What to do in Joburg right now — an essential gig guide

Barber Shop Chronicles, Market Theatre, Newtown

All men will be free this November to cheat on their barber and not regret it, as The Market Theatre ends the year with staging the renowned Barber Shop Chronicles for the first time on African soil. 

Brilliantly written by Nigerian-born British playwright Inua Ellams, the international hit play is directed by Sibusiso Mamba. It will run from 6 to 30 November 2025 at the John Kani Theatre. The play chronicles six barbershops across the cities of Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos, Accra as well as London. It’s an insightful exploration of masculinity, vulnerability and connection. 

Ellams explains: “The narrative unfolds over a single day, connecting the lives and stories of African men. These barbershops serve as sanctuaries where men gather not just for haircuts but for camaraderie, debate and solace, exploring themes of identity, fatherhood, history, relationships, culture, race and masculinity. It also offers a poignant and humorous exploration of the African diaspora experience.”

Dates: 6-30 November 2025

Tickets: R170-R275 on Webtickets

Address: 136 Lilian Ngoyi Street, Newtown

Not Your Uncle’s Jazz, Brixton

From Johannesburg’s sonic labs, a new frequency lands in Brixton at Breezeblock Cafe; this is Not Your Uncle’s Jazz – straat and solid, reclaimed for the now. Experience a piano meditation by Maxwell Baloyi, visual art by Slovo Mamphaga, and the collective narrative of J.O.D. 

The energy shifts as DJs Lunga Mkila, Snazzo, Flames Shilowa, Rob Tha Banka, Manjik Mak and Mamello Pule take the decks.

Date: 8 November 2025, 3pm

Tickets: R80 from Quicket, R100 at the door

Address: 29 Chiswick Street, Brixton

Mary Sibande x Mantsho, Sophie’s Closet⁣, Everard Read

Sophie at the Opera – Dressed in Mantsho at Everard Read Circa Gallery marks a landmark collaboration between visual artist Mary Sibande and fashion designer Palesa Mokubung, founder of Mantsho. 

At the centre stands Sibande’s enduring muse, Sophie, who has journeyed from the uniform of servitude into a vision of possibility.⁣ Once defined by the attire of domestic service, Sophie now appears in couture, embodying the triumph of reimagined narratives and the audacity of Black women’s dreams.⁣ 

Through this collaboration, Sophie becomes both muse and medium, a living canvas where sculpture, fashion and storytelling converge. Her reappearance inaugurates Sophie’s Social Calendar, a new chapter in her evolving story, where she continues to grace cultural spaces and moments of collective imagination with quiet power.

Dates: 6 November-12 December 2025

Tickets: Free general entry

Address: 6 Jellicoe Avenue, Rosebank

Strictly Soul, La Parada, Rosebank 

DJ Akio spends all his time criss-crossing the continent with his super-successful R&B party Strictly Soul. This Saturday he is back home where it all began. As always it will be the best in R&B from old school classics to new school bangers. If you love music by Beyoncé, Mary J Blige, Giveon, SZA and TLC, this event is for you. Sing along to tracks played by him and special guest DJs from 7pm at La Parada in Rosebank.

Date: 8 November 2025, 7pm

Tickets: R60-R200 from Quicket, R250 at the door

Address: La Parada, The Firs Shopping Centre, Cradock Avenue, Rosebank

Kunye, Huddle Park, Linksfield

Award-winning DJ Shimza’s massive two-stage event, Kunye, features the best in African dance music producers and DJs. 

This time round there are international guests too at Saturday’s Huddle Park party – Alex Wann, Awen and Manoo from France. They’ll be joined on decks by Shimza himself, Demzabeats, Jazzworx, Mentmusik, Mpho.wav, Tenoceans, The Darque Experience, DWSON and Baby Whitz. 

Date: 8 November 2025, noon-10pm

Tickets: R350-R700 from Howler

Address: Huddle Park, Club Street, Linksfield

Smoking Kills, Melville 

After being closed for a few months, everyone’s favourite dive bar, Smoking Kills, is open again every night in Melville.

Address: 78a Avenue, 4th Avenue, Melville

Ingoma Yase Soweto, Soweto Theatre

The Zulu ingoma event at Soweto Theatre’s Amphitheatre is a celebration of Zulu culture and music, featuring traditional Zulu music, dance and performance. 

“Ingoma” is a Zulu word that means “music” or “drumming”, but the event offers more than just music; it’s a showcase of Zulu heritage and traditions. Shaka iLembe heartthrob Thembinkosi Mthembu will be there for a meet-and-greet and, as if that wasn’t enough, the winner of this year’s Ingoma will walk away with a cow.

Date: 9 November 2025, 9am

Tickets: R100 from Webtickets

Address: Corner Bolani Link and Bolani Road, Jabulani, Soweto

Sneaker Sunday, Maracanà, Sandton

Sneaker Sunday, the ultimate fusion of style, culture and community, at Maracanà, is a laid-back day celebrating sneaker fashion, live music, good vibes and fresh kicks. 

You can connect with fellow sneaker-heads and enjoy a Sunday that features hip-hop, amapiano and more from Maglera Doe Boy, Robot Boii, Sizwe Alakine, K. Keed, DJ Doowap, Miano, Killa Punch, MCK and Nandi Ndathane.

Date: 9 November 2025, noon

Tickets: R100-R200 from Webtickets

Address: 58 Wierda Road, Wierda Valley, Sandton  

Vafa Naraghi: Becoming South African, Protea Fire & Ice Hotel, Pretoria Menlyn

Live comedy in Pretoria at the Protea Fire and Ice Hotel, Menlyn, Vafa Naraghi’s Becoming South African traces his journey from growing up as a Persian boy in Mahikeng at the tail end of apartheid, to becoming a multilingual performer who has lived and worked across South Africa.

Through sharp wit and heartfelt storytelling, Vafa unpacks the absurdities, contradictions and quiet beauty of a democracy still finding itself. With humour that disarms and connects, the show explores themes of identity, culture, belonging and national pride – inviting audiences to laugh, reflect and reimagine what it truly means to be South African.

Date: 9 November 2025, 8pm

Tickets: R160-R500 from Webtickets

Address: Protea Fire and Ice Hotel, 221 Garsfontein Road, De Beers, Menlyn, Pretoria

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Untitled Basement, Braamfontein 

It is only next week, but tickets are sure to sell out fast for Grammy-winning legends at such an intimate venue. Get ready for an unforgettable evening with South Africa’s legendary voices, Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Experience the timeless harmonies of Ladysmith Black Mambazo at Untitled Basement; it’s a night you don’t want to miss.

Date: 16 November 2025, 8pm

Tickets: R350 from Quicket, R400 at the door

Address: 7 Reserve Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg. DM