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Karen Zoid: Rocking and taking names

Cape Town – On Tuesday night Afrikaans rocker Karen Zoid performed her first solo show ever at the Artscape Opera Theatre in Cape Town.

And I can say with absolute certainty that this was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen!

Dressed in black tights, her signature Republiek van Zoid Afrika military jacket and a black A-line chiffon skirt, Karen took the rock chick look to a whole new level as she graced the stage with her band.

Sharing stories from when she started out busking on a street corner in Melville to landing her first gig at Firkin, Karen’s show was a sentimental journey thanking everyone who has had an impact on her life. 


How Karen manages to keep her shows as fresh as she does, I just don’t know. But around every corner there’s a new surprise mashup of her songs that you don’t even recognise until she starts singing. While she did play some of her now famous Republiek van Zoid Afrika mashup tunes such as Sonvanger, Ave Maria and Neem My Op Vlerke, she also revamped some of her older songs like Aeroplane Jane, Afrikaners Is Plesierig and Small Room

And Karen’s band! They just gel. They’re tight as hell and I think pretty much the hottest band out there right now. Even when joined by a guest player, like the brilliant Kyle Peterson on piano and keytar, Karen’s band members - Henry Steele (guitar), Tim Rankin (drums) and Schalk van der Merwe (bass) – are not phased at all. They are just so comfortable to watch and it of course helps that they're brilliant musicians too. 

Highlights of the show included a surprise appearance by Francois van Coke to sing Toe Vind Ek Jou as well as Karen's heartfelt rendition of As Musiek Begin Speel which she dedicated to her son.

As the sold-out show came to an end with every audience member hanging onto every note of the two encores, I thought to myself: this is relevance.

(Photos: Anelia Loubser)

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