Pink is the new colour of rock 'n roll...

It would be the kinda place you'd expect to find Elvis hanging out. Tucked away, living the simple life at the seaside, taking afternoon strolls on the promenade. Or perhaps Nick Cave is a more likely potential Pelirocco patron... He already lives in Brighton after all!

On arrival we originally overlooked the subtle Pelirocco sign on the front of the very plain terraced building in the square opposite the long since burnt down, and well known, West Pier in Brighton...

But once we spotted it, we were quick to dash inside and out of the rain. Being indoors was a welcome relief from the diagonal sheet rain that had pelted us all the way from the rail station about 15 minutes walk away. But in the spirit of it being summer, we'd decided that a bit of water couldn't harm us!

The warmth of the all pink Hotel Pelirocco reception put instant big fat smiles on our faces! We were given our key and shown to the staircase, where we ascended and made our way past all the paraphenalia and photos and artworks on the wall and down a tiny corridor until we found our door...

This might be a rock 'n roll hotel, but it felt somewhat like an Alice in Wonderland or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory adventure lay ahead! 

And then the grand moment! As we wiggled the key in the lock of room no 9, we had an idea of what to expect, but as we swung the door open, what awaited us was bolder and more brilliant in real life!

Also boasting bright pink walls, a giant orange-tinged sunset with a palm tree silhouetted against it formed the centre point, and soul, of our room.

Each of the rooms at this boutique hotel have unique names, though I shall let you find out for yourself just what our little bright pink sweets-from-heaven style boudoir was called...

It was perfect! We even had a sideways view of the sea if we stuck our heads out the window! Plus there were some cool chairs and a cosy flourescent pink quilt, perfect for people who have just been walking in the rain and need to warm up!

And in case you forget where you are, the canvas artwork on the walls (all of which is for sale I believe), is of candy coloured beach inspired signage specific to the Brighton seaside tourist town feel, from fish 'n chip shops to ice cream sellers, beach huts to deck chairs and carousels!

The next morning we wound our way down the quaint cluttered spiral staircase to the breakfast room, back in the pink interior of the reception. An ala carte menu offered us all sorts of delicious favourites, including a healthy eggs royale on a wholewheat muffin and a good full English with Portabello mushrooms too!

Pelirocco will put back the twinkle back in your smile and it will open your eyes to the smaller details that surround us in every moment! Its amazing what one night away from London can do for the soul!

And why am I not surprised to know that this rock 'n roll hotel even has a radio station of its own!


Or perhaps you wish to indulge your own inner rockstar with some Singstar karaoke! There is so much to discover and explore at Pelirocco - including the story behind its namesake! So check out the coolest rock 'n roll hotel an hour south of London and get booking for that boutique beach weekend escape!

Rock on little rock 'n roll discoveries,
x

PS. And on 19 October, Pelirocco is launching a new room - Do Knit Disturb - bringing the total of unique rooms to 20! Keep up to date on the Peli on Facebook!

Putting SA music in the Oxjam mix...

A great idea popped into my inbox this morn. A simple concept of claiming an entire month as a 'music festival', stating it in the name of charity - and then putting it out there as an opportunity for anyone to step up to the challenge and create their own event as part of this festival...

The event is the Oxjam October music festival, taking place in the UK, but seemingly anywhere in the world would suffice...

Stats from last year's Oxjam claim that over 700 events took place across the UK, from Inverness in Scotland, to Brighton on the south coast. And over 200,000 people attended an Oxjam event - thus making it the UK's biggest music festival they say.

Now I don't know my Glasto facts and figures, but I'm guessing they don't hit the 200,000 mark although I' always assumed it would be about that many thousand muddy people gathered in the fields of Somerset!

But back to Oxjam - Oxfam's month-long music festival... so they're on the lookout for people who've got what it takes to organise their own music events in October in the UK (or elsewhere, why not?)!

Yes, that's right - hundreds of events, in dozens of towns and cities, involving thousands of artists, all run by volunteers and all raising money for Oxfam!

Find out more about Oxjam and how you could get involved... much like the famed South African Ox braais, I think SA music and culture can add much to the Oxjam festival! Perhaps the likes of UK-based SA artists What Now, Starseed, Feral Sun, Steve Peralta, Samantha Horwill and more will want to do their bit for humankind?

People who wanna put on an event need to register an event by end of May and they will then be invited to attend an Oxjam training day run in partnership with LiveNation and the Academy Music Group!

Rock on music events to be created by the masses,
x

Gig Giveback: Karma

What a special gig last night was! Karma has definately improved with age! And that is saying a lot as a self-declared Henry Ate hugest fan as a teenager!

Karma was amazing on the small stage of the Halfmoon, Putney. Bathed in blue light with her jagged blonde long trendy fringe hanging in her face as she mesmerised the audience with a mix of old and new!

  Performing all the favourites from her Henry Ate Days, she sung the classic 'Just' TWICE, much to everyone's delight when she ended the show with it as a final special touch! In fact the entire show was a gift of memories and special moments... from Karma's quirky stories inbetween songs proving her to be quite the comedian, to an on stage rendition of 'Hey Mister' with her London-based sister, Tanya!

And after a good few Henry Ate tracks, Karma confessed that her second album 'One Day Soon' is her favourite of the lot, and of the songs on it, she went on to sing 'Indian Giver', another self-confessed favourite!

She also covered tracks off her last album 'Don't Walk Fly' with hits such as slow and meaningful 'Countless Occasions' which she confessed was written about a stalker, and that stalker being a heartbroken her... lightly humourous and bonding to Karma the human behind the music!

She also sung her '0 miles' song, a link to the longings of her home of South Africa "15,000 miles of sky separates this life from one I knew. Cos I'm too close to Cape Town's coast..." and so she was in London town for two fabulous nights before heading back to her now home of Florida. But Karma did promise to be back sooner than her last two year turnaround for a UK visit!

And with her Henry Ate catalogue being re-released in SA this month, maybe she will need to head home to do a reunion tour there, and what better place to stop along the way than London! Plus she is soon to release her new Karma album. So we a good chance for a return between the two! Let's hope we see her back here soon!

Rock On Karma,
x

PS: And how can I forget fellow South African singer songwriter Samantha Horwill on support... adorably animated on stage, Miss Horwill is a little package full of Oooomph, and with a fabulous voice on top of it, she will take many a stage by storm as she continues to build her career having only recently launched her debut album as a solo artist!

What goes around comes around...

Yes indeed it is again time to see Karma in London town! 

Two years since her last show the ex-Henry Ate lead singer will be back at the Halfmoon in Putney for her blend of storytelling shows! I for one cant wait to see her tomorrow night!

Karma is also playing tonight, and both nights she has Brighton-based SA Samantha Horwill on support! Two great female singer songwriters in one night! What a treat!

Interview with Karma in last week's South African paper on what she's been up to in her now home of Florida, and what she's been working on lately.... new album out soon!

Rock on Karma!
x

Rocking the SA festivals

A two week patch of silence on the gig blog was down to a last minute surprise visit to South Africa..

In the time I was away, Harris Tweed played their two London gigs and locals Livingston played a midweek gig at 93 Feet East, as well as Samantha Horwill playing last night.


For your next chance to catch Samantha Horwill, get down to one of the two Karma storyteller shows at the Halfmoon. Samantha will be supporting Karma on both nights. For more on what Karma has been up to over the last two years since her last London visit as well as what gets up to on a typical day and life as a musician in Florida, then check out next week's Live Music SA in the South African newspaper.

As for the weekend ahead, it looks like we can all keep warm and cosy and indoors during this rainy weather as there are not any SA bands playing in and around London that I know of!

Meanwhile, back at home the festivals are hotting up. Already on is Aardklop in Potchefstrom and starting tonight is Rocking the Daisies in Darling on the West Coast. Both line-ups are exceptional and Im sorry to be missing out, especially Rocking the Daisies!

Otherwise, October is just round the corner. More on upcoming bands when October swings around!

Rock on SA festivals,
x

New beginnings...

A busy patch last week with Just Jinjer, Freshlyground and Samantha Horwill amongst Act4SA walk and Women's Day (and a public holiday) back at home.

Not to mention that OppiKoppi has now happened as well as Cape Town festival Ampli5 where international acts Violent Femmes and Jimmy Eat World entertained CT audiences as well as OppiKoppi'ers up north in Northam!

Back on the London front, Mann Friday have been busy offline as promised (making the most of this rainy indoor patch), and have put together this cool MF photo montage!

This week sees the arrival of Rory Eliot & The Reason who land on Friday and will be playing an impressive London circuit of cool cosy venues, from north to south, east to west - ending at the Halfmoon in Putney on 28 Aug! See this week's South African paper for the full (and sad) story of The Evolution of Plush tour for Rory Eliot & The Reason, a band born from tragedy and inspired by the dream to go on!

Talking of new beginnings, another SA band has just made the jump stateside to LA. Wickhead announced their move on the 4 July, and are already in sunny state of California. I am currently reviewing their EP Sexy Chiquita for next week's paper, so look out for that and news of what the Wickhead boys will do next. They are uber sexy, and uber hot right now! Just in time for summer!

And on the hope of summer, it is with irony that we all wait with baited breath for a bit of sunshine, and who better to isolate that irony and magnify the situation of South Africans living in the UK, than ultimate SA funny man, Barry Hilton! I know this gig blog is about SA Music in London, but who can resist a little bit of Barry! The Cousin will be creating ripples of laughter across London next week - Walkabout Wimbledon and Zulus Fulham!

That's it for now. Check out the gig blog, book a few tickets and get out there and see some of SA's fine talent!

Rock On SA Music,
x