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

Super bok...

I learnt a new word a few weeks ago, and while it was a rather under-stated explanation related to the event, it has never-the-less stuck in my brain!

The word is 'bok', to be used as an expression of something which is super cool. As in, "Ja, that's bok!" 

'Bok' is also the name of a group of guys who put on the pop-up music event on Spin Street in Cape Town a few weeks ago. In a non-music venue, there was a second-hand clothing sale and a small balcony, a selection of basic beers, plus rum and coke. In line with the stripped back set up, they'd even made a budget sign out of brown paper!

A bunch of guys having fun by creating an afternoon gig, in an unusual setting, with good bands, just because! Now that's bok in my books!

Other variations that come to mind are 'bok befok' and 'super bok'. And besides being a Portuguese beer sold at Nandos in the UK, I think super bok could have some traction in our local is lekker lingo!

Then there's the rugby world cup. South Africa's Boks are super bok for having won all their games to date! And much like the comraderie in rugby and sport, Cape Town band The Rescu recently spoke about their desire for a similar music culture of support and allegiance to develop in SA! Patriotism in SA music, supporting SA music regardless... hell yeah!

To me this would be going to gigs where you don't know what to expect (much like watching Japan v Canada, as unfolded yday in an interesting 23 all draw) or trying out new mixes of bands (like going to watch SA v Namibia even though you'd usually support a SA v Wales game) and also viewing each performance as a 'match' in that players have good days and bad days, perhaps even recognising a certain muso as the MVP of the gig!

So this concept of a developing a music culture is an easy one to start... It begins with a shift in mindset. Are you up for the shift to encourage national support and appreciation of SA music?

And on that note, if you spot a band called Supercancer, make the effort to see them soon! They were one of the bok event bands. Whooooaaa! Bok befok! Super bok!

(And while we're on about what's musically hot, later that same bok night we got to see Desmond & the Tutus at Assembly (and I just love their Facebook logo - their name in toast).

Now these Joburg guys are no newbies and are already well liked (I was their most recent 3,770th fan today!) But if you haven't seen them yet, add it to your bok bucket list!

In comparison, I was Supercancer's 370th fan - so a band with 10% of the fans of Desmond - for now! (And FYI - Bok van Blerk has 10 times the fan base of Desmond, with 37,323 fans!)

• Supercancer: 370 fans (Super bok!)
• Desmond & the Tututs: 3,770 (Jozi bok befok!)
• Bok van Blerk: 37,323 (100% bok hahaha)

ZAmmm! shall return with more Facebook fan counts and other such useful facts in the near future!

Rock on all things super bok!
x

I've got my eye on you...

...and your online activity!

Back in June I had a little list of artists I was impatiently waiting on for debut albums... Well, as it goes on the inside of the industry, there are usually heaps of versions of songs produced and outputted until the final  final mastered album is ready for public consumption and worthy of our 100-150 bucks!

I've now had the pleasure to listen to near all of my highly anticipated artists with pre-release albums and EPs in varying forms... So I suggest you too start following these bands and checking out some sample release tracks online, so you too can be part of their unfolding stories...

Below I am starting to track their online following as I intend to watch them grow over 2011 - and the * shows that the first six are all due to release debut albums in 2011 which should add fans in leaps and bounds. Join the journeys online:

• The Truth* - this new project by Chris Tait (of Hey Mister, and Tait fame before that) was only launched in October 2010. It has a wee 133 followers for now and the first five songs of this album have already been released on facebook. I think this is a great way to engage fans, show them the money - give them a taste of the music! Since this is rockier than Tait's previous style, it is a new journey for Chris too. I'm a new Tait fan, so I shall enjoy this journey of The Truth from its infancy and see where a project like this may lead!

• David Beretta Owens* - 426 puts Dave Owens - or David Beretta Owens as he is now officially known - just before Shen in the fan race, and with 28 stated days (as of today) until his album release, let's see how quickly Dave's fan momentum can develop! He does of course have the added element of being the ex-Lithium frontman, so much like when Arno Carstens went solo from Nude Girls, people will know his voice and will be keen to see what he's up to these days! And with that depth of voice, delightful character and natural rockstar quality to him - I can't wait to see how fans respond to the softer sound of Dave on his debut solo album!

• Shen Winberg* - with 482 likes on facebook, the secret is still to a very select bunch of fans. And what a lucky inside circle, since Shen plays around Cape Town so much that its at these intimate gigs where one can get closest to an artist, and 90% of the time its for free! So sign up to his facebook page now - and 'discover' his John Mayer / Jason Mraz African-blended flavour soon!

And I've been lucky enough to have watched Shen over the last 5-6 years as he's gone from cover songs to his own creations!

• The Rescu* - 540 fans sees them next up after Shen... heartfelt, gut-wrenching stadium style rock, with a message. Very easy listening. Very rock. With great guitar. (Plus I love the emotive violin effect). I've seen them once at Synergy, liked what I saw, and I'm super keen to see more!

• Mccree* - measuring 1,086 on the facebook fan scale, these boys are way under-attended online. But it is with glee that I know I'm part of the first 1,000 facebook fans - cos when the world gets wind of their sound and the Mccree team picks up the pace of their online presence - you'll scream and I'll scream, we'll all scream for 'Mccreeeee!"    In fact, I'd even say, "See them now in SA while you can, cos they'll be somewhere overseas soon if any wise sponsor or label can spell Mccree and envision their name in lights already...!"

• The Jack Mantis Band* - close on Mccree with 1,195, this is another SA band set for a seismic explosion when mainstream SA gets to experience them live! Mantis maketh magic where ever they do go! They've done a bit of touring to date - the White Mountain Folk Festival in KZN and the Garden Route Summer Festival in December 2010. But until they have an official product and a national tour, who knows what other fabulousness may unfold... Music with conscience and soul. Or as JMB describe their music, "Peace, love and politics..."

• Jax Panik - with approx 8,000 fans when they released their second album in September 2010, Jax Panik have grown their fan base to over 44,500 facebook fans in less than four months! With their daily, and often hourly, interactions with fans, I am Jax Panik is a clever concept and one which keeps fans uber engaged. If you don't get it yet - just head over to their page and read a snapshot of the wall to see how they communicate with and include the Jax Panik clan of fans! Jax Panik is a fascinating facebook fame example and one I will continue to watch in 2011 with delight!

And without intentionally trying, this list has turned out to be a bunch of boy bands, or shall I correct myself and say male-fronted bands, of which most of them are not too shabby on the looks level either. Proving that not only do we have some very fine sounding talent coming out of our country, but also extremely pleasing talent on the eye, providing more reason to follow them online and at a gig near you for a full sensory experience! (and if you're a guy, just think of all the girls following all the hot guys!) But hey, the music is the strongest drawcard afterall! :)

(And just as an extra brag, just cos I can... I am also ve chuffed to say that all of these bands hail from Cape Town too!)

Rock on facebook fan followings and fab Cape Town bands... we will be checking back in with your fan followings in the near future!

x

Synergy... all over too soon!!

It was already a week ago that I was gathering my festival gear and heading to the Franschoek mountains for a weekend of live outdoor SA music at Synergy Live!

I somehow managed to forget a few key things - toothpaste, handwipes, pocket tissues, a mirror etc - so I just embraced the true festival vibe of not caring! With a little stream to cool down, and the overall festival area being a cosy and ve walkable distance, it was an ideal homely spot for a weekend of music.

Unlike UK festivals where you walk for miles between stages, I was thrilled that the main stage was only a short hop from the electro stage (and only just out of aural reach) - and then another hop and a jump from the Your LMG stage - a first time stage from the free Cape Town music magazine - bringing up and coming bands to new ears!

I love Your LMG's tagline -'Passed out in a bar near you'. Hmmm... ponder that... (It took me two reads :)

I spotted some interesting talent there - Jinx were my LMG discovery of the weekend. A 'circus electro mix' the guys explained as I chatted to them before they went on stage. Id stopped to ask them who they were, cos they were the only ones dressed in theatrical circus flair at 5pm in the afternoon! Turns out their quirky singing style woo'ed the audience no end! And with the Johnny Depp-esque moves of Willy Wonka crossed with the Mad Hatter, the lead singer was uber entertaining! His female vocal counterpart also added some much needed beauty. Mesmerising - check them out!

Also on Your LMG - I checked out Ree-burth, the exciting rock band from Soweto - an amazing sound that doesnt match the stereotyped visual you're expecting! Ve cool! Such a striking combination of onstage energy! I also saw the Red Huxleys - a band I've heard lots about but not seen live - and their style of rock also impressed! I kind of wish I'd checked out more on that stage, but as with all festivals - the choice is just too much!

Meanwhile, on main stage - things were happening from early hours... too many amazing bands to list! But in chronological order - it would be Friday night's headlining slot of Jax Panik and his first ever live performance that blew both me and the listeners away! They had the crowd eating out of their hands and everyone was singing along! It was like a 30 Seconds to Mars rock show. Except Jared Leto was in a larger-than-life LED illuminated mask  - and there were five of these Jax Panik characters glowing against the bold digitised screens! Hard to believe it was their first time live! What a show!

Other discoveries of the weekend included Mccree and The Rescu - both before lunchtime on Saturday morning, proving that its always worth checking out all band slots and not just waiting for the Prime Circles and Hogs of the SA music world who most people know!

This was also Mccree's first ever festival - and to be on the main stage - oh wow! It took me a while to work it out, but when I did I was grinning like a school girl! It was the lead singer's voice which grabbed me - so similar it is to one of my all time favourite bands, a band who started out as small fry on the London scene (and consisting of two South Africans in their mix, including Beukes Willemse as lead singer), and who have now been living and performing in Berlin for the past two years, and blowing away local audiences with German precision! They are of course, Livingston! I was honoured enough to interview them and write their first ever article - back in 2004 - and then ended up following them at near every gig for about two years until they left London! All my friends and family got to hear about Livingston :) So watch out peeps, Mccree is the next one you will be listening to at a braai with me soon!

Mccree have what I call a 'big sky' sound - ideal for outdoor vibes, music that makes you breathe a little deeper and stand a little straighter, your heart feeling like everything will be ok.. it makes you wanna drive all day with the window rolled down and a big open blue sky leading you forwards!

Saturday night's line-up consisted of Prime Circle knocking out a good set, plus UK band Feeder who headlined - and I was surprised and thrilled to hear that their drummer now, is in fact a SA boy - an ex-Amersham drummer. You see, us South Africans infilrate everywhere! SA music is making its way into every nook and cranny - its just a matter of time before it explodes and is as acceptable the world over as Aussie music has become! No more 'special SA sections' at festivals cos 2010 is World Cup year, or the novelty Die Antwoord's, but many more Livingstons, Parlotones, Soweto Gospels, Johnny Cleggs, Nibs van der Spuys and all those other SA bands who tour abroad regularly!

Closing Saturday was an epic Goldfish set - say no more, who better to keep a crowd very much alive and awake til 330am! Plus the animated video to their latest track 'Get busy living' - a tale of two suitcases, in love. Too clever! I will never look at my luggage the same again when travelling! :)

Synergy sure was the sum of all the parts - from once dance party to now rock fest - and just the right size vibe at that. So much great SA music is out there! We just gotta get busy living and supporting all the small bands. Cos who knows who will be the next Prime Circle or Goldfish. Then you can say you saw them first. Not to mention become a groupie and get to watch every gig while you can afford it!

Rock on SA music and fabulous SA festivals!
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