BIG BLUES GOES GREEN!

Blues lovers are excited to attend the annual music pilgrimage to Kleinmond on 2 & 3 March 2012.

2011 marked the festival’s first solo year as one of the country’s premiere blues music fests. Organisers are determined to offer a bigger and better show, with an even stronger line-up of SA’s most talented blues musicians on one stage over the weekend. Firm favourites such as Boulevard Blues Band, Dan Patlansky and Albert Frost and the Blues Broers will perform again, alongside the fairer blues songbirds such as Natasha Meister, Charlie King and Monique de Jager. There are some surprises on the line-up such as Vusi Mahlasela who will highlight the roots of blues and will certainly inspire.

_{Vusi Mahlasela by Aaron Farrington}

The festival once again plays host to bands from up north such as The Black Cat Bones and now also Southern Gypsy Queen. Rock legend Piet Botha and the Lyzyrd Kyngs will return to the festival for a third time. Crowd pleaser, Gerald Clark will perform with Henry Steel Jnr and Peter Hoven as Tony and the Trailer Cats, who will have just returned from their American tour in Jan 2012, invited by The International Blues Challenge in Memphis to take part in the biggest blues event on the American calendar.

And as if that’s not enough, the festival takes place in the spectacularly upgraded Kleinmond Harbour, with restaurants, bars and interesting shops in the adjacent Harbour Road. The setting is breathtaking and will truly shine with Kleinmond and the Overberg’s finest – from deli delights to “moerkoffie” or a plate of “seekos” prepared in the traditional fisherman’s way.

_{Albert Frost - picture by Louis Vorster}

Partnering with Paul Bothner music, the festival is honoured to offer a Guitar Workshop and Vocal Workshop for aspiring blues musicians, hosted by two of the most popular artists. Stand a chance to win a Fender guitar, sponsored by Paul Bothner Music, or a R5000 Travel Voucher, courtesy of Flight Specials*. Tickets must be purchased through Computicket.

The festival will once again offer value for money packages and offers to include accommodation, entry to the area’s major tourist attractions and a range of additional discounts. General festival facilities include a 1050 square metre marquee for shade, safe parking, a buddy-bus to get you safely home, a kiddies club, arts stalls and more. The full list of artists, with performance times, and festival ticket prices (Range R100 – R250 pp) are available from the website www.bigblues.co.za.

The festival takes place in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve – known as the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom and a component of the Fynbos World Heritage Site. Size for size, this 70 000 ha biosphere reserve is home to the most complex biodiversity on earth - here we have 1300 different plant species per 10 000 square km, the next richest is the South American rainforest with just 420! 77 species within the reserve occur nowhere else on this planet. The reserve also stretches 3.5 nautical miles into sea and includes towns, villages and farmlands. The reserve is managed on the Man and Biosphere Principles – man living in harmony with nature. While you’re here, enjoy our many attractions – the African Penguin Colony at Stony Point, the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, go hiking in the award-winning Kogelberg Nature Reserve or spot the Wild Horses at Rooisand Nature Reserve. There is so much more to see and do – visit the Hangklip-Kleinmond Tourism Bureau at 14 Harbour Road, Kleinmond. Office hours Sat 3 March & Sun 4 March 09:00 – 16:00.

_{Natasha Meister}

Festival attendees can now offset their carbon emissions by supporting the festival’s green partners:

• The Overstrand Friends of Metsi Rhino Project
• PENGUIN PROMISES.COM
• RETHINKTHEBAG.ORG
• TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM

Make a stand against Rhino poaching by donating a ribbon (minimum R5) to tie on the wire rhino replica, called Wetsi.  The Overstrand Friends of Metsi Rhino Project is an awareness / educational and fundraising campaign in support of the Clive Walker Foundations’ black rhino called Metsi, and is proudly partnered with StopRhinoPoaching.com in creating awareness at events.

Buy a Pampiri Indaba newspaper bag, thereby also supporting a local community project

Spare some change for Percy, our African Penguin representing SANCCOB (the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds); Take our sea rubbish stage art installation, by Bamboesina, to heart and make a promise to yourself not to litter on our beaches. Drop your plastic drinking glasses in the bins provided for recycling. Thank you for paying the ‘plastic tax’ when supporting our bar.

* Terms & Conditions apply. See website for info www.bigblues.co.za

Get your tickets now and book your accommodation at one of Portfolio's hand-picked establishments in Kleinmond or in the surrounding areas of Hermanus and Pringle Bay