After hearing about some of the artists performing (here is the line-up: Ard Matthews, Steve Newman, Farryl Purkiss, Rory Eliot, Brian Finch, Guy Buttery, Christine Weir and Julie Blundell, Janie Bay, Gavin Minter, Louise Day, Tombstone Pete, Andrew James and Steady Tiger, John Ellis, Diesel Vanilla, Machineri, Gary Thomas, Natasha Meister and Jack Mantis) I was looking forward to the Cape Town Folk ‘n Acoustic Music Festival but I just did not know how good it was going to be...

I arrived early with a friend at the CTICC and wondered around the auditorium foyer looking with coveting eyes at the guitars on display and wishing we had money to spend on the CDs at the small stand. While we were waiting for the doors to open we talked to the friendly security guard who gave us a short French lesson and drank cream sodas from the compact store.

We went in at 7:30 and sat down in a good spot seven rows from the top. The CTICC’s main auditorium is huge but nearly full and it was definitely worth seeing.

The show started off with the winners of the Marshall Music Competition who were awesome. The first guy was from Stellenbosch the second was from Jo'burg. The performances continued with increasing brilliance until the first interval.

We went on the long trek up the stairs to the foyer were we had a delicious pie and kitkat each.

My top three acts were Guy Buttery, John Ellis and Andrew James and the Steady Tiger.

I got home at 1:30 in the morning before collapsing into bed with the sound of the music still ringing in my ears.

About the reviewer

Raphael Blue Bromilow is a Cape Town teen currently enjoying summer holidays and looking forward to starting high school at Westerford next year. He is a keen guitarist, singer and song writer and enjoys rock climbing, photography and art.