Wax on Wednesdays is a new addition to Courtyard Café’s long list of attractions. Showcasing a four-hour long set of Jazz, Funk, Disco and House vinyls, the event aims to add to the visitor’s experience of having a relaxed beer with friends.
Only introduced this year, the event is still developing but organisers are planning for it to become a fixed feature on Wednesday nights.
Mark Darling, the owner of Courtyard Café which is situated on Blom Road in central Stellenbosch, explains that the restaurant “[doesn’t] change into a nightclub or anything. It’s for the restaurant but it’s just to have an extra dimension to it.”
Wax on Wednesdays attendees waiting at the crowded bar. PHOTO: Jana Greyling
Stellenbosch- and Cape Town-based DJ Tim Jankovich, who has played at De Lapa as resident DJ, and his friend Tadhg Dewar approached Darling with the idea of hosting an event centred around playing vinyls on Wednesday nights.
“[Courtyard Café] is still kind of a hidden gem here in Stellenbosch. That’s why we decided to set up here. It’s a really good way to bring the more mature students together,” explains Jankovich.
DJ Tim Jankovich sorting through his vinyls in preparation for Wax on Wednesdays. PHOTO: Jana Greyling
Wax on Wednesdays has taken place twice before at Courtyard Café and has proven to be a very popular event.
“It’s been a great success,” says Darling, “it is a really cool vibe. It’s hard to describe because it’s not something that you’ll generally hear. It’s really trendy, vibey music for people to sit down and bop their heads to.”
Jankovich agrees that “it’s been good so far. The first event was larger than expected and since then it’s just slowly getting bigger and bigger. People are talking about it.”
Guests enjoying the music and the refreshments offered at Courtyard Café. PHOTO: Jana Greyling
Jankovich and Dewar decided to focus on playing vinyls because “vinyl is a thing that is coming back into the world. People are remaking songs on vinyl, some artists only make vinyl records,” says Jankovich.
“We play a lot of old music. In the beginning [of the evening] we like to play some Jazz, Funk and Disco. Later on, when people are keen for a bit of a wiggle, we play some of the newer stuff but still on vinyl,” Jankovich says.
Courtyard Café is situated on Blom Road in central Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Jana Greyling
Ole Martin Sandland, a first time Wax on Wednesdays attendee, found the event very enjoyable.
“I really enjoy the vibe. I haven’t seen so many people here before. I really love the DJ’s playing; they play really good music. I’m here with a lot of friends and we can still have good conversations and drink really good beer.”
Nils Peiter, also a first-timer at Wax on Wednesdays, describes the event as a bit loud and too crowded for his liking but compliments the music and the beer.
Darling explains that “it’s going to be a continuous thing every Wednesday. As it’s developing, we’ll add markets [and other events] but it’s an administratively tough thing to do. We want to rather develop it slowly [instead of] just doing it all [at once].”
Wax on Wednesdays will take place every Wednesday at Courtyard Café in Stellenbosch. There will be specials available throughout the event: For example when you buy a plate of Nachos, you receive a free beer. Welcoming shots will be served and cocktail and beer jugs will be sold at R90 each.