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From hot to cold, from dry to wet, Joburg had it all on the last day of
a long year – and not even rain could stop the city from celebrating
into 2009.
Buckets of rain could not deter Joburg residents from partying into 2009 at the City’s annual New Year’s Eve concert at Mary Fitzgerald Square.
It's a party atmosphere in Mary Fitzgerald Square
Standing steadfast in front of the spectacular concert stage, about 3 000 revelers waited excitedly for 2009.
The annual concert, hosted by the City of Johannesburg and SABC 2, had all the makings of a great event: with the likes of Freshly Ground, Gang of Instrumentals, KB and Wonderboom set to entertain.
People started streaming into the venue from early on in the day.
The impressive stage drew admiring comments. It was a combined effort of three nationalities’ skill and expertise: a US-designed ground support system; a South African-designed dome which was suspended over the stage; and a German-designed roof. A massive screen made up of a 186 LED panels splashed the backstage in colourful displays.
The concert kicked off with Howza, Fikile Mlomo and MXO and by 9pm, Mary Fitzgerald was packed.
Everyone was there: girls with fake crystal earrings and tight jeans; teenage boys with batman t-shirts and floppy hats; a couple of left-over hippies; couples in matching outfits; families.
Between artists, DJ Zan D and DJ Zee kept the crowd in the right mood with their mixes.
Everyone was happily waiting for the likes of Wonderboom, Freshly Ground and KB to make their appearance. But as if nature was taking its cue from the band’s name, by the time Bleksem took to the stage, the clouds had gathered and the rain was belting down.
It was a Highveld rainstorm at its best – fortunately without the usual thunderous accompaniment from the heavens – but with an icy bite to make up for it.
With rain continuously splashing onto the stage, it was the elements which held sway from then onwards.
A brave master of ceremonies, a young woman dressed in a bright green mini-dress, gave nature a good go, though, bouncing around the stage and encouraging the crowds. Her braided blonde hair made a permanent halo around her head. “What is she on?” someone in the audience asked.
Many of the artists braved the rain to give “unplugged” impromptu performances as the clock ticked down the final minutes.
For the final countdown, all the artists gathered on the stage, Freshly Ground’s lead singer Zoe was by then dressed appropriately in what looked like a Polar jacket.
Acting executive mayor Nandi Mayathula-Khoza and Speaker Nkele Ntingane welcomed in 2009 along with the Newtown crowd.
From hot to cold; from dry to wet, Joburg had it all on the last day of a long year.
And then it was 2009 – “a time to shine” according to those on stage, and fireworks shot into the sky.
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