By Emma Olivier
Over the famous Eiffel Tower in the Dagbreek Quad, a full moon was watching a crowd enchanted by Spoegwolf’s music on Tuesday 28 July.
Soutbrug was one of the opening acts for the night which was also one of their first gigs. With singers Christiaan Smuts and Sybrandt Stadler both on the guitar, Danté Fourie on the drums and Dominic Uren on the bass guitar, this new band got the crowd excited with covers of throwback hits like blink-182’s “What’s My Age Again?”.
The anticipation built up below the setting sun during DJ Djavan’s set while the waxing crowd enjoyed the rhythm.
The magic of Spoegwolf’s music
The full moon was high when Spoegwolf finally appeared on stage. Like a golden ribbon, the band’s energy tied the crowd together as they sang their beloved lyrics together. Danie du Toit is talented as ever with his versatile, vibrating voice.
During the band’s time on stage it was suddenly just them, the crowd and the music. Maybe it was the swelling guitar’s song, or the animating strikes from Moskou du Toit on the drums, but perhaps it was just that sort of magic that happens when all these different people call out as one about stinging courage and a burning bush.
“This is the best university show of my whole fucking life. Thank you for this,” said Danie du Toit near the end of Spoegwolf’s set. He also spoke out against discrimination, saying, “Fuck xenophobia.”
DJ duo Heyden B2B Mark ended off the night with some popular Afro house mixes.
Soutbrug on the rise
“The name, Soutbrug, comes from the chemical process of electrolysis,” said Smuts, a first-year BEng (Chemical Engineering) student, in an interview with Die Matie. He views music as a similar process that transforms feeling into expression. According to Smuts, the rock scene is special because people “find their community there, that they have love and acceptance, where they can grow without judgement”.
Fourie said his friendship with Uren was strengthened by their love for Spoegwolf. “The fact that it was in Dagbreek, in our res, and that we shared the stage with Spoegwolf was one of the coolest things that could ever have happened!”
Stadler said that Soutbrug was inspired by other artists that bring people together from all over the country. He added that opening for Spoegwolf was “a dream come true”.
