Counting the daisies down...

One festival, two festivals, three festivals, four... That is one festival for each of the months left of the year, starting today as September, then October, November and December! 

And what more does one need to start preparing for summer holiday mode than a festival to truly get that let go feeling, to kick back and kick off the shoes and just learn to be at one with nature and live meal-to-meal, enjoying the sunshine and mostly concerned with which epic band to see next!

Starting with White Mountain Festival from today in KZN, to Rocking the Daisies next weekend for the Capies and those along the west coast, followed by Synergy at the end of November (also for those in Western Cape), and the new one day Drake Festival in KZN on 17 December!




Rocking the Daisies has a stellar line up on Saturday in particular! I think I'll find myself a permanent viewing possie from 2pm onwards:

• SATURDAY
• 10:00 The Brother Moves On
• 11:00 The Rescu
• 12:00 Peachy Keen
• 13:00 IScreamStix
• 14:00 Jeremy Loops
• 15:05 Yoav
• 16:10 Belleruche
• 17:15 Tumi & the Volume
• 18:20 aKING
• 19:45 Prime Circle
• 21:10 Civil Twilight
• 22:55 Band of Skulls
• 00:30 Lark

And yes, that's two UK bands on the Saturday line-up - electronic / soul band Belleruche for the post-lunch chill and then the main alternative rock headliner Band of Skulls who will take us over the midnight threshold!

Even the Sunday line up is worth sticking around for! I recall last year how we stayed til Nibs van der Spuy at the very end, and despite it pissing it down with rain, we were so pleased we stuck it out!


SUNDAY

• 10:00 Hot Water
• 11:00 Jon Savage and the Nomads
• 12:00 Shadowclub
• 13:05 Graeme Watkins Project
• 14:10 Just Jinjer

Rock on counting down the days til Daisies,
x

How shall I miss thee...

I've just watched my last episode of Expresso for this time round. Its a morning TV show on SABC3 that I've come to love since its launch in October last year...

And my favourite bit (to do with music of course), is at the end of the show - the part between 7:20 and 7:30 - when they interview a different SA musician or band each day! What a service they are doing for our local music scene!

With the live studios set against a backdrop of Table Mountain, Cape Town is an ideal setting for this fun breakfast show. And the fact that they have Michael Mol as a TV presenter also adds so much to it! Vuyo has his own bouncy vibe to bring to the mix and Liezl van der Westhuizen adds her own flair too as the three of them rotate on who interviews the artists.

On this morning's show was a statuesque chap by the name of Mathew Moolman - with only one 't'! With an album entitled 'Rhythm & Harmony', he sung a track called Break Loose which showed off his soul-infused style. His short radiating dreads stood out against the mountain as he sung in the fresh morning air, bathed in beautiful Cape Town morning sunshine.

Aaah, Cape Town... I am going to miss you dearly! You are such a fabulous place to call home - but more so South Africa, with your silent power and presence - you really do have a fabulous energy about you, and I cannot wait to spend more time getting to know you!

So as I pack my suitcase with summer clothes and head back to London's freezer effect where I shall lavish in all my scarves, hats and other fun winter items (yes my awesome uggs, I'm coming for you!), I feel like I'm merely pressing a temporary pause on my time here - because I feel I will be back sooner than I realise...

And so as Mathew Moolman - with a 't' - said this morning on Expresso, even though his album is not yet available in shops, there is still a way to get hold of it. And that is, if you order it by sending an email to bookings@mathewmoolman.co.za, he will not only hand deliver it, but also sing you a song of your choice when he does! (I'm not quite sure what this service costs!?) And so, while I will not be available in South Africa for a while, feel free to email me if you wish my presence and services (or just a hug), and I will make a plan to personally deliver when I'm back in SA (though I can't promise any singing (",)

And because of artists like Mathew and his passion to put himself out there - that's exactly why I have such a passion for South African music! Musicians here just love what they do, they do it with real desire and intent and they are hard working!

So thank you to all the wonderful musicians who have made these last four months so fabulous... you need only read back on this gig blog to know who they are... but special mentions go out to Jax Panik, Jack Mantis Band, Mccree, Chris Tait and Dave Owens as I've joined them temporarily on their journeys. And to some others such as Shen Winberg, Evolver One and Civil Twilight for the beautiful songs that have been the soundtrack to my working days!

Rock on SA music in South Africa and beyond,
x

Yes, I'm guilty...

As a true original, rock-loving, leaning-towards-acoustic singer songwriter lyrical loving music type girl, I feel I've commited some sort of music sin...

I've got Musica partly to blame for making such music so accessible and reasonably priced at R99.95. And for a double CD - score! Now, it is time to admit my little secret and tell you just what it is that I bought... Any guesses thus far? Any particular CDs you would consider as a shocking purchase?

Well, the moment of truth is that the album I bought isn't even an original album. Its a compilation. Ok, so that's the second hint. Double CD compilation. Ok... so, I have just become the owner (by choice of course) - of Now 56! Does that make me a bad music person?

I have this thing about not supporting big international commercial artists unless they are true musicians and passionately into their art. Especially since this is where most record labels tend to spend their marketing budgets, because they know that these are easy artists to sell. So instead of investing in local talent, they'd rather spread the next J'Lo or Justin Bieber - of which neither probably writes their own songs, music or gets involved with much more than photo shoots, press events and live performances.

But what did ease my conscience was just how many SA artists are actually on the album. And also, the reason I bought it - as is often the case with music - is for purposes of nostalgia...

You see, this trip to SA has been just shy of four fabulous months - and I've been loving my driving time, while listening back and forth between 5FM and KFM. And with many awesome SA tracks on the radio a lot more than I've recalled in the past, its been delightful to hear some great SA songs on radio.

While the SA artists on Now 56 are the more well known SA ones, at least they are on there. And at 9 tracks out of a total 41 on the two CDs, that is nearly 25% which is akin to the local radio station local radio play. I hope that by Now 58 we are at 50% of local stuff versus international commercial overkill.

SA artists on Now 56:
- The Arrows: Lovestruck
- Goldfish: Get busy living
- The Parlotones: The stars fall down
- Locnville: Love rush
- Prime Circle: Breathing
- Civil Twilight: Next to me
- Arno Carstens: Heartbreak Monday
- Freshlyground: Fire is low
- Jax Panik: Get up (if you're hot)




Other SA songs on local radio that I'm totally digging right now:
- Evolver One: Move along (wow, incredible when really loud and in a private driving space)
- What now: Toy soldiers
- Mccree: What is it
- Jax Panik: Rockstar (how can you not be in a good driving mood when this comes on! And the crazy cool video for this fabulous track is being released today - keep an eye out)
- Dirty Skirts:  Strike the match
- Civil Twilight: Love letters to the sky
- Good Luck: Taking it easy

Rock on local music getting out there,
x

Did you feel the magic?

If you were at The Assembly last night, you certainly did. We were all part of it, surrounded by it.

aKING opened with a spell-binding acoustic set - the stage was certainly set for awesomeness. But what followed was a three-piece band of beautious melodic rock music that took us on a journey much like Carl Cox would create an aural pathway on which to float, taking us towards turns and twists, keeping us in a steady state of awareness until the next subliminal crescendo capped the moment! Enter Civil Twilight!

Lead singer Steven McKellar played a piano in parts, adding a timeless quality to their incredible sound. And with Steven looking strangely similar to the one and only Edward - it seems fitting that they chose a name so aptly aligned to the zeitgiest and the google antics of their demographic!

The sound behind the name is a fusion somewhere between Snow Patrol, Muse and Kings of Leon - and yet it was completely their own Civil Twilight creation - and most definitely of international stadium standards!

In fact, I count myself very lucky to have seen this show - and especially lucky for scoring last minute tickets (hugest thanks to Ant Martin and Julia!) since this gig was super sold out (with a queue of about 150 still trying to get in!)! I put my words firmly in digital ink that - although already based in the States and obviously doing well for themselves - 'Civil Twilight will soon be the global SA rock music flagship band, doing sold-out stadium tours of the States, followed by a sizeable world tour to share the Civil Twilight sound with the world!' They are just that good. But more than good, their music makes you feel something! Its music to listen to in so many situations and circumstances, and with lyrics that can be interpreted and analysed a thousand times over in different life phases.

Steven's brother, Andrew McKellar, also added something incredibly special by playing his guitar with a violin bow - the ethereal effect touched everyone in The Assembly last night!

Their own songs stand seven feet above the ground, each one as head-high, chest-out proud as the next... so when the Massive Attack cover of Teardrop kicked in, I wasn't sure what to expect of a song not their own...! Well, I don't know how long the version went on for - it certainly felt like forever as they stretched it out, slowed it down and isolated each of the instruments before adding them back in one at a time, Civil Twilight style - but I do know that I didn't want the song to stop! As Simon Cowell would say if this was X Factor - 'Civil Twilight made that song 1000% their own!'

WOW! WOW! WOW! I want to go back and do last night all over again! The Assembly was also a marvellous venue, so I shall be back for more of that. And as soon as Civil Twilight play again - London or SA - I certainly won't have to be asked twice! 

Rock on Civil Twilight,
x

PS. And who ever was responsible for the video visuals - a massive well done to you! Those were outstanding!

Civil awesomeness, the true Twilight...

Now this is an easy band to write about - three Cape Town boys who are based abroad, this is SA music making it on an international scale (and they played in London for the first time in June!)

Following a 5,000 strong crowd to see Civil Twilight at Kirstenbosch on Boxing Day and with close on 40,000 facebook fans (38,682 to be exact), these Hout Bay boys are playing their home city of Cape Town at The Assembly tonight. Together with aKING, this is to be one epic show! R60 gets you in, doors open 9pm. 

On the same US label as Seether, Wind Up Records released their album earlier this year and Civil Twilight have had major hits with Letters from the Sky and Anybody Out There!

I also love how they've covered Massive Attack's Teardrop, much like Seether did a George Michael cover of Careless Whisper. It just works!

Cant wait for tonight, rock on,
x