Athlone Stadium erupted like never before over the weekend, when more than 15 000 people jumped out of their seats numerous times to give standing ovations to outstanding minstrel performances.
Teams performed and brought top talents to the stage to prove their worth. You could feel the tension inside the stadium between the teams.
Items rendered on Saturday were done explosively well and I know it’s not going to be an easy task for the judges to decide who the winners of Section 1 will be.
All I know is that only one team can win, but the winner will have to understand how the rest of these troupes will feel and they won’t hold back.
While sitting with these captains and troupe leaders it’s easy to see their passion for this sport and the amount of effort they put in, because when a mistake is made on stage they openly show their frustration despite who’s watching.
Juvenile Sentimental items brought some new, and some very familiar names like Sayde Fillis, who performed for the West London All Stars.
He performed the Whitney Houston classic I Will Always Love You with a live band.
Just before hitting those high notes, saxophonist August West took to the stage in style for his solo, and when the drums hit for the biggest moment of his song, Sayde belted out that huge note and the crowd went bos.
A less well-known female singer who performed the Juvie Boys’ Juvenile sentimental item also sang a well-known Whitney hit, One Moment In Time, and brought the stadium to their feet.
I sat in disbelief at the calibre of our people’s incredible talent and I loved the way it was showcased. In previous years only boys would perform a sentimental item, and it’s good to see that change is being accepted in our ever-evolving culture.
Never before have I seen a full band backing the teams and how they did it showed the amount of rehearsals and work that took place.
We cannot overlook the kids who performed for the other troupes. They, too, brought incredible vocals and stuck to the criteria, and in this case one really can’t count the chickens before they hatch.
But it was the Adult Sentimental that I enjoyed the most; the way people would listen to the more experienced singers going head to head.
Juvies brought the Voice SA winner Craig Lucas and he performed his original radio hit Happy. With his soaring vocals, Lucas hit one high note after another and made sure the audience would scream like only klopse fans can.
Nithaam Solomon competed in this category as well and represented the Cape Town Hawkers. This talent from Ocean View performed a song by Sam Cooke, A Change is Gonna Come, and made sure his presence was felt with his very first note.
Another powerhouse who most certainly performed like never before was Daylin Sass, the runner-up of SA Idols who performed the Shirley Bassey hit I Who Have Nothing, accompanied by a live band.
Stepping out for the West London All Stars, Sass gave the sentimental singers a run for their money and made it understood that he was there to win.
Again I say, I don’t know how the adjudicators are going to handle this. And when it comes to the English Combine Chorus, I wouldn’t even want to open a discussion – all I will say is may the best team win.
It was all in the amount of voices that came through in everyone’s performances, the way they modulated through their pieces while some had full orchestras backing them.
I sat there listening and feeling proud to see how far we’ve come as a culture. If you didn’t see the klopse at the stadium this past weekend, you missed out more than you know.
In the last two categories I can say that I have my favourites and despite the judge’s decision on koppe day, I will still support the troupe I believe brought their best in these items.
Teams didn’t disappoint at all in the Female Sentimental and Afrikaans Moppie Song.
Social media star Talitha from Atlantis gave a powerful rendition of Celine Dion’s All By Myself, while another powerhouse, Collinecia Hawker Antonie from Paarl, performed Jennifer Hudson’s belter And I am Telling You.
Neither of these ladies struggled with the high notes; they seemed the easiest part of the songs for them.
And then a moppie king had to go up against some boys from the Cape Flats. People sat in anticipation to see what would come next. And what would come was the Temple Boys. As soon as they stepped out, everyone in the stadium went deaf. It was an unforgettable experience. Children lost their minds seeing these social media stars perform a few lines of their breakout track Saggies.
Sitting right at the entrance of the stage, I could see the nerves. I watched these performers shake before taking the stage, I was that close to them.
While the ouens performed I could hear the spectators talking about the criteria and other competition rules. How much this will cost the troupe they represent, only time will tell.
On a sombre note, Najema Bukten from the Baruch Entertainers was sadly missed. Always a vibrant personality, people knew this was her happy place, she truly was a lady who took care of the youth. The reason for her passing was not made public and the family asked that we respect this and keep them in our prayers.
This Saturday, Section 2 will compete, including Ashwin Willemse Orient Community Development, Posh Vibrant, TV Stars, Playaz Inc, Exquisite Golden Gate and D6 Raw.
The 2020 moppie king Tashreeq de Villiers, aka TDV, aka Ricky vannie Frontline, is back from Qatar and will be stepping out for D6 Raw this weekend. Tickets are available at Computicket or Shoprite and Checkers.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za