embarking on a musical adventure

tomorrow i leave for australia, and many people have asked me why on earth i would want to go to australia. what am i going to do there? what do they even have to offer? and my answer is always the same, besides the blatantly obvious answer of 'sloring', but its to check out the insane music scene.

and with this, i have had people ask, 'music scene? seriously?', and i answer, 'yes, seriously'. because some of the most insane artists are from the oceanic region. as puse says to me all the time, 'its something in their water'. and it really is. so during my holiday time in the land down under, i am determined to see as many bands as possible, and expose myself to this special kind of art and talent, and regail all my tales to all of you.

so which bands have inspired me to make this move? well, obviously kylie minogue and olivia newton john. thats a definite given. but this list of artists include pendulum, guest vocals for zero 7, empire of the sun, AC/DC, INXS, natalie imbruglia (ha, those were the days) and more. ok, honestly, i only knew about 3 of those musos off the top of my head, google supplied the rest.

but the point is that australia is a mad creative export, and i hope to get my hands on some of this amazing product. i will try my best to keep the blog updated with the things i hear and see, but me sitting in an internet cafe typing, requires that i miss out on 15-30 minutes of exploration. hmmm, yeah, i dont think so.

as an aside, check out summadayze music festival happening in melbourne on the 1st. if i am able to get my grubby paws on some tickets, then i have to make my way there just to see pharell williams in le flesh. mmmmmm.

so, bon voyage to you all. have a mad new years, and i cant wait to share my musical journey with you all :)

what are you doing this weekend?

there is only one word to that question: SYNERGY!!! and if you are not there, then you clearly do not have your finger anywhere near the pulse of whats happening.

this is just a quick one. if im not chilling in the river, arbing around or drinking with all of you fine cats, this is where i will be (and where you should be too). some bands i do know, some bands i dont, but im not going to pull daisies stunts, im actually going to watch these bands because either they are brilliant, take me to a happy place, or have a hot lead singer/drummer/trumpet player ;)

FRIDAY

i have an all day workshop on friday so going to get to synergy late and miss a few peeps i wanted to jam with e.g. tommy gun at 6 in the electro tent. good luck, young cat! but after i arrive all flustered from sitting in afternoon traffic and watching the minutes where i am not sipping on a mojito go by, im going to get my shit together, crack open a black label and check these peeps out:

foto na dans at 9pm at the main stage. they should make for a spectacular performance, and i have yet to be disappointed by them. have heard good things about their new album, so keen to check it out. plus, we all know im a sucker for a brass instrument in a band!

thereafter its taxi violence, van coke and jax panik. im pretty indifferent as to whether or not i see these bands. i would really like to see jax though cos have never seen a performance. lets hope that i make it. yikes. someone told me that he hasnt done a live performance before/in a while, i dont know, so i guess it should all make for an interesting experience.

SATURDAY

today is the day where you will more than likely find me at the LMG stage. what they are offering is pure brilliance and good times. bone collectors, natasha meister, and we set sail are my must see bands, and should be yours too!!! i have a music crush on natasha meister and will be front and centre drooling and the musical brilliance. LMG are totally bringing it, and you will be a fool to not be at this stage with good people, good vibes and fucking fantastic music.

the only muso i will be jamming to at the main stage is napalma. saw them last year at daisies and at synergy, and i love them. always a treat. if you like 340ml, then this shit will blow you out of the water. was considering catching aking as loyalty memoribilia, but saw that mix n blend are playing at the same time in the electro tent, so that wasnt a hard choice.

i still have no idea who feeder are. and i dont really care.

gotta bounce early on sunday morning, but if for some reason im still kicking it around lunch time, then i will be checking out jack mantis band.

cool beans.

see all you fine individuals this weekend for some irie good vibes.

back to the time when music was alive

the blog is still under construction, but this just needs to be said.

spent a FABULOUS evening at studio 7 last night. honestly the best time i have ever had there. it may have been due to a combination of factors- no school to think about, not tired from a long day on campus, good people..um, ja, thats about it. or it also could have been about the music? i dont know. maybe al four? but was one of the most spectacular gig events i have been to in an age. perhaps ever. and i know i say this after every studio 7 gig, but i think this time its for real.

so, whiskey, a comfy couch, some good people and the blues. the musical era of all musical era. the grooves and lyrics that have catapulted and influenced every musical genre thereafter (and if you dont agree, then get off my blog site). a man by the name of Gerald James Clark was jamming some original tunes from various genres, but with that same underlying blues feel. he came with a sweet, smooth raspy voice that completed the set and the mood, and transported you to a different time and place. i wasnt in a living room. i wasnt here. i wasnt even me. i was a part of the music.

thereafter a incredible young lady by the name of natasha meister rocked out on the electric guitar. wow wow wee wah! i fell in love. i literally could not take my eyes off this chic. such amazing talent, and a beautiful voice. every lyric and note wasnt played in vain, and you could feel and hear the emotion behind everything she said. this was music in its original form. the kind that cant be tainted, and that we so rarely get the opportunity to experience.

they then joined forces and played some classics for us. never having jammed together, you would have thought otherwise. in fact, you would have believed that they came out of the same womb rocking it out on their guitars in perfect unison and harmony. these two worlds and vibes colliding to give us something new, fresh and just a little bit incredible.

has an accordian ever been cool? no, right? i mean, what do you think of when you think of an accordian? not every accordian will have a bottle of richelieu inside. but some contain a little bit of magic. yes. i promise you, thats what i saw yesterday.magic. and not that harry potter kind of bullshit. the real kind. the kind that moves you, and makes you question your belief in reality and the accordian. a gentleman by the name of domenico giuliano benigno made this happen (i think he is also in jack mantis band cos he looked eerily familiar). i literally found love. no lies.

so we have an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, an accordian and a dream.

ah, im still reeling. studio 7, thank you.

(natasha meister is the only one with a fanpage, thats why i havent done links to the others *sad face* )

under construction

this is just a note to say that this blog will be man down for a while. im currently not too happy with it, as im not sure of the direction i am taking with it, and to be frank, im not stoked with the whole layout and shit. so im shutting this bitch down until i know what to do with her. its not fair to the blog, or to those 11 followers (athankyou!) if im writing absolute crap about nothing in particular in relation to SA music.

so let me take this badboy into the back room, and spend some time with it. perhaps with a whiteboard marker and some cheese, and hopefully inspiration will come in some form or another that will bring you a new and improved tambourine popeye.

but i have recently acquired a camera (not a hipster one with 5million gizmos, gadgets and flashes, just a regular mainstream one that i can actually work), so at least there will be socially revelant pics on board.

but if for some obscure reason you are craving a dosage of the atrocities i comment on in everyday life and within this muddled up brain, then check #imjussayin or find me anywhere they have red wine.

stay tuned for further updates :)

somewhere beyond the sea...

last night assembly brought us the RTD after party. i dont know why they had to hide behind the veil of the daisies, but whatever. the night was still an awesome vibe #goodtimes (i recently received a tutorial on twitter language, and cant get enough of the '#' symbol-even though i use it on the #imjussayin blog. but the love of the # has been reignited. stay tuned for the introduction of @, but i think we are still a while away from that).

i missed jakkals ONCE AGAIN!!! tck, i think you guys need to start later, cos i will never be there on time if you're on at the likes of 9.30. once again, a million apologies for missing it...again. next time i will arrive at sunset and wait with a sign like a crazed fan. that ok?

but the issue that i wanted to address here is that of we set sail. the issue? they are awesome. so awesome in fact, that its an issue. you see what i am saying? the 20-million piece band put on a stellar show, and they are a band that i have been meaning to watch for some time now. last night presented itself with an opportunity.

they are completely instrumental, and it works for them. i have mentioned before my thing with instrumental bands i.e. kidofdoom, and i think they are amazing in that they can still portray a story and emotions without the use of emotive lyrics. its a feat that i think very few bands can achieve. i am one about the music, where some are about the lyrics. i like the way it speaks to me, and the freedom to interpret it in any way that i want. we set sail offered me that freedom last night.

instead of a lead singer, they have a lead trumpet player. and again, we know how i heart brass instruments in bands. and that seems to be the main vessel for communication. i dig it. jazz infused rock. different. interesting. something i can myself growing to love. and they play with such passion, because without the use of words, the passion has to be portrayed in other ways. rock stars to the full.

they dont play music for the sake of it being music. they play it for a purpose. a purpose you yourself can decide.

cant wait to jump aboard again. SYNERGY! do yourselves a favour, and come play.

flowers anyone?

well, rocking the daisies has finally hit our shores. well, not really shores, but the general west coast region. same same, but different. yay! some people wait all year for this particular weekend, others, like myself, decide at the last minute to stop being a punk and just go with it. normally UCT knows all about this, and therefore assigns a crap load of work around this time of year because they are sadistic dictators, but for once, i have managed to work around it (i still have a crap load of work, but its manageable).

still trying to decide whether the line up is average, or slightly below average. im not going to peg it at brilliant, because lets face it, it isnt up there. but you cant buy energy like the energy of RTD, so that in itself is reason enough to go. that, and drinking beer out of a plastic cup with the sun in your face (eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!). yes, thats exactly what i am going for. and to find some sexy talent ;) if you are looking for me and im not in the beer tent, you can find me watching the following musos (which you should check out too, cos they are awesome):

city bowl mizers at 1pm on sat
my aim is to be best buds with these guys by the end of this festival, and have shared many a tequila induced tale

new holland at 3pm on sat
i have written enough about them, so one should know my feelings toward them. that, and when i saw them on my birthday at mercury, all i did was check out the bassist and force my friends to tell me who in the band they would close with. i plan to do the same this time.

i shall then be traipsing about, but by 6pm i will be in the red bull studio checking out mix n blend
and niskerone at 8pm.

oh, lets not forget guy buttery who is on at 5.30pm in cuervo nu world beat barn. fuck, i dont know how im going to work this out. hmmm.

wow, i only have 5 must see acts? interesting. oh ja, and taxi violence at 11pm. mustnt forget about them!

then sunday will give me holiday murray at 11am. and i will just generally be arbing around picking up scraps of my dignity perhaps. or that of my friends. who knows?

not going up tomorrow unfortunately. its the idea of not showering for a whole day that irks me out. i mean, how is one meant to close if they smile like a combo of smoke, booze, dirt and perhaps shit and pee? precisely. so i will be gettting there bright and early on saturday morning, smelling like a new lease on life. but if i was there, i would def be checking out she man lion, tidal waves and goodluck. the dirty skirts and zebra and giraffe can kiss my fabulously black ass. athankyou.

but for the full line up, click here (i love that i FINALLY learnt to do that!)

dont forget to bring sunscreen, winter jacket, alcohol, condoms and a generally good vibe!

see you there!!!

feels like a cup of tea

i havent been to a gig in a while, so this is going to be a little different. was just thinking about this band last night, and thought i should pay them some kind of a attribute (as much as it pains me because i am NO ONE's fan!)

last year jamie and i packed a mad picnic, bottle of wine included (naturally!) and went to kirstenbosch to see aking. i had never seen this band before, let alone really heard of them. but when the sun is shining, and life is sweet, why not. this marked the beginning of a new era in our lives. it represented a significant part of the next stage in terms of music and in terms of life.

from that day, jamie and i were all about aking. and we used them to describe things that we were feeling but had no idea how to articulate. thank you hunter kennedy for your inspirational lyrics. i have no idea what the band will do without you now. but yes, the lyrics moved us, and motivated us. and with that, we found a connection with the band (sorry james, i am just including you in this. but i know your sentiments are the same. feel free to comment if im incorrect at any which point). i liked the beat, james was about the words, and together we were about that thing we called music. we learnt about visceral heights and malignant regret. we learnt to be scared of wolves, and to undress people with our eyes. and most importantly, we learnt not to lose speed, baby. in short, we became fans. yikes!

we didnt go to all their gigs and become groupies, we just enjoyed the music for what it was. and then we had the crazy oportunity to have them play at a party that was being thrown for us! what?! yes!! i know!!! nothing in the world could have prepared us for this moment, where we would finally meet the faces behind the words, and the hands behind the strum. and they didnt disappoint....really. basically we were treated like fans, and this only ruined the illusion we had created about the band. we renounced our vows to love aking forever, and that was that. never to be seen or heard again.

but as time has gone on, we have gotten over ourselves, and moved on. and there are times when i will hear an aking song and think back to good times and good feelings. at the end of the day, they were an integral part of our lives for those short few months, and personal feelings aside, we do love them. they offer a comfort and show how much we have grown. we got into a chat about this yesterday when i mentioned that i might go see them this week at lentelawaai, and that i was excited. she responded by telling me that she does miss them, and that they are like cup of tea. which i was in total agreement about. we laughed about the gigs we went to, and laughed about the words we took to heart. and appreciated all those moments, and more.

so now, i have decided that aking are still in fact one of my favourite SA bands. as full of shit as i am most of the time, i cant hate them. their music moved me at a particular point, and when i hear a song of theirs, i smile, and remember happy and interesting days. i am not a fan, but i do appreciate. hopefully i will see you all on wednesday to appreciate together!!

so, lets step into the night, and bring into it life

another man with a guitar

so tuesday night saw me heading back to studio 54 for some more good music, good people and most importantly, good wine. oh, this was where i had seen the marvellous muso, guy buttery.

this time it was to check out a man by the name of gary thomas. a name that sounded familiar to me, but as i said to the old chic sitting next to me, 'gary' and 'thomas' are both quite common names, so i probably just made something up in my head.

another incredible evening. once again, it was a man and his guitar, but this time with a different take on things. this was music that i had never heard before, and got very involved in. quite heavy at times with the intense chords,he put but very rich, like charly's brownies or a steak with blue cheese sauce. you love it, but cant have it all the time otherwise you will throw up (k, if i had thrown up, it would have been due to the wine cos my body and alcohol are currently at war).

he put an interesting groovy funk into his songs that i didnt expect, and consequently loved. i would say it was funky folk, with a irish twist (yes, i sit there and think of adjectives to describe what i am feeling and hearing). and the irish groove came through towards the end. i thought i was at a river dance party, but one that i could properly groove to. i found myself bopping my head to the beats he was creating on his stomper, and nothing makes me happier than an unexpected head bop.

and a great performer he was, constantly looking up to the heavens. i dont know if he was praying to the gods, adorning them with him melodic gifts, or praying to the music gods that his guitar string didnt finally give in. either way, it worked. he was at one with the music, and the music was at one with hi. brava! i rate if you get the chance, and enjoy some good, real music, check his album launch on 12 August at alliance francaise. i might do that myself (http://www.facebook.com/garythomassa?ref=search&v=wall)

and apparently he and guy buttery used to live together in a hippy home in kalk bay. i can totally imagine the musical competitiveness and genius that reverberated on the walls, and for that experience, i would have been very happy being a total groupie (this is the one and only time..until the next studio 54 perhaps).

brava!

a shark out of water

so this past weekend gave us the launch of the hardly anticipated debut album from The Plastics, 'SHARK'. i am sure everyone heard about this, there were posters everywhere, and if you were fortunate like me, you had a flyer stuck to your window after a rainy evening, leaving the damn print as a reminder.

as usual, i enjoyed holiday murray and captain stu. i always do. they feel like a cup of tea to me :) and then it was time for The Plastics. now, i have defended them in the past (there is a blog post somewhere), but this time, i dont think i have the energy, stamina or even the desire to defend them. and this isnt because they are a carbon copy of the arctic monkeys, which seems to be everyone's issue. its because i just found them....for lack of a better phrase...painfully boring.

granted every song did sound like an arctic monkeys cover, which is fine, but with that, every song sounded like the same arctic monkeys cover. i can listen to 'i bet you look good on the dancefloor' only so many times. and thats what really annoyed me. little variation or creativity was involved. i felt like i could have gone to the bathroom, come back, and nothing will have changed. in fact, that is exactly what one of my mates did and said. and he was right.

i just ended up leaving thoroughly annoyed that i didnt get a full musical experience. screw having gordon raphaely (of strokes fame) producing you. it really means nothing in the long run. i think these guys could have done better, but what do i know? but if you really do heart, 'i bet you look good on the dancefloor', then totally go get yourself the new album. if like me, you like a bit of creativy and exploration, save yourself the R100.

waiter, there is a guy in my butter

when i was about 10, i started taking guitar lessons. i lasted a year. and not because i am musically inept (i played the flute for 8 years), but because my teacher was insanely boring, and never at one point indicated that one could play the guitar the way i saw the guitar being played last night!

went to this insane gig last night, and possibly one of the best gigs i have ever been to. no, not possibly, it was. the performer was a man by the name of guy buttery, with a hippie air to him. just him, a guitar, some weird musical contraption that made crazy martian sounds (how i imagine martians to sound), and a saw, in a living room with red wine flowing and a fire blazing. can we say 'heaven'? HEAVEN

if you ever have a chance to see this musical genius, please do. i actually cant think of words to describe the music itself, because there are no words. and not because of the amazing technicality of the chords he chose, but because he wasnt playing music. he was playing a story. feelings. emotions. it all transcended musical barriers, and entered a space where you were lost in your own world, and he was providing the soundtrack to your thoughts.

he broke every musical rule i had learnt- timings, tempo, beat, variation in tone. threw a descrescendo in here. a mezzo forte in there. skipped from andante to adagio in a millisecond, and without thought or caution. like i said, it wasnt music. not in the classical, conventional sense. it was something i had never heard before.

just a man and his guitar.

perfect location. perfect people. perfect music.

Plan B - She Said

Miike Snow - Black and Blue

Corinne Bailey Rae - Closer

Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work

SMILE :)

its been a while, and i havent been to a gig in a MINUTE (trying to decide if the wrestlerish/ashtray gig in the jhb counts, cos even though they played, jhb as a venue is just fucked up crazy and i dont understand the 17 year olds who attend these things and try to start mosh pits during 'quite overstared'. can someone please explain that to me? please? we ended up being those pretentious cape town fucks who were shouting at the youngbloods telling them, 'we dont mosh here. stop it', which was met by confusion. but these kids need to learn)

these are songs that i currently have playing all over my house and in my car, that just make me feel good, groovy, happy and sexy. enjoy. tell me what you think.

2 door cinema club - something can work
my mate, kelly, introduced me to this band, and she just kept going on about how happy they are. and they really are. i sent it to jamie who was a bit skeptical, but she too was smiling at all times, telling me to 'play the happy song again...and put the volume up'. she then sent it on to her work mate, who described it as 'indie toto'. and then it went to fix. where my CD is now is beyond me.

corinne bailey rae - closer
this came from one of my sisters mates. and my my, has corinne bailey rae changed over the years. she moved on from sweet, innocent melodies and lyrics, to a more mature, soulful groove. its very reminiscient of old school r&b/soul, the way it should be and the way the muso gods intended.

miike snow - black and blue
i dont know what it is about this song, but i can never tire of it. perhaps its the dirt old man in the vid who is in dire need of a shower and some love, but finds solace in the music? i dont know. but i find it interesting how its a dance song that isnt a dance song. sounds like it should be at first 'glance', but after the 3rd time, you realise that it really isnt one, and that miike snow has somehow mixed classical sounds effectively with techno beats. does that make sense? i dont know.

plan b- she said
i love this song because it sounds so theatrical. old school jazz band with a dramatic twist. and then this dirty english chavvy accent comes in. classic. this dude, made chav sound seemingly cool, which is an amazing feat and should be featured on everyones playlist. but i dont think its everyones cup of tea. i just like big band sounding tracks. and there is this really cool, simple bass beat. sounds like a cat walking on the street before the big number. haha. and the video is just hilarious.

i would go through more songs, but i want to upload the vids so you can check them out yourself, and i dont know yet how to put the vids onto the specific blog that is been written. but i have learnt how to share vids on blogs, so all the vids will be below. if you know how to do what i have been attempting for a minute, PLEASE TELL ME!!! otherwise, enjoy and tell me what you think :)

i'll mix, while you blend

today we are taking a different angle on the usual things i comment on. lets mix it up a little bit here. so going to jump straight into it.

so saturday there was aking/wrestlerish at mercury, jack parow/heuwels/thieve at assembles, and mix n blend at fiction. choices choices choices. it started off on thursday with me being totally keen for assembles, moved on to saturday morning plans to go see aking, then saturday afternoon plans to be a spoilt brat and see aking AND mix n blend (whom i had never seen before). due to logistical issues, i missed out on aking/wrestlerish vibe. am i sad about it? no, not at all.

so, made a solo mission to le fiction (dont worry, i was meeting a mate or 2 there, and hoping to just bump into some fabulous people, which i did anyways :) ). i actually forgot how much i love dubstep, electro vibes. being in the electro/indie/rock scene has made me forget about the other things i used to love oh so much. mix n blend brought me back. reminded me of my roots, and why i used to love fiction so much. had heard so much about this dj crew, and FINALLY took the chance to go see them. aaaah, just listening to them now as i type, and im learning that its incredibly difficult to type and dance at the same time (when i figure out how to put links on this site, it will make all of our lives much better-we can enjoy the vibe together).

crazy, dirty, sticky beats that make you want to take your clothes off and just groove. a trip down a musical lane that makes you feel many things and nothing all at the same time. experimental sounds, beats, rhythms, vibes. groovy base lines. synth pop beats (i dont even know what that means). everything just hits you in the soul. a straight shot. i actually dont know what this genre is, but i love it. i shook my bootay, which is something i havent done in a MINUTE!! literally shook it. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!! mix n blend, i want to dry hump your vinyls. done.

FREEDOM!

im not going to get into my usual apologies from the get go, because at this point they are completely useless, so instead i am just going to get right into it. welcome back, by the way.

so went to the assembly last night (this blog was started on sunday, and has taken me days to complete!! sorry!). been a MINUTE and a half, if not longer since i saw band there (since i saw a band full stop-last was taxi violence and the plastics). ended up making a solo mission, and that was the only way to do it actually. just me and the music, not against it (ref: britney spears-clearly APA referencing isnt a formality here). so lets just get right to it.

Caught this band called 'The Pinkertons'. retarded name for a band, but their sound is far from such. name and the voice just dont link up, but thats okay. maybe like other great bands in history (i cant think of one off the top of my head), they will change their name to suit their bad ass sound. or maybe its all a tactic? who knows why people do what it is that they do these days, but we are not here to discuss the psychology of the human mind, we are here to discuss the beauty that is the universal language of muzac.

so the pinkertons (i keep wanting to say 'parlotones' which evokes a completely different kind of emotion) were pretty fucking sweet. deep groovy basslines, bad ass guitar riffs, and crazy drumming were vessels used to transport you to another time and place, specifically the midwest circa 1970. soul for the common white man. they reminded me of a specific song, but i cannot for the life of me get the name/artist..perhaps because i never knew the name/artist and only know it courtesy of vh1's top 50 soft rock songs of all time (thank you vh1 for giving me chicago, chris isaacs and the doobie brothers). i think its something about a tale of a rising sun? i dont know. google in all of its infinite wisdom actually cant help me!!


after this groovy introduction to the evening, we were then entertained by the plastics. now, i dont know why people in the bizz have an issue with the plastics, but i personally dig them lank. i dont know why, but i do. they are just fun and free-spirited, and very reminiscient of british indie rock. think: arctic monkeys; the strokes-those kind of people. i think of the beach and good times when i hear them, i dont know about you. but what people keep complaining about, and which will bring me to a bit of a discussion here, is that they sound like the arctic monkeys. ok, so what? there is no band today that doesnt sound a little bit like someone else, purely due to the fact that they are influenced by other musicians. it is almost impossible to be truly innovative when it comes to music, all that one can do is put their own twist on what they know about the environment around them. for generations bands have been recycling what they heard growing up and what they currently hear around them, in order to produce a sound that they feel comfortable about. ashtray sounds like the shins, captain stu like cats empire (i dont know them, but thats who they reminded my mate of), taxi violence sounds like some rock band circa 1990 (maybe nirvana, i dont know), but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses someone elses sound and this has occurred throughout history. it is all just an evolutionary process. so with that, i think the plastics should be cut a little slack for sounding like the arctic monkeys. if their sound works for them, so be it! and i bet that you will look good on that dancefloor when you hear them!

and lastly, the reason why i love doing this 'job', is New Holland. i even capitalised the first letters of the name. thats some deep respect right there!! i loved this band before i went to this gig (had them playing in my car for a MEENIT), and i love them even more after the fact. they managed to get me to go to the assembly by myself, stand in the middle of the dancefloor (i always stand at the back), actively dance (i generally just groove) and mouth the words loudly along, even though i dont know half the lyrics. thats some serious power!!!

but what is it about this band that makes me behave in this crazy way?? i dont know. is it the electro-synth guitar riffs? is it the loudspeaker used to sing with in 'this(is)home'? is it my issue with the lead singers hair do? its all of the above, and then some. the melodies resonate through my soul, and the lyrics identify with whats in my heart. they say the things i cant put into words and provide a backing track to my life. that is it. plain and simple. they are something different that i just cant put my finger on. perhaps its the pulse. the energy, the fruitfulness and the meticulous way each and every sound, note and chord is constructed that can be seen and appreciated with an effortless enjoyment. i love it i love it i love it.


but the highlight of my evening was the impromptu performance (if you want to call it that), by the guys from thieve. perhaps one too many tequilas were had, but the lead singer and drummer hopped on stage during 'freedom' i think, and proceeded to sing along with the band whilst fighting over microphone rights. was classic and delightful, and reminded me what is right with south african music. no one takes themselves too seriously (or at least they shouldnt). so whilst they are causing a scene on stage, a bouncer comes to escort them, but the drummer proceeds, i assume, to drunkingly slur that they had in fact obtained permission (all this whilst the lead singer is shaking his bootay). after the bouncer realised that he was fighting a losing battle, he let the guys finish off their escapade, and their performance was concluded with the drummer of thieve attempting and successfully completing a stage dive. viva zuid afrika viva.

chunder

hello fans and friends,

i apologise that my posts have not been filled with their usual zest, spark and interesting anecdotes. varsity has been a bitch (or has it?) and i have been taking my time to tend to this precious flower, therefore she hasnt received the love that she actually deserves. fly-by-night posts=very little water and nourishment. as with all withering plants, it takes time to get them back to their original, fiery disposition, so lets get to it then, shall we?

last night i headed to mr pickwicks to FINALLY see my friend, faith's gig. i have been invited a number of times, and i keep putting it off, so last night i took a stand and made a solo mission to mr pickwicks. interesting choice of venue i thought on my way there, but totally understood when i got there.

some chic by the name of amanda something (i cant remember) opened the show. wow. fabulous. she had a voice light a big jar of honey, sweet sweet sweet, and powerful if you have a huge spoon of it! i loved it. faith described her as 'taylor swifty'- on top of her game, and i totally got that. her voice and a guitar set a beautifully romantic mood with simple chords and quirky lyrics. she made spooning sound sweet and romantic. a bit of norah jones coupled with some regina spektor me thinks. thats the kind of vibe.

and on to the real star here, faith. one must ask her, 'faith, why are you always running?'. i still dont know the answer to that question. maybe someday she will answer it for me. faith, a guitar, and a stage was all that was needed (not the amp cos she kept fiddling with it!!!). someone said she was like the arctic monkeys, im more inclined to go with the streets. funny, sharp, quirky lyrics about everyday life for a young individual in this world. yeah, totally the streets. talking and singing to you at the same time. there were some lyrics that i wanted to remember to tell all of you, but now i dont remember them. maybe later. i think she just needs to work on the actual music itself, cos all the songs sounded exactly the same. but there is a talent there that just needs some nourishment. im excited to see where this chic goes. it should be a fun ride.

oh, and she did the BEST T.I cover i have ever heard. she claims she sucks at them, but that was my favourite track of the night. she made 'whatever you like' sound indie and quirky. exactly the kind of sound i like (well, one of) faith, well done, well done.

wait, actually

i take back what i say about the 90s punk rock thing re city bowl mizers. well, half of it at least. hearing one of their tracks on the radio reminded me (i think one song/series of songs likened them to the 90s punk rock, but in essence, i dont think thats their vibe). they are beachy, hippy 70s beach boys-esque. yes, thats it!

see you in cancun, sipping on a martini :)

i'm all ska'd out...

hello there family and friends (although none of my family read this, so this is to my interweb family. you are the real stars here)

so my ska phase is drawing to a close. it was a good week, but when you come across the same band for the 3rd time in one week, it starts to lose its excitement. yes, i saw captain stu AGAIN this weekend!! but let me just launch a preemptive strike here, i was going to see city bowl mizers (will get to them just now), and as i arrive, i see that the stu's name is suddenly featured on the set list! all i could say was, 'oh, fuck!'. as much as i do love them, 3 times in one week is a bit crazy and kind of screams 'crazy fucked up fan', which i am not by the way. but hey, why am i arguing here (with myself it seems)? i assume that no one here will believe me anyways, so lets just continue. i did enjoy their performance, once again, but need to take a break. i actually realised that i missed listening to music i dont understand ie afrikaans music. i need some of it, and soon!!! especially foto na dans. i saw their vid today, and realised that its been a MINUTE since i last saw them, and they are one of my fave bands to watch. hello, alex, make a plan here!!!

ok, but lets get to the real deal: CITY BOWL MIZERS!!! the scene loves of my life. recent addition to my heart. and not because of their music, which is pretty cool, but because of their vibe and energy. i am going to become their best friends, and then over a series of drunken nights, take a different member behind the middle school...and ja *sigh* i mean, you have the dorkishly cute guitarist, the crazy awesome lead singer, the small man with a big bass ;), the shirtless drummer (who sort of reminded me of the lead singer from iglu & hartly. thank you), and the random other dude who played something in the band. i dont know, i was distracted. i had no bottom lip left by the end of it, and just stood there having 'mildly' inappropriate thoughts. the trampoline dancefloor didnt help much #imjussayin

but in terms of music, they are pretty cool. they remind me of the rock bands featured in all those teen movies in the early millenium sans female vocalist and bad hair. i can imagine that they were those weird 'punk' kids at the school socials who unlike the masses who enjoyed backstreet boys and nsync, they were on their skateboards listening to sum41 and blink182 (ha, bands with numbers in their name. random). and that other american band whose name escapes me right now. i think it started with an 'a', and was really popular. i think they sang that song, 'pretty fly for a white guy'. wait, its offspring (thank you, jamie). not entirely sure if i enjoyed the tunes cos they all sounded the same to me, AND they didnt play my track, so wasnt too chuffed. tsk tsk CBM, but its ok, i can think of various (well, one) ways that you can make it up to me ;)

woow *phew*

i have realised...

...that i am over my indie phase (or at least temporarily)
...that i really am a fan of captain stu, and im not ashamed of it.
...that people ACTUALLY read the crazy shit i talk about

these are points that i feel i should just own, and let the world know. i am not ashamed of my decisions, in fact, i am proud. thank you.

saw the dear captains for the second time this week. was actually going to check 'curious incident' out, but literally left after 2 songs. i dont know, the fact that the bassist was wearing a t-shirt that said 'dirty skirts' and a pair of neon coloured braces just didnt work for me. yeah...no. we all know how i feel about the dirty skirts. but from what i could gather, i think they were pretty cool. i dont know. but thanks to the marvels of technology, i was able to get their EP emailed to me!!! yes, shit is that cool and that real. when i was told that i could download the EP, i told the saleswoman aka faith, that i had stupidly left my flash at home. but then, thanks to the elves in our computers, they could just email it to me. so, when i finally listen to them, i shall let you know my true thoughts. stay tuned.

ah, captain stu. i dont actually know what else i can say. i love them. and that is that. not much else to say on that issue. and i dont mind being a fan, actually. i very rarely own such things, but in this situation, i dont mind it. sweet. good vibes. good tunes. fucking good people. i want to live my life in a ska/reggae inspired LP. wake up to it, dream it, live it etc etc etc (i actually dont like that phrase 'etc'. yuck)

i am hungover and hungry, and therefore, i am off :) CITY BOWL MIZERS ON SATURDAY!!!!

joburg....interesting

hello there!!!

well, even though i said that i would probably not be hitting band vibes in the jhb, i actually ended up doing just that! was weird. found out that my dear friends from captain stu would be gracing the fabulous concrete jungle with their presence, and it just would not have been right if i didnt pay my respects.

but this post isnt about them as performers, although once again i thoroughly enjoyed it. i think im beginning to prefer them to ashtray. but thats neither here nor there. anyways, im here to discuss the environment that i suddenly found myself in that i just didnt understand and still do not understand. weird.

so, this gig was at cool runnings in fourways, which as a venue, is a really sweet spot. they even have a fire in the middle of the yard. i could imagine spending my lazy saturday afternoons there getting exceedingly drunk on booze and good banter, but the people might just kill the vibe. its this giant hole of inbred individuals who were caught in a timetrap of 90s grunge. its the most bizarre thing i have ever seen! but like, not even in that cool, quirky way that capetonians seem to do it with. its in that really worrying, what the fuck is happening here, kind of way. captain stu are a happy bunch, i felt like these people drink each others blood instead of a glass of wine.

thats my uninspired tidbit for the day. i have loads of work to get through, so cant regail you with more exciting/scary tales of my experience at cool runnings fourways.

later

'appreciation's never been your scene...'

ola all of you in the blogosphere!!

so, this past friday night played host to the official wrestlerish album launch. i think i have finally learnt how to say the name of this band, which i think is a huge achievement! go me!!! and they were supported by the lottery tickets (i didnt feel like they made me want to tata ma chance, or tata ma anything besides a tequila to make the noise stop), and my old favourites, ashtray electric.

so, as per usual, ashtray gave a sterling performance. i usually get very happy to see them, but this time, i had a different feeling. it was a warm fuzzy feeling that you get when you get home after a very long trip, coupled with this strange sexual arousal. i dont know what it was, but it was something new. especially with reference to ashtray. i think its the new single air that rudi has, cos he was rocking it in a way that i have never seen before. it could also have easily been the tequilas, but whatever it was, he must tap into it and let it be experienced by everyone else. and as i always say, they are best suited to small intimate gigs, and just rock it out there. i love it! listening to them in the car just doesnt have the same feel, and i feel it takes away from them in some sense. the only thing i get out of listening to their cd is that i learn more words before the next performance. a friend of mine said that they have the perfect combination for a rock group, the sexy/dangerous guitarist; the emo lead singer; the shy bassist and a random band member that no one can really place, but it completes the picture. i totally agree, and with every performance of theirs that i see, they get better and better. LOVE IT!!!!!

wrestlerish were also fantastic. its not very often that i get to awesome bands in one night, but here i was being fortunate. the lead singer tried some rudi-esque bad ass moves (ooh, just thinking about those rudi moves and energy makes me giggle a little), but they just didnt work for him cos they didnt suit him. so after 2 songs, he regained his composure and was himself, and THAT worked! fun, folky, with a bad ass twist, and i was totally satisfied. if you want something melodious to just groove to for a bit, they are totally the bizz, and i would def see them again at a music festival this time round. yes, while i sit on the grass with my jamesons (cos thats how i roll), and some phenomenal entertainment. yes, please!

unfortunately this isnt filled with the usual zest, but it is tuesday, and the gig was on friday, and i was busy over the weekend, so by now the excitement has unfortunately worn off. apparently joburg burning with surrounded by pre-pubescent teenagers-probably friends of the candyman, so i can understand why jamie didnt enjoy it too much, and actually left. you know, joburg mustnt try and create cool music festivals. they just end up attracting an unfavourable clientele. yuck.

i must be off. in jhb for the weekend. doubt any bands, besides those in my bedroom, will be enjoyed (i dont even know what that means). so might be a quiet week next week. but we do have curious incident, captain stu and holiday murray next wed, and CITY BOWL MIZERS next sat, so that will make up for the poor performance this weekend.

#imjussayin

Beautiful people in the blogosphere, how are you? hope each and every one of you had a fabulously fabulous long weekend, filled with good times, good vibes, good food, good people, and most of all good wine. i most certainly did. this is going to be a short one, as there is very little to comment on, and i think im still very tired from my incredible weekend (#ivbnsayin)

so, i did actually do a bit of a band vibe at the end of the weekend. wanted to go to mercury on friday, but margaritas with the best friend seemed more appealing, so went with that. but after 20 million bottles of wine on monday, i was easily coaxed into heading to the waiting room to catch wrestlerish. i was always going to go to the album launch on friday to catch them and the ashtray boys, but i thought, in a pretty environment on a monday night, why not end off the weekend with a good vibe.

i was pleasantly entertained by wrestlerish's performance. i didnt expect anything less to be honest. granted i only knew one song, but i dig that song and i think the lead singer has a very sweet voice, so was pretty happy with the evening. i would say that they were folky rock, but with an edge that you dont see it coming-its in their lyrics. its crazy. i actually chuckled to myself cos i was shocked to hear a swear word at one point. its like watching an old lady pull a zap sign in the traffic-you dont see it coming, but are totally impressed when it happens. truth be told, i cannot give an accurate evaluation/review/opinion about wrestlerish due the copious amount of wine i had had, and the deep convo i was in during their performance. but what i could peace together, did make a pretty picture. I will have to go to mercury on friday then, wont i? im not going to fight it.

sorry this isnt an exciting insert, im just feeling very tired and uninspired. sweet lord, i sound like a parlotones song...or maybe their pending bottle of champagne. who knows. speaking of parlotones and their champagne, i am sure that you have seen/heard of their wine that is currently being sold at a Woolies near you. rumour has it that its really good, but i cant in good conscience drink a wine thats named after lame parlotones songs (namely 'push me to the floor' and 'giant mistake), and with the tagline, 'wine notes sponsored by the parlotones'. its all a bit too lame. it would be a giant mistake for me to get involved with that crap, what with the immense hatred that i have for that band. corporate sellouts, but its okay, cos they are pathetic none the less. and the fact that they are considered SAs number 1 band by all the multinationals is disappointing and not surprising. i mean, no band with a microcosm of talent would sell their soul like that, so kfc and woolies, i dont actually even know what to say. hmph.

and with that, i am off.

oh, he's back

ola,

finally went to a gig, and boy did it feel goooood. had a black label in my hand, was with some wicked cool cats, and was shaking my head to the beat. order was restored in the little universe i live in. good times. i will however say, that if i see another fedora donning, plaid shirt/ripped tshirt wearing guy, it will be too soon. assembly, you are cool, but can all the pseudo-indie kids please just calm down and try to dress for themselves and not pre-plan their well co-ordinated outfits. but we are not here to discuss the fashion and dealings of the uninspired youth, we are here to talk some music, so lets get to it!!! :)

quick aside: do you remember that guy who was having a sugar induced epileptic fit?? he was at the mercury/captain stu/sex for breakfast gig. well, guess who i saw last night, and this time was no different. i laughed, and then cried when i realised that i was standing behind him whilst watching LARK (yes, thats who i went to see, by the way). and due to the limited amount of space, he couldnt really jump around. but that didnt sway him, only made him shake his dirty, unbecoming hair even harder. and the fact that he was shouting profanities to inge beckmann was just uncool and unnecessary. come on. im going to call this cat, 'candy man'. i have a feeling that this wont be the last time that we have an encounter.

so, back to the music. went to the assembly last night to catch some LARK action. only seen them once before, and i was particularly inebriated at that time, so this was basically like the first time for me [insert inappropriate giggle here]. truth be told, they are wicked cool, and phenomenal, and amazing, and crazy, and i thoroughly enjoyed the performance and all that jazz, but unfortunately, i am not into that kind of music. it was a bit heavy for me, and as a result affected the experience i was having. i mean, they brought it and brought it well, and inge beckmann's voice is some other kind of fucked up cool, and crisp, and clear. someone told me that she's actually trained as an opera singer? thats madness! but totally understandable. its an amazing thing to hear actually, and im glad that its out there in the world for everyone to experience. they are different to what one hears generally, and appear to have a niche following..and all the cool kids of cape town. but i just felt (and a mate of mine agreed with me) that if i had been on drugs or something, then it would have been AMAZING. not because of the drugs themselves, but because the music would have been vibrating through a different kind of channel, and the mystery, purity and beauty of the moment could have well and truly been appreciated. at least i have a heads up for next time. haha. ooh, put it this way, i wouldnt play them in my car, but give me an open field and i am there (just took a stab at myself in reference to ramfest. why would i do that?)

all in all, good times, learning experience and order was restored. i am satisfied :) oh, and i do plan on actually owning a camera one day so i can put my own pics up of my awesome experiences, but until then, google image is just going to have to do (oh, and facebook fanpages). but at least this baby is developing some personality. yay!

peace, love and awesomeness (im testing out sign offs, cos i've never used one, and feel that a cool one could be fun)

apologies

ola!

i feel like the worst blogger in the world, because i havent done any research in a very long minute, and feel like im robbing you guys of the complete tambourine popeye experience. its just not cool. a mate of mine (who i dont think even reads this blog) asked me when i last went to a gig, and i was even embarrassed to give him an answer...or at least an honest one. but i did. lets just say its been a while, and im sure you guys have noticed too. i am going to kirstenbosch today though if that counts for anything...yes..no...maybe? i mean, its goldfish, so i dont really know. in think in this space it might not count, but lets just let it slide for once today. cool? im just going to put some opinions out today. like, dislike or even unlike.

oh, i love new holland. really do. its not right. but whats also not right is my new close on obsession with the city bowl mizers. its very real and not too recent. i want to take their music behind the middle school and get it pregnant, and i want each of the band members to take me behind said middle school...and ja. they are this durban-based band who have been around for a few years and apparently they recently siged with sony bmg and are featured on the 5fm playlist. you know how i feel about bands on that playlist, but every rule has to have an exception, and they are it. firstly, they are just a good looking bunch of lads who seem to have this really good, fun, somewhat flirtatious attitude about life and everything else(i have not personally encountered them, but i lived vicariously through Fresh on 5fm on thursday-they were being interviewed), and this translates so eloquently into their music. i feel i know them through their music. its lighthearted, fun, funny, kind of 70s carefree beachiness. and they dont seem to take themselves too seriously. a fellow blogger always mentions them on her blog, and she is one who has her finger on the pulse of whats happening. they didnt seem to get a SAMA nom, but hey, the fact that they were considered for nominations anyways is good enough for me :)

my second opinion is on those locnville lighties. this stuff has been brewing in my head for the past few weeks as i've tried to form a proper, and somewhat educated, opinion about them. and i think i've managed to come to it. ok, so they are hip-hop-synth-electro something something, right? we'll let the assembly name that genre. they remind me of Dr Alban. i dont know if anyone will remember Dr Alban, but he was like late 80s rap with that dancey element to it. i used to love him. and now these kids are reviving that vibe. do you think they even know who the good dr is? he was before their time. anyways, so its dr alban brought back to life by these 2 12 year olds. go them. thats a love for history. anyways, i have decided that i dont know how i feel about them. yes, their music is cool to listen to you, but i dont think i would ever pay money to go see them in the fear that i might be trampled to death by horny 14 year olds in brightly coloured skinny jeans. i feel that they cater more for the younger market, and not for us adults. but that could just be due to the youth on their brows. its probably that. oh, and this twin thing really seems to be the latest trend. came across these twins on mtv the other day called, jedward, and they were doing a remake of Ice Ice baby. this song was out before their time. whats with these twins reliving history???

im trying to keep these posts as short and concise as possible, so im going to end it here for today. will let you know how goldfish goes. heres to hoping they bring something new. a remix of an old album isnt new.

cows, rams, sheep and dogs

ola!

so, this weekend is the weekend that many have been waiting for. the much anticipated RAMFEST has arrived. for some it will be like christmas, new years and your birthday all rolled into one, others just a regular day, and for the rest, a reminder of all things great in the world. i myself, however, am not going to RAMFEST. i know, shock, horror. but these things cost money, money that i do have, but prefer to spend it on more important things such as the greatest long weekend ever next month. the sacrifices one makes, but all these bands can be experienced again, but making memories with the special people in your life are a one time thing (yes, compadre, thats for you!:)x)

since i havent been to a gig in over a week, i dont have much juice for you. i was going to hit mercury on saturday (possibly for all the wrong reasons, but a girl does have needs), but got lazy. but rumour has it that purple turtle was some other kind of fucked up awesome. yeah. bummer.

so, i have decided that this blog would be dedicated to the bands that i would have made sure i danced to at some point at the festivities of the ram. so lets go. let this guide you if you are heading that way this weekend, and let me know your thoughts on my thoughts. and away we go...

FRIDAY:

Kidofdoom
i came across this band on MK about a year ago, and was transfixed by all the pretty colours and lights in their video. yes, i sat through a song that i did not know or understand, for 3 and a half minutes cos like a child, i couldnt take my eyes away from the screen. i am that easily distracted/transfixed, i dont really know which word to use. i didnt really listen to the song though, but decided that next time i'd actually make an attempt at listening, which i actually did the next time i saw the video. i must say i was fascinated. thats the only word i can use. fascinated. and intrigued. here was this band that didnt say a single word in their song, but somehow the music still 'moved' me. it still evoked some kind of emotion, and more that one at that. it told a story. they werent electro, they werent dnb, they werent even rock, but somehow they managed to concoct something that i think went down well. i think they call this genre 'electro-rock' (??), i dont know, but i dig it. and the fact that they dont sing at all, and let the music speak/sing/sound for itself is marvellous. i rate that if you're into electro-esque music, then this is for you. i dig it, and what i say is usually considered the truth.

Yesterday's Pupil
similar vibe to the boys from Kidofdoom. i guess theres something in the water in pretoria, who knows, but can someone get me a glass please? thank you. i do find yesterdays pupil to be more melodic though, and not as dancy, but just as cool. theres even an 80s kind of synth vibe to it (i dont even know what my own sentence means. im just using words i see on Assembly posters). and i just heard this new song, titled, 'you'll poly die', which i am absolutely IN LOVE WITH!!! but like, seriously. its got the grooviest bassline ever, and you cant help but move those shoulders and hips. ah, and the awkard beats. i heart awkward beats. im actually listening to it now. oooooh, yeah man. this is a dancy track though. check them out!!!!!!

3rd World Spectator
I have no words. and thats all i have to say on that :)

SATURDAY

Jack Parow
Okay, i know i said some uncool things about the mr parow a little while back. but i've decided to give him another chance, and you know what, i really do dig him. i know, for some, i am blaspheming, but im happy to put this on the interweb, so you must know how serious i am. but it wasnt the ever elusive 'cooler as ekke' that got me into his vibe, it was this track that he has with die heuwels fantasties called 'vraagstuk' or something of the sorts, that i really got into. yeah, the beat is cool, but i honestly just dig the way he raps. its funny. its slightly daring. its just simple and to the point, and he doesnt pose a threat to your mother or your ho, so thats quite nice. some love him, some hate him. there appears to be no middle ground with this character, and i guess thats also what i dig.

the monroes
i am just being biased here cos my mate is their publiscist, so this is some free advertising on my part :). if you dig My Chemical Romance, then you'll be into these joburg based guys. rumour has it some american company has snagged them, and this is the last time one is going to be able to see them on homegrown soil for some time. you know when those americans swoop in...umm...ja. i personally dont mind them. shame, they're cool. and they're lead singer is not at all painful to look at ;) but im not a fan of that kind of sound though at all, but after a few listens i started to enjoy them. granted i only know one track-something about peter pumpkin having a tumour. not really sure. dont even know how i feel about that title. i dug peter pumpkin as a child. felt bad for him. didnt he have a wife that he couldnt keep? poor bugger.

die heuwels fantasties
this would be in the hope that they did the jack parow collaboration. i have personal issues with one of the band members, but thats neither here nor there. shame, i dig them. they arent too bad, and i like their music videos. i hear they werent so sharp at the AKTV vibe in stellenbosch, but i guess this is way bigger, so they will have to bring it!

desmond & the tutus; taxi violence; isochronous
these bands i have heard and heard of, but havent been able to come to a conclusive decision about them. have only caught them in passing, so this would be a good chance to check them out properly. i did hit up an isochronous gig once at zula, but i was so incredibly boozed, i honestly dont remember. but i do remember making a mental note for some reason. they must have been good, cos i originally went to watch a mates band, and i cant remember what the name of the band was or how they were, but isochronous does ring a little bell at the back of the bird cage i sometimes refer to as my brain. taxi violence, i dont really know either, but a mate of mine had very good things to say about the drummer. and she has good taste in music and band members, so i trust her. and desmond and the tutus, i really dont know actually. can someone send me a memo about them?

so those, are the bands that i would def make my way to. i dont mention PENDULUM here, cos there really are no words, and no point in saying anything. so im not going to. maybe i'll shed a tear instead.

so kids, have fun. take photos. groove. drink. live. and love.

a little rain never hurt nobody

happy valentines day for sunday to all you fabulous people. i love the day after v-day: all the singletons are smiling cos love isnt being paraded in front of them anymore, and those in couples are either glowing/hating the fact that they only receive love and adoration from their significant others for one day every year. ah, yes. bliss. but we are not here to discuss the virtues of valentines day, so lets get down to what needs to be done.

i had all these fabulous things that i wanted to bring to the table for discussion, but cant remember any of them. i do apologise. so, what did i discover this weekend? discovered a band that i thoroughly enjoyed, and a band that only cemented themselves in my dislike column (they do this everytime i see them. have they not learnt? have i not learnt?)


lets go with the band that i like. so friday night, my mate invited me to a valentines day picnic thing at bishops and i was only too happy to oblige. i mean, music, the sun and wine, what more could one ask forwell, maybe that children not be allowed to be where the adults are, but thats neither here nor there. so, this band, right, check them out, i have a feeling that they are going to go places. oh, they're called Holiday Murray, and i just became their 806th fan. talk about progress!!! their fan page describes them as 'dance-folk'. im not sure about the 'dance' part, but i am in deep agreement regarding the folkness in their sound. its different, unusual, and thoroughly enjoyable. the lead singer has a crystal clear, sweet voice; and the bassist was just grooving. i love a grooving bassist. all bassists should just groove. yeah man. there was even a violin at one point, and by now, everyone should know that i get excited when a 'classical' instrument gets thrown into these 'rock' bands. it excites me in a way that many things dont. oh, and the gin in my tonic, the whiskey with my ice, the icing on the cake and the lemon and salt with my tequila, was that they had a tambourine!!! yes ladies and gents, a tambourine! now, if you think violins, trumpets and the like get me excited, they have nothing on what a tambourine does to me. wow! i love that instrument, and im hoping that someone gets the hint and gets me tambourine! but ja, they reminded me of ashtray in a way, in the excitement, creativity and a sense of innocence attached to them. its all about the music. check them out, you owe it to yourselves.

ok, now the band that continues to disappoint me. zebra and giraffe. i have the same dislike for them as i do for the dirty skirts. its just this arrogance that they perform with that really grates me cheese. i cannot stand it. firstly, they took a minute and a half to start playing, due to 'technical gliches'. but i mean, i get it, they are super rock stars, they can start whenever they want to.forget the fact that its cold, and the kids want their performance. then the lead singer was trying to be funny by cracking a few jokes. yeah...no. THEN, oh and this got me, it started drizzling. it was cape town drizzle, so its more like a mist. so then they couldnt play anymore. they were done after 5 songs, because they couldnt brave the rain. ok. yes, thats how i like my rock stars, like little girls. i mean, whats more bad ass than that? it rained a bit during holiday murray, and i didnt see them flinch once. so ja, over that vibe. just because you are on the 5fm playlist, doesnt make you cool. it makes you a sell out. the one thing that i did like about them was the energy of the guitarist. i dont know if it was red bull, illegal substances, or thats just how he is, but he brings it, and brings it well.

so this is my mildly entertaining insert for the week. apologies for it not being juicy as usual, but varsity is real and my computer at home is broken, so have to do this on campus and dont have the luxury of time or a cup of tea. tomorrow 7th son and the stremes are playing at mercury, and since its my weekly personal date night, i might treat myself to that. only know one song from each band, but thats enough for me.

oh, and have you guys seen that the jonas brothers have all embarked on solo projects. high 5 to them! still teenagers, and already they feel the need to have the band break up, and do what they need to do-explore their own creativity. well, we know what that kevin jonas one is exploring, and it isnt music (goodbye purity ring!) ;) i had some other comments to make about something, but i dont remember.

oh, lastly (i've noticed that i say this at the end of any post), i really want to make this blogspot prettier and more entertaining, but like i said in my very first post, i have no idea how this is done. if anyone knows how to upload pics, vids, put pretty things in my heading etc, let me know please. this forum needs a bit of a facelift of awesomeness.

sex for breakfast

this is going to be a particularly difficult update to write, because there is so much i want to say, but a lot of it has absolutely nothing to do with why we are here. so im actually going to have to sift through all the stories, and only extract the necessary ones.

so, friday evening, my mate, rachelle, and i headed to mercury to catch captain stu, who were performing with theCITY and Son of 1000 blues. she's the publicist for the captain, so we went to support them. i'll get to captain stu in a bit, since most people have heard of them, and will begin with a mention of the other 2 relatively unknown bands.

ok, lets start with theCITY, since they were the first performers of the evening. k, so this was their first live performance, so it was all pretty exciting. my thoughts=sweet as! no, but really, one wouldnt have known that this was their first time (hehe), and i was mighty impressed. a conglomerate of different vibes, grooves and people. they were full of funk, spunk and soul, and i thoroughly enjoyed the performance. and if a band performs a song about morning sex, called 'sex for breakfast', i mean, can you really hate them? i was grooving, smiling and was truly entertained. if you ever get the chance, and are keen to just groove, i would suggest checking them out. they reminded me of a much cooler version of FreshlyGround...infinitely cooler. the white dude who was singing wasnt anything spectacular (in terms of singing, but he claimed that he had had tonsilitis...), but he had a good energy and had a relationship with one crazy motherfucker in the audience, who clearly loved having sex for breakfast. everyone had their place in the band and performance, and didnt have to bring it, cos it had already been brung. two thumbs up! :)

next was Son of a 1000 blues. i kept calling this band by various names cos i had no idea what they were called. hmmm, what do i say about this band. let me start with the music. apparently the lead singer was missing, so that affected the performance. they were...um....ok, i guess. i dont know, i really didnt enjoy them, and didnt really understand what they were trying to do and where they were going in terms of music. i actually cant describe what i heard.no shame, they werent that bad. i dont really know rock music, so i dont know what time period/band i could associate them with in order to describe them, but they sound like a band one might have heard at woodstock '69. yes...no...maybe? i will however say that they lead guitarist (who also played the role of lead singer for the evening-shame, he was really good) had some mad skills, and was doing things with his guitar that i thought only rockstars in spain did. oooh. and on the topic of the lead guitarist *sigh* there are no words, or at least there are not enough, in the english language to describe this specimen who was put on this earth as a gift from God. he was the reason i was somewhat entranced by the bands performance. do yourself a favour, and google/facebook stalk 'federico fernandez' (we have 4 mutual friends! yes!). if the name doesnt already get you excited, then i dont know what will. im blushing just thinking about him. oh, and i heard he used to be a GUESS model. understandable. (tried to upload a pic, but i dont understand the technology behind the implementation of such a venture)

and lastly, the headliners, captain stu. bless their souls. i didnt really know this band before i went to the show. yes, i had heard of them, because i do have my finger on the pulse of whats happening, but i had never really heard them. i saw them once during that Road to V time period, and enjoyed them then, and enjoyed them now in exactly the same way. carefree reggae/ska/pop/jazz, i dont know what it was, but everything was performed with an air of innocent excitement and joy. and the fact that they were playing with their jeans rolled up and barefoot just added to the whole fun. 70s rockstars who smoke weed and trip on acid....was the vibe that i got, and a vibe that i like :) and the fact that they have brass instruments in the band gets me excited...i love me a brass instrument...and woodwind...but thats neither here nor there ;)

i was getting thoroughly annoyed at one point, not with the band/performance at all, but with this idiotic 12 year old and his homies. this 12 year old who thought that the only thing that bread was used for was to make toast (different story for a different day, hahaha. compadre, thats for you) appeared to be having a sugar-induced epileptic fit (if such exists), and when i rushed to help him, he appeared to be smiling, so i was very confused. eventually figured out that he was actually 'dancing'. and the 8 year old chic he was 'dancing' with, was trying to be sexy and kept doing the 'dance physically away from the target, but keep the eyes on eachother, then go jam with his friend' thing. she also appeared to be having a sugar-induced epileptic fit. and this irritated me, cos they kept falling into my personal space. unfortunately i dont bitch slap.

so ja, that was the band front for the weekend. good times, and good vibes. have been trying to figure out the vibe of this blog, and have decided that its just gonna focus mainly on gig things and relatively unknown bands and stuff. i dont know. i tend to talk a lot anyways though, so who knows if we are going to be able to stick to that?

oh, and lastly, before you leave. i saw the scariest sight ever at the assembly on saturday night: jack parow grinding some chic. no one should ever have to experience such, and i wouldnt even wish that on my worst enemy...maybe....i dont know.

if music be the food of love, play on

was just watching some mtv just now, and you know that you really have to start worrying about life, music, and one's general sanity, when a man who answers to the name 'pitbull', is telling you to forget about your boyfriend and meet him in the hotel room. and the scary thing is that girls do just that (probably, i mean, have you seen that latin pop sensation?), and this man probably makes millions from this hit single. its somewhat worrying, and i am peturbed by such. and apparently, these days a baby only costs fiddy's millions? but the guy is so cool, so i dont know who wouldnt want his babies (i just dont have time right now. that, and i have some self-respect. love you, fiddy).

anyways, i am moving towards a point here. well, i think i was. i could have just been talking out of my ass and just saying whatever it was that was on my mind. but perhaps by the end of this, a connection between what i have said, and what i am about to say will be made. lets cross fingers.

the other day i was having a ponder about the malleability of south african music. how people play and change shape, form, colour and perceptions. experimentation is the key word in this day and age, and there really are no limitations as to what a musician/artist can or is able to do.

im relating this to this crazy sound i heard the other day, but this duo called 'oorlog frankenstein' its made up of Peach van Pletzen (sp??) of Yesterday's Pupil 'fame' (if you dont know this band, then you better aks somebody), and Francois van Coke, the dude from all those afrikaans bands..hahaha, from fokof and van coke...is that it? anyways, so basically these 2 dudes from opposite ends of the music spectrum (YP is electro-ish, minimalistic-ish rock and everyone knows fokof and/or van coke), decided to get together and form a band, and produced this heavy metal electro-esque sound thats completely insane. although, i cant decide if i want to kill a cat or dance to it. i think i'll do what the title tells me to do, and 'dans dans dans'. but my point here is that its incredible that musicians here are not afraid to just experiment, play around and see whats happening. creating new sounds, new vibes is what they do.

and i extend these collaborations to the latest cool tune, 'afrikaans' with the folks from flash and those boys from foto na dans (photo after the dance to some :)). 2 bands from opposite sides of the music spectrum came together to produce a new sound that is able to complement everyone, and leaves no one being forced to compromise on who they are and what they do. thats a little piece of awesome right there, i think.

the other day i came across a collaboration between stealing love jones and mzambiya. it took me a second to register who mzambiya actually was, but then i had a vague recollection of a very young 'hip hop' star from say the early millenium. i think they were trying to model him on bow wow, i dont know. the difference here is that bow wow is hot and apparently cool. anyways, once again, 2 musicians from opposite ends of the music spectrum, coming together. are you noticing a pattern here of what im trying to say?

i dont know, i find all this experimentation, no limits, no borders vibe extremely exciting and a lot of fun. i think it truly portrays the immense amount of talent we possess, and that anything is truly possible. im excited to see what happens next.

checking out captain stu on friday. should be fun. then sat its either ashtray, new holland and thieve/3rd world. i dont know, still deciding who deserves the honour of my presence. i know who im leaning towards though.

oh, and lastly, clearly there was no connection between pitbull and fiddy, and everything else i spoke about. sorry these posts are so long, but i never have enough time to write shorter ones (reference: mark twain)

wie is cooler as ekke?

ola,

so last night i was watching MK, and took a serious look and a serious listen to Jack Parrow's 'Cooler as ekke', which seems to be the 'hot track' at the moment. wherever you go, you see people asking each other, 'jy dink jy's cooler as ekke?', and this has started some sort of sub-culture in the music scene. as fun as the song is which im not going to deny, because my mates and i have asked ourselves who is the cooler one, and used references from this current pop classic, can we take this dude seriously as a musician?

i mean, if this is his introductory track to the music industry, what else can we expect from this dude? what will a full LP have to offer us? more ridiculous comparisons involving food stuffs, drinks, market places? weather forecasts and current trends? will there be any life lessons, world/cultural views explored? love? relationships? things that occur in our everyday lives? will he tackle any of these issues? dont get me wrong, not everything has to be serious, but i really cant take this guy seriously anyways. i guess the fact that he is from bellville/parow has cemented his place in the music industry, as it appears that if you drive a car with CY on it, you are guaranteed to be successful, no matter how little talent you actually have. then you get folks from cape town, stellenbosch, all over south africa who actually do have some talent, but arent getting the full exposure they deserve because tools like this are taking the limelight for themselves. it would be interesting to see how far this cat actually goes. interesting, and somewhat scary.

however, i will say that the song does have a nice beat.

drums, beats and brutal fruit slushies

so, its 11.15 on a sunday night, and i still feel a little bit sore after yesterdays adventures. my neck is insanely painful and stiff, and i have no idea what i can attribute this pain to. there isnt even a skanky story behind it. i think it was from all the tres cool head nodding i was doing and the drinks i was throwing back, who knows. oh, incase you didnt get the memo, was in stellenbosch yesterday hanging with good friends, listening to good music, and drinking a lot of beer.

so got there at around 11, just in time to catch 3rd World Spectator, who i think are from stellenbosch. okay, if you havent heard of this band (which is not unlikely), then make a plan to check them out. saw them at zula once last year, and they had this uncanny resemblence to muse, and yesterday just confirmed my thoughts. the sound isnt too muse-y, but the lead singer, peter something, has the most incredible vocal range i have ever heard come out of a sober, uninjured man. i kept thinking that he was like matt belamy of muse fame, but then realised that he is even better than matt belamy himself, and that dear matt must pull himself towards himself and watch out for this guy and his band. why they arent more out there is beyond me. i guess only those who have their fingers on the pulse of whats happening know about this band (all 1 218 of us)

there was some time to kill before the bands that we really wanted to see were playing, so this time was filled with chit chat, bottles of wine and cups of beer. arrived at tollies to swim through a sea of jocks, which is a hobby that i sincerely love, but we were there for the tunes and to perve on hot musicians, which is a hobby that i really do love ;) caught the end of some band called Black Market Riot, who i really didnt like and didnt understand. the only thing i enjoyed about them was the hot guitarist...yup, that was about it.

New Holland then pulled me out of my awkward confusion/misery. k, i only have one issue with this band, and its the lead singers hair. i dont know what it is, but i just want to pull at it and slap him in the face. argh!!!! its one of those things that you have to see for yourself. HOWEVER, hair issues aside, this band really is phenomenal and a whole bunch of fun. a light hearted, thoroughly enjoyable performance. they remind me of a cross between arctic monkeys and the fratelli's, which are both bands that i enjoy, so there really is no reason to hate on New Holland. oh, the one thing that the lead singer had that i did enjoy was his sweet guitar. it was so pretty and shiny, and somewhat sparkly. me likes.

then it was Ashtray Electric, the musical loves of my life, and as per usual they did not disappoint. perhaps im slightly biased, but this band is some other kind of cool, and have such a unique sound that they aptly refuse to compromise on. they stay true to themselves and to the art of creating something magical. *sigh* i always just picture them playing small, intimate gigs to a tres cool crowd who are all there for the love of music and red wine. i personally dont think massive gigs suit them-intimate, velvet underground-esque performances are what i see in their future. but maybe im just being selfish. the one issue i did have was that the drums were a bit loud, and drowned out andre's voice a bit. but otherwise, a stellar performance.

now, foto na dans is slowly becoming my new fave band. what an electric performance, but like seriously. if one could bottle energy and sell it, i would want their specific brand. they sing in afrikaans, so naturally i dont really know what on earth they are singing about, but that doesnt even matter when they perform. apart from the fact that musically they are not too bad, and that they are not painful to look at at all, its their energy and presence that just does it for me, and if you're one looking for an electrical performance, then they are for you. i think thats why my neck hurts, i was jumping around a lot and 'head banging' (and whilst 'head banging', i wished i had hair on my head so that i could swish it around). i think i even jumped into someone...awkard.

im not even going to go into the dirty skirts. i will say this though, please look excited when performing on stage-all the younger bands did, what makes you so special. the lead singer, jeremy, was the only one who seemed excited to be doing what he was doing. it seems that there is a trend, that once you make it on the 5fm playlist, you have the right to not be passionate anymore. yeah...no.

so after all that, the night went on and on, and a lot of jamming and shit talking was done. ended up at rock room once again ingratiating myself into this culture that i really have nothing to do with, drinking tequila and somehow got conned into half a shot of stroh rum. dont ask. there are photos somewhere, and one or 2 will be put up for all to see.

the beginning of an adventure

hi

welcome to show. trust you travelled safely and are just as excited as i am for this endeavour. im still new to this blogging thing, so bare with me whilst i try to make it all pretty and fun. i suck at anything technological, so this is going to take a minute...and an interesting one at that.

so why are we here? well, for the art of music. bands, performances, music videos, lyrics, melodies, booze, all the things that make the music industry in SA what it is. and what an industry it is, growing at an incredible rate with more diverse bands appearing on our tv screens and in the magazines everyday. i think this is all pretty exciting. so this is just a spot to discuss everything. whats cool and whats not, who's hot and who's not (the hot list grows everyday *sigh*), and just general opinions and thoughts on the local and international music front and the culture surrounding such.

im excited about this, and i sincerely hope you are too. i dont have much to say at the moment because im not feeling too inspired. although, i did just catch that farryl purkiss song, 'a million little pieces', and im in love. but thats a discussion for another day.

this weekend there appears to be a lot going down, thanks to stellenbosch's jool vibe. theres campus invasion on friday night, which i think im going to skip, but am definitely making tracks in that direction on saturday, cos that is some other kind of fucked up line-up: ashtray electric; new holland, who i am digging at the moment. not so much the lead singers hair do, but i can look past that, or not at it at all; foto na dans, im not even going to get into that because this is a public forum after all; dirty skirts, who im not too into at the moment as i dont feel like they have their finger on the pulse of whats happening currently, but whatever; 3rd world spectator, whom i've only seen once, but they have an uncanny resemblence to muse, so have to love them; and some other bands that i cant remember right now. but it should make for an awesome day.

so lets hang, have a good time, and just enjoy being together