boeremusiek · folk · Afrikaans
Radio Kalahari Orkes
“Honderd jaar agter die tye, maar steeds op die spoor.”
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Hometown
Johannesburg, South Africa
Formed
2005
Genre
boeremusiek
Upcoming
1 show
About
Radio Kalahari Orkes is the band fronted by Ian Roberts — yes, the actor — playing what they call revival music for a past that never quite existed: boeremusiek, Cape Malay ghoema, Cajun and gypsy tunes on tin guitar, concertina, banjo, mandolin, fiddle and harmonica. Their motto is “Honderd jaar agter die tye, maar steeds op die spoor” — a hundred years behind the times, but still on track. The records run from Stoomradio and Die Nagloper (2007) through Opgestook and Heuningland to a Grootste Treffers collection and, after a five-year gap, Mamba (2017). Roberts said that one took two or three weeks to record and about a year to get right afterwards. They have worked with Chris Chameleon, Valiant Swart and Jack Parow, and play Rian Malan songs when the mood is right. Asked whether he fancied more collaborations, Roberts answered that he would rather collaborate with lead roles in Shakespeare.
You asked, the internet answered
Frequently Googled
Is the Ian Roberts in Radio Kalahari Orkes the actor?
The same one. He fronts the band, writes for it, and treats it with the same straight face he brings to a film role — the songs are original, but built to sound like they were dug up from a farm dance in a decade that never happened.
What does Radio Kalahari Orkes actually sound like?
Acoustic and old — concertina, banjo, fiddle, tin guitar and harmonica, with boeremusiek and Cape Malay tunes crossed with Cajun and gypsy music. ‘Bobbejaanvlei’, off Mamba, is the shape of it: a farm-dance number that nods to the European and American styles boeremusiek borrowed from in the first place.
When are Radio Kalahari Orkes at Aardklop?
Wednesday 30 September 2026 on the Terreinverhoog, the outdoor main stage at the Potchefstroom festival grounds. Entry is on the day ticket (from R80 on the Wednesday) rather than a separate show ticket.
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