Guns N’ Roses And A Can Of Coke

Guns N’ Roses has been confirmed for what’s quickly become South Africa’s premier rock festival, headlining the twinned all-day Big Concerts MyCokeFests in Johannesburg April 27th and Cape Town May 1st.

Now in only its second year, the event has attracted an international lineup that also includes Evanescence, Hoobastank, and Three Doors Down and top SA acts Springbok Nude Girls and The Parlotones, which has just signed with London’s The Agency Group.

The other local acts are Evolver, Cassette, and J, which will play the opening slots in Johannesburg, while The Dirty Skirts, Love Jones, and Taxi Violence will warm up the Cape Town crowd. Big Concerts expects 70,000 people to turn up for the two shows.

The event is sponsored by 5FM radio and Coca-Cola, which is putting its money where its marketing is to the extent that all those who attend the Johannesburg Newmarket Racetrack and Cape Town Kenilworth Racetrack all-dayers get a free can of the drink as they enter.

Big Concerts, which said 2006 was the best year it’s had, is already racking up an impressive list of international acts for 2007.

In cooperation with Metro Fm and Edgars Music Series, the company has just announced shows for R&B/hip-hop star Mary J. Blige at the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg, Durban Westridge Park Stadium and Cape Town Bellville Velodrome May 12-16.

The most recent international acts to be promoted by Big Concerts were both at the beginning of March.

Il Divo, which pulled 26,000 across four shows including two sellouts, and Sir Cliff Richard, who sold out four of his five shows, played to a total of 29,000 people.

Both had full houses at the 11,600-capacity Johannesburg Coca-Cola Dome and both sold out the 5,300-capacity Cape Town Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens twice.

A third Sir Cliff show at Kirstenbosch did 75 percent business (3,800), the only one of his dates that didn’t go clean.