Hot on the heals of achieving GOLD status with their EMI Music debut album All Or Nothing, Ross Learmonth, Dale Schnettler, Dirk Bisschoff, Neil Breytenbach and Marco Gomes celebrated their first ever Old Mutual Summer Sunset concert, delivering an aural explosion never before heard at the world heritage site.

With their current single “She Always Gets What She Wants” dominating the charts, lead singer Learmonth had the capacity crowd eating out of his hands the second the band took to the stage. As their inaugural invitation to play Kirstenbosch, after an eight year wait, Prime Circle wasted no time in delivering a barrage of hits from their rich catalogue, all culminating in an encore commanding performance.

Invited special guests Gavin Minter (percussion) and Dave Ferguson (harmonica) added another dimension to the stellar performance. “It’s without question one our biggest highlights yet,” says Learmonth. “We were simply feeding off the crowd’s energy from start to finish – it was electric!” 

“I’m still on a high,” Prime Circle’s booking agent Mariska Geyer adds. “From people queuing outside the venue hours before the band even sound-checked, to watching them scramble for a spot closest to the stage and then singing along to every single song, the whole afternoon was extraordinary.”

With the light fading and the mood lifting track-on-track, the band pulled out all the stops, delighting the audience that included fans of all ages. “I have all their albums, says loyal fan Sharon Moore, “but this was the first time I'd seen them live and I was totally blown away!”

“Every Sunday during the Old Mutual Summer Sunset concert season, Kirstenbosch Gardens comes alive in a whole different way,” explains events organiser Sarah Struys. “Prime Circles performance was a definite highlight!”

As glorious modern rock still echoes through the gardens and in the minds of each and every punter lucky enough to gain access, Prime Circle has with this performance confirmed, yet again, that they are undoubtedly South Africa’s premier rock act.

Nic Haralambous, who runs SA Rocks, has started Why Vote? in an attempt to encourage the youth to actively vote in the elections and to take responsibility. Upload your video messages on why we should vote on the site.

Oasis, this year’s Coca-Cola Zero Fest headline band, lead the field of nominees at the 2009 NME music magazine awards announced in London last night.

Britain's Oasis are shortlisted in seven categories ahead of next months' awards ceremony, and surprisingly besides their Best British Band, Best Live Band and Best Album nominations, they were also included in the Hero of the Year (for which US President Barack Obama was also nominated) and Best Dressed categories for songwriter/guitarist Noel Gallagher.

Noel Gallagher added: "Seven nominations you say? Is that all? I always knew my time would come in the best dressed man in the world category."

Coca-Cola Zero Fest director, John Langford: “Clearly Oasis should be on every music fan’s list of bands to see live”. 

Coca-Cola Zero Fest, this Easter – Johannesburg and Cape Town only.

Festival info here: COCA-COLA ZERO FEST