Barleycorn Music Club Annual Festival, Saturday March 21 2009 at Maynardville
Posted on March 10th, 2009 by Richard Catto 2,576 views
The Barleycorn Music Club will be holding its annual music festival on Saturday 21st March 2009.
The original date was February 28 2009 but was moved due to a double booking at the venue.
Date: Saturday March 21 2009 14h30 – 22h00
Venue: Maynardville Amphitheatre
Alternate venue in case of rain: Rygersdal Sports Club Main Hall, Erin Road, Rondebosch
Lineup:
- Albireo
- Backyard Broken Blues Bros Band
- Bill Knight
- Boulevard Blues
- Dave Ferguson
- Feedback
- Julia Conradie
- Julia Jakobsen Band
- Louise Day Band
- Ripcord
- Wayne Pauli
Food and drink available or bring a picnic.
Cost:
Adults R60
Barleycorn Club Members R50
Couples R100
Children R10 (under 12 free)
Contact:
Martin on cell 082 493 1564
Tickets available through Computicket.
Origins of the Barleycorn Club
It all started in 1975, when a bunch of musicians found it agreeable to meet regularly to jam together, learn from one another and consume beer. Over these past 34 years, the Barleycorn has met almost every week to make what is now a Cape Town tradition and valuable musical resource
In the early years the music was mostly “traditional folk”, with a smattering of Blues, Bluegrass, Country music and Olde English and Irish material containing toxic levels of screeching fiddles. Yes, Bob Dylan covers and political protest songs did appear fairly often, but the Club rapidly developed a reputation as a place where home-grown original material by local composers and performers found a receptive audience, and it is these who have gradually formed the focus of the Club.
By 1977, the Barleycorn had become formalised, with a Constitution, paid membership, a member-elected committee and the commitment that whatever funds were accumulated would be held in trust for the furtherance and promotion of local musical talent. And what better way to achieve this than by staging a Festival. The Club would carry all expenses and all income would be split amongst those performing!
I’m reminded by the program that our first Festival was held on 12th April 1980, at the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre, packed to capacity to hear 20 acts perform over 9 hours. The undoubted star of that, our first venture, was the then unknown David Kramer, whose songs, red veldskoen and pork-pie hat captivated absolutely everyone, including members of the press who gave his career a massive kick-start!
And thus has the Barleycorn Festival become an annual event (well, almost; we missed a year in the mid 1990′s and two in the early 2000′s) and despite testing several alternatives, Maynardville is easily our preferred venue. Large enough for a decent-sized audience to feel comfortable (900+ being the record number of tickets sold!) yet small enough for both audience and musicians to recreate the rapport and ambience of the Club on regular Monday nights.
Long is the list of eminent musicians who’ve graced the Barleycorn Festival stage, including Flat Stanley, Freshly Ground, Disu Plaatjies and Amapondo, Steve Newman, Tony Cox … but this is not the forum for a history of SA performing talent, this is to let you know that all these years later, the magic will be repeated on Saturday 21st March 2009! And at our best-ever venue, nogal!
Thus far, confirmed acts include Ripcord, Bill Knight and Julia Conradie, Albireo, Boulevard Blues, Wayne Pauli, the Julia Jakobsen Band, Dave Ferguson, the Backyard Broken Back Blues Bros Band, the Louise Day Band, the Broken Back Blues Band and Feedback … ten of what the Barleycorn committee consider to be the cream of the best acts to appear at the Club in this past year!
It will be a hoot and a blast! It’s home-grown and truly lekker! Bring a picnic basket and a blanket (although food and bevies will be available) and join us for another episode in the ongoing saga of what is excellent in local music.
Tickets at Computicket R60 per adult, R50 per Barleycorn paid-up member; R100 per couple, R10 for kids 12 to 18, kids under 12 free; limited numbers so book early to avoid disappointment
Tags: Barleycorn Music Club, Events, Music
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Stanford Glendower Bird Fair – Friday October 03 – Sunday October 05 2008
Posted on September 10th, 2008 by Richard Catto 2,110 views

STANFORD GLENDOWER BIRD FAIR
FRIDAY 3 rd UNTIL SUNDAY 5th OCTOBER 2008
Stanford is preening itself for the Annual Bird Fair; this is again sponsored by Glendower Whisky and Overstrand Destination Marketing Organisation. Now in its 5th year, the focus is more bird related with additional festivities arranged by Stanford Tourism.
Avitourism, being the fastest growing outdoor activity worldwide, is also happening in South Africa. Birding Routes, Important Birding Areas and Birding Weekends are the order of the day and are occurring everywhere.
Outstanding speakers will enrich and educate us with their knowledge and expertise. Two special outings are also planned. Guided bird watching walks through Stanford are offered to those who do not wish to drive. There will be a guided Heritage Walk on Sunday, viewing some interesting buildings earmarked during Stanford’s 150th celebrations.
So, come to Stanford for a weekend and enjoy our natural beauty, our restaurants and cafés and our walks and talks. Some of the highlights are listed below and most are FREE of charge.
SPEAKERS
Peter Ryan – conservation biologist will talk on sea birds
Peter Chadwick – world renowned outdoor and nature photographer presents a talk on Cape Vultures and the Birds of De Hoop Nature Reserve
Marijke Honig – plant ecologist, landscaper and regular contributor to African Birds & Birding magazine will tell us how to garden for birds. Her talk will be followed by a visit to a local garden.
Phil Hockey – overseer of the monumental production of the 7th edition of Roberts – Birds of Southern Africa, will present a talk entitled “Avian sex: honesty or deception”. He will be our guest speaker during the Saturday evening informal function.
BIRDING PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION
All keen photographers please enter your photographs of birds taken anywhere in South Africa. Your photograph of a bird could win you any one of these wonderful prizes:
- First Prize: Shark cage diving experience with Marine Dynamics
- Second Prize: Flight of Giants with African Wings
- Third Prize: self-catering accommodation at Oak Grove Farm
- Forth Prize: a meal at Stanford Gallery
- Fith Prize: a year’s subscription to Africa Birds & Birding
OUTINGS AND EVENTS
Glendower Whisky Tasting Friday night – snacks provided. Dave de Beer will do a short presentation on the officially recognised status of the Overberg as an Important Birding Area (IBA).
Blue cranes – Bronwyn Botha of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) will inform us on the Western Cape Crane Conservation Project. The route covers farming areas between Hermanus and Caledon. She will highlight the need for cooperation between private land owners and nature conservators. Blue Cranes are common in and around the Overberg but the size of their national population is still low and unstable.
Flower Valley Farm – Phil Hockey will guide a walk on Flower Valley. A Trust was formed to conserve highly endangered lowland fynbos. Flower pickers are taught sustainable harvesting.
Live show - Eagle Encounters with live raptors.
STANFORD COUNTRY CARNIVAL
FRIDAY 3 OCTOBER 2008
The ever popular Stanford Country Market will be in a Bedouin tent on the Market Square from 17:00 onwards and there will be lots of food on sale. The organisers are trying to organise a popular band to play from 19:00 until late, watch the press for further details on this.
SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER 2008
Last year Stanfordians celebrated Stanford 150th anniversary with many events. One of the most enjoyable to many was the carnival, so much so that everyone will be able to enjoy another one this year on Saturday 4 October as part of the Stanford Glendower Bird Fair. It will take place on the Market Square and in the Okkie Smuts school hall.
Entertainment
Snakes & reptile demonstration
Stanford Klopse
Musician Terry Dean
School of Rock
Traditional Xhosa dancers
Postile 12 gospel choir
Ghetto Groove Dancers & entertainers
Die Bron drum majorettes
Line dancing
Boeresport contest
Scarecrow contest
Stalls
Traditional food and craft stalls
Car boot sale
Children’s Used Toy Faire
Children’s Entrepreneurs Market
Book a stall
The tariffs for the stalls are R5 (children faire & market); R20 (PBO organisations, schools & churches); R20 (car boot sale); R50 (outdoors around the main entertainment area); R100 (under the Bedouin tent); and R150 (in the hall). Electricity will be available (R10 normal usage, R30 heavy duty usage).
Contact
Your contact for all aspects of the carnival is the Stanford Tourism Bureau, 17 Queen Victoria Street Stanford (opposite Spar in the library building), phone 028-341 0340 or email stanfordinfo@overberg.co.za
Tags: Events, stanford birding
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SPCA Mutt of 2008
Posted on March 5th, 2008 by Richard Catto 2,680 views
Venue: Sunday 16 March corner of Spaanschemat River Road and Firgrove Way, Tokai
Does your dog dream of being a winning champ? Give them a paw up by entering this year’s SPCA Mutt of the Year Contest.
Categories include:
- Dog with the longest tail
- Animal/Owner look-alike (both looks & personality)
- Bark like a dog
- Best Pup and the prestigious title of Mutt of 2008
KUSA (Kennel Union of South Africa) and the SPCA board are judging this claw-biting event where only the top dog will reign supreme. So get up close and personal with the competitors as your cheer will certainly tip the scales.
"Mr Showbiz" Alvon Collison will lead the day’s events with songs, barks, howls and laughs!! There is also a Fete, tea garden and kids’ entertainment.
The most highly contested category is the Mutt of the Year. It is exclusively for mixed breeds, motley mutts and pavement specials. The other categories including Best Pup (4 to 12months) are open to pedigreed and mixed breeds.
Entries for Mutt & Pup @ R40/ dog. All other contests @R20/dog. Adults pay R20 entry and children R15 (parking is free). The Fete is open from 10h00 to 15h00 and is a full day of fun with bargain stalls, healthy food and plenty of fun for the kids. There are also great prizes to be won!
SPCA spokesperson, Cher Poznanovich says, "The annual Mutt of the Year contest is the only opportunity for mixed breeds to enter a dog competition. We want to encourage people to adopt animals from shelters – whom are often mixed bred dogs – and this day showcases these special animals. We hope to raise enough funds on the day to support our SPCA adoption programme."
Entry forms are available from most Cape Town vets, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA or on the SPCA website
For more information please contact the SPCA on (021) 700-4141 / 082-921-3347 or email.
Tags: Events, Mutt of 2008, Press Release, SPCA, Tokai
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