On Saturday (the 24th of August 2013) I made my way to the National Botanical Gardens in Pretoria to enjoy the Post aKOPPIlyptic Punk Picnic. Canadian rock band Billy Talent headlined this show and was supported by upcoming SA punk rock band City of Heroes and SA legend of punk / ska / reggae Fuzigish.
I arrived at the venue at 1 PM. Getting tagged was not a major issue. I was also glad to see that Hilltop Live built a stage from scratch for this epic concert. After grabbing a Creme Soda, some water and a Black Label it was time to get the show on the road. City of Heroes opened up the day’s proceedings and got the crowd into the mood for a rocking day. I was particularly impressed with how much they’ve improved since the last time I watched them perform.
Fuzigish made their onto the stage next and proved just why they continue to be one of the best live acts in SA. They had the crowd dancing and moshing in no time. These okes are truly passionate about music and should be on your “bands to watch” list if you find out that they’re playing at a city, town or festival near you. They never disappoint.
Headlining act Billy Talent made their way onto the stage at 4:30 PM. It was the second time that I saw these blokes perform and they did not disappoint. They played a 90 minute set jam-packed full of awesome tunes. The Pretoria faithful were singing along to almost every tune and the frontman complimented the lovely ladies in the crowd, as well as expressed some thoughts about moving to SA’s capital city (mainly because it’s a lot hotter than in Canada). Seeing Billy Talent live was definitely one of the highlights of 2013. Check out some of the photos that I took of the band at the show below.
I took a lot of photos at the Post aKOPPIlyptic Punk Picnic, feel free to check them out on the Henno Kruger Photography page on Facebook. Besides the bar queue that proved to be lengthy at times, the event was well organized and a perfect example of what happens when a Canadian rock band plays in the capital city. Kudos to Erin and everyone else at Hilltop Live who made this event possible.
Feel free to comment on this article and voice your opinion about Billy Talent at the Post aKOPPIlyptic Punk Picnic. Feedback is appreciated and welcome here. And remember: every time you share this article on Facebook and Twitter a Justin Bieber fan gets slap in the face with a Billy Talent CD.
Watch this space for regular updates in the Photography and Music category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
