ROCK group BLK JKS take to the stage this month at the Soweto Theatre as part of the Sounds of Soweto.
With a wrecking crew rhythm section, debonair vocals, and guitar concoction of one part shred and two parts soul, BLK JKS shoot an African music sensibility through the tenets of rock. The band's fresh, forward rhythm, layered harmony and elliptical guitar vernacular reveal the urban Zulu blues of Mbaqanga that is the centre of BLK JKS songwriting.
Teaching themselves guitar on the same block where they both grew up, childhood friends Linda Buthelezi and Mpumi Mcata formed the band in 2000, and early BLK JKS shows garnered attention for their stacks of guitar drone and head-nodding beats. After the band's current line-up took shape with the addition of bassist Molefi Makananise and drummer Tshepang Ramoba, both of Soweto, they embarked on a heavy touring schedule throughout South Africa that earned them a national following.
Signed to Secretly Canadian, one of America's premier indie rock labels, BLK JKS have graced the cover of the trendsetting magazine FADER, and mounted tours of both the United States and Europe, including appearances at the enormous Rock al Parque festival in Bogota, Colombia, the South by Southwest and Big Chill festivals to mention a few.
Sounds of Soweto - which occurs on the last Friday of the month - is an opportunity for the theatre to celebrate music legends of yesterday while also discovering the musical voices of tomorrow that will be born of this historic township. The platform showcases bands that either come from Soweto or have a close relationship with Soweto in terms of their musical journey. For this event, Soweto Theatre has partnered with His and Hers Jams - a multimedia platform that focuses on artists that have been overlooked by the mainstream media but have a huge support in the alternative youth culture Space.
The event forms part of a partnership between Sounds of Soweto and the J&B Hive Johannesburg - which came about through an open call in November 2016 to help entrepreneurs to either turn their revolutionary idea into a reality or to take their existing business to the next level. Over 400 applications from various disciplines were received and after a rigorous selection process, Sounds of Soweto was among the region’s brilliant business minds that were chosen to become a part of the ever-growing J&B Hive Johannesburg community.
Doors open at 18:30 and the show starts at 20:00. Tickets are R130 and are available through www.sowetotheatre.com, by calling 0861 670 670 or via Webtickets. For group bookings of 10 or more, please contact the theatre directly on 011 930 7461/2/3. Special pension discounts are available.
Don’t miss Sounds of Soweto with BLK JKS on Friday, 31 March at the Soweto Theatre. Doors open at 18:30 and the show starts at 20:00. Sounds of Soweto is supported by J&B Hive, Arts and Culture Trust, Nedbank Arts Affinity and Nine Nine Production. - article by Artslink
