The Great Pretenders at Grand West

The show pays tribute to the colour, diversity and tenacity of musicians from Cape Town's District Six. What they lacked in equipment they made up for in rich harmonies and powerful solos sung Acapella style. Streetlights became spotlights and cobbled streets the stage.

Barred from seeing live performances, these musicians tuned in to Springbok Radio Hit Parade and visited smoke-filled cinemas to watch images of Elvis, Jim Reeves, Nat King Cole, Connie Francis, Louis Armstrong and others.

Performing for 17 years

For many years producer Jayson King pretended to be Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tony Williams, lead singer for The Platters and Bill Kenny, lead singer for the Ink Spots and many more. He gathered like-minded musicians, all “pretending” and formed the group. Together, they have performed on stage and television for 17 years. During 1973, King founded the careers of South African icons like Richard Jon Smith, and Jonathan Butler.

The audience can expect to be entertained by a medley of international hits such as Elvis Presley's Blue Suede Shoes, Shirley Bassey's This Is My Life, the Manhattans Kiss And Say Goodbye, The Trammps Disco Inferno, Tina Turner's Proud Mary Medley, and ABBA's Abba Medley.

Noot vir Noot regulars

Fans of popular television programme Noot vir Noot will recognise the band as regulars and they are scheduled to reappear on the show this coming New Year's Day, 2010.

Jayson King is responsible for music repertoire, research and compilation for the show. He and fellow vocalists in the group, Jacques Hector Smith, Terry Smith, Ruth Marley, Rashaad Adams will be joined on stage by Sumaya Hendricks, Edwina Rhoda, Lecreshia Masemola, and Christine Visser.

The vocalists are supported by pianist Bernie Damons, keyboard player Dylan Roman, bass guitarist Dylan Roman, drummer Randall Cyster, and lead guitarist Micky Rorich.

The show starts at 8.30pm and tickets cost R67 from Computicket.