Love, music, rusks: Amanda Palmer in Joburg
JOBURG - American rock star, author and artist Amanda Palmer breezed into Joburg to play at a house party.
She left one week later, having played at the party, performed a ninja gig at The Sheds @ 1Fox, signed books at a local bookshop, and fallen in love with South Africa and one of our favourite treats.
The house party came by way of an appeal on crowd-funding website Kickstarter. Palmer offered to play at house parties organised by people who donated $5 000 (around R57 200) to Palmer’s cause.
Palmer’s whirlwind visit to the city of gold expanded from there.
On 24 January, the singer said via a Facebook post that, after decidimg to “swing by South Africa to deliver the final, final house party”, she asked via Twitter if anyone had a suggestion for a venue for a ninja gig.
“Lo and behold, a really nice guy named Michael [Canfield] from a venue in Joburg called The Sheds @ 1Fox put his hand up,” she wrote.
“The place is gorgeous, art-heaven and flexible… and the response is already mayhem.”
Palmer stayed in Maboneng Precinct, and visited historic sites in the city with author, tour guide and one of the driving forces behind The Sheds @ 1Fox, Gerald Garner.
graffiti in maboneng. love. https://t.co/P073di7jvQ
— Amanda Palmer 🎹 (@amandapalmer) January 28, 2015
Palmer’s accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram read like a love letter to Joburg during her stay.
The singer tweeted photos of her visit to the Hector Pieterson Museum and Mandela House in Soweto.
outside the hector pieterson museum, soweto, South Africa…. https://t.co/jCIRTFE5lv
— Amanda Palmer 🎹 (@amandapalmer) January 26, 2015
On 27 January, the singer tweeted, “Last night i woke to a joburg thunderstorm and listened/ watched while drifting in and out of sleep. possibly the happiest I’ve ever been.”
last night i woke to a joburg thunderstorm and listened/ watched while drifting in and out of sleep. possibly the happiest I've ever been.
— Amanda Palmer 🎹 (@amandapalmer) January 28, 2015
She also tweeted about having seen – and enjoyed – the theatre piece The Epicene Butcher at POP Art.
JOBURG landed in audience for amazing piece of sex/art/hilarious/indescribable theater from @EpiceneButcher tonight @POPArtJHB. YOU MUST GO:
— Amanda Palmer 🎹 (@amandapalmer) January 29, 2015
On Facebook, Palmer sang the praises of Joburg-based outfit The Brother Moves On, describing their Bigleap sessions video as “possibly my new favourite Youtube clip (and band).”
Historic sites and Joburg art and culture aside, it was one of South Africa’s favourite treats that seemed to make the biggest impression on Palmer.
“I was gifted a jar of rusks by a nice joburg filmmaker named wayne. what are rusks, you outsiders ask? I will tell you. They are like biscotti, except crumblier and not as sweet, and I just ate five of them with some coffee and have kind of never been happier,” she wrote on Facebook.
Palmer’s gig at The Sheds @ 1Fox was a roaring success. From the moment the singer made a grand entrance by walking along the bar counter while playing her ukulele, she had the crowd hanging on her every word.
From there, she moved to the stage where she laughed, joked, played a piano and belted out songs taken from her solo repertoire as well as songs by her band, The Dresden Dolls.
On 1 February, Palmer said on Facebook, “Soaking up the last day in Maboneng, Joburg, South Africa… Don’t want to leave.”
The singer, who described South Africa as a “gorgeous and joy-burgeoning corner of the globe”, also said on Facebook that she will return to South Africa for future performances.
Details: www.amandapalmer.net
Watch Amanda Palmer perform Half-Jack at The Sheds @ 1Fox:
FILLER: Did you encounter Amanda Palmer while she was in Joburg? Share your impressions and photos on the Fourways Review Facebook page.
