LIVE MUSIC7 AUG 2026Three nights. Three artists. One feeling: Live music is backThree sold-out nights, three distinct artists, and three unforgettable experiences in Cape Town confirm one thing:…Unathi Kondile7 min read

Simphiwe Dana. Artscape Theatre. Three nights.

Three different audiences. Three different experiences. One unequivocal conclusion: live music is back.

Earlier this year, Global Brands Magazine observed that “audiences are trading everyday small treats for a handful of unforgettable nights. A concert is a memory, a photo dump, a story you tell for years”. It is difficult to argue with that after this past week/end.

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My first stop was Simphiwe Dana’s The Symphonic Experience with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. There is a growing trend, locally and internationally, with DJs even, to assume that adding an orchestra elevates the experience. For me it does the opposite.

It subtracts personality. The optics might look great on stage. To be clear, I am not faulting the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.

They are exceptional. I did feel they created a solid double-barrier line alongside a performer who has never been known for standing still and merely delivering notes. Dana herself quipped an “I won’t even be able to make mistakes!” line on stage.

And nyani ke, there were moments when the orchestra’s precision seemed to force Dana into negotiating with her instincts rather than surrendering to them. Here’s the thing: Simphiwe Dana has never been merely an arranger’s singer. Hugh Masekela and Sibongile Khumalo both told her as much. She is an unschool-able talent; one whose gift should remain undomesticated because academia would polish away what makes it extraordinary.

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