KALEO Debuts in South Africa on 4 and 6 February 2027

EXPATS & NOMADS · SOUTH AFRICA

KALEO South Africa 2027 brings the Icelandic rock band to Kirstenbosch in Cape Town on Thursday 4 February and Marks Park in Johannesburg on Saturday 6 February. Both shows are the group’s first in the country, with tickets on sale through Webtickets since 14 October.

The Icelandic rock band KALEO plays South Africa for the first time in February 2027, with one show in each of its two biggest cities. General admission starts at about US$61 in Cape Town and about US$54 in Johannesburg, before a booking fee of about US$2.

KALEO South Africa 2027: Two Shows, One Debut

KALEO announced the shows as the Way Down We Go Tour, presented by the promoter BreakOut Events. Time Out South Africa and The Citizen both say the tour marks ten years since the band’s breakthrough album A/B.

Tickets went on sale at 09:00 on Wednesday 14 October 2026 through Webtickets, according to the organiser’s page. Time Out South Africa and The Citizen ran the news the next day, on Thursday 15 October.

The band has never played in South Africa before, a point the organiser and both papers make. In a statement carried by Time Out, KALEO said it had wanted to come for a long time and that playing both cities would be special.

Cape Town: Kirstenbosch on Thursday 4 February

The Cape Town show is on Thursday 4 February 2027 at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, on Rhodes Drive in Newlands. The organiser lists an 18:00 start and an end at 22:00, and no support act has been named.

Webtickets lists gates at 18:00 and the same time in its event header, while its description text says the concert starts at 19:00. Treat 18:00 as the arrival time until the promoter clears up the difference.

Kirstenbosch sits on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, and the garden’s own concert pages call it a World Heritage Site. The Webtickets terms for this show allow outside food and drink, ask guests to take their rubbish home and ban smoking.

Johannesburg: Marks Park on Saturday 6 February

The Johannesburg show is on Saturday 6 February 2027 at Marks Park, 46 Orange Road in Emmarentia. Webtickets lists gates at 14:00, music at 15:00 and a finish at 21:00.

The organiser’s own page gives 14:00 as the start and 21:00 as the end, so the two listings differ by an hour at the opening. Support comes from Kongos and Ross Learmonth, with more acts still to be named, and BreakOut Events presents the day in association with Jacaranda FM.

The Webtickets page for Johannesburg lists its house rules in detail. It bans cooler boxes, glass, camp chairs, umbrellas, gazebos and tables, and outside food and drink are not allowed.

Professional audio, photo and video equipment is also barred, and pets are refused unless they are registered service dogs. Children aged five and under enter free, and anyone under 18 must come with a parent or guardian.

What the Tickets Cost in Rand and US Dollars

General admission starts at R995 (about US$61) in Cape Town and R895 (about US$54) in Johannesburg, before booking fees. Each ticket carries a R35 (about US$2) fee on Webtickets, which puts the cheapest Cape Town ticket near US$63 and the cheapest Johannesburg ticket near US$57.

These dollar figures use the rate of R16.43 to the dollar on Friday 16 October 2026. The rand moves daily, so the dollar cost on the day of purchase will differ slightly.

The organiser also sells limited add-on packages that it says exclude general admission. A Cape Town Fan Package costs R1,295 (about US$79), and a Johannesburg Exclusive Pre-Show Experience costs R1,495 (about US$91).

The Cape Town package adds a gift item, a limited poster, a signed and numbered set list, a tote bag, a laminate and lanyard, and a merchandise reservation. The Johannesburg option adds a two-song acoustic pre-show performance with the full band, plus similar merchandise extras.

Only Webtickets and Howler are named as official sellers, and BreakOut Events says it does not sell through resale platforms such as Viagogo. The organiser warns that tickets bought on such platforms may not be honoured at the event.

Who Is KALEO and Why the Tour Matters

KALEO formed in 2012 in Mosfellsbær, a town just outside Reykjavík, and is fronted by Jökull Júlíusson, known as JJ. The band has released four studio albums, the latest being Mixed Emotions in 2025, according to Time Out South Africa.

Guide to Iceland says A/B came out on 10 June 2016 and peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200. Time Out adds that a deluxe edition followed in June 2026 for the anniversary.

Billboard reported that “Way Down We Go” reached number one on its Alternative Songs airplay chart dated 20 August 2016, and the Recording Industry Association of America lists the single as 2x Platinum, certified on 12 December 2019. The Recording Academy lists one Grammy nomination for the band, for “No Good” in the Best Rock Performance category at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2018.

Time Out South Africa lists festival appearances at Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo. The Citizen describes the live show as a mix of hard-hitting rock, acoustic arrangements and ballads.

Kongos: The Johannesburg Link on the Bill

Kongos, one of the two named Johannesburg support acts, is a band of four brothers born in London and raised in Johannesburg, where they attended Saheti School. They later moved to Phoenix and then Austin, according to BusinessTech.

The group’s best-known single, “Come with Me Now”, went double platinum in the United States and Canada, BusinessTech writes. The House Of Pop reported on 7 October that Kongos are also on the line-up of the Up The Creek festival, which runs from 11 to 14 February 2027 in Swellendam.

Ross Learmonth is the other named Johannesburg support act, and more acts are still to be announced. No Cape Town support act has been named.

Getting There and What to Bring

Kirstenbosch’s own concert series asks guests to bring picnic blankets or low deckchairs that do not block the view of others. Its published rules for the 2025/26 season also allow guests to bring alcohol, though none is sold at the concerts.

That season’s rules say concerts go ahead in the rain with no refunds, and that the garden has no bins, so litter goes home with the guest. Smoking is banned across the whole garden.

Those rules come from the garden’s 2025/26 pages, and KALEO’s promoter is BreakOut Events rather than the garden’s own series. Check the Webtickets terms for your date before packing, because they may differ.

The garden’s series asks everyone to leave by 20:00, but KALEO’s listed end time is 22:00. That gap is another reason to confirm the finish time and the way home before the day.

For Marks Park, the Parklive Jozi festival held in the same park on 30 August advised ride-hailing for anyone planning to drink and offered secure on-site parking, according to Time Out Johannesburg. No parking or shuttle details have been published for the KALEO show.

Tips for US Visitors

US citizens do not need a visa for stays under 90 days, according to the South African Department of Home Affairs list of visa-exempt countries issued on 9 December 2025. That list is marked as subject to change without notice, so check it again before you fly.

The US State Department’s country page, last updated on 11 August 2025, asks for a passport valid for 30 days after departure and two consecutive blank visa pages. It also asks travellers arriving from yellow fever risk countries to carry a vaccination certificate.

The same page carries a Level 2 “exercise increased caution” advisory, issued on 27 May 2025, that cites crime, terrorism, unrest and kidnapping. It suggests avoiding walking alone at night, keeping valuables out of sight and keeping car doors locked.

Webtickets prices are in rand, so US cardholders pay in the local currency and their bank converts the amount. Ask your card issuer about foreign-transaction fees before you buy.

More Summer Shows at the Same Venues

Kirstenbosch hosts other summer dates this season, including Leon Bridges South Africa: Soul Singer Plays Johannesburg on 28 and Kirstenbosch on 30 November and Jack White South Africa: First Shows in Joburg on 11, Cape Town on 14 December. Those guides cover tickets and times for each date.

Fans planning a longer trip can add Tyla South Africa 2027: Cape Town on 4 January, Johannesburg on 9 January to the list. That tour ends a month before KALEO arrives.

What Is Not Confirmed Yet

The Cape Town support act has not been announced, and the Webtickets page gives two different start times of 18:00 and 19:00. Webtickets does not state age limits for the Cape Town show or a sold-out status for either date.

No capacity has been published for either venue, and neither page gives parking, shuttle or public-transport details. Whether tickets will be sold at the gate has not been stated.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where does KALEO play in South Africa?

KALEO plays Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town on Thursday 4 February 2027 and Marks Park in Johannesburg on Saturday 6 February 2027. These are the band’s first shows in South Africa.

How much do KALEO tickets cost?

General admission starts at R995 (about US$61) in Cape Town and R895 (about US$54) in Johannesburg, before a R35 (about US$2) booking fee. Tickets are on sale through Webtickets.

Do US citizens need a visa to see KALEO in South Africa?

No visa is needed for stays under 90 days, according to the Department of Home Affairs list issued on 9 December 2025. The US State Department also asks for a passport valid for 30 days after departure and two blank visa pages.

Sources: Webtickets: KALEO Live in Cape Town · Webtickets: KALEO Live in Johannesburg · BreakOut Events: KALEO South African Tour · Time Out South Africa, 15 October 2026 · The Citizen, 15 October 2026 · Jacaranda FM · Recording Academy: Kaleo · Guide to Iceland: KALEO · Billboard: KALEO Alternative Songs No. 1 · RIAA: Gold & Platinum · BusinessTech: Kongos · The House Of Pop: Kongos at Up The Creek 2027 · SANBI: Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts 2025/26 · Time Out Johannesburg: Parklive Jozi 2026 · Department of Home Affairs: visa-exempt countries · US State Department: South Africa

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief