South Africa lures music stars

By Diane Coetzer

JOHANNESBURG (Billboard) – More than a decade after the end
of the apartheid era, when many acts shunned South Africa, the
country is becoming a key destination for many international
performers.

American R&B artists John Legend, Missy Elliott and Leela
James all played in the country in December. In March 2006,
several overseas acts will arrive for a major festival series.
And in April, superstar Robbie Williams will open his world
tour here.

South Africa is now “the best-kept secret on the touring
circuit,” says Attie Van Wyk, owner of Cape Town-based promoter
Big Concerts. “Why else would we be able to bring Bryan Adams
back here four times (since 1994)?”

Big Concerts is promoting Adams’ four arena and outdoor
shows during March. “He loves it here,” Van Wyk says. “And
someone like Bryan will talk to his buddies — word-of-mouth
helps predispose artists toward playing here.”

Legend played in Johannesburg (in a 5,000-capacity venue)
and Cape Town (a 3,000-seat hall) as part of the ongoing
multi-artist Pan-African MTV Base Live concert series.

“Everyone I know who’d been (there) said (South Africa) was
beautiful, the people were beautiful, and it was a nice mixture
of Africa and Western culture,” Legend says. “I knew from
friends that my music was popular (there), so I was excited to
go.”

MTV Networks Africa VP/GM Alex Okosi says the MTV shows
provide a platform for local acts to perform alongside global
names, “building bridges between themselves and international
artists.”

There is also a practical objective, he admits, with MTV
recording the concerts to compensate for a dearth of quality
music videos featuring African artists.

The South African live market is now “coming of age,” says
Mike Fuller, managing director of Johannesburg-based promoter
Famous Concerts.

“During the apartheid years,” Fuller says, “we were
isolated — correctly so, because it helped to bring change.
We’ve had to catch up.” Indeed, many artists boycotted playing
South Africa until apartheid was banished.

Fuller insists that nowadays for international artists, the
country is at “the same level as playing London or Berlin,
whether you’re talking hotels or technical equipment or the
business dealings of the top promoters.”

Challenges remain such as the travel time to South Africa
and the fluctuating South African rand.

In March, Big Concerts is promoting a one-day festival
series that will visit the 40,000-capacity Supersport Park in
Centurion, near Pretoria, on March 18; the 52,000-capacity ABSA
Stadium in Durban on March 21; and the 45,000-capacity Point
Stadium in Cape Town on March 25.

The lineup is not yet finalized, but such home-grown acts
as the Finkelsteins and Prime Circle will share the bill with
U.S. rock act Seether, Canada’s Simple Plan, Finland’s the
Rasmus and British DJ Fatboy Slim.

South Africa’s post-apartheid standing remains a strong
draw for many artists, including jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum,
who appeared December 17 at Limpopo Province’s Mapungubwe Jazz
Festival.

Whalum originally visited the country 11 years ago as part
of Whitney Houston’s band. “The biggest moment in my life and
career so far happened in South Africa,” he says, “when I stood
onstage with Whitney Houston in the year of the country’s first
democratic elections.”

Reuters/Billboard