9II5 Hosts the JHB Edition of Spoken Word & Electronic Music Event
On Friday 22 May 2026 Johannesburg will bear witness to a singular evening of poetry, electronic sound, and cultural fire. Eon The Mod, the French/South African electric poetry outfit fronted by spoken word powerhouse and Poetry Slam champion Ewok, makes their debut at Collectors’ Collective Record Bar (CCRB) in the final leg of the Make UBUNTU Great Again Tour (MUGA Tour).
Presented by 9II5, acelebrated curated music event concept, the night promises an immersive, Bohemian-styled experience that places sound quality, intimacy, and authentic creative energy at its centre.
At the centre of the MUGA Tour stands Ewok, who’s poetry is visceral and socially charged, drawing from the rhythms of lived experience and the urgency of a world in flux. His words find their full power in the improvised electronic soundscapes crafted by French modular musician and composer Charles Amblard, with the sonic architecture completed by professional sound designer and engineer Vincent Hoppe.
Together, the three-piece act brings over 30 years of combined performance experience to stages ranging from intimate theatre spaces to major festival platforms. The Make UBUNTU Great Again Tour marks the first time this singular project will perform on South African soil and Johannesburg is the final stop.
Ewok captured the mood in his own words: “It’s been somewhat of a week with The Frenchmen Charles and Vincent flying directly in to garage band rehearsals. We’re coming out sharp. At some point you have to say that you’ve done what you can and let it be what it be. This is that point. Here we go, here you come, there it is.”
The MUGA Tour is rooted in the band’s conscious, socio-political vision, positioning art as an active participant in the global push for eco-social justice.
9II5 has designed the JHB event as a poetry jam session in a residential lounge setting, filled with couch seating, warm ambient lighting, plants, rugs, and wall hangings, creating an environment that prizes sound quality over volume and connection over spectacle.
The supporting programme is deliberately assembled to complement each dimension of Eon The Mod’s performance. Featured on the line-up are:
Funkedelik: KZN-born, JHB-based DJ Sithembile Mbonyana opens the night with neo-classic soul and lo-fi beats, setting a warm, fluid foundation.
Mak Manaka: Soweto-born poet and world traveller Maakomele R. Manaka delivers energetic slam poetry. A four-time published poet, he has performed for Presidents and represented South Africa at the closing ceremony of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Freshly Pressed White Tees: PJ & Plonk bring a live electronic button-bashing performance that blurs music and storytelling.
Xabiso, God & YU: Award-winning poet Xabiso Vili and guitarist Zelizwe Mthembu (The Brother Moves On) weave spoken word with blues-inflected guitar into performances where poetry becomes music and music becomes prayer.
9II5 Soundsystem (RobthaBanka): 9II5’s resident selector holds the energy between sets, weaving the night together.
About 9II5
9II5 is a curated music event concept that has, over 16 years, staged conceptual events for the working-class urban audience, activating spaces that speak to authentic cultural energy. The JHB edition of the MUGA Tour is presented and managed by 9II5.
About Eon the Mod
Eon The Mod is a three-piece electronic outfit combining the spoken word of South African slam champion Ewok, the modular sound design of Charles Amblard, and the engineering mastery of Vincent Hoppe. Their latest album “25 Lìve” was released in December 2025. Full tour schedule, album, and video material: eonthemod.com
Media Enquiries
iSupport Creative Business: [email protected] | 083 337 2518
MUGA Tour updates: facebook.com/events/1257208619667561
Eon The Mod links: linktr.ee/eonthemod
Event Listing
Date: Friday 22 May 2026
Time: 19:00
Venue: Collectors’ Collective Record Bar, Johannesburg
Tickets: R150 Pre-sale | R200 Door
Ticket Link: quicket.co.za/events/373752-eon-the-mod-x-9ii5-jhb/