Swingin' the District

Sat Mar 21, 19:00 - Sun Mar 22, 02:00

District Night Club

ABOUT

Join The Pebble Shakers and the Cape Town Swing dance community for a night of authentic old-school South African music and dancing at District Night Club on Saturday 21 March. We’re celebrating the swinging South African jazz from the 1940s and '50s, revived under the Echoes of Sophiatown project, paying tribute to the musical greats from that period.


Fittingly, the event is hosted a stone's throw from the dance halls of District Six, another epicentre of South African musical innovation. Sophiatown and District Six both share a sad history of destruction under apartheid, in part because of their cultural diversity and because of how the artistic expression embodied a resistance to segregation. Many of the songs that were uncovered as part of the Echoes of Sophiatown project are being played live for the first time in 70 years, a truly special celebration for Human Rights Day. 


Prepare to feel a buzz as The Pebble Shakers bring this music back to life. Polish up your dancing shoes and dress sharp! It’s going to be a party like no other, with dancers from over 17 different countries in town for the swing dance festival Mother City Hop.


When: Saturday 21 March, from 7pm

Where: District Night Club, 61 Harrington St


Entry fee:



  • Early-bird: R180
  • Normal ticket: R200
  • At the door (only if not sold out): R220


50% of the door sales will going towards the Echoes of Sophiatown project, to continue reviving this music.


Schedule:



  • 19h00: Doors open, with dinner available (be sure to call and book a table: 021 461 2276)
  • 20h30: Pebble Shakers 1st set
  • 22h00: Pebble Shakers 2nd set
  • 13h00–02h00: Swing DJs will be keeping the dance floor hopping


About The Pebble Shakers:

The Pebble Shakers is a Cape Town-based group of jazz musicians specialising in swing-era tunes. Formed in 2017, the band plays swinging jazz music for the local dance scene, and they're a popular outfit for event organisers that are after an upbeat vibe. To celebrate the history of jazz in South Africa, the band also plays a selection of swinging South African tunes from the 1930s-50s, through the Echoes of Sophiatown music revival project.

Find out more: https://pebbleshakers.co.za


About Echoes of Sophiatown: Preserving, reviving, and celebrating South African swing music

Echoes of Sophiatown is a transcription project to revive, transcribe and preserve the unique South African swing sound of the 1930s-50s. These songs were local hits back in the day, but the apartheid government tried hard to suppress and censor them. Funded on Indiegogo by swing music enthusiasts around the world, the project concluded its first chapter in February 2019, with 40 transcriptions and a studio recording featuring covers of the original songs. It has taken three years to track down surviving recordings, usually in poor condition, and transcribe and record them. The recording, named 'Echoes of Sophiatown', is available to purchase as a CD, or digital download.

More info: https://www.capetownswing.co.za/echoes-of-sophiatown/


About Cape Town Swing:

Cape Town Swing is a non-profit organisation that exists to nurture a regional appreciation for the music, dance styling, and history of swing. As a member of the global swing dance community, we aim to facilitate a passion for swing in South Africa by organising regular classes, workshops, parties, social events and an annual international festival, Mother City Hop.

Follow us: https://www.facebook.com/capetownswing/

DIRECTIONS

Swingin' the District
District Night Club
61 Harrington St, Zonnebloem, Cape Town, 7925
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