Fete de la Musique

I am skipping the sketches from Simons Town and diving straight into sketches done at a sketch out with Joburg Sketchers https://www.facebook.com/joburgsketchers

We went to the Alliance Francais Fete de la Musique held in Melville.

Melville reminds one that Jozi is a collection of little villges, joined together by urban sprawl.   Melville was founded in October 1896 as a "working class" area.....small cute houses close to the road, without the luxury of sweeping carriageways, but promoting a community lifestyle that persists today.

Residents include radio and TV people (the SABC is just down the road), and the area is trendy and vibrant throughout the week.

The main road was blocked off to traffic and the businesses (which are mostly restaurants & bars) spilled out their tables, chairs and couches into the pavements & street.   Several bands and singers performed at various venues.

There were huge puppets, each attached to a puppeteer.

There were lots of people, and I would like to get back there on a quieter day as there are some old, small mining-town type buildings that I'd like to sketch.

I found this band - very cool music!

I was very comfortable on a bench right inside the room they were performing, so I decided to do a wash type sketch of the drummer.

I enjoy the people...there were some real oddities but somehow I chose "normal" people - just wanted to get the feel of the crowds up and down the road.

And the balloons gave a festive air too.

There was a chap selling bead flowers, and behind him a ruddy faced hippy-type man....I had to sketch both.....

So I did....

It was a busy few hours....lovely sketch out.