The klopse season is hitting its peak and the competition is hotting up, mense.
Section one competition on Saturday at Athlone Stadium was once again phenomenal. I mean, these teams are pulling out all the stops and it’s clear every single one of them is hungry to win the carnival.
The items on display was the Afrikaans Combine Chorus, English Moppie, Senior Sentimental and Female Sentimental.
Once again the women came out all guns blazing.
For me the standout performance was the Kenfac Female Sentimental solo who gave a magnificent rendition of Celine Dion’s All By Myself.
LAGBOL: Broetjie of Lavender Bright Stars. Photo: SUPPLIED
The soloist showed class, control and restraint in the first part of the song and hit all the right high notes at the end, sending Athlone Stadium into jubilation.
I loved this reaction of the crowd because it’s quite a depressing song but people cheered in appreciation of how the soloist handled the song.
Kenfac Entertainers also gave a well- controlled and balanced performance on their combine and moppie, much to the appreciation of their supporters.
The two teams, however, who really blew the roof off, in my opinion, are the combine items of defending champions Baruch Entertainer and the West London All Stars.
APPRECIATE THIS MAN: Anwar Gambeno. Photo: SUPPLIED
West London performed their combine with dedicated attention to diction.
Baruch Entertainers opted with an Afrikaans version of Jerusalem, the English combine song that stole the hearts of Cape Town last season.
Their combine coach, Monwabisi, is a magician because he proved it does not matter in what language this song is done, he is the boss of this piece.
He has - without knowing it - utilised this old combine which every single klops in the Cape has sung before, and pushed himself and his team into legendary status.
I believe that 10 or 20 years from now we will tell our grandkids about Monwabisi and Baruch and the legend that is Jerusalem.
When it comes to adult sentimental I feel like the women are starting to outshine the men this year.
So, ouens, it’s time to come up with new material because the girls are giving you a run for your money.
Some will argue it’s because they have higher pitched voices and can carry songs, but I just feel like they are better technically and are showing more hunger to win their divisions.
With that being said, the men were still on form, like popular opera singer James Bhemjee from Baruch and Ekraam Cupido from Original D6 Hanover Minstrels who delivered stellar performances, much to the appreciation of the excited audience.
MAGNIFICENT: Kenfac Female Sentimental. Photo: SUPPLIED
I also enjoyed the performance of Anwar Gambeno who sang a Cape Town favourite, “Memories like the corners of my mind, misty water coloured memories of the way we were”. The crooner still has it and his voice evokes sweet memories of how people used to sing at klops.
It is this authenticity that makes him stand out and he should be appreciated for this.
In the moppie category, I firstly want to say to some of the conductors: there is no need for you on to jump around in front as this busy item which already has elements of theatre.
There is plenty of choreography, while the voorsinger is also doing his own comedic goetes. So the last thing that any team needs for the moppie is for their conductor or coach to draw attention away from them.
Not so for the combine, where I feel the conductor can show off and do his thing because the koor is usually standing still.
The Bright Stars did a good job on their moppie with Naadier Adams jumping into a poeletjie of water at the end, much to the delight of the audience.
And Tariq Blignaut of All Stars once again hit the spot.
In a brilliant move, he lifted the standard of the English Moppie by introducing an even sturvier character.
The story was simple, an office guy who can do absolutely nothing with his hands is forced to do some work at home.
He then decides to go into the building trade after being motivated by his wife and ends up building her a cupboard himself.
I love painting pictures with words, and this came through strongly in the All Stars’ moppie when they ‘built’ the cupboard.
They sang: “First you take the nail, then hammer this way, now get your tools, hammer, saw, nails, square, level, now move your stuff, make sure it’s right, now we can start”.
Blignaut for the second week running stood tall and proved why he is the most sought- after coach in this business.
The All Stars have also discovered a new star in their gimmick performer known as Doutie.
The competition remains tight and I can’t wait to see what the teams in Section two have up their sleeves on Saturday.