Johnny Clegg Tour dates for March & April 2013
Johnny Clegg will be performing a few shows locally in South Africa (Durban, Cape Town & JHB) around his Royal Albert Hall London concert.
Following on his concert at the Durban Botanical Gardens last year, where Johnny Clegg broke all The Gardens’ attendance records, he will be performing with his band at The Playhouse Opera Theatre from Wednesday 13th to Saturday 16th March 2013. Tickets range from R171 to R315 and are available from Computicket on 083 915 8000 or Playhouse Company on 031 369 9555.
Says Johnny " It’s been ages since I gave a theatrical style performance in Durban and I am looking forward to bringing my theatre show to audiences in eThekwini. The show traces the personal history of my involvement with the Zulu migrant labour community over the past 40 years. All of the cultural and musical influences in my music are revealed as well playing all the favourite hit songs that consolidated my career as a singer/songwriter. The show is also peppered with stories and anecdotes describing events and incidents which shaped the content and direction of the music. "
Johnny Clegg is taking his highly acclaimed A SOUTH AFRICAN STORY to the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 27th March 2013. This story covers Johnny’s life through his music, and is an inspiring and uplifting voyage. Experience the thrill of music and dance with Johnny Clegg that links his music to the journey South Africa has taken over the past 30 years.
Johnny will be the first Solo South African act to ever perform at The Royal Albert Hall.
Says Johnny Clegg: "The Royal Albert Hall is a very prestigious venue and the last time I played there, I was a support act for Steve Winwood in 1989. It's with great excitement and anticipation that I look forward to headlining my own show in this venue some 23 years later."
Tickets from £30 to £60
Available at the Royal Albert Hall Box Office +44 20 7959 0552
On his return from London he will be performing on 7th April at The Kirstenbosch Gardens. Gates open at 16h00. Tickets available from www.webtickets.co.za
For the third year running, Johnny will be returning to The Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City for two shows on Friday 12th & Saturday 13th April. Show times 9pm. Tickets from R161 to R263 and are available from Computicket 083 915 8000 / www.computicket.com
On 16th April Johnny Clegg will be honoured by the University Of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) with an Honorary Doctor of Music degree. “His musical career demonstrates pride in the African heritage and his role is pioneering in its mediation between pervasive power asymmetries imbued by modernity to Africa and South Africa in particular…….. Through his musical talent, musical performances and anthropological research, articulated the dynamicity of both industrial and changing Zulu culture in the contemporary era. His pioneering scholarly research has delved into the most contentious issues of Zulu cultural adaption, including adaptive social performance practices and indigenous forms of conflict resolution. Clegg – who campaigned against the injustices of apartheid and was instrumental in putting the new South Africa on the world map - has performed at all four of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Aids Awareness Concerts in South Africa and Norway.”
Johnny Clegg is a dancer, anthropologist, singer, songwriter, academic, activist and French knight. Whilst all of these tags are fitting, none of them can accurately describe the energetic, passionate human being who has become one of South Africa's greatest musical exports. He has campaigned against the injustice of apartheid South Africa and been instrumental in putting the new South Africa on the map as a cultural ambassador. Clegg is an icon of South African music.
During the three decades he's been making anthemic hits, Johnny has proved himself to be an outstanding musical ambassador for his country and is known for his energetic stage performances. By combining African music structures with Celtic folk music and international rock sounds, Johnny pioneered a new and unique sound, establishing himself as South Africa’s biggest musical export. From Europe to the States, from Australia to Potchefstroom and London, audiences in sold out venues have danced to “Cruel, Crazy Beautiful World”, “Scatterlings of Africa”, “I Call Your Name”, “Impi”, “Asimbonanga”, “Great Heart”, and “African Sky Blue”.”
On 27th April 2012 (Freedom Day), Johnny Clegg was Awarded the Order of Ikhamanga for his excellent contribution to and achievement in the field of bridging African traditional music with other music forms, promoting racial understanding among racially divided groups in South Africa under difficult apartheid conditions, working for a non-racial society and being an outstanding spokesperson for the release of political prisoners.
National Orders are the highest awards that a country bestows, through the President of the Republic of South Africa, upon citizens and members of the international community who have contributed meaningfully towards making the country a free, democratic and successful nation, united in its diversity.
On Sunday 10th June 2012, Dartmouth College in USA, presented Johnny Clegg with an Honorary Doctorate. The Doctor of Humane Letters was presented to Johnny by Dartmouth’s President Jim Yong Kim who stated “Johnny, for the decades you spent bringing unity where there was division and preserving your country's heritage, Dartmouth is proud to award you the honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters.”
On 5th April 2011, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Law degree from CUNY (City University of NY). The South African Consulate and many other dignitaries were in attendance at this event.