Bucket Scene: Whisky & Gin Live Celebration 2019

The ever popular Whisky Live returns to the shores of Durban this winter and this time has a new partner with it, Gin! While Whisky remains an acquired taste for many, for some it doesn't quite suite their palate, hence the introduction of Gin to make everyone happy! The organisers say it is "Whisky Live with a whole new flavour! That's the all new gin flavours!". For the first time at Whisky Live, Gin will be making an appearance, it's a brand new look, layout and offering that will appeal to the whisky connoisseur, the new emerging whisky drinker and to the gin lover. There will also be live entertainment from various performers, trendy food trucks, social areas and with the event being helf at the new Suncoast Globe, it's a much more open layout that makes this new event refreshed and a must-experience for many.

Tickets are available from R250 and can be purchased from Ticket Pro or at the door for R290. Whisky & Gin Live kicks off on Thursday the 13th of June and runs till the 15th of June, running times are between 5pm and 9pm.

Gateway Celeb Chef Showdown

The Gateway Celeb Chef Showdown is back for the 5th year running! It's probably one of my favourite campagins by the mega mall as it not only showcases some of their best culinary institutions but also puts together a stella line up of SA's best and favourite celebrities to test their culinary skills in the best way possible. 

This years event see's some popular eateries return to the contest as well as some new, some of them inclulde Hussar Grill, Beluga and Primi to name a few. The event will be held on a Wednesday evening, starting from the 25th of October, and ending with the grand finale on the 29th of November. At each evening, 2 celebrities will battle each out in the kitchens of the selected restaurant and try to wow guests with their menu's. From there, patrons will be given judging sheets and once the scores are in, the winning celebrity will be decided. The winning celeb from each event will recieve R5,000 towards the chairty of their choice, as well as 10% of the income generated from the evening. In the finale, the winning Celeb Chef will take back to their charity, R25,000 cheque from Gateway as well as 10% of income generated from the evening. 

Patron's to the event will not only get to sample a sumpcious 3 course meal but also stand a chance of winning some awesome prizes which include an ELBA stove and Haier Wine Cooler valued at R25,000 as well as spot prizes. For more information on each event, please see the table below, be sure to book your night now to avoid disappointment as tables fill out fast!

For more information, be sure to follow Gatewat Umhlanga's various social media stream on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit their website at www.gatewayworld.co.za

2017 Wartburger Spring Festival

Nestled just outside Pietermaritzburg, lies a quaint town of Wartburg, having passed there a few times, you might miss it if you blink but many don't know about this little wonder and the history it holds. When I tell people about it, many respond, "what burg?", so here's a quick history lesson for you. The town was settled in the 1850's by German families, and is named after the Wartburg Castles in Eisenach, Germany. To this day, the Wartburg area has had a large population of German speaking citizens who predominantly farm in the surrounding area around town. Okay, enough with the lessons, time to focus on the main reason of this post, the Festival! In it's second year running, the Wartburg Spring Festival is getting ready to host the masses coming in to enjoy all things German.  The event will build on the long-standing traditions of the Wartburg Lutheran Church Bazaar, one of the most anticipated events on the town's calendar with its sale of processed German meats, advents biscuits and other fresh produce. 

This year the festival sees Orion Group's Wartbuger Hof Hotel joining in to host a fun family event in collaboration with the Wartburg Lutheran Church. The bigger and better festival will see stall holders and exhibitors from as far as Cape Town showcasing their artisanal items to the public. Some of the stallholders and craftsmen, include the top KwaZulu-Natal craft brewers, including Lion's River Brewery and Railroad Brewey. Nadia Gmeiner and Antoinette Kleyn, the event organisers, said that they were ecstatic to be involved in such an event. "The town of Wartburg is a beautiful gem and our hotel, the Wartburger Hof, owes a lot of its success and support to the people of this town. For us to be a part of the festivities and the camaraderie among the brilliant townsfolk is such an honor for us and we hope to increase the support and numbers to this years event."

The Wartburger Spring Festival promises to  delight the young and old alike. There will be a number of stalls which range from arts and crafts to artisanal food and beverages including traditional German cuisine that is sure to delight even the most discerning palette. The even will take place on Saturday, 21 October 2017, on the grounds of the Wartburger Hof Hotel. It is a nice excuse for many to explore the countryside and will be a great outing for the entire family. For those wanting to host a stall at the Festival, please contact Nadia Gmeiner on 011-718 6416 or email beerfest@wartburghotel.co.za. For more information, please visit www,wartburghotel.co.za or follow the event on Facebook. To buy tickets to the Festival, they are available online at NuTickets

Riaad Moosa - Life Begins Tour

South Africa's favourite Doctor come comedian is back with another tour that is sure to leave the audiences in stitches!....of laughter, not the medical type. In his latest show, 'Life Begins', Riaad explores the myth of the saying "Life Begin's at 40", in a hilarious one man show which is a snapshot into his life as a 40 year old, a father of three kids, husband, comedian, actor and with all the current cultural and political issues thrown in. 

Having already treated sold-out crowds in Johannesburg and Cape Town, the next leg of his tour see's him visiting Rustenburg, Newcastle, Durban and Empangeni from the 21st of October. 

"Even though I am now 40, in many ways, I feel like I'm still crawling and I'm looking back at my journey from being an aspirational doctor, coming from a relatively conservative Muslim background, where both of my parents were doctors, and how I actually journeyed to becoming a stand-up comedian" - says Riaad

Being a qualified Doctor, Riaad has spent most of his life treating people with laughter on stage and in doing so he has won many awards for his stand-up, acting, writing and presenting. He has built his reputation to be one of South Africa's most popular and acclaimed funny men. His jokes serve as a remedy for the nations ill's. 

"The show is very philosophical and existential. It involves the normal issues of getting older while at the same time experiencing, at a maturity where I'm supposed to be wise, a world that is completely turned on its head - with Trump, with Brexit; In South Africa, the 'State Capture', 'Fees Must Fall, 'DOOM'. And it's about how I negotiate all these things happening around me while trying to maintain a positive attitude. Through my comedic lends, I hope to put a different spin on that and hopefully my next 40 years will be lived with renewed vigour and excitement" _ Moosa added

To make sure you get your prescription of laughter with Riaad Moosa's side splitting funny one-man show, Life Begins, at the following venues around South Africa:

• 21 October (20h00) - Rustenburg Civic Centre, Rustenburg
• 4 November (20h00) - Blackrock Casino, Newcastle
• 10, 11, 12 November (20h00) - The Playhouse Theatre, Durban
• 18 November (20h00) - Umfolozi Hotel Casino and Convention Centre Resort, Empangeni

Tickets from R150 and are now on sale at Computicket online and outlets. 

For more information, follow Riaad on Twitter and Facebook

Corona SunSets Festival 2017 - Cape Town

Following the success of last years event at the scenic shores of Clifton beach, Corona SunSets Festival is back to leave goers mesmerised by deep house sounds and one of the most picturesque sunsets you will see on the African continent. I can personally vouch for this Festival after attending last years and can definitely say it is one that is not to be missed. Even if you aren't the biggest fan of deep house, just the location and the vibe will have you in awe. Set just above the shores of the Atlantic, is the Bungalow in Clifton, with Lions head as your backdrop and the 12 Apostles behind you, it doesn't get better than this. Add to it some awesome decor as well and a line up of the hottest local and international DJ's, throw in some ice cold Corona's and you have one epic jol. The line up for the Festival has been announced and has Jonas Blue and Klingande as headliners with a variety of local support acts which include Timo ODV, MiCasa and Strange Loving. Tickets are on sale now, at NuTickets so get yours now to avoid disappointmend. 

COMPETITION: Durban Street Food Festival

Anyone from Durban or visiting the city will know that it is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, let alone South Africa. In a city which doesn't get the global limelight it deserves, locals know what makes it great and it's part of the reason we chose to stay here and make this city even greater. With such a diverse population and a mixture of cultures, comes many talents that shine through, whether it be in food, business, song, dance or fashion, with this in mind, the Durban Street Food Festival was born. After a successful event in 2015, the Street Food Festival is back and promises to be bigger, better and at a new convenient location  

Taking place at the Pavilion Shopping Center, from the 22nd to the 25th of September, this years 3 day Durban Street Food Festival is set to have 40 Street Food vendors with authentic flavours from around the world, 10 Craft Vendors, Live Durban Bands, Live Stand-Up Comedy by local comedians, Craft & Gin Beer Garden, Local Artists, Durban DJ's, Short Film Screenings, Food Demo's, Info Sessions, Jazz Expressions and Food Blogging. 

The Durban Street Food Festival provides a venue to build appreciation for Durban's diversity. The Festival celebrates the global culture and ethnic diversity of Durban through culinary arts, music, performance art and social connection. The Festival proudly welcomes people from all across the spectrum yearly, to share with us their cultural traditions with another another, it also serves as a vehicle to promote cultural understanding and appreciation in our community. In addition to all of this, the Durban Street Food Festival also creates a platform for local Durban talent to perform and showcase themselves as well as provide a unique opportunity for corporate sponsors to receive highly visible and concentrated recognition which includes the likes of large-scale signage at the event and advertisements in the regional media.

The Durban Street Food Festival in conjunction with the Bucket is giving two lucky readers the chance to win tickets for them and two friends to the Festival. And you can enter either on Facebook or Instagram...or both to double your chances!

Facebook:

All you have to do is like the Durban Street Food Festival Facebook Page as well as the Bucket Facebook Page, share this blog post and tag the two friends you would like to take with to the Festival. 

Instagram:

Follow @DurbanStreetFoodFestival and @theBucketza on Instagram, like the post about the Durban Street Food Festival and in the comments, tag the two friends you would like to take with to the Festival later this month. 

The competition will run for 2 weeks, with entries closing on the 20th and the winners will be announced later that day. So good luck! If you aren't any of the lucky readers to win, you could always buy tickets for the festival on the day or via the website: durbanstreetfoodfestival.co.za

Gateway's Vodacom Durban July Preview Fashion Show & Concert

Durban is gearing up for one of its most anticipated events of the calendar, its probably the biggest horse racing event on the continent and grows bigger every year. In preparation for this mammoth event of fashion, beauty and horse racing, Gateway, Theatre of Shopping is hosting it's annual Durban July Preview Fashion Show & Concert. Apart from the July, this is one event you want to be at! 

Gateway, which is Durban's one stop mall for everything fashion related hosts a yearly preview fashion show which in the past has proven to be a massive success. The preview fashion show has their tenants displaying the latest trends and designs for people to purchase and look their best for the Vodacom Durban July. This years theme for the Vodacom Durban July is the The Colour of Magic and exhibitors are sure to bring out the best in colour and magic, Gateway has as well with confirmed hosts being local magician Mo Magic and Durban born beauty, Shashi Naidoo! Naidoo is no stranger to Gateway as she participated in last years Celeb Chef Showdown which was hosted at Gateway. 

Apart from the Fashion, the big draw card is definitely the after party, with some of the biggest names in SA music invited to perform. This year see's the likes of Nasty C, Aewon Wolf, Kyle Deutsch, DJ Ready D, Tresor, Timo ODV, Ryki and Sketchy Bongo. Tickets for the concert are available now at webtickets for R80 or R100 at the venue. Make sure you get yours now before they sell out. It's sure to be the party to be at before the Vodacom Durban July. 

Whisky Live Celebration - Gateway with Three Ships Whisky

It's one of the events I look forward to the most on the calendar, Whisky Live is back in KZN and has a new home, the Wavehouse at Gateway Theatre of Shopping. The event runs from the 1st of  June till the 3rd and see's a host of distilleries showcasing their finest single malts and blends, one of which will be Three Ships Whisky, whom will have something special on their stand for visitors to savor. 

When Three Ships launched its 15-Year Old Pinotage Cask Finish whisky end last year, consumers from around the world desperately tried to add this world's first whisky to their collection. Only a few bottles remain and those visiting the Whisky Live Celebrations at the Wavehouse in Gateway, Durban during the Whisky Live even will have the final chance to taste this extraordinary whisky. 

The whisky is the oldest released to date from the Three Ships and is the first in the world to have been finished in a cask previously used to mature uniquely South African wine cultivar, Pinotage. The grain and malt components of the whisky were first matured separately in American casks before being finished for different periods in eight casks previously used for Pinotage. The win casks imparted the typical Pinotage varietal character of the red berry fruit and a slight earthiness to the whisky which softens the malt component and complements the sweetness of the grain. 

At the Whisky Live Celebrations you can meet master distiller Andy Watts and join him in a tasting of the range of Three Ships Whisky, including the recently released Three Ships 10-Year Old Single Malt with a 2005 vintage statement. 

Tickets are available at www.ticketpros.co.za starting from R180 each and include a tasting glass, 16 tasting vouchers and a bottle of Consol Still Water. The events start at 18:00 until 22:00 and with than 100 whiskies to taste its an absolute treat for any whisky-lover. For more information, visit www.whiskylive.co.za, email info@whiskylive.co,za or Follow the accounts on twitter @whiskyliveSA @ThreeShipsWhisky @TheWhiskyMaker

Corona Sunsets - Sessions

It's all going down on the 1st of April at Muldersdrift where Johannesburg is set to host the first installment of the Corona Sunsets Festivals of 2017 in South Africa. Since the Corona SunSets Festivals are all about loving and sharing, Corona will be bringing Robin Schulz down to Cape Town the day after the Festival in Johannesburg for a one-day only beach party that will end the summer off in the beautiful groovy way it began, with a Corona beach party. It's all going down at the Grand Beach Cafe in Granger bay on the 2nd of April with a stellar line up that could rival any festival. Joining international act Robin Schulz on stage is a number of top locat acts, consisting off, Timo ODV, Shaun Duvet, Dean Fuel, Richard Marshall and Ivan Turanjanin. 

Tickets are limited and are selling at R450 from the website, (booking fee not included)

For tabe bookings, contact: celebrate@grandafrica.com. 

Share your experience with #CoronaSunSetsZA and #ThisIsLiving on social media. 

Mo Magic: Moments of Wonder

Durban's very own Magician extraordinaire is back to mesmerize and mystify local audiences and leave them spell bound in a new show featuring brand new acts. Fresh from his recent trip to Las Vegas and Hollywood, Mo Magic ready to take audiences through his world class magic, mystifying mentalism, incredible illusions and family friendly comedy in a 90 minute interactive performance themed "Moments of Wonder", all taking place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from the 9th to the 12th of March. Themed around the concept of wonder, he points out that we as human experience "wonder" on a daily basis in different forms, e.g. whilst watching movies, listening to music, spending time with loved ones and whilst watching the sun rise or set. he takes a number of these scenarios and creates magic with them, putting his own spin on them, and shares these moments of wonder with the audience. The magician does not want to give too much away and would rather the audience experience the magic for themselves in his latest theatre production. 

"Moments of Wonder" will run from the 9-12 March 2017 at the Elizabeth Sneddon theatre (UKZN campus), the moves to the Hexagon theatre in Pietermaritzburg (UKZN) from the 30 March - 1 April. Mo's previous theatre productions ("Amazing You!" in 2012 and "Mo Magic" in 2016) were sell out successes and ticket s for this run of "Moments of Wonder" are limited. Book your tickets early and be part of the magic. Tickets start from R100 and are available at Computicket, Shoprite & Checkers. 

Those details again:

Performance Dates and Times: Thursday 9 March, Friday 10 March, Saturday 11 March: 8pm
                                                   Sunday 12 March: 3pm

Running Time: 1h30min
Tickets at Computicket:            R100, R120 & R140
No under 6's
No admittance after start of performance.

Ultra SA 2017 Weekend! - All you need to know!

It's today! Yup after a year of waiting Ultra South Africa is back for its fourth consecutive year and kicking things off in style at the Cape Town Stadium in Greenpoint today. There's not much more that needs to be said that hasn't already been said in the build up to this monumental event in the electronic dance music scene, with international headliners, the best local artists on offer as well as world class lighting and pyrotechnics that will blow your mind over the next two days. Just to keep you in the know we're providing you with some vital information that you will need to know should you be attending either today in Cape Town or in Johannesburg tomorrow. 

Getting to the venue, Ultra South Africa have teamed up with the world's leading taxi service Uber to bring you a hassle free service travelling to and from the venues. New to Uber? Simply visit your app store and download the app to your mobile device, register using the code ULTRASA2017 and receive R100 off your first ride! There will be designated "Uber Zones" at each venue so make sure you are there when requesting one to ensure you get a car fast and efficiently. 

Don't want to taxi there but rather take your own car? Not a problem, Ultra SA have also got a Park and Ride system, simply visit the website to purchase your tickets, for your relevant venue. parkandridesa.nutickets.co.za

Just like last year, Ultra SA will be completely cashless and festival goers will be required to register online with Howler, load your account with money, collect your wristband at the event and just enjoy seamless transactions throughout the day. Recharge stations will be available at the venues should you run out of funds and if there is still money leftover, you can cash them out, you can do that as well. 

Festival maps are always handy when navigating the various stages and stalls, we have both the maps for Cape Town and Johannesburg for you. Study them well or save them to your device for easy use and reference. Take note of all key points such as toilets and food outlets. 

And lastly, we all want to have fun but please so responsibly and adhere to the festival rules. We don't want anyone's evening ruined by incidents that are untoward. For a list of do's and don'ts please see below. Have yourself an awesome Ultra weekend and make it one to remember!

Ultra SA - Final Line Up!

It's less that 16 days till SA's largest electronic dance festival kicks off at the Cape Town stadium and the masses cannot wait! In it's 4th year now, organizers say this years event is going to be bigger and better than previous ones and with Cape Town getting a new iconic venue, it will make it more memorable. Ultra SA lands in Cape Town on the 24th of February at the Cape Town Stadium, there after making it's way to the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on the 25th of February. 

The final line up was released yesterday along with the stage set lists so those who are going can see exactly who is playing and where. The perfect way to keep track of your favourite artist schedule and not miss a thing. Just a reminder of those international headliners, Dash Berlin, David Guetta, KSHMR, Martin Garrix, DJ Snake with support acts consisting of Black Coffee, Felix Jaehn, Head Hunterz and Nic Fanciulli. 

Making up the rest of the support acts are some quality local artists, consisting off , Crazy White Boy, DJ Dimplez, Dea Fuel, Euphonik, DJ Fresh, Household Funk, Kryoman, Kyle Watson, Lady Lea, Mark Stant, Pascal and Pearch, PH, Strange Loving, Timo ODV, Twins on Decks, Royal K, Chrizz Beatz, Deep Aztex, D'Ritmo, DJ Eugenics, Ivan Tiranjanin, and many many more. 

Cape Town will see a total of 3 stages, Ultra Main Stage, Resistance Stand and Bridges for Music, whilst Johannesburg will have a total of 4 stages, Ultra Main Stage, Resistance Stage, Until Until, and the Samsung Galaxy Experience Stage. Whether you've been to previous Ultra events, or if this is your first one, it's bound to be a great experience. The lighting, stage and pyrotechnics are second to none. 

For those that haven't yet purchased your tickets as yet, make sure you get them as soon as possible seeing that Tier 1 tickets have just sold out and Tier 2 tickets have been selling fast. So visit www.ultrasouthafrica.com now to secure your tickets now!

Details for Tier 2 ticketing can be found below.

JHB Tier 2 General Access: R900* Tier 2 VIP: R1700*

CPT Tier 2 General Access: R900* Tier 2 VIP: R1500*

*Booking fees apply to all tickets.

Prices for tables and table bookings to be done via ultravvip@cococpt.co.za

The UMF SA2017 compilation disc has been released by Sony Music and is already #1 on the iTunes Dance Music Charts! Download or stream the #1 iTunes Dance Album: https://lnk.to/UltraSA2017

For more information, follow Ultra on their various social media streams

Facebook: Ultra South Africa
Twitter: @UltraSA
Instagram: ultrasa

Corona Sunsets Festival - Joburg

Following the HUGE success that was Corona Sunsets Festival in Cape Town at the end of last year, the organizers decided to take the festival up country to Johannesburg. The sounds of Deep House will be hitting the Ground at Muldersdrift on the 1st of April and no that is no April's Fool joke. Attendees can look forward to a host of artists including three international headliners! Confirmed for the Joburg leg are, Robin Schulz, Gorgon City and Lovebirds, who will be performing on two live stages. 

The Griffin Stage features the likes of Kid Fonque, Jullian Gomes, Jazzuelle, Lulo Cafe, Chris de Vos, Da Capo, Phat Jack, Ricky H and Tomorrows Will with Lovebirds headling. 

At the Crow Stage, you can catch The Milk Bar Kid, The Kiffness, Pop Art, Tresor, Kyle Deutsch, Aewon Wold, Sketchy Bongo, Strange Loving, Kentphonik, Timo ODV, Black Motion, Culoe de Song and Gorgon City and Robin Schulz bringing the Festival to an end. 

Early Bird tickets are on sale and are selling fast! So better get yours now before the next phase of ticketing kicks in. If Cape Town was anything to go by, Joburg you definitely don't want to miss out on this one! 

For more information, please see details below

Facebook: Corona Sunsets - Joburg

But Tickets: Corona Sunsets JHB

Kings & Queens of Comedy - Bigger & Funnier than ever!

Durban, get ready to laugh your way into 2017 with some of the best comedians in the country! This February see's the Kings and Queens of comedy franchise return to the East Coast, and it is guaranteed to be a show of hysterical proportions, with a bigger and funnier stellar line up than before. It will be the show to kick off the world tour of the Kings and Queens of Comedy and it all goes down on the 11th of February 2017 and the Durban ICC. 

Taking to the stage with their comical armour and witty swords are Marc Lottering, Tumi Morake, Loyiso Gola, Celeste Ntuli, Leeanda Reddy, Krijay Govender, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Joey Rasdien, Tol AssMo, Khanyisa Bunu and Rory Petzer. Leading the evenings proceedings is Durban's favourite comedian, Darren Maule with a special guest appearance by Morgan Beatbox. 

Kings and Queens of Comedy began in 2012 in Johannesburg and has since grown to be one of the leading comedy brands in South Africa, promoting and showcasing local talent from around the country. Don't miss out on all the laughter by getting your tickets today to the funniest show in town. Tickets range from R185 and are now available through Computicket online and leading outlets. 

The show details again:

Date: Saturday, 11th February 2017

Time: 20h00 (Doors open at 19h00)

Venue; Durban ICC, 45 Bram Fischer Road, Durban. 

Tickets: www,computicket.com