By Marley
“You don’t need no friends / Get back your faith again / You have the power to believe.”
I have to start this post like this.
American alternative rock band, the band that has shaped me along with the Goo Goo Dolls and Lenny Kravitz, is finally returning to our shores. I’m talking about +LIVE+.
I will never ever forget the mixtape my lifelong friend gave me. It had some music on it that I had never heard of and didn’t know yet. One of the bands on that tape was +LIVE+ and their famous song “Lightning Crashes”. Ah man, I was sold. It’s like a world opened to me and I was awake.
I quickly saved up my pocket money for their album “Throwing Copper”. And over the years, my collection grew and I even managed to track down a copy of “Four Songs”, their very first EP. My favourite album that I still blast out loud is “Distance to Here” (I have the tattoo to prove it).
Anyway, back to why you are reading this.
You want to know more about +LIVE+ and their tour of South Africa. They were here in the early 2000s, including that 2003 tour when Prime Circle opened for them — yes, THAT Prime Circle — and they came back again in 2006 and 2007. Ed Kowalczyk has even been here on a solo tour, bringing Throwing Copper to life in a more stripped-back, unplugged way.
So, when +LIVE+ announced they were returning to South Africa, it honestly felt like one of those “well, it’s about bloody time” moments. And judging by the response, South Africa seems more than ready for these guys all over again.
The band will, for the first time ever, perform at the iconic Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town, offering a chance to hear this incredible band under the stars against the backdrop of Table Mountain.
If you were hoping for some tickets, the original 8 December 2026 date is already sold out, but a second Cape Town date was added for 9 December 2026, and this is also sold out.
Then the band will be off for their Gauteng adventure, performing at the SunBet Arena at Time Square, Pretoria. The 11 December 2026 date sold out, and another date was added for 12 December 2026, which is now your chance to GRAB YOURS NOW.
+LIVE+ might be called “dad rock” by the youngsters, but us fans who grew up with the band’s music will say it’s rock.
It has taught us about love and how to love. How to live. How to believe when all else fails. It made it okay to swear a little to express your feelings.
Their song “Dance with You” has been many weddings’ first-dance song. “Lightning Crashes” has been the song behind many pregnancy announcements.
Very dear friends of mine got engaged at the last +LIVE+ show that happened in 2017, during the performance of “Lightning Crashes”. In the sea of a crowd, Ian got down on one knee and Bianca said yes.
Sorry, I go off track here.
It’s +LIVE+ man, you tell stories around the music.
All in all, +LIVE+ is a brilliant band to watch and well worth the hard-earned rands and cents.
You know their songs like “The Dolphin’s Cry”, “Shit Towne”, “Lakini’s Juice”, “All Over You”, “Run to the Water”, “Ghost” and one of my other personal favourites, “Voodoo Lady”, “Run Away” and “Forever May Not Be Long Enough”.
Thank you, AMP Events, for once again bringing +LIVE+ to our shores.
For still believing in rock music.
