside having a talk.        

Apparently it is the first Winnifest.  I can hear Raheem Kemet between songs, hyping up the crowd. It sounds like he's about to play The Fire, his latest single.

I finally make it into the The Winston. The outside area is packed full of familiar  and unfamiliar faces. I pull out my A4 notebook and list a few Artists I recognize. DJ Raw Kidd is on stage with Raheem Kemet, as well as a Bassist, kit Drummer and one ripping Guitarist. They finish with The Fire and move on to a nostalgic track about Raheem in his youth as a Hip Hop cat. It was funny to see how parallel our tastes were back in the days. Durban surprised me back then, and here was a big festival with a massive crowd and an equally massive sound system to mash things up good. I then realized that Raheem Kemet was nearly done, as he announced his last song, a strong fusion of Dancehall and Hard Rock. I didn't know whether to skank or bang my head. Both had to do.

After such a hot performance, I didn't know what to expect. I noticed Clinton Nortje (corrections accepted) setting up his drum kit and I knew The Hours were getting ready to tear it up. A solid, Hard, Punk band, their energy from song one kept the crowd active  as the sun set. Keep your eyes peeled for The Hours in a city near you. They are a band I've got my jaundiced eye on.

What I didn't know was that Sibling Rivalry, Durban's longest surviving Punk Rockers, were set to play. Beating PH Fat, who had a dodgy start, strong DJ and tight beats, Sibling Rivalry had the biggest crowd I have seen at The Winston Pub. A seething circle pit, screaming girls of all ages, hands in the air and sweat on the ground. I can't be absolutely sure, but Sibling Rivalry sure performed as if it they were the main attraction.

And it was not just bands either. Inside the Winston Pub were DJs of all sorts.  An angelic Carrie Michelle Wilson showed up with a set of Deep Future House, some Glitch and Breakz. Very interesting sound she and her partner displayed. I think I need more of their sound because I was bouncing between stages to catch as many acts as possible. PH Fat had to cut his show short as there was trouble on his side of the show and I was happy to go back inside and catch one whopper of Junglist DJ. His name is Rebellious One and boy, oh boy does his Drum n Bass pack a punch. By the way, there was a fashion stall and outside bar at the fest and while Rebellious One was rinsing big tune, I got me a nice denim Junglist hoodie from Ali's Vintage stall and a Coke. Back to the Jungle. And I mean Jungle, cause too many DJs are playing all types of DnB, calling it what it's not. This was rude buoy murderin', Ragga, broken, Amen break strong shit from the 90s and early 2000s. Jungle. Considering that South African club favourites Verandah Panda were there to perform as well, I rate that  Rebellious One gave one hell of a performance. If you see his name on a poster near you, see him. 

I just hope that Winnifest will go from strength to strength. As a first incarnation , it was strong. The men and women of the Winston Pub planned well and pulled some powerful names to fill a very impressive roster. On a Sunday, nogal. 

So remember to visit the Winston Pub, ladies, gentlemen and all things in between. I have been seeing the Western Cape for these past few months and was pleasantly surprised to see The Winnie give something of such high calibre. At some point, Hymphatic Thabs even showed up and started a Hip Hop cypher at the back to Verandah Panda beats. And so much more.

My thanks to Matt, Luke and Julia, Kevin and all the staff at The Winston Pub. Durban rocks. Fact.