S1 Ep4: Mark Darling & Travis Gradwell

Today, we sit down at the lovely Fools Gold and chat with Chef KD. He has made waves in Stellenbosch with residencies at Fools Gold and The Meeting Place. His ability to blend genres seamlessly and control the energy of a crowd is of the highest standard and you do not want to miss the chance to see him live.

In this episode, we talk to Mark Darling, the owner of Courtyard Cafe, and Travis Gradwell who co-organizes Sunday School Sessions. These two discuss their approach as well as what the Stellenbosch scene is looking like and where the potential for growth is.

Ardent have been solidifying their presence in the Western Cape techno scene for the last 2 years and have become symbol for their high energy sound and stage presence. The duo of Mikey Steyn and Karl Huizinga have recently made the jump to Cape Town after signing for With You Bookings and are a pair to definitely keep your eye on in the future. 

Roy and Ryke's professional relationship started by working bars for events, before landing up at Courtyard Cafe where they both work today. Rykie has just recently launched the Courtyard Academy, where they will be teaching people how to bartend and giving them a chance to get involved in the events scene. Roy has organized many successful events from Sunday School to Solar, and today we get a closer look at their history and how they work. 

James’s passion for music began at a young age when he began learning multiple instruments. This journey led him to start DJing in 2017, performing at clubs based in the mother city of Johannesburg. He is now based in Stellenbosch, and is a resident of Sunday School Sessions.