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THE BIRTH OF AN ALIEN SAFARI
- Andrew Munnik
- Jul 29
- 3 min read
Let's talk Alien Safari!!
Since their inception thirty years ago, they have been on a wild
psychedelic journey, pushing boundaries and sparking transformations wherever they go. It was not an easy ride, and the early years were fraught with challenges, but that never even scuffed the spirit of connection.
Alien Safari Comes Home
Its roots trace back to 1995, when the founder, Colin, sought refuge in Europe from the Apartheid regime. It was in Amsterdam that he stumbled across the nascent electronic music scene. Those early experiences were the trigger, driving Colin to find a new purpose in music, working through himself as he learned to surrender to the sound. This became a catalyst for incredible change, one that he felt compelled to share.
When democracy finally dawned in South Africa, Colin returned, carrying this newfound passion with him. The electric post-Apartheid energy was like nothing felt before. It was a time when everything felt possible, and a new openness was taking hold.
There was a need for something more- something that could elevate experiences, and the spirit of psychedelic trance filled the void perfectly. Colin, driven by his own transformative experiences, recognised this, and Alien Safari was manifested.
After years of assisting from the sidelines, Liza committed herself fully to the journey in 2006, and they have taken Cape Town on a truly wild ride ever since.
Alien Safari Unites the Misfits
Alien Safari operated in the underground sphere for a solid decade. Back then, Cape Town's music scene was very fragmented, with everyone sticking to their own genres. These barriers and constraints were blown away by trance music, the heartbeat of Alien Safari. Suddenly, punks, metal heads, and all the freaks found common ground, forming a singular, thriving community.
Creating the industry from scratch, their early parties were raw, no-frill shows. Events licenses did not exist, social media did not exist, and the ‘toilet’ was the bush and the roll of toilet paper on the bar counter. Guerrilla events were set up on the day, with directions being released hours before the event.
What the early years lacked in polish, however, they made up for with an unshakeable passion and raw dance floor energy.
Facing immense resistance from farmers and local authorities, it was a long journey to normalise the industry and gain respect and trust. They played a pioneering role in shifting public perception of outdoor music events in South Africa.
Alien Safari: Shaping a Global Trance Legacy
Their core beliefs of unity, transformation, and genuine connection ripple through current outdoor events.
By striving for consistent professionalism and comfort in a setting where one can truly experience oneness with nature and with the dance floor– where people can freely express themselves with no judgement, Alien Safari has helped shape the industry into what it is today.
They were instrumental in solidifying Cape Town’s spot on the global trance circuit, in exposing our special craziness to the international community and fostering an awesome exchange of ideas. This is all thanks to the beautiful people who chose to awaken their minds on the road less taken.
Alien Safari, stubbornly and unwaveringly authentic, has always held the belief that electronic music should be a transformative rite of passage. In a world where festivals are being taken over by soulless corporates and sponsors, Alien Safari remains a true inspiration for people to look beyond the chains of The System and focus on what truly matters: love and connection.
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