The Hangout: Legends fest brings South African music icons together for one unmissable night

How is this even happening? I am still trying to wrap my head around it. Legends. Actual legends. All on one stage. For one night only. This is going to be massive but I still feel like I’m dreaming. 

The Hangout: Legends Fest is coming to Johannesburg and it’s bringing some of the most iconic names in South African music back together for a live show that feels like a fever dream for any rock lover who lived through the late 80s, 90s and early 2000s with a mix tape in the car stereo, docs on their feet and lyrics scribbled on their schoolbooks.

The bands on the line up shaped our scene back when the alternative crowd was just starting to find its voice. They gave us songs that defined friendships and heartbreaks and youth and freedom. They made the gigs sweaty and loud and unforgettable. And now they’re back to remind us why we fell in love with live music in the first place.

Remember catching a show in Melville or in town and heading over to the closest Fontana afterwards to eat your chicken and chips on the pavement in the early hours of the morning? Even those Bimbos chips made this party girl very happy. Those are just a few of so many memories from back then. You’ll also remember queuing outside spots like Decodance, The Junction, The Chelsea, Roxy’s and Le Club but there were so many more. And I so wish we had as many live venues for our amazing artists to play these days. And the support to keep them open. 

So, No Friends of Harry are not only returning to the stage but also releasing a long-awaited vinyl box set to celebrate their legacy. These cult icons were South Africa’s original goth and alt pioneers and they’re reuniting core members for the first time in years, including Dave De Vetta flying in all the way from Edinburgh. They were fearless, genre-bending, fiercely independent, and played a massive part in shaping a scene that was often misunderstood at the time. This reunion is more than a performance. It’s a homecoming.

Henry Ate are reuniting Karma with Julian for the first time in ages, and Karma is flying in from the US just to be there. Their debut album gave us songs like Just and Hey Mister, which still live in our minds and hearts. With that signature voice and those powerful lyrics, they were the soundtrack to so many first loves, breakups, and quiet moments of joy. 

BOO! will be there too with their wild monkipunk sound and all the magic that Chris Chameleon and Riaan van Rensburg bring to the stage. This band toured the world, played over 800 shows in 17 countries, and left audiences wondering what just happened every single time.

Wonderboom are pulling through with their huge catalogue of hits and that signature energy that somehow still feels fresh nearly three decades later. It’s hard not to smile while watching these guys get down because they perform full-on and at 100% and that energy and those good vibes are contagious.

Tidal Waves are ready to bring the reggae feels with their socially conscious lyrics and full-bodied sound. They have toured the world, played alongside Ziggy Marley, and remain one of the most beloved live acts in the country. Original music for original people. If kindness and warmth were a sound it would be that of Zakes and his brothers in the waves.

Plum is back after a 17-year break and they are not holding anything back. They re-entered the scene just over 2 years ago with a sound that blends trip-hop, nu-metal, funk and acid rock with a message rooted in self-worth and resilience.

Paul E Flynn is bringing the unmistakable voice of Sugardrive to the party and if you know, you know. His presence on this stage is a throwback to the alt-rock days that shaped so many of us. Who’s feeling a little Ten Feet High just thinking about it? 

Squeal, back on stage after nearly a decade, are ready to remind us why they were such a force to begin with. With iconic tracks like Candy, Long Pig and Runners, this is going to rock. I caught these guys a few months ago for the first time in many years and they’re better than ever if you can even believe it. 

This is not just a concert. It’s a reunion. It is a time capsule. It is a reminder of just how good South African music has always been. There will be food, there will be drinks, there will be dancing, and there will absolutely be goosebumps. 

I cannot believe we get to pay tribute to and celebrate so many important trailblazers and such beautiful musicians again altogether on one stage for one day only. 

Bring your people. Wear shoes you can dance in. Get there early. Stay until the last chord rings out. Are you feeling lucky punk? I sure am.

The Hangout: Legends Fest is going down on Saturday 25 October at Sognage in Johannesburg. Doors open at 2pm and the music will keep rolling all the way through to midnight. Info and tickets available now through www.tixsa.co.za.