Legendary eVOID Performs In Cape Town & Joburg This week!

‘Taximan’, ‘Shadows’ hitmakers kick off SA Tour for a nostalgia throwback - JOBURG SHOW SOLD OUT!

SummerRaine May 8, 2023

2 minutes read

Direct from London – the legendary eVOID are back for a whistlestop jive tour of their homeland South Africa, performing at Cape Town’s ColorBox Studios on Thursday 11 May and Johannesburg’s Copper Bar on Saturday 13 May 2023.

When was the last time you experienced an eVOID gig? Or heard “Shadows“, “Taximan“, “I am a Fadget” and more of their past hits live?

Brothers Lucien and Erik Windrich, still looking young and fresh as ever, are joined by veteran musicians Peter Cohen (Bright Blue; Freshlyground) on drums and Josh Hawks (Freshlyground) on bass – the band will be playing all of the hits and much more – get ready to junk jive in the aisles because eVOID are back!

Void [without the “e”] was formed in 1977 on the East Rand of South Africa. They won the local Battle of the Bands in 1978 and were offered their first professional gig in Zimbabwe a year later. The group consisted of Lucien Windrich (guitar and vocals), Erik Windrich (keyboards and lead vocals), Danny de Wet (drums) and Terry Andalis (bass). During an eight-month stint there the band recorded a cover version of the Knack’s current hit “My Sharona”. The B-side “Magicia” took off and reached number 4 on the SA charts.

Returning to South Africa, eVOID began to build up a strong following on the club circuit in the Eastern Cape. In 1982, older brother-manager Karl Windrich persuaded the trio (Lucien, Erik and George Voros) to relocate to Johannesburg. eVOID now upped their image with painted faces, tribal dances and South African jive rhythms. But it was in 1983 with new drummer Wayne Harker that eVOID began to produce their most memorable and exhilarating live shows at the Chelsea Hotel in Hillbrow, when Benjy Mudie signed them to WEA Records, and when eVOID went on to complete a groundbreaking and highly successful Varsity tour in 1984.

The first single “Shadows” peaked at number 3 on the national charts and remains a staple of South African rock and pop oriented radio stations. In Feb 1984 they released the catchy “Taximan” which got to number 6 on the charts. Later that year, the self-deprecating “I am a Fadget” became the band’s third single, consolidating their white African punk inspired sound and striking New Romantic ‘boy band’ image. By September 1984 the first album was riding high at the top of the charts, followed by the release of a 12 inch maxi single, “Kwela Walk” that received rave reviews.

On Saturday 12 January 1985, eVOID performed before an estimated 100,000 people at the Concert in the Park in support of ‘Operation Hunger’ along with many other top South African bands. A month later, the brothers Karl, Lucien and Erik left South Africa for London where they performed as a four piece with Ilne Hofmeyer on bass and Richard Devey on drums. A second album “Here comes the Rot” was released in 1986 from which WEA released the single “Dance the Instinct”. In 1993, the group recorded a third album called “eVOID – Over the Years”, available only on cassette for limited distribution.