Dave Starke, Blackbird, Reid Family live at MiTH - 28 Oct

BOOKING ESSENTIAL – R75 – LIMITED TICKETS – COVID-19 PROTOCOLS OBSERVED
BOOKINGS: https://app.ticketwiz.co.za/attendee/312/ticketwizard/ / 082 331 7271
(Please book early to avoid disappointment.)

VENUE: The Knoll Historic Guest Farm

9pm: Dave Starke (ft. Nish Pillay)

Shifting Boundaries is the second album of South African singer/songwriter Dave Starke. Building on his first offering, Duende, it is an examination of the writer’s self, but also of the greater human experience. Stories about broken relationships, therapy and big changes, but also about optimism, recovery and small mercies. Shifting Boundaries is a true folk album and is designed to be heard as a whole…a journey – his stories are your stories and yours are his.

Dave Starke strives to capture human moments in musical form – to sum up a whole host of thoughts and emotions using just his voice and a guitar. He describes the guitar as a “wooden box with strings, tensioned to near breaking point – it’s fundamental, honest and often scary and it’s a good metaphor for the human experience…”

Inspired by the creators and capturers that came before him that poured themselves into paper, canvas, vinyl and clay, Dave uses enough words to get you thinking, but not so many that he tells you what to think. He sees song writing as something of a survival strategy – a pressure release valve that keeps him together.

His music is lyric-driven, performed on guitar with occasional touches of percussion and some very haunting whistling. For Dave it’s all about telling stories, so the voice is the most important instrument and everything else is there to be a support structure for the narrative.

Two of the songs from his most recent album were semi-finalists in The UK Songwriting Contest in 2019 and one is a regional finalist in the 2020 AfriMusic Song Contest.

8pm: Blackbird

A vocal-acoustic duo based in the Midlands of KZN, Tanya Nicolson’s sultry cabaret vocal combines with Charles Webster’s rich baritone and elegant guitar work to give Blackbird its unique character: uplifting – yet poignant and personal.

A trained actress and stunning vocalist, Tanya Nicolson is known for baring her heart on the stage and evoking deep emotion (and warm smiles) in her audiences. Charles Webster has been playing guitar since the age of 11 and has become known in the KZN Midlands for his soulful voice and delicate touch on the guitar. This duo will leave you thoughtful and happy, bring you laughs and yet get you right in the feels. Don’t miss them.

7pm: Reid Family

The Reid Family Band has been jamming together for many years. Dad Vince had an interest in music from a young age and is mainly self-taught. He plays keyboard, guitar and, recently, tin whistle. Rhiannon, who recently completed matric and was previously a student of Kech Sanchez, has honed her skills on guitar, sings lead vocals. Younger brother Aidan also showed musical abilities from a very young age, also sings. Tess organises the bookings and joins in on vocals and percussion from time to time. The Reid Family Band enjoys many different genres of music but are particularly influenced by Irish, Folk and Pop music.

ABOUT MiTH: Arguably the KZN Midlands’ best-loved music venue, Music in The Hills (MiTH) is an opportunity for beginners, professionals and passionate music fans to share the joy of music at The Knoll Historic Guest Farm. Visit www.mith.co.za for more details and directions. Musicians can contact mithbookings@gmail.com for slots.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: MiTH takes place every second Wednesday at The Knoll Historic Guest Farm, Knoll Drive, Hilton. Doors open at 6pm and the music will kick off at 7pm. Entrance is R75 book online in advance and pay online or at the door. Bring your own booze. Food and soft drinks are available for sale.

DIRECTIONS TO MiTH: Take the N3 to Hilton, take the Hilton turnoff and go South into the Village (away from Hilton College). Travel 5,2km along Hilton Avenue (past two sets of traffic lights and Crossways Pub) and keep going straight as Hilton Avenue turns into Dennis Shepstone Drive. At the 5,2km mark, Knoll Drive will be on your right – the entrance to MiTH is the *second* entrance on your left into The Knoll Historic Guest Farm.