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Navigate through Grahamstown
July 6th, 2012 by cujo
Everyone should experience Festival at least once in their lives, but there are those who make it an annual ritual. Danny Nel, who calls himself a “professional festival-goer,” is one such individual. Dressed in a grey parka, red beanie, comfortable walking shoes and carrying a backpack, he is the picture of someone who knows his way around a festival. His long grey hair is pulled back into a ponytail. He pulls out a wad of tickets, bound together with an elastic band.
Nel has been coming to Grahamstown since 1994; he has been to the Festival every year for 18 years. Averaging five shows per day, Nel usually manages to fit 55 shows into his 11-day visit. He sees about 120 shows a year–not exactly what you would expect from an agricultural economist.
Nel begins by paging through the Festival programme, memorising the shows he would like to see and then doing massive block bookings. For the remainder of his time he fits in what he can, whenever he has time. “I love the coincidence thing,” he said. “Yesterday I went on the CityWalk, because I met someone at Red Café who was going on it. So I went along with her.”
If a show is full he sees it as a challenge to get in, shouting “Ticket!”, at the door. This was how he came to be in one particular Gala concert, where he ended up sitting next to the same man two years in a row. “I’ll see you next year,” they said to each other, parting afterwards.
This Festival is cheaper than others, said Nel, who also attends the Aardklop Festival and the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees annualy, where shows generally cost R100 each. Compared to Festival, these others are like a young girl. “Grahamstown is more like an old prostitute,” he said. Things are more advanced here, with more chances taken. “Some of the pieces I have seen here would never be shown at an Afrikaans arts festival; there would be an uprising.”
Nel has travelled by bus, car, plane and train and stayed just about everywhere. “I stayed in the Old Gaol for a couple of years; I’ve stayed in hostels, tents, the Fest hotels. This year I’m staying in a digs.”
During his many Festivals, Nel has met many interesting individuals and had countless strange encounters. He recounted the events of a particular evening spent dancing in a tent, surrounded by hippies, and drinking Chai tea by a fire.
“Every year is the best,” he said, “I don’t, I cannot, compare them.”
Kate-Lyn Moore
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