Cape Town NightLife

Cape Town NightLife information

Music

Classical There are informal performances of Classical Music throughout the summer months (Dec-Feb) at Kirstenbosch Gardens (Tel: +27 (0)21-799-8783) and Josephine Mill (Tel: +27 (0)21-686-4939). More formal venues are the Baxter Theatre (Tel: +27 (0)21-685-7880) and the Artscape Theatre (Tel: +27 (0)21-421-7695). The Natale Labia Museum (Tel: +27 (0)21-788-4106) hosts chamber music on the 4th Sunday of every month. The Cape Town City Hall (Tel: +27 (0)21-400-2507) hosts regular symphony concerts. African music can be found at Mama Africa's, 178 Long St. Tel: +27 (0)21-424 8634. The annual Dunhill Symphony of Fire, an international fireworks extravaganza synchronised to classical anthems such as Carmen Burana, takes place at the Waterfront in March. The show is spectacular and free views are to be had all over the city. Lion's Head viewpoint is very popular although crowded. Jazz Jazz is your best bet for quality live music in Cape Town; there are several venues hosting nightly performances and the multicultural crowd it attracts presents an ideal opportunity to meet the Capetonians that tourist itineraries rarely encounter. In recent years the jazz scene has expanded considerably as resurgent local interest and international attention have seen the opening of several new venues and the start of a jazz festival calendar. The venerable Blue Note (Club Galaxy, Rylands. Tel: +27 (0)21-637-9132) is Cape Town's most popular jazz venue, drawing the serious musicians. Of a similar pedigree is Mannenberg's Jazz Café situated in the Waterfront Clock Tower. Run by local sax legend Basil Mannenberg, the emphasis in on developing local talent and jazz with an African flavour (Tel: +27 (0)21-421-5639). Dizzy Jazz Café serves up regular doses of good food and eclectic jazz (41 The Drive, Camps Bay. Tel: +27 (0)21-438-2686) while The Green Dolphin is an upmarket venue attracting a European crowd (V&A Waterfront. Tel: +27 (0)21-421-7471).

Theatre

The Artscape Theatre Complex on the Foreshore is a major venue hosting full scale theatre productions, choral works and opera. For information and booking Tel: +27 (0)21-421-7839 . The Baxter Theatre is a little more avante garde in its choice of production, which is typically varied. Recent theatre events include an international comedy festival, local theatre and overseas jazz performers. Tel: +27 (0)21-685-7880. If you have a taste for obscure and experimental theatre, head for the Coffee Lounge in the city centre. Similarly adventurous is On Broadway Green Point which offers an intimate theatre experience, Tel: +27 (0)21-418-8338. Right in the heart of Camps Bay is Theatre on the Bay which is earning a good reputation for putting on commercially successful ensemble plays. Maynardville Open-Air Theatre hosts Shakespearean productions under the stars during the summer months. For ticket information: Tel: +27 (0)21-421 7695.

Sport

Rugby, cricket and football are the most popular spectator sports in Cape Town, each attracting a fervent and largely multi-racial crowd of supporters. A visit to hallowed Newlands Cricket Ground (61 Campground Rd, Newlands) is a must; sit on the north stand for equally good views of the cricket and the Devil's Peak side of Table Mountain. Adjacent Norwich Park Rugby Stadium is a Test Match venue, while Greenpoint Stadium hosts premier league soccer matches. Outdoor sports enthusiasts are spoiled for choice between rock climbing, abseiling, surfing, paragliding and the dangerous BASE jumping. Popular surf spots include Noordhoek, Muizenberg and Llandudno; the Western Province Surfing Association has more information. Table Mountain is a world class centre for rock-climbing and abseiling. Contact Abseil Africa, Tel: +27 (0)21-424-4760.

Cinema

The abundance of cinema theatres is inversely proportional to the variety of films on offer. For the most part you will find Hollywood blockbusters played in Dolby-enhanced, air-conditioned cinemas. Every shopping mall has its cinema, and complexes like the Waterfront and Tygervalley contain up to 20 different theatres. For art-house films visit Cinema Nouveau at both Cavendish Square (Tel: +27 (0)21-683-2476) and the Waterfront (Tel: +27 (0)21-425-8223). The Labia (68 Orange St. Tel: +27 (0)21-424-5927), one of the few remaining independent cinemas in the country, shows arty or unusual films. Full listings can be found in the daily editions of The Argus and the Cape Times.

Special Events

While Cape Town has only a few big draw-card events, the year's calendar is filled with variety and style. January The Summer Sunset Series begins in December and runs throughout summer. The venue - the lawns of Kirstenbosch Gardens - is unique and very spectacular. Bring a picnic and a bottle of wine and enjoy performances ranging from symphony orchestra to African male choir; admission prices are nominal (ZAR5) though overcrowding can be a problem. The day after New Years sees the start of the Cape Minstrel Carnival, a traditional festival of comedic and extravagant parades by the Cape Coloured community. March The annual Pick 'n Pay Argus Cycle Tour covers a 105km route around the Cape Peninsula. Attracting over 50,000 international entrants, the "Argus" has become the biggest timed cycle tour in the world. March also hosts the annual Dunhill Symphony of Fire, an international fireworks extravaganza synchronised to classical anthems such as Carmen Burana. The venue is the Waterfront and although the best views are to be had in the ships and yachts anchored in the bay, the spectacle is visible all over the city. April The ever-popular Two Oceans Marathon tours 56km through Cape Town. May The annual sardine run generally happens for 1 month beginning mid-May. Huge schools of sardines begin a migratory run along the coast that drives fishing enthusiasts into a frenzy; in the school's wake come dolphins, whales, game fish, sharks and flocks of diving birds. Coincidentally, the Cape Gourmet Food Festival begins around the same time. This celebration of high-cuisine occurs around the city and culminates in 700 people dining at the world's longest table, near Table Mountain. August One of the world's most underrated natural phenomena, the Namaqualand wild flowers blossom over a few days at the end of August. Dormant seeds buried in the arid soil erupt into a colourful riot of floral splendour. Mid-August is time for Oppikoppi, which is a bit like Glastonbury with considerably better weather. The concert takes place over a long weekend and has over a few years grown into an unmissable event on local music's calendar. September September is the start of the whale season and there is nowhere better than Hermanus to view the Southern Right whales from shore. Locals have conjured up a Whale Festival championed by the town's long-standing whale crier who bellows out a tuneless alert through his hollowed ram's horn. Call the MTN Whale Hotline on Tel: 082-212-1074 (from Cape Town) for live updates. The One City Festival takes place near the beginning of September. Designed to showcase and celebrate diverse cultures, this worthy citywide event is made up of performances, talks, poetry readings, concerts and exhibitions. November Taking place in the first week of November, the Stellenbosch Food and Wine Festival celebrates local cuisine, cheeses and the abundant wines produced in the region.