In 2023, the Intimate Evening Series, a collaboration between Liberty, Griza Enterprises and leading local promoter Showtime Management – designed to usher in each new year with a symphony of hope – brought the soulful Gregory Porter to South Africa. In 2024, R&B star Lalah Hathaway was the star attraction. And in January 2025, British hitmakers Soul II Soul are heading to Johannesburg to perform in a one night-only celebration of reggae, R&B and neo-soul at 5pm on 01 February 2025. The concert was originally to be held at the Kromdraai Impact Hub but will now be staged at the Montecasino Outdoor Events Area, creating a mini festival environment and taking fans back to the late Eighties and early Nineties and the sweet grooves and good moods that made the outfit’s name. Montecasino is now Liberty’s venue of choice to host their annual An Intimate Evening concert series. Tickets are currently on sale at showtime.co.za and webtickets.co.za at a cost of R895.

Soul II Soul is much more than a band. They started out as what was then known as a ‘sound system’ – DJs and audio engineers creating grooves and moods for parties in late-Eighties London. Then their profile went through the roof after they released the classic singles “Keep On Movin’” and the huge hit “Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)” – Number one in both the US and the UK – in 1989.

“Back To Life” was nominated for an American Music Award, a Brit Award and an Ivor Novello Award and won the 1990 Grammy Award for “Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal”. In their eclectic fusion of a handful of different music genres, Soul II Soul offers a unique composition of conscious sound and lyrically inspiring hip hop, all laced with a reggae groove.

DJ, producer and fashion entrepreneur Jazzie B is the only remaining member of the band’s first incarnation and was awarded an OBE for Service to Music in 2008. Soul II Soul’s slogan, “A happy face, a thumpin’ bass, for a lovin’ race” neatly ties up the collective’s ethos, and experiencing that joie de vivre in an intimate festival space is sure to be a precious memory for all who attend.

Make sure you don’t miss out on the Liberty “An Intimate Evening” concert on 01 February 2025. Tickets are on sale at showtime.co.za and webtickets.co.za.