Let's give a warm welcome to our newest writer, Lundi Cavernelis! We sent the bubbly hipster to the Johannesburg leg of the Parklife Festival. Aside from a few complaints about teenagers, it sounds like a great time was there to be had on the day, let's find out more

Let’s just admit that music festivals are all about 13-year-olds showing off their newly cut umbilical cords & exhibiting their navel to the entire world, while taking #selfies. Oh, wait… Let’s just blame this behaviour on Miley Cyrus! It’s the only logical explanation for the return of the Spice Girls fashion.

However, I digress- let’s move along and talk about what was an epic Parklife Festival 2014.

First of all – a major congrats to Breakout Management who maneuvered to start their very own annual music festival on 21 March in the middle of Jozi. It doesn’t get more hipster than that.

In my 25 years of being a (wannabe) rock star; I have never seen a music fest in its second year of existence be so well-put-together.

When you don’t even need an armband to enter the festival grounds, you know that there is some a great measure of control in what’s happening. Every single security guard & toilet assistant (don’t miss-interpret this!) spoke to us with great respect & noticeably took pride in their allocated tasks. There were hardly any queues at the bar, food stalls or toilet and, thankfully, no one was rude enough to leave you and your skorokoro parked in!

There was also no dust; which means that you can wear your white Converse sneakers without any stress or worries (This statement isn’t directed to any other music festival that took place this weekend).

The 20 acts who donned the stage at Parklife SA were mind-blowing & the way they stuck to their allocated times was impressive. Sometimes when we are spoiled for choice with 3 stages & a bar; we often don’t know which way to turn. But the way that everything was timed, you’d always have a choice between acts- but still not miss your favourite band.

International acts also graced us with their presence. The roster consisted of the likes of Frank Turner, Donovan Frankenreiter & KT Tunstall – who had the crowd singing almost “lighter-waving-like” to the Jackson 5. It was, however, the local acts who had the (exceptionally young) Mzansi crowd on their feet. I was specifically impressed by the energetic & fresh performances of AlBairre, Shortstrawband, MonArkband & TheKiffness.

With the diversity of the line-up & the nature of the venue; you would expect families with their picnic baskets; however, the crowd seemed to consist of teenagers who had just discovered the “classic beauty” of the navel. They brought along with them their drinking habits – which would make an AA meeting seem like a tea party in Norwood!

None-the-less; it was a great jol and it was well planned all round and certainly well put together. If you missed this year’s festival, start making sure that you’re at next year’s Parklife SA.

Like all wise writers, one must conclude with a quote. The one I leave you with was overheard at #ParklifeSA:

“Dude! You’re drinking Vodka & Monster!”

“I’m a raver, unts unts”.

I Think he was at the wrong gig. At least ankles were covered.

Article by @Lundi_Khoisan

#KhoisanLove

Follow the who’s who:

@ParklifeSA

@Breakout_Agency

Image Credit: Official Parklife SA Facebook Promotional Page