Get your head boppin’ and feet stompin’ with Crystal Park
The stage is set, the fans are ready to party and the members of Crystal Park are amped and rearing to go when they perform at OppiKoppi next weekend.
The band, which comprises Tenn Elliot on vocals and tambourine, Steve East on vocals and bass, Joe Cole on acoustic guitar and vocals, Fred “The Hound” on guitars, ukulele and banjo, Brad Wooldridge on percussion and Calvin “The Kid” on drums, will be performing on the OppiBoosh stage (Bruilof Stage) on Saturday, August 6, at 2pm.
This is Crystal Park’s third outing to the legendary festival and they are thrilled to be part of what promises to be a rocking line-up of bands.
Some of the other groups who will be performing over the weekend include the Benoni-based outfit Strait-Jackal on the OppiKoppi stage, Josie Field & Laurie Levine, The Oh So Serious, The Mitten Fits and The Hellphones who are currently doing an anniversary tour around the country.
According to the members of Crystal Park, OppiKoppi is one of their favourite festivals to play, as it is well managed and there is always a great crowd.
“It’s always a complete jol. So many people from so many different walks of life get together for a weekend, get completely messy, but still manage to have a great time,” said bassist Steve East.
And what can the audience expect from the alternate country outfit?
“We love throwing in some awesome extras for the crowd. The first year we played we gave away free wors rolls to over 100 peeps. Last year we gave out free gin, vodka, cane and beer. So we will definitely have something fun up our sleeves. Besides that, they can expect a head-boppin’, foot-stompin’ good time,” said East.
Of course, it doesn’t matter to the band whether they are playing a gig at a smaller venue like Grid ‘n Grill or at a large festival like OppiKoppi or Otterlake, as they put an equal amount of energy, showmanship, effort and all round fun into any size stage on which they play.
“We just play to play to be honest. We don’t want to take over SA radio, or the world. We want to just play cool gigs, make cool music, and remain close mates while doing so,” said East.
“Although we are professional in terms of the way we run the band, it is not a job to us – we want it to stay as fun as possible while still remaining a tight, musically proficient outfit.”
The band has been together since 2010 and after all these years they still feel an insane rush when they plug in their instruments and play in front of their dedicated fans.
“It’s different every time and that’s what we love the most. We have a lot of original material, so we try and keep our set-lists as different as possible – so that both we and the crowd are entertained,” said East.
Unfortunately, Crystal Park will not be playing any warm-up shows before OppiKoppi, as the band is busy rehearsing and concentrating on putting together a killer set-list for the festival.
And, when they are not on stage at OppiKoppi, the members will be hanging out with the crowd, enjoying the vibe and atmosphere and showing their support for the other bands who will be performing.
Crystal Park are hoping to see Benoni residents out in full force at the festival next weekend, so don’t forget to purchase your ticket and join the killer-line of bands for an awesome three-day party.
Local two-piece band heads to Oppi
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