For anyone who has not yet spent time in Nieu-Bethesda or experienced the mind-altering beauty of the Great Karoo, “The Very Live Tour” is the perfect opportunity to plan a road-trip to the home of South African ‘outsider art’.

The village of Nieu-Bethesda is situated in a valley in the Sneeuberg Range, 1500 meters above sea level and overshadowed only by the usually winter, snow-capped Compasberg which towers imperviously above the arid expanse of the Great Karoo, “where the land meets the sky”.

This high altitude semi-desert is a nature-lover’s paradise that is home to the largest variety of succulents in the world; as well as eagles, hadehas, sacred ibises, secretary birds, blue cranes, flamingoes, otters, lizards, snakes, tortoises, bat-eared foxes, kudu, springbok, reedbuck, wildebeast, wild cats, ground squirrels and aardvarks.
In times gone by, agriculture was the driving force of Nieu Bethesda’s economy; the region’s Angora goats and Karoo lamb are famous.
Nowadays much of the industry is related to art with various craft shops and galleries, potteries and sculpture gardens – most famously, the late Helen Martins’ amazing, world renowned “Owl House”.

On Saturday the 28th of July, the village will host the sublime talents of two of this country’s finest guitarists when Steve Newman and Greg Georgiades will perform a selection of their original compositions in the Old Church Hall in Martin Street.

Steve Newman is one of South Africa’s most accomplished acoustic guitarist who has achieved unrivalled success as a soloist over the past three decades as well as being an integral part of various collaborations with fellow South African musicians. He has written a history for himself that very few can equal. A consummate instrumentalist, he has traversed the globe with his mesmerizing talent, both as a soloist as well as with the bands Tananas, the Aquarian Quartet, In the Clouds, Mondetta, and a duo with Tony Cox. Tananas has played festivals & concerts in Australia, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, France, Sweden, UK, Spain, Canary Islands, USA, Mozambique, Namibia & Zimbabwe. As a soloist he has played UK, Holland, Belgium, India, UK, Norway, Mozambique & Namibia.

Greg Hadjiyorki Georgiades is a multi instrumentalist who plays acoustic nylon string guitar, oud, bouzouki, ukelele and also electric guitar and sarod. He has used these instruments in many thrilling collaborations with various other iconic local musicians across all genres including McCoy Mrubata, Madala Kunene, Errol Dyers, Tony Cox, Syd Kitchen, Marc Duby, Ernest Mothle, Ashish Joshi, Jeff Maluleke, Simphiwe Dana, Julian Bahula, Mlungisi Gegana, Kevin Davidson, Khaya Mahlangu, Zamo Mbutho, Lungile Dlamini and many more with whom he has performed and recorded included Miriam Makeba and of course Steve Newman.

Together these two consummate performers are known for their dynamic harmonies and melodic adventures that have transported audiences across the length and breadth of the country on a spicy, sonic journey of rhythmical delight that is sure to leave you thrilled and rejuvenated.

Tickets for the performance are R100 and bookings can be made by phoning 049 841 1642 or 072 742 7113. For information about accommodation and meals please log onto http://www.nieu-bethesda.com

So whether your interest is music, art, bushman paintings, fossils, climbing, hiking, bird-watching, mountain-biking, horse-riding, game-viewing, star-gazing or just sitting on the stoep watching the world pass by, you’ll never be at a loss for things to do in Nieu B

I used to follow your blog but have been so busy the past few months with designing windows for a cathedral in Angola that I only just now started to catch up on my reading .

Have a wonderful spirited Easter .

Daniel de Klerk
D R Art Glass Studio
Calitzdorp

Thanks
Marianne