Rebecca Jackman
Close to 20 000 people flocked to a warm and sunny Darling this weekend for the ninth annual Rocking the Daisies music festival.
Cloof Wine Estate was overrun with revellers seeking sunshine, fun and music from top local and international acts.
As temperatures soared, some stripped down and cooled off in the dam while others sought shade in the Lemon Tree theatre while watching side-splitting comedy acts like Rob van Vuuren, Dylan Skews, Martin Evans and Loyiso Gola.
Late on Saturday afternoon cheers could be heard across the campsite, not for the music, but for the Springboks’ game against the All Blacks.
One final roar from the crowd indicated that South Africa had pulled off a last-minute victory.
Local acts included Jeremy Loops, Shortstraw, Beatenberg, Al Bairre, Taxi Violence and Arno Carstens who teamed up with Francois van Coke to headline on Friday night.
On Saturday night international acts MGMT from the US and Rudimental and Crystal Fighters from the UK took to the main stage, drawing the attention of nearly all who were present.
Indie dance group Crystal Fighters flew to South Africa to be a part of the festival despite having recently lost their drummer Andrea Marongiu. Marongiu died of heart failure on September 11.
The band issued a statement on their Facebook page last week saying “it would be through getting together as a band” and seeing all their fans that would enable them to “better come to terms” with their loss.
The three top acts also performed at Vodacom in the City in Joburg on Friday night.
By yesterday afternoon some continued the party while others trampled the daisies getting back to their cars to return home.