Day three began with the banging of bongos. I could faintly hear singing as a procession of bongo drummers traipsed through the farm. I decided it was time for a bath. Two days of dirt makes for a smelly person.
The trip down to the river is mandatory. In fact, it’s how we spent most of our morning. Chilling with beer, freezing in the 11°C water and splashing about until our knees were blue. Some of us stayed under for so long, we may have permanently altered our body temperature.
The sky is a clear blue with a bit of chill in the air. The sharp cold running through my nose reminds me how manic life in Johannesburg really is. Not once this year have I seen the air so clear. In between drinking and chatting, the faint music from the main tent forms the perfect backdrop to a perfect morning.
Trudging back to the centre of the party, Arlyn Culwick’s sweet sounds float through the air as the hippies practice their poi with ribbons. Newtown are fantastic and The Nomadic Orchestra urge me to sit and listen.
The sun makes everyone lazy and we see people sprawled around waiting for the rugby match to start. Being a KZN festival, most Fenners support The Sharks. It’s smiles and beer all around as we trounce The Hurricanes. High spirits and highness. Perfect to welcome Ard Matthews.
Ard Matthews
Now, anyone who knows anything about South African music would know Ard is a legend. Front man of Just Jinger, he is masterful, even on his own. Acoustic versions of the songs we love best tug at my heartstrings, and his cover of Cat Stevens’ Father and Son leaves not a dry eye in the house. Cold and slightly wet from the bit of rain, everyone huddles under the tent listening to him. He’s such a Durban boy. Still humble, still human.
On the other stage, the vibe is very different. Fruits and Veggies, an eclectic band of madness, take the stage and Purity’s bug eyes and crazy stage antics make for an energetic and wild performance. I can’t not dance. It’s as if she has the audience under a spell saying ‘dance, motherfuckers, dance!’. Not too unlike her, too.
Fruits & Veggies
The Car Boot Vendors follow and do pretty much the same thing. Both bands, very close in age, style and circle of friends, are lively, insane and pretty darn good. Not really something for international stages, but sheer enjoyment nonetheless. Their don’t-care attitudes and on-stage performances make them formidable in Durban. I would like to see how they fare in Joburg.
Car Boot Vendors
Boo! ends off the evening with a bang as Chris Chameleon in a signature drag queen outfit takes the stage. Old great songs mixed with a few new ones gets the crowd dancing, but I can’t help but feel they’re kind of losing their touch. This performance seemed a bit lacklustre until their usual flamboyant end. Their usual ‘monkipunk’ style was there, but without the flair that makes the trio as amazing as they are known to be.
Boo!
Campfire time and my camping mates steal a tree and try to plant it with tent pegs. Splashy Stupidity. Another reason this weekend is so epic.
Sunday is met with hymns coming from some tents, easter eggs falling from the sky and another trip to the river before we head up to watch the final day of bands.
The Hairy Legged Lentil Eaters, a group of guys who never grew up singing silly songs about short people and Henry VIII busk on the rocks as a small group look on sitting on the grass. The sun streams through the gaps in the tie-dye tent sheltering them and they are just so cool. Life of Riley, a two-piece made up of a guitarist and singer are cute and stuff. But it kind of reminds me of myself sitting around a park with my friends, someone playing, someone singing. Nothing special, but definitely something special for Sunday morning.
The day is lazy. The fast-approaching winter sun beats down and we sit on the rocks listening to the music, not one of us wanting to talk about the prospect of leaving tomorrow. The beer is warm, and a nap is in order. The tree falls on my head as I sleep. Tent pegs aren’t as good as roots.
The evening brings the Jack Mantis Band. They’re undoubtedly good. Highly recommended, just don’t follow them on Facebook because they spam sometimes. Their music is anything but spam. Chilled at times, sometimes intense, I really like them. Especially when they call on Dan Patlansky to play All Along the Watchtower with them.
Lowprofile
Lowprofile are disappointing. They used to be so cool, but now it’s just the same old thing. I expected them to grow in the years I’ve been out of Durban but they’re all just the same. Nothing new in terms of music, stage performance or… anything. I used to like them. Now they’re just old hat.
Then came the big one. Dan Patlansky. My God! I could swear it was as if heaven descended upon Splashy Fen and came in the form of this young, insanely talented man. He closes his eyes, plugs in his guitar and just plays. An hour of magic, his picking at the strings almost as if he were picking at my solar plexus. That feeling of the music enveloping you and swirling around your head until it almost brings you to tears.
Dan Patlansky
After that, not much else could be more amazing. Dance, You’re on Fire, Sibling Rivalry and Captain Stu all moved our feet. But the weekend was made complete by Dan and Holiday Murray, who impressed me the most.
Back to the campfire and out comes the guitar. We sing and chat until 4am. We can’t believe it’s almost time to go back to the real world.
Packing up is never a happy time, but we all make the best of it and down the last of our beers. Hitting the road, the adrenaline and excitement of the weekend hits us and lulls us to sleep. Until next year, Splashy Fen. Until next year.
