Oppikoppi Sexy. Crooked. Teeth Festival: Part 2

Waking up in a cheaply built and cheaply sold tent has a few guaranteed results. During the night you will be cold, often freezing regardless of the quality of your sleeping blanket. In the early morning you are likely to be first awake as budget tents have no light protection and the first rays of sun will be magnified onto your head. However, this is no problem as most of my fellow campers were either rising from their tents as they too had not spent a fortune on their two sleeper, or they were still retuning from the entertainment area.

Early Saturday morning consisted of two things, Firstly every male talked about the ever present feeling of needing to visit the toilets. Secondly, we all sat around drinking Chris's coffee and discussing what bands we should witness in the coming hours.

Once the hangovers settled we all set off to get some breakfast. Most of us settled on a breakfast Schwarma. I must add that the owners of these food stalls must have made a small fortune during the course of the event, namely the Burger Express and The Schwarma Stall. These food stalls had people lined up the entire weekend regardless of the time, at R30 a burger or Schwarma, you can do the maths. After eating our breakfast that would make any vegetarian faint, we hung around for a bit, speaking to people and comparing stories of the night's adventures. We soon returned to base camp to prep ourselves for the day's events.

On our return home we swore to make note of land marks, so that returning home during the night might be slightly easier. This might have worked, if we had not gotten lost on the way home. We managed to zig-zag across the Oppikoppi farm for at least an hour before finding base camp by accident. The past night's hooligans began to take their toll as many individuals took mid day naps. Others decided to start midday with a beer.

By 3:30 everyone was itching to get back to the entertainment area as the day's line-up started to become interesting. Individuals stock pilled alcohol in water bottles and what ever would contain liquid. Oppikoppi has made the clever rule that does not allow anyone to bring glass or tins into the entertainment area. This ensure's that no one has the unfortunate problem of a broken glass protruding from their shin.

Pestroy took the stage at 4:30ish and proceeded to rip up the FHM Most Amazing Myn Stage. Ricki from Facing the Gallows filled in on Bass Guitar as Shane, Pestroy's full time Bassist has a broken hand. The set was tight and full of energy. But that is something you expect from Pestroy.

We sat around while Radio Kalahari Orkes entertained the crowd on the James Phillips Mane stage. At 7:30ish Facing the Gallows were set to take the stage and I had never seen the "Thrashcore" metal band on a festival stage before and I had a slight inclination that they might put on a brutal show. I was blown away by these 4 guys from Johannesburg. They beat the crowd with sounds that were reminiscent of a medieval massacre. Facing the Gallows is not everyone's cup of tea I must add. I normally would shy away from such hardcore metal, but their show at Oppikoppi was one of the best of the entire festival.

The line-up for the rest of the night did not excite any of my fellow camp mates. We hung around for a while until most decided that they should return to their tents and beds. I decided that this was the time for a dreaded visit to the Toilets. I made my way to the hundreds of Port-a-Pottys just outside the entertainment area. Luckily enough for me toilet paper was rife is this region and I escaped having to sacrifice one of my socks to this cause. After nearly throwing up multiple times I found my toilet of choice.

I now made my way home to the camp site and within two corners I was lost, this time without a light and on my own. I stumbled along the maze that had now become exactly the same on each road. The festival was a complete sell out for the first time in its history. This meant that every road was at full capacity and made land marks unidentifiable. I walked around for the longest period yet and only once I found a group of people wearing dork lights did I get correct directions. I saw out the evening speaking crap with my friends and drinking beers.
 

Oppikoppi Sexy. Crooked. Teeth Festival: Part 1

My Friday started in the usual manner that it normally does, a Sociology 3B lecture. However, this time I was more distracted then usual, I was due to depart to South Africa's number one music festival Oppikoppi and I was focused on making sure that I was all kitted out for a weekend that would include copious amounts of dust, booze and good times. With all music festivals nothing ever goes completely according to plan and while I was still in my lecture barely being able to concentrate, I received a message informing me that I might have to find a last minute lift, due to the fact that my driver might have last minute work . After a bit of holding thumbs and asking around it turned out that that Nas Hoosen, my generous driving partner wiggled his way out of a weekend behind a computer. We were on our way, an hour later then expected, but on our way none the less.

If you have ever driven through to Northam in the Limpopo Province, you will be aware of the fact that very little changes in that side of the country. People still think P.W Botha  is President of South Africa and that Nelson Mandela is a terrorist and working hard behind bars on Robben Island. Apart from the odd mine on-route, there is very little to look at while driving along the R510.

We past the time with discussions about violent murders that could take part in the backward dorps, movies that had been shot in these parts, music and what debauchery waited ahead. By 8pm we were waiting to get our bangles and to let the fun begin.

After driving around the dark dusty streets of the Oppikoppi farm for far to long, we finally found our campsite, located on Freedom Road and the Jack Frost Freeway. Little did we know how vital these details would be as the festival progressed and our sobriety decreased . Past festival experience made setting up my tent a cinch.

We were now ready to join the hoards of drunken music fans that were here to enjoy some of the top South African bands. Upon arriving at the entertainment area with beers in hand and determined to have a good time, we were greeted by the tunes of Dance, you'reonfire. These 4 young men from Johannesburg have come a far way since 2007 when the band formed. After a few changes of members and sound, the band seems to be refining their sound rather well. Tom Manners has stepped up to the plate in the vocal department and the band has definitely improved drastically since I last saw them.

The Friday line-up had only one real highlight for me. Taxi Violence was set to take the James Phillips Main Stage and they were guaranteed to rock your already dirty sock off. We walked around the packed entertainment area passing time and admiring our surroundings. Music festivals are not something that can be easily explained, there is a completely unique vibe that accompanies these mass gatherings.


Photo by onesmallchange

After a Beer or two at the Bar and a few encounters with friendlies, we were ready to enjoy the mighty Taxi Violence. The 4 Men from Cape Town have been rocking South Africa's shores for a while now and have become an electric live act. George Van Der Spuy's vocal's enticed madness while Rian Zeitsman's devilish guitar riff's orchestrated it. The time spent touring oversea's and the constant gigging has paid off. Taxi Violence played a set that was of the highest quality, even though it was spoiled slightly by technical difficulties. Taxi Violence could stand on any stage anywhere in the World and hold their own against the best. The huge crowd was slapped around for an hour or so and was left panting once the Violence was done.

We decided to make our way to our tents, however this proved rather treacherous. The dark and dusty roads of the Oppikoppi farm turned into an unforgiving maze, where roads appear the same, streets go on for ages and people give you very bad directions. We wondered around for what felt like hours without a light and no clue where we were. However, we were not alone in our quest, as large squads of people were embarking on the same challenge as we were. We eventually returned to our campsite and let the night slip to an end with beers and a bonfire.    

Oppikoppi: A South African Heritage site

Oppikoppi is an annual Music Festival that takes place in Northham/Limpopo during the month of August. It was founded by Carel Hoffman. Oppikoppi has been running since 1995 and has quickly become the leading Music Festival in South Africa. The music festival has been so successful that it has managed to spawn a production company from the success of the Music Festival. Oppikoppi Productions is responsible for the Music gig's that take place at Emmarentia Dam and numerous other gigs and events. 


The Oppikoppi farm which is situated in Northam in the Limpopo Province has only one purpose, to host the Oppikoppi festival. Since 2006 Oppikoppi experimented with hosting a smaller Easter festival. However, the easter leg of the festival was cancelled this year due to lack of turn out. Even with the failed attempt of the younger Oppikoppi festival, the main event draws people from all over the country. Oppikoppi has organised a train trip from Cape Town to Northam that allows residents of the Cape to engage in the largest weekend Music Festival in South Africa. The Train ride's price includes entrance into the Oppikoppi festival and is hugely popular amongst young Cape Town residents. Individuals reside in Johannesburg and Pretoria only have to negotiate a 3 hour drive to the gates the Oppikoppi farm. 

The music festival show cases the best in South African music. The festival offers a platform for musicians of all music genera's to express themselves on the biggest scale the country can offer. The music festival often brings out one or two headline acts. The headline acts are normally from overseas and are used to attract indecisive music supporters. The headline act of this years "Oppikoppi Sexy. Crooked. Teeth Festival" is "Billy Talent" from Canada. The music festival has also changed their format this year to include the Hard Rock section of the South African music industry, a segment that Oppikoppi is notorious for neglecting. Bands like Facing the Gallows and Pestroy will represent the Hard Rock/Metal segment of the South African music industry, Oppikoppi obviously did their research. The festival however has chosen to slightly neglect the Afrikaans music market. Bands like Foto na dance, Fokofpolisiekar, Kidofdoom, Jan Blom and Bok van Blerk. However, Afrikaans music fans can still look forward to Jack Parrow, Die Tuin Dwergies and Die Heuwels Fantasties. For the complete line-up please go to www.oppikoppi.co.za 


Oppikoppi is famous for its' display of the top bands in South Africa, its' excellent and experienced organizing and for its' dust. However, Oppikoppi is equally famous for its' amazing vibe. Individuals who would normally never socialize are brought together in a drunken haze of unity. Music festivals have their own rules and norms, and Oppikoppi has the friendliest and most peaceful vibes' of all the music festivals I have experienced. Just shout "Oppi" when you are there and you will see what I mean   


The music Festival begins on mid-day Thursday the 6th of August and ends on Monday the 9th of August. Tickets are available on line at www.ticketbreak.co.za.


Here is a highlight package of the 2009 Oppikoppi Smoorverlief Festival(filmed by Klaus Bauer)