The 2012/2013 season of Old Mutual Summer Sunset concerts promises to be a year of memorable musical performances.

The concert season launches on 25 November and runs until 7 April 7 2013, bringing with it a blend of music transcending all ages and genres.

This year’s line up welcomes back old favourites: Mango Groove, Zebra and Giraffe, Prime Circle, Arno Carstens, The Parlotones, Jimmy Dludlu, Freshlyground, Goldfish and Natasha Meister, while also introducing some hot new acts that will thrill their audiences.

Opening the season on November 25 is international star and UK based Daniel Bedingfield. His pop wizardry is renowned, award winning and seriously funky. Having previously charted #1 in South Africa expect to hear some new material that moves adroitly between genres – the perfect way to set the season rocking.  December 2 sees Mango Groove and lead singer Claire Johnston set the gardens rocking to SA pop while Zebra and Giraffe take Indie Rock to a dark and daring place on December 9.

Prime Circle is back to bring in the Christmas spirit on December 23.  With a newly pressed album – their fifth – “Evidence” this 2012 release is set to capture accolades. 

Winding down to the New Year, newcomers to the Kirstenbosch stage Yoav and Tailor make their debut on December 30.  Singer-songwriter Yoav uses his acoustic guitar and a live looping set up to create an awesome sound in a one-man sonic showdown.  Tailor opens the show with music that flits from modern folk to blues-rock to pure pop and spooky soul.

Arno Carstens stars in the first performance of 2013 on January 6 and is followed by the Parlotones on January 13, who will be relocating to Los Angeles in 2013 - so this concert is a great opportunity to give this stalwart of SA music the rocking send off they deserve.
 
If it’s cool jazz and guitar wizardry then make a date for January 20 when Jimmy Dludlu brings his own brand of music to the Garden.  He continues to compose and make the kind of jazz music that stirs the soul - clearly influenced by various cultures around the continent and his interaction with other musicians on the world stage.

Old Mutual has chosen to highlight some of the incredible eclectic musical talent that this country has produced and four of the concerts are devoted to these exciting performers: Toya Delazy with Lindiwe Suttle (January 27), Sipho Hotstix Mabuse (February 17), Ringo Madlingozi (March 17) and MiCasa with Natasha Meister (March 31).

Toya Delazy and Lindiwe Suttle will be the hot young artists on January 27.  Delazy has made a real impact on South African Top 40 Radio and this trained jazz pianist is influenced by many genres: from Hip Hop and Electro to Alternative and Pop.  Opening the afternoon will be Lindiwe Suttle, fresh off the SA music festival stages where she launched her debut album Kamikaze Art, with her music described as organic electronic soul.
 
Freshlyground grabs the stage on February 3. Celebrating 10 years in the South African music industry this household name has fans across all ages.  Sing along to their newly released album Take Me To The Dance and groove to their smash hits including: Doo Be Doo, and 2010’s world-wide hit with Shakira, Waka Waka.

If you love folk music then 10 February is a date to diarise. The third installment of the Cape Town Folk n Acoustic Music Festival is live on stage at Kirstenbosch.  Featuring an incredible line-up of South African folk and acoustic artists - the finest musical storytelling will be heard from the personal journeys of Ard Matthews, Steve Newman, Guy Buttery and Nibs Van Der Spuy, Andrew James and Steady Tiger, Digby and The Lullaby, Robin Auld and Wendy Oldfield and Tombstone Pete.

Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse is one of South Africa’s proudest musical treasures and this concert honours him and his special guests on February 17.

For classical music lovers no summer sunset concert series would be complete without The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, so make a date for February 24 when the final concert of the Cape Town International Music Festival takes place at Kirstenbosch.  Conducted by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra’s principal guest conductor maestro Martin Panteleev this concert will feature internationally acclaimed French violinist Philippe Graffin. The haunting strains of Mendelssohn’s Violin concerto, Rossini ‘s William Tell Overture and Tchaikovsky’s Overture Fantasy Romeo and Juliette will simply delight the audience.

Ever popular electronic duo Goldfish return to South Africa after an Ibiza summer residence to play their hearts out on March 3.  Goldfish will be performing only a select amount of exclusive gigs in South Africa this summer so don’t miss their Kirstenbosch performance.

Jeremy Loops offers a new experience on 10 March as this modern day one-man folk band shows how technology creates a finely woven tapestry of sounds.  Using his guitar, ukelele, harmonica and beatbox skills his technique and clever manipulation creates music that leaves a crowd quite literally awe-struck. Young Capetonian band Holiday Murray will open the afternoon. Consisting of four musicians with wide ranging influences and diverse musical backgrounds listen out for a refreshing and unique sound.

Ringo Madlingozi on March 17 sings about healing, love, patience, kindness and forgiveness. Named after the Beatles drummer – his talent on drums is exceptional – he is also a vocalist, percussionist, guitarist, songwriter, producer and arranger with a string of awards.

Shadowclub performs on March 24 with their rootsy, bluesy rock inspired by classic rock acts. The penultimate concert on March 31 sees Mi Casa & Natasha Meister giving their best. If you have not encountered Mi Casa previously this threesome is South Africa’s newest soulful house collective. The three members, Dr Duda (producer and club DJ), J-Something (vocalist and guitarist) and Mo-T (trumpeter) blend their musical talent to create warm house beats peppered with jazz trumpet and a fresh twist of soul. The band has already won three SAMA awards since being founded in 2010.

The summer series ends on April 7 with world music icon Johnny Clegg. A dancer, anthropologist, singer, songwriter, academic, activist and French knight, this energetic, passionate human being has become one of South Africa's greatest musical exports and an untiring cultural ambassador for the new South Africa.
 
The Old Mutual Summer Sunset Concerts take place at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden (Rhodes Avenue, Newlands, Cape Town) on Sundays from 17h30 – 19h00.  Gates open at 16h00.  For further information and ticket prices, please telephone 021 799 8783/8620 or visit the website www.sanbi.org or www.oldmutual.co.za/music.  Tickets can be booked on www.webtickets.co.za