My brother Paul is one of those people who was born cool, lucky for me sometimes some vicarious cool rubs off on me when I’m with him. On my most recent visit to Umdloti, where he lives, he treated me to a night out at The Bush Tavern. I felt so fortunate to be at the first of what will certainly become one of the hottest gigs in the greater Durban area. Ard Matthews, the lead singer with Just Jinjer now lives in Umdloti and is lined up to play on the first Thursday of every month.
It meant so much to me to share this memorable time with my brother. With two small children I don’t get out much, the moment the music started I knew that we were in for a most excellent time. Years ago when Paul still lived in Jo’burg he was a regular at a pub where Just Jinjer played, he is familiar with and loves the music. On the other hand (being the less cool sibling) I had heard of the band and knew a few of their songs but was largely uninitiated. I felt that I had certainly been missing out over the years.
What struck me about Ard Matthews other than his amazing voice was his confidence, he has a powerful stage presence which demands your attention. Toward the end of the evening Paul shared with me that the song Shallow Waters was a watershed song for him, it came out at a point in his life where he was at a crossroads and it resonated with where he was at. It was the 2nd last song of the evening which was the cherry on top of a perfect night out. Whenever I hear that song in future it will take me back to our big night out, and the joy of reconnecting with Paul.
If you want to let your hair down and have a rocking good night out, make your way to Umdloti on the 1st Thurs of the month. The Bush Tavern which overlooks the beach is never a disappointment whether you go for lunch after a morning on the beach or meet friends for a drink at the bar. The food is consistently good. Now that Ard Matthews has this gig it’s simply inexcusable not to go.
Note : Cover charge is R100 and a portion of this goes to the Umdloti CPF