Cape Town is one of the most cosmopolitan of places with its eclectic mix of people from across the globe and it is no different when it comes to the music and entertainment scene in this lovely city at the foot of Africa!
Whether you are looking for opera or jazz, street buskers or open-air theatre, on a Cape Town tour you’ll want to discover what makes the place tick. One of the best ways to explore Cape Town is through its music culture.
Jazz at The Waterfront
Take, for example, a simple stroll around The Waterfront, on any sunny day throughout the summer months and you will encounter a whole host of different acts, surrounded by crowds of adoring public.
Dotted about under the lovely oak trees close to the Ampitheatre, or in the shade thrown by the Clock Tower, music wafts across diners seated under stripy umbrellas. Jazz ensembles are a great favourite and Cape Town’s unique style, heavily influenced by traditional African sounds, makes for a special memory to file away and warm you up on chilly winter evenings.
The Green Dolphin restaurant provides live jazz performances every evening. Along with enviable food aromas, the jazz mingles enchantingly, making this one of the most popular venues throughout the Waterfront for top-notch music and food.
Don’t think that the Waterfront is the only place in town to catch those haunting notes of sax – head towards Long Street in the centre of the city for one of the best, most energetic streets around. Dubbed the party capital of the Mother City, you’ll find a host of bars and restaurants with a range of music, including alternative and heavy metal, as well as jazz. Comedy and even the odd poetry reading has been known to emanate out onto the streets.
From Mozambican prawns, Kurdish shish kebab’s or Irish beef stew, you couldn’t visit a more exotic mix of music and food, with belly dancing, hip-hop and house all playing their part in entertaining the world.
For those of us looking for something, well … dare I say … a little less exuberant, but no less spirited, a visit to the refined atmosphere of the Artscape Theatre, home to the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, seduces us with opera, ballet and classical music. International stars of stage and music entertain in a variety of performances every bit as good as New York’s Broadway or London’s West End.
Of course the summer months means open-air. The world famous Kirstenbosch Gardens hosts the Summer Sunset concerts where a comprehensive variety of music is on the playlist. African Marimba to Pop, Philharmonic to the SA Navy Band the choice is as wide as the African sky! … The setting … unique.
Pick your spot on the grassy slopes, spread out your picnic blanket and sip your chilled South African Sauvignon Blanc. Watch the sun slowly sink behind Table Mountain whilst you listen to the music and the night. Heaven.
If you would like help arranging your next Cape Town tour, whether it is adventure, music or wine, let us help you enjoy Cape Town to its fullest.
