Danny de Wet played for two iconic South African 80’s bands: éVOID & Petit Cheval - he followed that as a venue owner and marketeer at major record companies (signing Prime Circle and promoting The Parlotones), whilst being an original member of Wonderboom… driving the group for their first thirteen years.
A drummer/drama, who also plays guitar and sings, Danny has now added ‘author’ to his arsenal (releasing ‘Sex, Drums & Rock ‘n Roll… in Africa’ - the 650-page definitive, printed account of the history of SA Rock) and he is excited to launch his book at The Knoll historic guest farm in Hilton/Pietermaritzburg on Thursday 27 April 2023 at 19h30.
Special guests will celebrate the occasion with Danny, who is ‘stoked’ (to use a KZN word) to once more share a stage with Roly Struckmeyer; a friend since the early years of Wonderboom - Roly toured with the band as a solo artist, after his stint with Arapaho.
The ongoing 'Danny’s Never Ending Acoustic/Storyteller Book Launch’ shows are based on an acoustic three-piece act, featuring two phenomenal young musicians in guitar wiz Damian Kruger and Julian Guillot, who’s euphonious vocal prowess belies his tender age.
Renditions of classic South African and worldwide hits (The Rolling Stones, REM, The Cure, Bob Dylan etc), which are pertinent to the stories and anecdotes in the script, are perfectly juxta-positioned against Danny’s captivating tales of glorious excess and his quirky original songs like “Hairy Armpits Will Never Change The World”, a song written for Therese Owen, the well-known and respected KZN music journalist.
In Maritzburg for the first time, Danny’s trio has been blowing audiences away throughout our beloved country.
They have performed all over Gauteng and travelled far and wide… appearing in unusual locations like the Magoebaskloof and then all the way from the Magaliesburg down to Hout Bay - the trio also went down a storm at the Splashy Fen Festival last year.
The addition of two of Maritzburg’s cultural forces (who keep live music and literature thriving in the City of Flowers) completes the performance line-up – balladeer and acoustic guitarist Charles Webster who anchors the vital MITH (Music In The Hills) movement and the publisher of the book, Ian MacFarlane (owner of Top Reads), who, as a part of the Petit Cheval touring entourage, first met Danny way back in the 80’s!
Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift won’t be in attendance because… erm… Danny has never ever met either of them!
Come and enjoy kick-ass acoustic tunes, brilliant stories and bad jokes!
DISCLAIMER: NO-ONE IS QUITE SURE HOW MANY SIDES THERE ARE TO DANNY’S BRAIN (especially fans who saw his OTT antics in Wonderboom) BUT ALL AGREE THAT HE IS A FANTASTIC STORYTELLER!
All the pre-event information available here.
