Hello all, I must apologise for my recent silence. My arm is still messed up from the accident so blogging is quite hard. Be sure I will be back in action soon. Until then, let me know if you have any bands worth checking out or if there are any awesome gigs taking place.
x
So as can be imagined I have a bee in my bonnet at the moment with regards to drinking and driving. Now i’m not going to get on my high horse, point fingers and get all high and mighty, and pretend i have never driven after drinking too much. But there comes a stage in life when it has to stop. And I am thankful that I am still around to make this choice.
By some stroke of fate or coincidence the monday after the accident I was contacted by a representative who told me about this new campaign SAB is running. It’s scary, really scary, but also a reality.
So check it out here and ‘play’ the Reality Check ‘game’, and pledge your support to NoRegretFriday.
I am giving away a six-month Goodfellas membership to one of my readers that pledges to change their drinking and driving habits. Make your mark on the NoRegretFriday wall and let me know in the comments section.
Winner will be announced 26th April.
So this post is a little out of the ordinary but I thought I’d update my readers on why I have been a little quiet lately. Last weekend in the early hours of Sunday morning, a drunk driver skipped a stop street and ploughed into the vehicle me and my boyfriend were travelling in.
I saw the car coming, I saw the lights and knew it wasn’t going to stop. I screamed and Brandon reacted. He saved my life. My door didn’t take full impact, but it was so loud, louder than i can explain and everything moved in slow motion.
We came to a hault when the car hit a sign post. After interacting with eachother loudly I kicked open my door to assess the damage. I wasn’t bleeding nor was Brandon, but I had a severe pain in my right shoulder. I knew it was bad.
The other car’s air bags had deployed, there were also two people in that car. We checked they were ok. They were. While on the phone to the Ambulance the driver of the car that hit us was hiding his beer cans. He was drunk.
Next I had to call my parents. I had to wake them up with the call every parent dreads, ‘I was in an accident’. The ambulance, tow trucks and Brandon’s family arrived on scene.
I was taken in the ambulance to Flora clinic with Brandon to be checked out. The other driver was arrested.
Since Sunday I have had surgery to repair my shoulder and fix the dislocation. I can’t drive for a month.
We were lucky. Fu#*ing lucky. I appeal to you, think before you drink and drive it’s not just your life you are putting at risk, it’s also the innocent people on the road.
“Hey it’s me I am dynamite… and I don’t know why” © Van Morrison and sung beautifully by The Waterboys
For everyone who has ever felt full of circles and/ or had their pure youngry hearts pulling to a rock ‘n roll solution; and for everyone who has ever felt like dynamite without quite knowing why: we think we bring you good news: SWEET THING: the 18th annual permutation of our super-friendly tune get together gone wrong. And right. This will be good for you.
Of course things could have been different. But they are not. Life is good, tunes are great and law enforcement patchy. May the gods continue to bless Northam and its creatures.
Speaking about happy, the OppiKoppi family is very encouraged by the creative direction and the way the greater clan has taken up the challenge of imbibing each year’s new theme. The Sweet Thing name was inspired by a Van Morrison Song, covered with aplomb by The Waterboys.
Building on the artistic direction of the last few years the team then commissioned the fine artist Gavin Rain, famous for his hand painted but somehow tech driven photos of people, to come up with an image to be used as source material (www.worldart.co.za / we’ll be posting more on Gavin’s work in the next few days ). Finally the team from janaandkoos.com gave the material the graphic design treatment it required to get the annual festival theme ready to be unleashed on the masses Lots of tricks and options in the months ahead… (PS: if you like Gavin Rain’s work visit www.worldart.co.za, the local dealer).
INFO: OppiKoppi has texture (Which is often lost on newbies): the best way to get the full experience is to join the cult community on one of the social media platforms to get you speeded up, or down. If you are friendly, creative, energetic and like tunes, you don’t need any additional guidance from us and can arrive as you are (with a spade). For the non-energetic: the Facebook and Twitter pages carry almost daily updates with information on artists, art, schemes, tricks, savings, competitions and low cost funeral plan strategies. You can also help shape the final line-up…
TICKETS: Tickets are released in batches as they have different promotional value. The first batch of Xmas tix sold out in December, the next batch of tickets will go on sale early April (please check in on Facebook for full details). Tickets are roughly R700 on the OppiKoppi Facebook page (or R750 on
www.ticketbreak.co.za, but Standard Bank youth portal has indicated that they will subsidise every single ticket bought from their portal (www.standardbank.co.za/studentachiever) to the value of R150. I.e. you pay no more than R600. (We think you should support the people who support the tunes).
ACCOMODATION: Whilst the OppiKoppi team mostly discourages people to sleep during the three day dustathon, there are a few semi-civil options available. Kreef Hotel, campervan village (NEW), game farms in the surrounding areas… All this information will be on the Facebook page presently.
ARTISTS: at the time of this press release the first names were about to be released. This will be added from now up until the festival and can be followed closely on Twitter and Facebook.
More information to follow
No requests, no remorse.
Raait
See you in the bushveld.
Originally from Durban, playing gigs above the Winston Pub & Burn Night Club, this Groove Death Metal Band has been growling its way onto the local metal scene since 2006 and has performed at all the major venues and festivals in South Africa.
Contrast The Water has just returned from a massively successful six month tour of the USA and will be bringing their unique brand of groove death metal to the small town of Margate this April.
They’ve also shared the stage with: Carcass, Blind Guardian, Exodus, Possessed, Sacred Reich, D.R.I. (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles), Attitude Adjustment, Death Angel, Forbidden, Heathen, ABSU, Warbringer, Hatchet, Bonded By Blood, Witchhaven, Bell Witch, Mandoza, Cursed, Cultural Warfare, Locust Furnace, Enemy In Peril, Recoil vor, Infernal Stronghold, Embryonic Devourment, Mudface, Ensiferum, Becoming The Archetype, and many more.
Contrast The Water was nominated for the SA MusicReview’s Artist Of The Year 2012, and won the second place Silver Medal, pitted against mainstream bands like Mark Haze (Gold Medalist), and Van Coke Kartel (Bronze Medalist).
During the weekend of Africa Bike Week 2012 this awesome band will perform at Backline Night Club on the 29th April at 9pm. This will be CTW’s last gig in SA before leaving for yet another tour of the USA.
South Coast Live & Backline Night Club are offering special tickets for pre-booking. R60 at the door, pre-booked tickets R40 at the door if you bring your special reference.
[To get your special pre-booked tickets: send an email to us at kate@southcoastlive.co.za requesting your PRE BOOKING CONTRAST THE WATER ticket, we will email you your reference number which will be on the door list.]
Friday 23 March 2012 saw the 6th annual MK Awards taking over our nation’s capital city. 1200 guests came out to the State Theatre to honour the hottest local artists who’re making waves in their respective genres. Each year the MK Awards grow from strength to strength, and the support and excitement from the public and artists alike speak volumes about South African music and the direction it’s headed.
Some of SA’s top live acts took to the stage to entertain guests at the Award ceremony, among them: Pascal and Pearce, Double Adapter, Bittereinder featuring Tim Beumers, Die Heuwels Fantasties featuring Inge Beckman, Mr Cat & The Jackal, Jack Parow featuring Gazelle, Moses Metro Man, and the winners of the “Best Live Act” category Van Coke Kartel.
Anru Liebenberg, a lucky audience member who voted in the “Best Live” category left the State Theatre with a little more than just memories of the live event; he went home with a brand new and trendy Hyundai i20 Remix. And what would rockstars be without a trendy touring vehicle? The awesome team at Hyundai SA thought it was only fitting to send Van Coke Kartel home with a top of the range Hyundai H1 van after they were named “Best Group” at this year’s event.
Those who came out tops in each category on the night were:
Best Video: LocnVille – Stars Above You. Directed by Tristan Holmes
Best Newcomer: Moses Metro Man – Huigelaar
Best Group: Van Coke Kartel – Ondier Kom
Best International Hit: Adele – Rolling In The Deep
Best SFX: Mr. Cat & The Jackal – Bad Man He Comin’
Best Dance: Jax Panik – Get Up
Best Rock: Van Coke Kartel – Vir Almal
Best Indie: Dance, You’re On Fire – Boxes Of Tigers
Best Hipster: Jack Parow – Byellville
Best Radio Hit: MFM – Jax Panik / Dinosaur
Best Live Act: Van Coke Kartel
2012 saw a revolution with outstanding local artists. And this is just the beginning…
For more info, or to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s hot in SA music, check out www.mktv.co.za
This weekend was the 2012 annual installment of RAMfest.
Here are my thoughts on the event as a whole (take note : )
We arrived in time to see the first act: Newtown KNIFE Gang who took to the stage at 12.30. And for their first festival they rocked it like pro’s. I was however a little concerned after the first song that Spencer may keel over. I cannot even begin to imagine how hot it was on stage. I would’ve completely understood if they had just given up…but they didn’t. They carried on in true sweaty rock ‘n roll style and nailed it! Kudos guys.
Shadowclub – These guys definitely deserve their 2 SAMA nominations. The Shadowclub are just brilliant. I loved their energy and swagger on stage. Making SA proud!
For me Chromium was a tad disappointing. But I’ve never really been their biggest fan. Of all the acts I saw at RAMfest their sound was the worst.
Fokofpolisiekar are SA rock royalty. They are welcome at any festival I attend. It is a little sad to see Jedd as a replacement for Hunter but thats what you get for being in multiple touring bands I guess.
To be completely honest I had never heard of Awolnation until they were announced as an act for RAMfest. They were cool I guess, but in all honesty I think the majority of the crowd was there for In Flames.
Pestroy have really upped their game and are on their way to being a HUGE SA band. They have been around for years and getting to perform on a stage with international bands is a testiment to their incredible music. The closing mashup was awesome. We want more!
The Narrow seemed to lose a bit of crowd in preparation for the main act. This seemed to be the time the crowd hit the bars and loo’s before In Flames. This is in no disrespect to them as they are always off the hook, but I guess that’s the price you pay for being the preamble to a band like In Flames.
In Flames – Loved them. If you missed them shame. Words cannot explain. As long as they come back! I also have to applause the crowd, I think In Flames were truly blown away by the SA fans. We sang along and did metal proud. ^5
Pro’s
Negative
I’m going to be completely honest, but if you read my blog you will know dance music is not my thing, so after In Flames it was decided that we were homeward bound. Yes, that could be considered lame but hey, don’t judge, it was a long ass hot/cold/wet day.
One has very little if any expectations when it comes to a free concert.
When it was announced that 5Gum was bringing TDCC to South Africa, I was ecstatic. I brought their album some time ago and love belting it in my car when I’m feeling a little down. I was surprised to hear that to be selected as one of the ‘elite’ you had to apply for tickets. Unlike all other concerts before you couldn’t simply buy one.
This automatically leads you to think that some costs will be cut. That the sound may not be that good. That there will be one poor sod serving the masses at the bar. Or that toilets will be none existant.
This was not at all the case. On the Friday night me and the boyfriend headed off to Nasrec, with absolutely no idea what to expect. As we pulled up to the entrance it was quite clear that this was a bit of a hipster fest… but rad nonetheless.
But wow, what a set up! We didn’t have to queue to get in. There was an epic bar, miles of toilets and the stage and sound set up was incredible. It was purdy.
Some Dj was busy getting the crowd in the mood for some Isochronous, followed swiftly by Desmond and The Tutu’s. Both bands representing a proudly South African vibe and getting the crowd grooving.
Then it was time for the main event, and Two Door Cinema Club took to the stage, and blew the roof off of Nasrec. They were incredible! What a class act.
I think a great deal of people attended this concert purely becasue it was free, but I think they left as TDCC fans and promptly purchased the album the following day.
The biggest question for me however is how 5Gum could possibly monetise this stunt. Can they really justify the cost of the show? Can they sell THAT much 5Gum? What is the catch?
To be honest I’m not sure if I care. It was a perfectly awesome evening and I hope 5Gum pulls this stunt again. Be proud of yourself 5Gum. Bring more bands to SA!
Awesome new video from Dance You’re on Fire. These guys have done incredibly well for themselves. Cannot wait for the new album!
Louise Carver, SA’s popular contemporary pop artist, will be performing at Rhebokskloof Wine Estate in Paarl on Friday, 23 March 2012 as part of the estate’s ‘Theatre on the Lake’ concert series.
Fans can look forward to hearing her latest chart-topping singles ‘How You Gonna Do It’ and ‘Days Go By’, which the songstress will be performing on the night. Both singles, which will be on sale at the show, are included on her fifth album, a fusion between live instrumentation and electronic grooves, set for release later this year.
Rhebokskloof’s sprawling lawns, overlooking its picturesque dam, make for the perfect setting for the estate’s ‘Theatre on the Lake’ concerts. Guests are invited to pack a picnic basket and blanket or pre-book a concert picnic basket by contacting the estate in advance. Rhebokskloof’s award winning wines as well as soft drinks will be on sale on the night. Regrettably no beverages are allowed to be brought into the venue.
Tickets are available from Computicket at R130 for adults and R65 for kids between the ages of 4 -12 years old. Gates open at 17h00 and the show starts at 19h00.
For more information visit www.rhebokskloof.co.za or call Tel 021 869 8386.