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After a crazy Halloween party the previous night, we returned to the Voortrekker Monument for our monthly dose of Park Acoustics. Although we still felt like the dead (no pun intended), we knew we were about to be treated to some fine music for a lazy Sunday.

The crowd clearly didn’t feel as tired as I was. From the very first notes Deon Bakkes and the Stolen Horses played, people were already dancing along. I fed off their fun, energetic vibe, and after my first little alcoholic beverage, I too was ready for this day.

Deon Bakkes and the Stolen Horses started the day with their dirty gypsy jazz meets rock ‘n roll attitude. The crowd was dancing along from their very first song. They played songs from their 2016 album, Neither Here Nor There, which included “Stealing Horses”, “It Ain’t Necessarily So”, “The Reaper’s Got Kids To Feed Too”, and my favourite “It Don’t Mean A Thing”.

The hauntingly beautiful poetry of Bacchus Nel drew us all closer. I have to be honest, before this Park Acoustics, I’ve never heard his music before. But I was in awe. The same can be said for the crowd. They swayed along to his bittersweet and melancholic songs.

The next band upped the tempo again. Georgetown is a multi-instrumental bluegrass folk band who got the crowd back to jamming and dancing around. They performed songs from their 2016 EP, Banana Jack.

The sounds of Klopjag transported me back to my early high school days. Wave upon wave of emotion hit me, and it was clear waves hit other people around me as well. I nearly cried during “24 uur” (the little fifteen-year-old girl in me couldn’t even). The crowd went wild on songs like “Karloos in Arcadia”.

To be honest, aKING was THE band I waited all day to see (the thought of seeing them live again got me through the day). I saw them for the first time at my very first Park Acoustics almost two years ago, and I’ve almost never missed one since (maybe two at most). The crowd from Klopjag died down a bit, but we youngsters stayed for aKING. Every song was a hit. From “Face-Brick Constellations” and “Against All Odds” to “I Believe” and “Save as Houses”.

aKING is almost celebrating their 10-year anniversary, and with this, they “ended” their set (followed by two encores) with their very first single, “The Dance”. I had another first with aKING at Park Acoustics: my dream of being lifted up on someone’s shoulders while rocking out to a band finally happened (thanks Hanno, but that red wine / vodka mix you gave me was deadly). As a treat, they really ended the day with one of my personal favourite songs, “In the Twilight”.

This has been the last Park Acoustics of the year to be held at the top of the koppie, in Fort Schanskop. Come the end of November, the final Park Acoustics for 2017 will be held at the foot of the koppie. More room to party along to more bands.

Watch this space for regular updates in the Opinion and Music categories on Running Wolf’s Rant.