This is a message for lovers of all things loud, live and worth living for. It is that time of the year again, so dust off your denim jacket and combat boots and get ready for the annual Aandklas Battle of the Bands competition. On Saturday 2 August Aandklas invited some of Battle of the Bands’ 2024 contestants to stir up some fervor among the music lovers among us, and stir they did.
The sensual Betty’s Nuklear delivered a tour de force of stratospheric proportions, followed by the dreamy and midnighted beauty of Dierbaar. The incendiary Blitz, who is participating again this year, wrung up their now iconic scuzzy and bluesy assault, before the set was closed out by the outrageous Kopfkino.
Over the month of August, fifteen bands take to the stage of the iconic Stellenbosch bar and music venue to show campus what they’ve got to sing, shout or vocal fry about in 2025. All shall be vying for their share of over R46 000 in prizes including cash, Paul Bothner’s music store vouchers, and studio time at Daisy Jones Studio. As per Aandklas’ outline, performances shall be judged based on the band’s originality, the quality of their crowd interaction, stage performance, musicianship and their professionalism. The competition takes place over the course of a first round taking place between 6 and 16 August, semifinals on 20 and 23 August and the finals on 30 August.
Keep an eye on Aandklas’ Instagram page for these events @aandklasstellenbosch and bring the gees that keeps new bands coming to participate every year.
By Eben Labuschagne
