George Ezra played the second show of his 2023 South African Tour at the SunBet Arena (at Time Square Casino in Pretoria) on Saturday the 15th of July and I was there to snap some photos.
I arrived at the venue around 7 PM and I could feel the excitement in the air. I was pretty excited as well because I finally had an opportunity to see him after missing his 2015 South African tour. There were plenty of food stalls and bars to accommodate the sold-out crowd.
I made my way into the arena just before 8 PM to catch the opening act, Shortstraw. It was fun singing along to hits like “Bikini Weather” and “Couch Potato” while I was snapping photos of them.
It was the first time that they’ve played an arena show and they did not disappoint. These Joburg boyjties set the mood perfectly for the main act of the evening.
George Ezra made his way onto the stage around 9 PM and started his set with a bang. I am speaking under correction, but I counted at least 10 people on the stage (including him), so the whole arena was hit with a wall of sound and the crowd (and me) were enjoying every second of this. There was so much energy going around, one simply could not ignore it.
Ezra and his ensemble of musicians played a set that I will remember for many years and I am glad that I got to experience it. I might not have seen the whole set, but this has to be one of the best performances that I’ve seen in 2023 (and I’ve been to quite a few of them already).
Kudos go out to Big Concerts for bringing George Ezra back to South Africa. It was an honor to snap photos of an artist who loves to inject positive and fun vibes into the universe.
More info about George Ezra
George Ezra, a renowned English singer-songwriter and guitarist, rose to fame with his EPs “Did You Hear the Rain?” in 2013 and “Cassy O” in 2014. However, it was his chart-topping single “Budapest” that truly established his presence, reaching number one in multiple countries.
In June 2014, he released his highly anticipated debut studio album, “Wanted on Voyage,” which not only dominated the UK charts but also achieved top ten positions in seven other countries, becoming the third best-selling album in the UK that year.
In March 2018, Ezra unveiled his second studio album, “Staying at Tamara’s,” which quickly soared to the number one spot in the UK and secured top ten positions in eight additional countries.
The album’s singles, “Paradise” and “Shotgun,” achieved significant success, with the latter becoming his first chart-topping single in the UK, Ireland, and Australia.
In 2019, George Ezra’s exceptional talent was recognized with the Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist. Continuing his success, he released his third studio album, “Gold Rush Kid,” in June 2022, which also debuted at number one in the UK, maintaining his streak of consecutive chart-topping albums.
Watch this space for updates in the Photography category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
Looking for a gift for that special person in your life? Check out Netflorist.co.za, South Africa's top online florist and gift service. They offer flowers, gifts, and hampers for all occasions AND reliable nationwide delivery.
