Review: Sizzling concert by the enigmatic Goldfish at Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts 2022/23 – season ends April 2, 2023

Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts 2022/23
When: November 20, 2022 to April 2, 2023
Last concert:  April 2, 2023 with Ami Faku/Msaki
Bookings: Webtickets https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/Event.aspx?itemid=1520614853

The crowd went mad, last weekend, Sunday, January 8, at Kirstenbosch Summer Concert. Goldfish gave an electrifying performance. It has been three years since Goldfish played Kirstenbosch due to pandemic interruptus. The concert was sold out – even on secondary/onseller ticket platforms. Note: Webtickets is the designated ticket seller for the Kirstenbosch Summer Concert Series. [Read more here: https://thecaperobyn.co.za/insight-the-perils-of-booking-through-secondary-ticket-platforms/ ]Many people were frustrated that they could not get tickets – but sold out is sold out. Goldfish was as always, in fine form, with its energetic and high octane performance. I was standing near the stage and was amazed at the youngsters bopping along – under 10s -and their twenty something mothers in shorts- with green nail polish. The young fans seemed to know all the words of Goldfish hits and were improvising along to new songs.

Goldfish is a South African outfit, comprised of Dominic Peters and David Poole and is currently based in San Diego, in the USA. Goldfish is huge on the international music circuit, playing its dance music. How to describe Goldfish? It is difficult to pigeon-hole. The easiest label seems to be electronic music as they make use of samplers and synths and bring in DJ riffs but they also infuse their work with instruments – double bass, saxophone, keyboards and flute. They work extensively with vocalists. Their long time favourite and crowd pleaser is the fabulous Emily Bruce. She came on for the final set last weekend, at Kirstenbosch. Her vocals are on the iconic Goldfish song, Get Busy Living. [This studio album was released on September 20, 2010. In 2011, it won Best Global Dance Album at the South African Music Awards – SAMAS).

This is the thing with Goldfish: Many of their songs are electronic and mesmeric/trancey and others like Get Busy Living are imbued with impeccably crafted lyrics. They seem to have managed to remain submerged beneath the hype of their tremendous international success. Toggling through interviews with Poole and Peters, I get that they met while studying music (jazz at UCT), got together to make some money and that they wanted to write their own material. Goldfish was conceived as a name because it was easy to remember. They like surfing and sushi and that’s about it.

For a mega success of a band, they are inconspicuous and incognito in their fame and their celebrity. Talking about the celeb quotient, the people that I chatted to at the concert, last weekend, had no idea about the names of the duo or anything about them. Goldfish is an enigma but it seems to work for the fans who are interested in the music, nabbing tickets to concerts. And yet they know the name of Emily Bruce who is a favourite Goldfish vocalist. She sings their mega hit, Get Busy Living. Goldfish merch was on a roll last weekend, with t-shirts and caps galore. A great time was had by all. The Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts2022/23 season, wraps up on April 2, 2023 with Ami Faku/Msaki. Iconic South African band, Mango Groove is playing, this Sunday, January 15, 2023.

Vibing it: David Poole of Goldfish – playing on Sunday, January 8, at Kirstenbosch Summer Concert, Cape Town.
© TheCapeRobyn/Robyn Cohen.

✳ Images © TheCapeRobyn/Robyn Cohen.