17 August 2009
Oppikoppi celebrated its 15th anniversary at this year’s festival titled Smoorverlief (‘Madly in Love’), held in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, near the mining town of Northam from the 7 – 9 August 2009. Theo Papenfus from Stage Effects has personally worked on the festival for the past thirteen years, his company handling all the technical requirements for past six years. This year Avolites controlled three of the four stages, and Robe also came to the party.
Anyone can confirm that festivals are hard work. “The equipment takes a lot of abuse and you have to accept that,” commented Duncan Riley from DWR Distribution, who visited Theo and his team at Oppikoppi. “These are the shows these lights do. It’s also not many people who can cope with this type of work. It takes a certain individual to do it.”
As robust as his gear, meet Theo Papenfus. “Everybody does corporate gigs so I am left with the festivals,” he laughs. “But really, it’s not so bad. At the end of the day you are providing food on the table and for me it’s about making something happen in the middle of nowhere.” What initiated as a rock music festival drawing in a small crowd in 1994, this year saw over 12 500 people flock to the farm to camp out in the bush and to enjoy a genre of music by mostly South African bands. Theo admits that besides the dust, sun and cold, the music keeps him going.
Oppikoppi is a colloquial abbreviation of the Afrikaans phrase “op die koppie”, which literally means “on the hill”. The camping area is at the foot of a hill, on top of which is a bar and the Sipho Gumede stage. The other three stages comprise of the James Phillip Main Stage, the Main Stage and Levi’s Bushveld Stage.
“I started Oppikoppi as a punter when I was studying Entertainment Technology. I then started working for a company who did the festival, and I did six of them, working as a technician. The following year I started supplying the whole festival as the other company pulled out of it. At first it was really tough as I only had four movers and a couple of par64s, but it’s now my thirteenth anniversary.”
While the Sound Corporation supplied the EAW 850 range PA for the main stage and sound for an additional stage, Stage Effects provided lighting for all four stages. “You have to see the stages to believe them”, says Theo. “And if I could have put more gear onto them, I would have.”
With the Stage Effects truck leaving Pretoria for Oppikoppi on 3rd August, set up was held from the 4th – 6th August with the equipment utilized as follows:
James Phillip Main Stage
4 Robe 700E AT
12 Robe 575 AT profile
12 Martin Mac600
6 Martin Atomic Strobe
2 JEM 24/7 haze
2 par64 bars
6 4 cell DWE 650W crowd warmer
1 Avolites Pearl2008
3 par64 ACL bars 2×4
3 Zero88 Rack6
1 Euro Truss Ground Support System
Most Amazing Main Stage
8 Martin Mac250 Entour
4 Martin Mac250 Wash
1 Avolites Pearl Tiger
8 ETC Source4 Par
2 Zero88 Beta Pack2
1 JEM ZR12
Levi’s Bushveld Stage
4 par64 bars
2 Zero88 Beta Pack 2
1 Strand Series100
1 JEM Magnum1800
Sipho Gumede Stage
8 Martin MX-10
8 LED par
1 Avolites Pearl Tiger
4 par64 bars
2 Martin Wizzard
1 JEM ZR33
“The equipment used was very reliable and put to the test in tough conditions over a couple of days,” Theo explains. The crew worked as hard and a special word of thanks extends to Daniel van Wyk, Ni-lou Breyetenbach, Margaretha Schoeman, Thapelo Baranye, Jarrod Nyce, Rico Erwee, Vincent Van Niekerk, Hein Stroh and Jimmy Kumbo.
“I would also like to thank DWR for the support they have given through the year on all the equipment purchased. I had problems before and they assisted in every way they could. Long live Rock and Roll!”
