Rugby World Cup 2015

The V&A Waterfront and Absa Boktown ‘give it horns’

Date:        Friday, 18 September to Saturday, 31 October 2015

Time:       Varied; see schedule below

Venue:    V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre

Cost:        Entrance is free, but limited to 500 attendees

Cape Town, 10 September 2015 — If you live to ruck, maul, scrum and generally tumble, then Absa Boktown at the V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre welcomes you to join them and to enjoy the Rugby World Cup with all the gees you can muster.

All World Cup matches, starting with the opening ceremony and the first game on Friday 18 September, will be screened live on a brand new Amphitheatre screen, installed ahead of this year’s World Cup.

All games involving the Springboks, as well as the quarters, semis and the final will be supported by free live entertainment. Beer and soft drinks as well as snack accompaniments such as nuts and biltong will be on sale at these special Absa Boktown matches to get the crowd into the mood. V&A Waterfront retailer WOZA will also be on hand with rugby apparel and merchandise, to ensure you fit right in with the manne. Fans attending Absa Boktown matches also stand a chance of winning prizes.

Although each Absa Boktown event is free, entrance will be limited to the first 500 fans per match.

Two other big clashes from the early rounds will also have live Absa Boktown entertainment: England vs Wales and England vs Australia.

Even if your blood isn’t green and your heart isn’t gold, you won’t want to miss the Rugby World Cup spirit at Absa Boktown.

The following matches will be supported by additional entertainment activities.

Saturday, 19 September: SOUTH AFRICA vs JAPAN

Pop rock dance band Shen Winberg will get Bokke fans into the World Cup spirit at they take the stage at the V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre for South Africa’s first 2015 World Cup match on Saturday, 19 September at 4.30pm.

Bringing together a pool of talented, trained musicians, the Shen Winberg Band is led by Shen Winberg himself, a UCT Music School graduate, and the main creative influence on the band. The band consists of a number of trained musicians, including Omar on the electric/double bass, Domenico on the keyboard and accordion, back-up vocalist Kurt on drums, and Adam on the percussion. From dance to Sinatra, the band’s body of work will set an eclectic, spirited scene to enjoy the Bokke’s opening match.

Saturday, 26 September: SOUTH AFRICA vs SAMOA         and ENGLAND vs WALES

Saturday, 26 September sees Absa Boktown at the V&A Amphitheatre gearing up for two iconic clashes in this year’s Rugby World Cup. Starting with South Africa versus Samoa at 4.30pm, followed by England versus Wales at 9pm, rugby fever will be in full swing. Mpho and Uvimba will provide entertainment for both matches, performing first at 4.30pm for the first match, and again at 7.45pm for the second.

Specialising in African jive, Mpho & Uvimba was started by David Shuping and Mpho Motheane-Shuping to combine both traditional afro-fusion sounds to create unique, richly textured music for audiences to enjoy. This vision has since expanded into an eight-piece band, who will create a festive atmosphere ahead of these two RWC clashes. Select past Mpho & Uvimba highlights include performances at Concert in the Park, Jazzathon, and Umcimbi we Viceroy in Johannesburg.

Saturday, 3 October: SOUTH AFRICA vs SCOTLAND and ENGLAND vs AUSTRALIA

Watch South Africa take on Scotland, followed by England challenging Australia broadcast live at Absa Boktown at the V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre on Saturday, 3 October. RJ & On the Move will perform ahead of both matches at the Absa Boktown event, charming rugby fans with jazz sounds and funky R&B/dance music covers.

First formed at the Impronto School of Music and called the Khoisan Initiative, they changed their name to On the Move when the band started becoming successful. Having now joined forces with lead vocalist Ronald Jones, the band goes by the name RJ & On the Move, under the leadership of band lead Mundhir McKriel. RJ & On the Move has previously performed at the Roxy Revue Bar, Jazz on the Lawn, West End Jazz Club, G-Spot Jazz Club.

Wednesday, 7 October: SOUTH AFRICA vs USA

South Africa takes on the world’s superpower, the USA, in an early-round Rugby World Cup match on Wednesday, 7 October, broadcast live at the V&A Waterfront’s Absa Boktown. Starting at 4.30pm, guests will be treated to a special performance by South African legend Kurt Darren, famously known for ‘Meisie Meisie’, ‘Loslappie’ and ‘Kaptein’, as well as English hits such as ‘Standing on the Edge’ and ‘My Facebook’. Darren’s music is known for its careful and balanced selection of ballads and up-tempo songs in both Afrikaans and English.

Saturday, 17 October: QUARTER FINALS

Edging closer to crowning a winning team, the Quarter Finals kick off at Absa Boktown at the V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre with live entertainment by Jeremy Olivier. Starting at 3.45pm, Olivier will entertain the crowd in anticipation of the Quarter Final match that day at 5pm, bringing his ‘gigging rock’ style of music to a festive crowd.

Olivier’s music career began in his hometown of Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, where his passion for the guitar catapulted him into a gigging rock band, and led to him touring the country at the tender age of 14. Now well established as a guitarist and vocalist in South Africa, Jeremy has performed with some internationally renowned artists such as George Benson, Katherine Jenkins, and Daniel Bedingfield, as well as well-known local acts like Danny K, Loyiso Bala, Judith Sephuma, Freshly Ground, Mango Groove and Johnny Clegg.

Saturday, 24 October: SEMI FINALS

The Semi-Final World Cup clash on Saturday, 24 October, will be introduced by talented, popular all-girl group BlackByrd, fresh off the release of their second album ‘Home’. Starting at 3.45pm, the talented trio will entertain rugby fans with singles from their repertoire before the match begins.

Capetonian songwriter, lead singer and guitarist, Tarryn Lamb, teamed up with her cousin, Tamsyn Maker, to form BlackByrd only a few years ago. Originally an award-winning dancer, Tamsyn is on rhythm guitar and back-up vocals for BlackByrd, with BlackByrd recently being joined by Axene, the youngest ever SAMA winner at 16.  The trio each bring different areas of talent and expertise to the group, making for a dynamic cocktail with tremendous audience appeal.

Saturday, 31 October: FINAL

The culmination of more than a month of blood, sweat and tears from the world’s best rugby players, the much-anticipated Rugby World Cup Final on Saturday, 31 October, sees The CITY getting Absa Boktown guests into the spirit from 3.45pm with an eclectic combination of pop, hip-hop and electronic musical entertainment.

Combining everything from Zulu lyrics and cowbells to more common musical instruments, The CITY is a unique quartet with Clement Carr on keys and synth, Bonj Mpanza on lead vocals and percussions, Ryan McArthur on bass, and Ruby Crowie on drums and samples. The group describes themselves as an “evolving musical statement between an unlikely group of musicians”, aiming to take the common musical language of today’s generation and use it to tell a different story – one they like to call a “Future Afro” story.