Appreciating 'African' music...

I had the immense pleasure last night of interviewing one of South Africa's hottest DJ talents, a man who is mixing house music with hip hop, and spreading this African blend of musical love around the UK. He's based here and has residencies across London - our very own export - DJ Mo Laudi!

And not only was he all the things that I love about a true creator - passionate, interesting, inspired - but super dedicated. While chatting it came out that it was his bday yday and yet there he was doing a media interview with all the focus and enthusiasm as if it were any other day of the year!

We chatted about the increasing African music scene and the worlds' growing interest in music from more exotic destinations, and we spoke about Mo Laudi's musical creations and what he loves doing... which is a little bit of everytyhing... crossing samples and genres and styles... and it is this multi-mixing mentality that always gets me most exuberated about South African music...

South Africa possesses such a superb variety of influences, cultures, experiences and cross-polinated creative people, that one never knows what will be created next... and with that shared Africaness as a label of pride, I was most impressed to see a post on a website yday from Dale Stewart, the guitarist of LA-based, SA exports Seether... where he was invited to submit his eight fave tracks right now ... and right in there with The Pixies and Deftones, was our dearest Johnny Clegg. Crossing all sorts of boundaries and geographical borders, South African music is osmosising into the hearts and pysches of the world!

And so, with only a week to go until the first MTV Africa Music Awards, I still have some research to do into HHP (Hip Hop Pantsula), DJ Cleo and Jozi as I promised. And meeting Mo Laudi fuelled that desire to really find out what the fuss is all about in this self-evolving genre of music captivating South Africans.

Rock on to discovering new music,
x

PS. For those fans of Plush - catch lead singer Rory Eliot tonight at The Watershed in Wimbledon!

7 weeks til 2008?

I heard something scary today... a wake-up call really! Most of us will take it in different ways, but at the realisation of 7 WEEKS 'TIL 2008, one is left to wonder how one will best spend this time, and what one still has to tick off the '2007 To Do' before we can launch fully into 2008!

I for one am excited by the thought of 2008. Partly cos it has a good ring to it (and 8 is my lucky number), but also cos I was once told by a palm reader in Thailand years ago that 2004-2008 would be dark years for me, and that 2008 would see a new phase. Hmmmm... funny how something so irrelevant stuck in my brain.

But pressing pause on looking forward, lets make the most of what's left. And when it comes to SA music in and around London, there is loads of it!

First up is Just Jinjer who feature in this weeks South African paper with a few Q&A's and 3 things you probably didn't know about Just Jinjer! They will be rocking their usual venue at the Shepherds Bush Walkabout next week Wednesday and Thursday!

Also coming soon are the SAMA Best Rock Album 2007 winners, Cassette, who will be playing a Monday gig at the Halfmoon on the 26 November! Having reviewed their album in the South African only last week, I am very much amped to get some of their groove live and in my ears. Their debut album is a fabulous one for sure! Check it out!

And in light of new years ahead and old ones past, it was with much interest that I read a message from Rory Eliot and the Reason (ex-Plush), stating that their Evolution is complete and that they will, from now on, be officially called Plush, again. Sometimes its good to stick with what works!

And sometimes its good to try something new! If it is new you're after, then head on down to the Aardvark this Sunday for a SA charity music event called "I Can Move", in aid of a quadriplegic charity in South Africa! The day kicks off at 10am and goes on through to 2030, with Dorp headlining and closing this SA day! But even Dorp is a common name around here on the gig blog! Lots of other artists to check out - Feral Sun, User2beSyris, Nadia Walsh and Dave Diss... should be a good day with many a Savanna and Castle on hand too!

So check out the gig blog listings, and most importantly- watch this space!

Rock on Movember,
x

ps. Anyone out there growing a mo (aka a 'tash) for the charity who renamed this month in aid of charity?

Catch 'em while you can!

Hooray for short weeks and the light at the end of the tunnel only four days away following a fabulous weekend of sunshine!

Just a quick reminder that if you havent yet seen Rory Eliot, tonight is your last chance and at the wonderful ear-heaven of the Halfmoon. Also, catch Parlotones last night tomorrow night, plus my fave London SA band Livingston playing in Camden tomorow night!

Lots coming up in September, but more on that to follow soon!

And don't forget to pick up a copy of today's South African which features a CD review on Durban-born singer songwriter Farryl Purkiss, a troubadour who is going places fast! Under record label Sheer he released his debut over here just under a month ago on 4 August.

Read Tune Me to find out more... and then get out to buy the CD and get to know his songs before Farryl flies into London for his gig on 8 September in London!

Rock on four-day weeks!
x

Gig Giveback: Rory Eliot & The Reason

Friday was fabulous! Sorry it took so long to tell you that! Im in Italy and its raining, so Im substituting the outside world of beach beauty for the online world today!

For a first night, Rory Eliot & The Reason resonated all the energy and passion I anticipated for their first time UK tour, and debut show to kick it off! But WOW did he over-deliver exceptionally. Sweat, love and amazingness came off that stage!

And the audience resonated the reason, the music and the meaning. Most interesting to me was how many male 'groupies' there were! Much singing along and a fabulous atmosphere! Rory was every bit as lovely when I met him afterwards!

The tour is being run by Monk Management who have scheduled a fast and furious turnaround of shows across London. And I think they will be as electric at all of them! We even talked about going to see them again before they leave! So, go see them while you can!

And don't forget bout Barry Hilton - tonight and tomorrow at Wimbledon Walkabout - and Thursday and Sunday at Zulus!

Not to mention that its time to start planning your long weekend if you havent already. From SouthWest4 on Clapham Common to Notting Hill Carnival on Monday's bank holiday and many a SA gig inbetween! Make it a bank holiday weekend to remember!

Ari Verderchi! Rock on Italia (minus the rain!) I'm off to eat more gorgeous Italian food!
x

The Reason

Firstly, its Friday and no one needs more reason than that to celebrate the start to a weekend. But more than that, the reason for going down to Zulus in Fulham tonight is to see South African band Rory Eliot & The Reason.

Fresh off the plane this morning, in the UK for the first time and here with their debut UK tour, entitled The Evolution of Plush. It is probably with high emotions that the guys will play tonight, since it was the dream of two to come here, and only one made it!

The tragic and deeply sad story is known by many, of how Plush guitarist Chas Smit was abruptly killed in P'maritzburg by a drunk driver, who was apparently a public community figure, the head of varsity college! Chas' death was on the launch night of their second album promotional tour as they had planned to take their music around the country!

For Rory it will be hard tonight, and for many fans too, many who attended a funeral held here in London in September 2005 (even though the guys have never been to London! What a tribute to Chas who people speak of so highly!) But I believe that it will be a celebration of memory as opposed to a morbid memorial. The music lives on, and Chas in it!

These guys are playing an intense set of shows around London in the next two weeks, so if you cant make tonight choose another date off the gig guide and get down to see Rory Eliot & The Reason and their acoustic rock all the way from SA!

Rock on Rory Eliot & The Reason,
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