This article first appeared in THE WEEKENDER

11th April 2009

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Things haven’t always been rosy in the relationship between Oasis and Coke (the cola, that is – although the same could be said, no doubt, of their relationship with the white powdery stuff).

The British supergroup, driven by the love-hate relationship and creative genius of Gallagher brothers Noel and Liam, has leapt from fame to infamy across the global music scene since it first topped the charts in 1995. But even before their second album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? established them as bad-boy Britpop icons, the brothers had achieved a certain notoriety in the beverage industry.

In 1994, Oasis was sued by Coca Cola and the former members of the group The New Seekers because its single, “Shakermaker”, borrowed a melody from the song “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”, which first aired as a Coke advertising jingle in the 1970s and was subsequently a billboard hit. The band had to cough up $500,000 in damages, after which Noel Gallagher quipped: “We all drink Pepsi now.”

All’s well that ends well, however, and there can be no greater sign of reconciliation than the fact that Oasis are headlining the Coca Cola Zero Fest 2009.

Known in its previous incarnations as the Coca Cola Massive Mix and My Coke Fest, the music festival straddles this year’s Easter weekend public holidays. Riversands Farm hosted the Johannesburg event on Good Friday and on Monday it will be the turn of Lourensford Wine Estate to survive the onslaught of ten rock bands and thousands of fans.

The logistical figures are impressive: 240 tons of steel, 750 lights, 3000 staff and an anticipated crowd of 60 000 (not to mention the distribution of 25 000 cans of the sponsor’s bubbly black liquid). But this is all supplementary to the twelve hours of music that are the main focus of the festival.

There are five local bands and five international bands in the offing. First up is alternative Afrikaans rock outfit Foto Na Dans, followed by the ever-funky foursome of Cassette, who have just released a new album (Who Do You Trust?) and are an outstanding live act.

Zebra and Giraffe – the brainchild of one-man impresario Greg Carlin, which has since grown into a full band – is up next, and then it’s the highly acclaimed Dirty Skirts. Aking (an increasingly popular spin-off from Fokofpolisiekar) completes the SA line-up.

American rockers The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus were due to kick off the second half of the festival, but they have pulled out; likewise, compatriots Panic at the Disco, who had been expected to provide their usual eclectic mixture of fun and frenzy onstage, are not performing.

Nevertheless, Welsh “metalcore” band Bullet for my Valentine take to the stage before Irish/Scottish rock phenomenon Snow Patrol, who wowed listeners worldwide with their 2006 album Eyes Open. Indeed, for many of those attending the festival, these two groups will be a bigger attraction than fellow-Brits Oasis.

* Tickets are still available at Computicket. Gates open at 9:00.