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KNYSNA NEWS - An incredible 45 years on from their last - and until last week only - performance in Knysna, legendary South African band The Bats returned for a brilliant show that had audience members laughing and singing along from start to finish.
The Bats were formed in 1964 by Eddie Eckstein, Paul Ditchfield, the late Jimmy Dunning and the late Barry Jarman.
They burst onto the SA music scene and became, to many Saffas, South Africa's answer to The Beatles. In 1980 the group split up to pursue solo careers, but not before they performed in Knysna.
On 22 December 1977, the Knysna Town Hall was the venue for two shows by The Bats, with tickets costing only R3.
Two decades after their split in 1980 Eddie, Paul and Pete, minus the late Barry who had decided to retire, were joined by Derek Gordon and got back on the road for what they thought would be a short comeback.
Little did they know that 22 years later they'd still be going strong - stronger than ever, some would argue.
The success of two new digitally remastered CDs, Thru the Years and Bats Go Bos, led to their 2022 tour, titled That Old Bat Magic. This tour is what brought them back to Knysna's shores courtesy of Better Live with a show at Blend Country Restaurant on Saturday 24 September.
Led by Eddie Eckstein, who has carved out a legendary career in music and stand-up comedy, The Bats ensured that, from the first chord to the final farewell, the audience was thoroughly entertained.
All four members' wily and wicked sense of humour shone through their performance through utilisation of covers, rewritten parody songs, originals, and even a few breaks here and there for some quick one-liners and quips.
It was a brilliant show that proved that musicians, just like wine, can age well. Nearly 60 years after their founding, The Bats are still at the top of their game.
Paul Ditchfield was great on the keyboard and guitars.
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