Seeing stars: Old new shine at Athlone Stadium

Klopse stieked uit in Gucci and Louis Vuitton at the Athlone Stadium over the weekend and performed like true superstars.

New talent was discovered and the stars we know also came to compete.

Some were even flown in from Gqeberha and Johannesburg just to show who the best team was.

Gospel singer Elwira Standili did the female sentimental for D6 Raw while Anslin Gysman, a semi-finalist of The Voice SA, performed their Adult Sentimental.

Tashreeq de Villiers also brought the house down when he delivered the Afrikaans Moppie.

Many argued that he was the favourite but only time will tell.

Among these big guns was 10-year-old rising star Mogamad Zayd Damon, who performed the Juvenile Sentimental, singing the Whitney Houston classic I Have Nothing.

And despite some technical issues with sound, the little guy got the biggest ovation of the day.

This moment also got me to my feet and brought back great klopse memories.

Micayla Oelofse from Gqeberha performed an Adele hit, One and Only, and also brought the crowd to its feet.

She performed for the Exquisite Golden Gate, and many would remember her for winning a first prize for the team in the last season of klops before the pandemic.

Another new face was showcased by this troupe. Waseema Smith sang I’d Rather go Blind by Etta James and she did so effortlessly.

Talent in our city abounds and is easy to find if you know where to look.

The Orients made sure they kicked off with a bang. Their entrance made the people jump up and scream.

Lloyd Jansen, the lead singer for The Black Ties and Heart FM DJ, performed When a Man Loves a Woman and everyone went bos.

And there is Zakiya Brown, who lost both her parents to Covid-19. She has performed in Spain and knows how to hold her own, and sung a Broadway classic of Barbra Streisand, Somewhere.

Plays Inc came to compete – Caitlin White performed their Juvenile Sentimental and performed local crowd favourite Paradise Road.

Khanya Victor Sakube did the Adult Sentimental while Lauren Solomons belted out Never Enough from The Greatest Showman movie, which also received a standing

ovation.

Yamkela Fatyi represented the TV Stars and sang a classical favourite, Let Me Try Again while Kim Davidson hit the high notes with Footprints in the Sand by Leona Lewis.

I believe a valuable lesson was taught by some of the teams in Section 2, and don’t get me wrong; they too, brought out the big stars.

It was an evening filled with very strong talent but there were two phenomenal home-grown stars of the future who made sure their voices were heard.

I understand how much effort has to go into this competition to win and the amount of money it takes just to be present in their satin and sequins.

But I do feel that so many teams have lost this unique quality.

This is something klopse has stood for; think of people like Jonathan Butler, Taliep Petersen, Zayn Adam, Alistair Izobell, just to name a few, and even for me this was my first gig ever.

Klopse made sure that talent came from our communities. I’m not saying the directors shouldn’t find and pay the big stars but instead of buying talent for a few hours, it’s just better when we birth the stars like we did in the past.

We were all born on these stages, juvenile sentimental singers from Bonteheuwel, Mitchells Plain, Bo-Kaap or Elsies River.

Afrikaans Moppies who still perform these items to this day were born on these stages like Rikki, and yet again he blew the audience away with a powerful comeback.

Audience members were once again frustrated by a few hiccups. Klopse arrived late and wasted much time on stage with sound checks.

With competition it’s always tough for me to write negatively, because I come to experience the competition and watch the teams deliver their best, and they can’t give their best with problematic sound.

While we waited for D6 Raw to perform, many people started booing.

But these delays happen when the sound needs to be switched from Eskom to generator, and then back again after two hours, so it’s not the fault of the sound company or the troupes.

Brace yourself for this coming weekend for the fullest stadium ever as Section 1 competes for the end of their season.

Teams like West London All Stars, Fabulous Woodstock Starlites, Manenberg Superstars, Juvie Boy Entertainers, Baruch Entertainers and Cape Town Hawkers will be on show.

They are crowd favourites, and you know these teams are all about getting people’s attention. Items on the bill are Juvenile Combine Chorus, Best Band, Coon Song and Group Song.

Lastly, I’d like to mention a special person who I have seen for the past 15 years.

When I come to the stadium he is there working for KKKA and making sure they have backed up footage of every troupe. Thank you Adnaan Stemmet for your service to all of us.

I can’t even believe that we’re so close to the end of all this gees. I know it’s going to be a night on another level when trophies are handed out to the teams with the highest points.

I will be there celebrating and congratulating the best team.

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