Big And Small, We Had It All At Jarr Bar
Written by Ruby Sage
Photography by Turquoise Garage
Having heard of the popular hangout spot tucked away in the Derdepoort neighborhood just off Zambezi Drive, Pretoria, that offers the best in the live music, Jarr Bar had caught my curiosity quite some time ago and for more than all the obvious reasons. And those reasons being everything starting with the letter ‘G’. Good company, good friends, good food, good thirst quencher supply, good service and, (naturally) a good line of good music, all making for great photos of a great time!
And Saturday night was all that…and more (if that’s even possible!) I must admit, it was the good line up that had me heading in the direction of this cornerstone of the music community. Featuring bands like Highway Apostles, Tavern Priest, The Black Cat Bones (yes, you heard…read correctly) and headlining, Acid Rock band, Lazarus Johnston, is what had me braving the long trek to Jarr Bar.
Now combine all this with the chilled outdoorsy vibe, mouth-watering food and a super rad spot for the kids to hang out; it’s a given that this venue is the perfect setting for a good time. What’s more is, here you can expect nothing less than a warm welcome from the nicest of nice people you’ll ever meet, owners, husband and wife ~THE~ Steven (private joke) and Marge.
Hitting the stage first was local Pretoria based band, Highway Apostles. Talk about starting with a bang! This hot and happening, four piece band of pure adrenaline had me ‘busting a move’ way before the tequila had the chance to be thought of , let alone kick in!
When another Pretoria based, hard rock band, namely, Tavern Priest took the stage, I swear I felt the temperature rise a good few degrees…probably in anticipation of their very hot –as always – set. Never mind raising the temperature, these guys raised the roof and caused multiple ear-gasms! (And I’m sure it wasn’t just me!!) True to form, they had the crowd eating from their hand with their crowd pleasing shenanigans!
Renowned for their captivating live performances that put them in a class of their own, and needing no introduction The Black Cat Bones, despite the tragic loss of founding member, front man, Kobus de Kock Jnr, took the stage, owning it (obviously) with someone who’s been part of the Bones family before they even had a name. Mr. Gareth ‘G-Willy’ Wilson!, bringing his own unique style and energy to the stage had the excitement levels spiking, as fans from near and far shared the greatest of great, in Rock ‘n Roll experience again!
Next up and headlining The Black Cat Bones, was none other than East Rand based, acid rock band, and my all time favorites, Lazarus Johnston who delivered possibly their best performance yet. In popular demand and only seven months old, this band started off as a small idea and has already taken the local music scene by storm, bringing something fresh and unique to our local music arena! Sharing the stage with music legends on Saturday, was a particularly momentous occasion for the band as The Black Cat Bones was the very band who inspired Lance Erskine (Lazarus Johnston) to get back into making music, which in turn led to the birth of Lazarus Johnston. These guys are the life of the party wherever they go, and this is how I experienced them the first time and every time I’ve seen them perform. And as they are on stage, so are they off stage.
Saturday night made for a noteworthy night of good company, good food and good music that made for great memories! Jarr Bar & Restaurant in Pretoria will be seeing a lot more of me and I would definitely recommend you pay them a visit too, if you haven’t already!
And that’s all folks, until next time…
