WONDERboom to mark three decades with Joburg fest WONDERFEST

The event, titled WONDERFEST, will take place on 25 April 2026 at Sognage in Johannesburg. It is expected to feature performances from multiple artists who have been linked to the band’s career across different periods of the South African alternative music scene.

Formed in Johannesburg in the 1990s, WONDERboom emerged from the city’s alternative underground and developed a reputation for blending rock with funk, punk and Afro-dance influences. Over the past three decades, the band has released nine studio albums and produced a catalogue of songs that includes early tracks such as Never Ever, Jafta Rebel and Something Wrong, as well as later fan favourites like Green Fever, Africa, Charlie and It’s Great to Be Alive.

The group has also become known for its live performances, with highlights including opening for Guns N’ Roses at Soccer City in 2018 and appearances on international stages such as the Global Battle of the Bands world finals in London, where they placed second, and the Silk Road Indie Music Festival in China, where they won gold.

WONDERboom has received five South African Music Award nominations and has performed at numerous festivals across the country. Their retrospective release WONDERboom 25 documented their career trajectory, while their recent album Hard Mode, co-produced with Matthew Fink, signalled a continued focus on new material.

Festival line-up

WONDERFEST will feature performances from Springbok Nude Girls, Sugardrive, Straatligkinders and Van Pletzen, alongside a mystery guest. Additional appearances are expected during WONDERboom’s set from collaborators including PLUM, Battery 9, The Graeme Watkins Project and ChianoSky.

The organisers have described the event as a celebration of South African alternative music across different eras, with the line-up bringing together artists from overlapping scenes and generations.

Band perspective

Frontman Cito said the band remained focused on performing live and creating new music after three decades together.

“Thirty years of WONDERboom and I’m done counting… we’re still here, still shaking our asses, still making songs that mean something to us… The live shows are still the drug - that moment when the room lights up and the crowd sings back. After all this time, it still feels hazardous in the best possible way,” he said.

Outlook

WONDERboom’s anniversary event is expected to draw fans from across different eras of their career, with the band positioning the show as a live retrospective as well as a continuation of their current creative direction.

Rather than a farewell or nostalgia-driven performance, the group has framed the milestone as part of an ongoing trajectory, with emphasis on live energy and new material alongside their established catalogue.

Contributors: Bakang Mokgautsi, Nkululeko Njapa, Muvhango Ndou, Hlomisa Nqayana and Sisi Nkabinde