Eager revellers lost their inhibitions and cut loose with some unorthodox dance moves as the sun chased away winter's chill. (VIDEO)
|||The first day of the Oppikoppi festival began with a biting chill and campers huddled around dying fires but true to Northam, Limpopo, weather norms, the piercing sun was soon high in the cloudless sky.
Festival-goers made their way around the dry farmland in shorts, dresses and, for the braver, swimwear. Most had buffs around their necks to ward off the notorious Northam dust and water bottles in hand to stay hydrated.
Others had already begun with the old Oppi tradition of drinking during breakfast hours with shots of tequila being lined up and many had already begun to walk unsteadily as they headed to the first acts of the day.
Lebogang Ditibane, who spent most of the day topless, said it was his fifth year at the festival.
“It's got something to do with the energy, the lifestyle… it’s a break from civilisation. You come here to forget about all of that for a few days and then you can go back,” he said over his gas mask.
Ditibane added that he tries to be flexible when it comes to which acts he should see at the festival.
“I never have a musical plan. I just attend everything because I like trying something new.”
An act many did make sure not to miss was local folk musician Bongeziwe Mabandla.
Performing solo on the Oppikoppi Skellum Stage in a black and white Maxhosa by Laduma jersey, Mabandla had the crowd singing along excitedly to his original tracks as well as to a cover on Outkast’s Hey Ya.
At the end of his set he admitted he was initially worried about how his acoustic set would be received in the festival atmosphere.
Elaborating on the point, the singer/songwriter said: “Acoustic sets are difficult, especially at a festival where people are here to rock, but I found out today that there's still a space. I’ve played at a lot of acoustic festivals so I think as South Africans we're going in the right direction.”
He said he felt a little lonely since he came to the festival last year for the first time with his band.
Mabandla has toured widely in Europe, North America and Japan and finds that his music is more appreciated overseas than in South Africa.
“I've felt it's bit easier for me to navigate in different countries, especially those which are more folk music oriented.
“It's a lot easier (to get them to) pitch me in those countries. Here you really have to convince them.”
Even though Mabandla got lost and stuck in traffic in a rush to make his performance at 4pm, he said he loved the festival experience. As the day headed into darkness, the Red Bull Stage, known as the “party stage”, sprang into life at 6pm, with festival-goers making the steep climb to it, ready to dance into the night.
lerato.mbangeni@inl.co.za
Saturday Star