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Written byJosh Raynham
Happy Birthday JBU!
From the beginning of conception just 2 years ago Just Between Us has grown to be one of the leading examples of what the underground music scene encompasses within the city of Cape Town.
The attention to curation has come from the minds of the organizers, stemming from a love of electronic music, and the scene in which it inhabits, these individuals have allowed this event to grow exponentially.
Now looking at their 2nd year anniversary we can reminisce on where Just Between Us has come from. From their humble beginning at the Electric, to now being housed in the infamous Factory, in Paarden Eiland, JBU has spread its name all over the Cape. Booking international in the form of Volpe and KVLR, and now bringing in Argentinian selector and producer, Zisko, JBU has moved toward showcasing some of the best up and comers, as well as veterans of the scene!
Having a chat with Gabriel Gad we spoke about how far JBU has come, their ups and downs, as well as their future and the future of the Cape Town music scene.
J: So where did this all start?
G: JBU started in April 2022 and it was quite different to what it is now. Everyone has to start somewhere. After one intro event and a couple of club nights, we quickly realised we didn’t want to be a club night forever. The curation of these nights was always extremely important to us so we began to look for venues that would allow for this. After jumping around a little bit we landed at Cape of Storms in Salt River, a tiny little sweat box with around 180 pax. I think this room was crucial for the evolution of JBU and still to this day some of my favourite memories are in that little room. The space really allowed us to push what we wanted without having to worry about selling hundreds of tickets. We knew that if we could fill a room of 180-200 people and give them the best possible experience every time, the jump to go bigger would happen naturally.
Now being able to call The Factory our home is really special. In terms of finding something really raw and underground, I don’t think there’s anything better in Cape Town. Working with the team at The Factory is an absolute pleasure and something that we are excited about every time we set foot in the venue. To have the freedom to curate a dance floor-minded space is an absolute dream and massive props must go to Angelo and Kayla for continuously upping the standard and making The Factory a truly desired location for artists and dancers.
J: How has JBU grown in the past two years?
G: To be honest, we always knew deep down that we would be able to get to the scale the event is now but we had no idea it would happen this quickly. We were really patient and cautious about how we navigated through the scene as newcomers. We have always been massive fans (nerds) of the Cape Town underground scene and it was extremely important to us that we went about our business as respectfully as possible, purely because there are certain people in the scene that paved the way for the younger generation and we are extremely grateful that through their hard work and conscientiousness, we are able to continue on this movement that we all love.
A special mention must go to the Small Town Beat crew (Luke Hunter, James De Beer and Brenden Rogers) as well as the Xylem boys ( Dan Singer and Craig Van Dijk), people we have long admired in Cape Town. Thank you for always being someone we can lean on and learn from. It’s been a privilege to have you guys in our corner.
We are really happy where we are right now but we are always looking forward. We are very focused on each show being better than the last and I think we have done a great job up to this point.
J: What was your best JBU?
G: Haha, this one is a little tricky to answer. There have been so many incredible moments over the last 2 years it’s hard to pick one. COS at the beginning of last year was really special. There was something different in the air that night. All the artists played out of their skin and it was still one of the most vocal crowds I’ve witnessed in Cape Town. Watching everyone on the floor lose their minds for 6 hours was something we will never forget!
Special mention must also go to our last show of 2023 Ft. KVLR. Being able to have him down was really special and to cap the year off with a full Factory night was incredible and gave us a lot of motivation heading into 2024. Those were definitely two stand-out nights from the last two years of JBU.
J: How has it been bringing these internationals down?
G: This has been a very controversial topic in Cape Town. Personally, I think having the opportunity to bring down artists who have inspired you over the years is a blessing. Cape Town has never seen as many talented international artists as it has in the last few years and I think this is only a positive for the SA scene as a whole. If these artists are improving our shows, inspiring the crowd and local artists and really buying into the culture, it’s huge for our scene. Seeing artists like Alarico becoming a resident for MUUD and falling in love with Joburg and the same for Ogazon with Small Town Beat, really shows us that there is something special happening in South Africa. We may not be able to see it as we have grown up here, but the value international artists have brought to our little scene truly is making South Africa one of the most desired places in the world to play – and that can only push us forward.
Being able to host Volpe, KVLR and now Zisko is a dream come true. Not only for their musical ability but also for being able to connect as people. We may be from completely different parts of the world but being able to build relationships with like-minded people really reminds us why we did this in the first place and why this industry fully has our hearts.
We have lots more incredible artists planned and we can’t wait to keep putting SA on the map!
The selectors entering into this anniversary rave are one’s beloved to those who recognise the energy and commitment these artists put into their craft. Invested in creating the perfect sound, from the high energy rhythms of techno, to the fast, dubby sounds of hardgroove, there is something which grounds everyone within the space.
Looking at who is gracing the Factory floor on the 12th, we see the likes of JBU resident Gad, veteran selector JED, international Zisko (Arg), and a special b2b with MUUD residents Terminus and Aeska!
Gad
JBU resident Gad is a 22 year old DJ and producer from Cape Town with around a decade of experience. Through his residency he has constantly challenged himself to explore and expand his range of sounds. Each time one watches this man play it seems his extension within the music takes you on a journey.
Gad has translated his deep and dubby identity into faster, higher energy music. Citing influences from house, techno, hardgroove, garage and more, both old school and new school.
This approach has allowed him the opportunity to perform at some of the city’s most illustrious events such as Xylem, Champagne, Future Frequency Festival and more.
Gad aims to keeps his audiences on their toes, constantly intrigued by what is coming next.
Terminus
Terminus – the alias of Anthony Tanzer – is a thriving producer , DJ and promoter in Johannesburg who has built a budding community and space with his music and crew – MUUD MOVEMENT.
Throughout his career, Terminus has cultivated a remarkable array of works, expanding beyond local boundaries to gain international recognition. Recent releases on labels such as Secession, SYXT, and Different Sound underscore his versatility and talent. His music enjoys support from influential figures like Ben Klock, Richie Hawtin, Alarico, and Setoac Mass, captivating audiences in both local venues and renowned international spaces like Berghain, Awakenings, and Time Warp.
Playing back-to-back with Aeska is something we love to see, and so as the MUUD MOVEMENT move to take over a portion of the night there is excitement in the air.
JED
As a 12-year veteran of Cape Town’s underground scene, JED radiates boundless energy as a DJ, producer, and curator. When not directing his label City Bowl Wax or acclaimed monthly dance adventures Vault and Champagne Cape Town, he’s busy curating the dance floor at Modular!
JED’s signature sound interweaves diverse influences with technical prowess, from house and techno to jungle and experimental bass. He expertly reads the dance floor, curating an experience that shines in any space. As a producer, he utilises both digital and analog tools to craft his unique style that beams straight for your soul.
His tracks have earned support from renowned DJs and found their way to legendary clubs like Berghain and Tresor. Now JED is ready to illuminate the dance floor at JUB’s 2nd anniversary on the 12th of April.
Aeska
Aeska, also known as Aleksandra Antonijevic, is a DJ and a producer based in JHB, South Africa.
As a resident of MUUD MOVEMENT, Aeska’s sound is mainly centred on a foundation of high octane, groovy and boisterous rhythms, sultry sonic oscillations and playful percs including bits of hypno groove channeled straight from her Eastern European roots.
She has consistently demonstrated unwavering dedication and diligence in her style of production, always striving to explore new sonic landscapes. She is constantly trying to challenge herself to push beyond her comfort zone, experimenting with various textures and soundscapes.
Aeska delivers a high-energy performance, characterized by robust concrete textures layered atop a foundation of infectious groove.
Zisko
Zisko is an artist that we have long admired for his passion, energy and ruthlessness whenever he plays. Based in Buenos Aires, his musical journey began during his childhood by learning the drums, then he gradually moved towards electronic music until he made it his favourite medium of artistic expression. He has quickly stood out for his boundless creativity, his pronounced musical intuition and his ability to connect with his audience to make him travel in his musical universe for one night. Nowadays, as a DJ and producer recognized all over the world, he is one of the most popular artists of the new generation.
His ability to craft perfectly captivating tools for the club have earned him the respect in the scene quickly. His endless imagination, feeling, and audience-connecting abilities immediately made him figure it out. He is currently among the most well-liked performers of the younger generation. His music may be found on labels like Bipolar Disorder Rec, Secta and Mutual Rytm.
Welcoming him to Cape Town for the first time we are excited to see what is to come at the Factory on the 12th.
The growth that the JBU team has inspired has been amazing to witness. Not only garnering recognition internationally but also within the South African music scene. Finishing off speaking about the future of this event as well as the scene as a whole one is really able to see the commitment and passion that is held by those within this collective project.
J: What do you see for the future of the scene?
G: We were actually chatting about this with some friends the other day and we are really excited about the future in SA. One thing we spoke about is being really intentional with what we are trying to do and we are seeing a lot of this from the younger guys which is very motivating. I think SA has the ability to become one of the pillars of underground music internationally, but we need to work together to achieve this.
I think if we can learn to work together and not against each other we can build something really strong here. We are not competing. If you do well, we do well. There is a saying I really love “The more we celebrate, the more we celebrate”. If we can find a way to start collaborating on ideas, communicating about things that need our attention and celebrating each other more, we will find that we will celebrate the SA scene a whole lot more.
J: Where do you see JBU going?
G: This is a question we get asked a lot. The amount of people who ask about taking the brand overseas etc. is insane. This could not be more the opposite of our intentions. We started this as a way to push and give a platform for underground artists and the SA scene. The goal is to create something really special feeling here and not anywhere else. For now, we are fully focused on doing everything we can to make Cape Town and South Africa a destination that everyone wants to play. There has always been a conception that Europe is the gold standard and to be fair, from miles away, it can seem that way. We would love to encourage everyone to support local events, support local music and artists and one day realise that maybe what we have here is really special.
We can’t wait to see you all in The Factory this Friday. It will be a celebration for sure!
