WATCH: Irish-Boere blues
JOBURG - Local musician, Christoff Beukes, has teamed up with Irish fiddler, David Delaney, and together, as Beukes & Delaney, they've just released their debut album Good to be Alive.
“We jokingly started referring to what we do as Irish-Boere blues for lack of a better word,” explained the duo’s guitarist and singer, Beukes, although their sound is folkier, with a touch of rock and traditional Irish flute and fiddle.
Delaney, originally from Ireland, has been calling Joburg home for the past few years. “It was pure accident that I ended up staying in Johannesburg. I was like a typical expat on the way to Australia and I stopped here on the way for a month that extended and extended. I made lots of friends, got involved in the music and I realised it was a vibrant city,” he said.
They sell their new album at the live gigs they play in the city.
Watch a performance by the duo below:
“We’re an unsigned act, so we do everything completely independently. It is probably the toughest route, but at least we have full ownership of our music,” Delaney explained.
So far they have been together for almost four years and have played at a number of live music venues.
At the moment, they’re the resident band at Katys Palace, and Salt and Stone in Chartwell. The two are also happy to play their music at corporate functions and parties, and even have a wedding or two under their
belts.
“I think our struggles have pretty much been the same as any other band. In South Africa, well Joburg specifically, there’s not really any venues to perform at,” Beukes stated.
However, the two seem to have found their groove and those who have heard their music, especially the tracks on the new album, are very happy with their sound.
Their voices are harmonious together, the music interesting and vibrant – a combination of sounds and instrumentals one would never imagine would work together – but these two make it work.
You can catch Beukes & Delaney as they wow the crowd at the Wine Not Pop Up Bar at Levelthree in Kramerville on 29 January.
Details: www.facebook.com/BeukesDelaney; soundcloud.com/beukes-delaney/bittersweet
Have you heard Beukes & Delaney play or seen them perform? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
