News

Cape Jazz Fest Announces Three Additional International Acts

The 13th Cape Town International Jazz Festival line-up has been bolstered by the addition of three exciting internationally acclaimed artists. Master vocalist, poet and actress Jill Scott’s (USA) exciting repertoire is expected to bring the house down as she joins the other greats on the festival’s Kippies stage.

In 2000 Scott released her much anticipated debut record Who is Jill Scott? Words & Sounds, Vol.1. This double platinum selling album earned Scott several Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist. Two more critically acclaimed albums followed; Beautifully Human: Words & Sounds, Vol. 2 and The Real Thing: Words & Sounds, Vol. 3. Both garnered two more Grammy Awards and spawned multiple worldwide tours.

Most recently Scott was cast as the lead character in The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, a HBO/BBC mini-series filmed on location in Botswana and currently being broadcast in South Africa. Prior to that she starred alongside Tyler Perry and Janet Jackson in the movie series Why Did I Get Married?. This Three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, New York Times best-selling poet and critically acclaimed actress joins the bill as one of the headline acts.

Texas-born jazz vocalist and popular standard singer Steve Tyrell (USA) also joins the bill. He is known for the self-produced and critically acclaimed album A New Standard, released by Atlantic in 1999. In 1986 Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram recorded Tyrell’s Somewhere Out There which won two Grammys (including Song of the Year) and received an Oscar nomination. Three years later, Ronstadt recorded Tyrell’s Don’t Know Much featuring Aaron Neville which earned both her and Neville a Grammy win for Best Vocal Performance.

Hip Hop artist Pharoahe Monch (USA), completes the line-up bringing the total number of performing artists to 41.  Known for his popular hit Simon Says, the New York native was originally part of Organized Confusion with partner Prince Poetry. Today the former visual artist works on his own, recently having released W.A.R. (We are Renegades). The music video for the new single off the album, Still Standing, was released on February 5 and features fellow Jazz Festival performer Jill Scott.

These three acclaimed performers join an already star-studded line-up of artists, with this year’s headliners reflecting the festival’s philosophy of broadening audience’s perspectives of what is understood as ‘jazz’.

As previously announced, the rest of the line-up for 2012 is completed by the following artists: James Ingram (USA), Dave Koz with special guest Patti Austin (USA), Mike Stern with special guest Dave Weckl (USA), Virtual Jazz Reality (SA), Brubecks play Brubeck (USA/SA), Ron Carter, Donald Harrison  and  Lenny White (USA), Andre Petersen Quintet (SA), Atmosphere (USA), Jean Grae (USA), Goodluck (SA), Zamajobe (SA), Zahara (SA), The Jason Reolon Trio (SA), David Sanchez with special guest Lionel Loueke (Puerto Rico/Benin), The Moreira Project (Mozambique) and Alexander Sinton High School Jazz Band (SA). Zakes Bantwini (SA); Unathi (SA); Lindiwe Suttle (SA); Sophia Foster, (SA); Hassan’adas (SA); Victor Kula (SA); Adam Glasser (SA); Herbie Tsoaeli (SA); Steve Dyer (SA)’ Ill Literate Skill (SA); Hip Hop Pantsula (SA); Dorothy Masuka (SA); Hugh Masekela with Special Guest ‘’ Tribute to Mama Afrika’’’ Gabriel Tchiema (Angola); Allen Stone (USA); Nouvelle Vague (France); Xia Jia (China); Alfredo Rodriguez (Cuba); Kevin Mahogany (USA); The Patti Austin Trio‘s (USA); Marcus Miller (USA) and Third World (USA)

This year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival will take place on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 March. In its 13th year, the festival continues to titillate South African audiences with the finest in local and international performers at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

Celebrating not only musical creativity, but visual creativity too, The Duotone Photographic Exhibition is an annual fixture of the festival. Every year it commemorates prolific jazz photography to educate people about the power of art & photography, how one image can be timeless and to expose other forms of art , culture and heritage as it is all one form of expression and enjoyment. This year it showcases the works of Nuno Martins (Angola); Sipho Maluka (SA) and Shelley Christians (SA).

One of the most exciting elements to the festival is the annual free Community Concert which brings thousands together in the centre of Cape Town on Green Market Square. This year the concert will take place on March 28th, the Wednesday preceding the festival. The line-up is usually a teaser of some of the local and international acts that will feature at the festival.

The gold sponsors for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2012 is the Department of Arts and Culture and the SABC. Other sponsors include Provincial Government of the Western Cape, The City of Cape Town, Oude Meester, Hansa Pilsner, Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Cape Town Partnership and the Western Cape Education Department.

Tickets for the festival are R400 for a single day pass and R550 for a two-day weekend pass. As in previous years, there is an additional fee of R30 per act for performances at the Rosies stage.

Tickets are available at Computicket and Shoprite-Checkers stores.

 

 

T E R M I N A T R Y X – Album vs Remix Trailer

The recent release of the TERMINATRYX “Remyx v1.0″ album has also re-directed the attention to the unique self-titled debut album, which forms the basis for these exciting re-interpretations by amazing remixers from 5 countries, incl. the UK, Austria, Greece, USA & South Africa (the 1st single announced soon).

 

HOT CHELLE RAE strikes platinum again with single ‘I like it like that!’

Best New Artist American Music Awards winners Hot Chelle Rae have struck platinum again with the RIAA certification of  “I Like It Like That, ” the follow up single to their double platinum hit “Tonight Tonight” from their second studio album WHATEVER .  The band just kicked off their 33+ date headlining tour this week on Feburary 10^th in Metarie, LA, with multiple dates already sold out in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis as well as this week’s Denver show.

Hot Chelle Rae’s brand new album WHATEVER released at the end of 2011, features their two irresistible pop hit singles “Tonight Tonight” and“I Like It Like That” – other album highlights include “Why Don’t You Love Me,” featuring pop solo artist Demi Lovato, quirky break-up song “Honestly,” finger-snapper “Radio” (featuring rising rapper Bei Maejor), be-yourself anthem and tour name “Beautiful Freaks,” and the title track, the “three in the air and you just don’t care” anthem for the now generation “Whatever.” The NY POST calls WHATEVER “effervescent” and USA TODAY describes WHATEVER as an album full of “tight hooks, savvy cameos, and sing-along choruses so insanely catchy…Hot Chelle Rae is riding a great buzz.”

Declared “one of the catchiest pop-rock anthems of the summer” by USA Today, the album’s first single “Tonight Tonight” crashed into the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in July, shot to No. 1 at Hot AC radio in September, and was certified double platinum in the U.S and Australia, and platinum in Canada. The band’s second single “I Like It Like That” which just was certified platinum in the US and Australia was declared by Entertainment Weekly as “bubbly elasti-funk” and an “official fall-resisting battle cry.” “I Like It Like That” features hip-hop duo New Boyz and is currently #15 on the Top 40 chart, while the song’s documentary-style video racked up over 1 million views in its first 3 days on VEVO. Hot Chelle Rae will also embark on an Australian arena tour in March 2012 opening for Taylor Swift in the midst of their US headlining tour.

Hot Chelle Rae is scheduled to perform on Cartoon Network’s “Hall of Game Awards” on February 20^th. They recently performed on the American Music Awards (pre-show), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Today Show, Live with Kelly!, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Z100’s Jingle Ball’11, the CBS Early Show and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2012 live from Times Square.

Hot Chelle Rae is lead singer/guitarist Ryan Follese, lead guitarist Nash Overstreet, bassist Ian Keaggy and drummer Jamie Follese.

 

 

ISOCHRONOUS to release new album ‘Inscape’ this year

ISOCHRONOUS is currently working on their fourth album to be released around September 2012. Their third album, Inscape, was released in 2011 to critical acclaim.

“We released our album in October last year, and the music that was on that record had been performed (by us) many times live before it was available for anyone. So we have decided to release our newest album without having performed any of the material on it. It will be an entirely new experience for the concert-goer.”

The new album will be a digital release and the album will be produced by Richard Brokensha and Marko Benini. It is being recorded at Nelius’ Studio in Pretoria East.

Isochronous will also be opening for international band Two Door Cinema Club on the second of March in Johannesburg on their first tour to South Africa.

Interview: Fire Through the Window

Fire Through the Window are a cute little indie band hailing from Durban, who have stuck it out besides the toughness of the local music scene. Their happy-go-lucky tunes have you humming along in no time, and have featured on some top commercials including 8ta and an Apple iPod Nano TV campaign. This year sees them releasing a new EP called ‘Live Long’, a new music video featuring planetary quirk and a nomination for the MK Award 2012. I chat to Fire Through the Window about happiness and the death of the CD store…

What’s it like being a band in Durban?

The Durban music scene is unpredictable and a lot of the time it can be frustrating. There’s still a decent amount of supporters but we’re working against a city that makes it very difficult… All the bands that keep at it despite the challenges deserve a pat on the back.

What makes you guys unique?

It’s nice not to have to answer to a big label telling us what to do. We can really take it in any direction we want to and what happens happens. If people think it’s unique then that’s cool. If not then that’s cool too. We’re happy making the music we do, and we’re having a lot of fun along the way.

Your upbeat tunes has been said to make people happy – do you do it on purpose?

We don’t really ever have a particular plan in mind when we start writing. The music is what it is, but I’m glad it makes people happy. That makes us happy. I’ll be interested to see if people have the same response with the new tracks.

How does your new EP release ‘Live Long’ differ from your previous 3 albums?

A little less happy, a little more edgy and hopefully a little better!

Are EP’s the new LP (full length album)?

Tons of bands do it overseas so we figured why not? This way we also have more recording and a second release to look forward to.

How ‘re you guys planning to survive the death of the CD store?

The last time I walked into a cd store was over Christmas a couple of years ago to see if I could find a festive CD to play at Christmas lunch at our grandparents place. I guess the survival plan is to keep on our toes and watch the trends emerge. The Internet offers up new opportunities on a daily basis and offers up lot of resources to market and sell music. But there’s just SO much music out there…

What has the response been so far for your new video ‘Long Gone’ (single from your new EP release ‘Live Long’)?

We’ve had some lovely feedback from a lot of people. Louis Minaar is extremely talented and he was great to work with. Shooting in a green studio was crazy. We couldn’t exactly picture what Louis had in mind so a lot of the things he asked us to do only made sense when we got the rough edits back from him!

Fire Through the Window are planning a tour in Johannesburg towards the end of March and will be playing in Cape Town in April. Keep an eye out for the release of their EP ‘Live Long’, which will be available on the internet next month.

 

 

The Plastics to open for TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB and Stereo Kids enters the 5FM Top 40!

Cape Town based retro indie band, THE PLASTICS, are to open for international band, TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB in Cape Town on the 3rd of March.

“We were offered the opportunity by the organisers a few weeks ago and couldn’t say no!  They’re a band that we’ve admired for a long time and we’re really interested to see what their live show is like, especially since they’re revered overseas as a great live band!”

Two Door Cinema Club will be making their way to South Africa for two shows in March 2012. Hailing from Bangor and Donaghadee in Northern Ireland, the band was formed in 2007 and launched their debut album entitled Tourist History in March 2010.

Since releasing their debut album Two Door Cinema Club have rapidly become one of the biggest success stories in the UK music scene. They’ve sold out headline tours in the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, Australia, Asia, Japan and South America.

“We’re not doing the show just to make up the numbers though – we’re going out to impress and we’ve got an army of new songs since our last album that we’re excited about!  So we’re going to pull out all the stops to make it memorable.  It’ll be our first show with a famous international band so naturally we can’t wait for the day!  I think our music makes a good fit with Two Door Cinema Club.  Both of our bands’ music is designed for the dance floor so it’s going to be a fun show!”

5 Gum is bringing Two Door Cinema Club to South Africa. In Cape Town, they will be supported by The Plastics and Ashtray Electric, and Blush ‘n Bass will be closing the memorable event.

Apply for Tickets

The Plastics’s new single, STEREO KIDS, was recently play listed on 5FM and has also now entered the 5FM Top 40 last week at nr. 40. Stereo Kids is also nr. 1 for the second week in a row on the Jon Savage Rock Chart on 5FM.

“It’s always difficult to predict these tings, but we felt that the way that Stereo Kids came out and the help we got from Dreamspace Recording Studio in crafting it, the song had a chance to make an impact on the airwaves.  And we’re excited to find out that it has! “

Be sure to catch The Plastics at the following gigs:

16 February – Zula Sound Bar, Cape Town – Africa U Nite
ft. The Plastics, Juke Royal and Ordnungsamt (Germany)
18 February – The Brass Bell, Kalk Bay
with Beach Party

 

 

5 Gum brings Two Door Cinema Club to SA

 

Evolver front man Peter Pote leaves band

Peter Pote former front man of the band, Evolver One, writes a letter to his fans and the public explaining the reasons for his departure from the band he co-founded and was a part of for nine years. Check it out here.

“Dear friends

Last week I made a life changing decision to resign as the front man of Evolver One, a band that I co-founded and have been a part of for the last 9 years.

I personally felt that Evolver One had run its course. One reaches a stage in their career where change is necessary and a different direction essential for creativity and personal growth.  Evolver One was an incredible journey – 3 successful albums, over 500 shows locally and overseas, at least 11 songs play listed nationally and a string of hits. Of course, meeting and forming some great relationships along the way has been priceless.

I am by no means retiring from the music business and am very excited about many prospects and opportunities that have started to present themselves to me. I shall be working very hard with my team to set the ball in motion and look forward to sharing news of my career developments as and when each element unfolds. Not too long from now I hope!

Alexander Graham Bell said: “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” I have no regrets whatsoever and I am looking forward to stepping through the new door with confidence and determination into a world of abundant and exciting times.

I would personally like to thank each and every person involved in this first part of my musical journey for gladly giving their support freely and willingly. The fans, my friends and family, media, radio, sponsors, managers, PR team, producers and everyone else. To my former band members – Sean, James, Tulsa and the others who were a part of nearly a decade of Evolver and Evolver One – thank you, it was great!

Much love,

Peter Pote”

 

The Fray Latest Album – Scars & Stories

“Heartbeat” is The Fray’s first single off the Scars and Stories album. “Heartbeat” was produced by Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Stone Temple Pilots, Audioslave) and written by The Fray’s front man Isaac Slade and Guitarist Joseph King. The song was inspired by a real life and very poignant encounter Isaac had with a genocide survivor in Rwanda. Currently  #5 on the 94.7 Highveld & 94.5 Kfm SA Take 40 Chart, ‘Heartbeat’ has been added on key regional radio stations country wide and is also peaking on the US AC Radio charts as well.

On ‘Scars and Stories’, The Fray transform their own turmoil into a stunning collection of songs that’s markedly moodier than both 2005’s ‘How to Save a Life’ (the double-platinum debut whose title track graced the “Grey’s Anatomy” soundtrack) and 2009’s self-titled sophomore effort (a Grammy-nominated record featuring the smash single “You Found Me”). “There’s a deep sense that we have no clue where we’re headed or what’s going to happen with us,” says Slade of The Fray, whose lineup also includes guitarist/vocalist Joe King, guitarist Dave Welsh, and drummer Ben Wysocki. ‘ Combine the chaos of fame with some personal struggles that Slade describes as “nearly devastating” for the band, and it’s no wonder that Scars and Stories takes on a greater tension than its predecessors.

 

Bouwer Bosch – Almal Maak Voute

In December 2011, BOUWER BOSCH released his album, ALMAL MAAK VOUTE. Previously from Straatligkinders and also from Dans Dans Lisa, Almal Maak Voute is his first offering as solo artist. The album was written and recorded over a period of two months and produced by Wynand Delport.

 

RAMfest 2012 – Final Line-up Announced

5 cities! 5 days! 7 stages! Local and international artists!

The line-up is final at last. In 2012 they brought you four international acts! RAMfest has upped the game and are proud to announce that AWOLNATION (USA) will be joining the international line-up together with In Flames (Sweden), Infected Mushroom (Israel) and drum and bass master NETSKY ft. MC Darrison (Belgium and UK).

SA fans were thrilled when RAMfest announced the first headliner In Flames in November last year.  In Flames vocalist Anders Friden says that the band is excited about their upcoming performances at RAMfest (JHB and CT)

“We are really looking forward to touring South Africa. There are many countries that we have visited many times over, but this will be a completely new experience for us. Get ready to hear some delicious metal brewed and matured in Sweden; we hope to see many of you!”

Dates:

Friday 02 March 2012: Port Elizabeth, Hume Park

Saturday 03 March 2012: Bloemfontein, Mystic Boer

Friday 09 March 2012: Durban, Origin Night Club

Saturday 10 March 2012: Johannesburg, Riversands Farm

Sunday 11 March 2012: Cape Town Ostrich Ranch, N7

*Please note that the international acts will only be performing at RAMfest in Joburg and Cape Town and Netsky will also be in Durban.

Click here to buy tickets via Facebook or click here to buy tickets via Ticketbreak.

Line up details: (Please note that the line up changes from city to city.)

10 March 2012: Johannesburg, Riversands Farm

Click here for the facebook event details.

The RAM is back! Taking place at the Riversands Farm in Johannesburg for the second year running, the festival once again promises to bring Jozi the best time of their life. This time round there is also an option for camping. Camping tickets are R50 pp for 2 nights (Fri and Sat) and R30 pp for 1 night (Sat). No camping tickets available for only Friday.  Space is limited so book asap.  Buy your camping tickets here.

Please note: Camping ticket does not include festival ticket and does not allow you entry to the festival arena. You will also not be allowed into the campsite without a valid festival ticket.

RAMfest JHB Party Bus from Pretoria:

After the success of Railway to RAMfest in 2010 & 2011, Hotbox Express has decided to organize a party bus from Pretoria to Ramfest JHB.

There are only 60 tickets available.

For more info: hotboxexpress@yahoo.com or 074 143 7471.

For more information, click here.

Line Up:

Red Heart Main Stage:

In Flames (Sweden), Infected Mushroom (Israel), AWOLNATION (USA), The Narrow, Pestroy, Fokofpolisiekar, Chromium, Shadowclub, Newtown Knife Gang.

Olmeca Electronic Stage:

NETSKY ft. MC Darrison (Belgium & UK), Niskerone, Double Adaptor, RudeOne, Tasha Baxter, Deeziak, Benson, Cutkeylow, Ambush

JHB Tickets: R350

11 March 2012: Cape Town Ostrich Ranch, N7

Click here for the facebook event details.

For those of you that love camping, we`ve got you sorted. Camping opens on Saturday morning 10h00; camping tickets are R50 pp for 2 nights (Sat & Sun) and R30 pp for 1 night (Sun). Please note: Camping ticket does not include festival ticket and will not allow you entry to the festival arena. You will also not be allowed into the campsite without a valid festival ticket. No camping tickets available for only Saturday. Camping tickets limited so organise asap!  Buy your camping tickets here.

RAMfest CT Party Buses brought to you by Easy Company:

Why wait till you get to RAMFest to start the party!? Hop aboard the action-packed RAMfest bus in collaboration with Easy Company and get rock ‘n rolling before you’ve even arrived. Busses will be transporting eager festival-goers to the Ostrich Ranch and back again, saving you the hassle of appointing a designated driver, or the risk of drinking and driving!

There are three possible pick-up points. For more information on the RAMfest party busses, click here.

Line Up:

Red Heart Main Stage:

In Flames (Sweden), Infected Mushroom (Israel), AWOLNATION (USA), The Narrow, Fokofpolisiekar, Taxi Violence, Hog Hoggidy Hog, Newtown Knife Gang, Sabretooth

Olmeca Electronic Stage:

NETSKY ft. MC Darrison (Belgium & UK), Niskerone, Haezer, P.H.Fat, Dub Vader, B-Team, Das Kapital, Audiophile, Hyphen vs SFR

CPT Tickets: R350

02 March 2012: Port Elizabeth, Hume Park
Click here for the facebook event details.

Don’t say nothing good ever comes your way. For the first time ever, RAMfest will be visiting the windy city to cook up a big storm of rock ‘n roll awesomeness.

Hume Park is making camping space available for those of you that would like to stay over on the evening after RAMfest.

Here is the campsite booking details:

• Camping R40
• Pre booking’s essential
• Contact number, Hume Park: 0415861518
• Email address: Humepark_caravanpark@telkomsa.net

Please note: Your festival ticket does NOT include camping. Camping must be booked prior to your arrival directly with Hume Park management on the contact details that’s provided above.

Line Up:

Fokofpolisiekar, Niskerone, Volume Conflict, Guns ‘n Lazers, Huis Najaar, Herotide, Hog Hoggidy Hog

Tickets PE: R80

03 March 2012: Bloemfontein, Mystic Boer

Click here for the facebook event details.

This is what you have been waiting for, your very own huge rock ‘n roll and alternative music concert. Finally, RAMfest has decided to claw its way to Bloemfontein for what will hopefully be the first of many appearances in the City of Roses. Hear the rumble, feel the rumble, its coming.

Line Up:

Fokofpolisiekar, Niskerone, Shadowclub, No Halo`s, All Will Fall, Koldproduk.

Tickets BLOEM: R80

09 March 2012: Durban, Origin Night Club

Click here for the facebook event details.

The RAM is back on the sunny shores of the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal; a city where east meets west. This year RAMfest Durban will move to Origin Night Club.

Line Up (local and international):

NETSKY ft. MC Darrison (Belgium & UK), Niskerone, Hyphen vs SFR, DJ Nightvision, Amigo, Veranda Panda, Ditigal Kaos, Icarus, We’ve Been Hacked, Mad Love, Slice Freddy, Leo, Bear Girls, Jay Tweak, Mark E Mark.

Tickets: DBN: R120

 

The Cult to release new studio album

2012 World Tour Details Coming Soon

One of the finest British rock acts to have enjoyed worldwide success over the last few decades, The Cult has wrapped up recording ‘Choice of Weapon’, the group’s first studio album in five years.  Released on 21^st May 2012 on their new UK label Cooking Vinyl, its 10 tracks reveal the band at its rawest and most visceral, encapsulating cinematic visions and themes of love, revolt, and redemption.   Fans can get an early taster of the album, the track ‘Lucifer’ is be available as a free download.  Details are being confirmed for a worldwide tour and will be announced soon.

‘Choice of Weapon’ is the follow up to the critically-acclaimed 2007 release ‘Born Into This’ that the UK’s Mojo magazine called “a wholehearted, utopian and irrefutably exciting record.”  Long-time Cult collaborator and producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Bush) – who produced one of The Cult’s most successful albums, the platinum-certified ‘Sonic Temple’ – put the finishing touches on the foundations that were laid by co-producer Chris Goss (Queens of the Stone Age, U.N.K.L.E., Masters of Reality).

The record was written by Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy, recorded in New York City, Los Angeles, the California high desert, and the band’s Witch Mountain studios in the Hollywood Hills between July and December 2011.  The new release features founding members Astbury on vocals and Duffy on guitars, with drummer John Tempesta and bassist Chris Wyse.  “We have had the opportunity to work with two of the most influential and talented producers in the world today,” said Astbury.  “They pushed us beyond our comfort zone, and helped us craft ‘Choice of Weapon.’”

The album is aimed at the heart of The Cult‘s loyal following.  It reflects the current discontent and destruction of our eco systems, the search for individual meaning against a tide of rampant materialism, narcissism and disconnected lives.  “We went deeper . . . we worked a bit harder on this record.  We have great fans and they deserve our best,” added Duffy, “and I feel this is one of our best records, maybe the best.”

The album is released as a special edition fan pack on May 14^th, followed by digital and double vinyl on May 21^st and the CD and deluxe CD’s on June 4^th.   The tracklisting is as follows:

Honey from a Knife / Elemental Light / The Wolf / Life > Death / For The Animals

Amnesia / Wilderness Now / Lucifer / A Pale Horse / This Night In The City Forever

Bonus CD tracks:

Every Man And Woman Is A Star / Embers / Until The Light Takes Us / Siberia

Twitter – @THE_CULT_ NYC

 

Mr Cat & The Jackal Latest news!

Beste Nuweling
Beste SFX / Animation

There is also a category for BEST LIVE ACT and they could win a VAN for that and you can win a car!

Vote Here

They will be on a tour to Dubai and London! Stay tuned for more details.

FEBRUARY:

11 February – Oude Bakerij, Stellenbosch

MARCH:

3 March – Straatfees, Stellenbosch
9 March – Bijou

24 March – MK After Party, Arcade Empire, Pretoria

 

TAXI VIOLENCE rocking Kirstenbosch on 19 February 2012

 

NEWTON’S 2ND LAW SIGN WITH SONY MUSIC & RELEASE DEBUT SINGLE ‘FACT OF LIFE’

Passionate and determined, Newton’s 2nd Law have been pursuing music between their post school studies, but their deal with Sony has allowed more focus to shift onto their developing career as a band. Describing their music as a force for hope and peace, Newton’s 2nd Law aims to offer something new to the South African musical landscape. A hybrid of styles that incorporates rock, folk, soul and dub – the band’s diverse influences apparent  in not only the fresh sonic textures that trademark the recordings, but in the motivation behind their songs and lyrics, something particularly evident in ‘Fact Of Life’.

Newton’s 2nd Law’s as yet untitled debut album is due out later in 2012.

Newton’s 2nd Law are:

John Mani, Vocals

Eddie Neethling, Guitar

Wihan De Lange, Drums

Jaco Joubert, Violin

Peet Bornman, Bass

 

 

Fire Through The Window Release First SINGLE And VIDEO From New EP Coming In March 2012

Wuli Records Announces Lee DeWyze’s Album “What Once Was”

Wuli Records Announces Lee DeWyze’s Album “What Once Was” Available For Pre-Sale Now; Album Out 2/14!

“What Once Was”, the highly-anticipated Lee DeWyze’s album (set to be released worldwide on Feb 14th) is now available for pre-orders on Amazon

“What Once Was” is an aural snapshot of Lee DeWyze from 2006-2010, before winning American Idol. The songs were written when Lee had 100% artistic freedom, showcasing his talent for songwriting and featuring Louis J. Svitek, guitarist extraordinaire, and Ryan T. McGuire on the drums/percussion, who also produced the album for Wuli Records.

The collection of songs range from rock to folk to pop and were raw and unfiltered. From the haunting evocative vocals in Never There, to the clever lyrics in the toe-tapping modern folksy song Snaps, Lee’s unique non-traditional musical style is revealed. Overall, the album effectively articulates Lee’s youthful poetic soul, providing a window into “What Once Was”.

“What Once Was is an incredible CD!”, said Debbie Shynner, a radio host on WISE Radio. [...] “It is a much welcomed change to listen to music that relies on beautifully written lyrics, and amazing heartfelt vocals. This journey into Lee DeWyze’s musical past is one that you won’t want to miss.

Tracklisting

1.Snaps (3:19)

1. Never There (4:04)

2. Maybe I Might (4:30) 4.Fallen (3:34)

3. Princess (Reprise) (3:41)

4. When She Dances (3:53)

5. Green With Me (2:48) 8.Worth Waiting (2:56)

6. Bridge Burns (3:52)

About Wuli Records

Louis Svitek and Ryan T. McGuire founded Wuli Records in 2004 in Chicago, Illinois and were signed to Universal Music Group/Fontana for national distribution and In Grooves for global distribution in 2010. Wuli, which is Mandarin for “patterns of organic energy”, represents the philosophy of the Owners who aim to channel talent by providing full–service artist development. Svitek and McGuire each have over 25 years audio engineering, production and live performance experience. Wuli has no limit to their artistic capabilities as they have successfully produced all genres of music.

 

JACK WHITE Debut Album Blunderbuss out 24 April on Third Man Records/ Columbia

“Love Interruption,” the first taste of Jack White’s forthcoming debut album, Blunderbuss, is available exclusively to Third Man Records’ Vault members to hear now,  free stream.

The digital version of the track will be available to purchase tonight at 9 pm PST/12 AM EST.  Want to hear it first but not a member of The Vault? Go here to join:  http://modlife.com/thirdmanrecords/signup

Blunderbuss will be released April 24 on Third Man Records/ Columbia.

A vinyl version of the “Love Interruption” single featuring exclusive non-LP B-side “Machine Gun Silhouette” will be released February 7 on Third Man Records, but is available now for pre-order at Jack White and Third Man Records

Produced by White and recorded at his own Third Man Studio in Nashville, Blunderbuss has been described by White as “an album I couldn’t have released until now. I’ve put off making records under my own name for a long time but these songs feel like they could only be presented under my name. These songs were written from scratch, had nothing to do with anyone or anything else but my own expression, my own colors on my own canvas.”

Win Double Tickets to SOWING THE SEEDS 2012!

SOWING THE SEEDS 2012

24-25 February 2012, Warthogs Game Farm, Magaliesburg.

Rocking the Daisies’ teaser event, Sowing the Seeds in collaboration with Converse is coming to Jo’burg.

You will not only be immersed in the uniquely laid back vibe of quality music, great company and delicious food but the breathtaking Highveld landscape aswell.

Taking inspiration from Rocking the Daisies you can expect edgy brand activations,grassy areas, misting canopies, quality food & drink and the awesome Daisy Train!

CONVERSE and the “The Right to Make Noise” will be there!! CONVERSE has been giving fans the opportunity to win a full on VIP Sowing the Seeds experience including lodge accommodation, transportation, private bathroom, a fully stocked fridge with all your festival necessities and more.

LINE-UP:

BUSHWHACKER STAGE

·      Goldfish

·      Shadowclub

·      Desmond & The Tutus

·      Tidalwaves

·      Wrestlerish

·      Jeremy Loops

·      The Brother Moves On

·      Skabengas

·      Shortstraw

BEAT BOMA

·      Circuswing

·      Toby2shoes

·      Dubmasta China

·      Professor Mistry

·      Regan

·      Maoriginal

·      Dr Khumalo vs Moejoe vs Minx

·      Lucky Luke

·      Lil Bow

TIMES:

Friday – Camping Gates Open 3pm Festival Gates Open 6pm– 2am

Saturday Gates Open 10am– 2am

TICKETS:

Full Weekend ticket including camping

Pre-sale online only:  R200

Door: R250

VIP: R350 includes access to exclusive bar, pool and ablutions – only 100 tickets available

Children under 12 free of charge

Online presale tickets from www.webtickets.co.za

ACCOMMODATION:

All tickets include camping, however, for those looking for a little more luxury, see the website for accommodation options in and around Magaliesburg. A shuttle bus will run all day Saturday to and from the town of Magaliesburg to the festival. Various pick up and drop of points will be located along the route near key accommodation. All details

GP COORDINATES:

25°56’11.27″ S  27°31’42.49″ E

FACILITIES:

•   Gourmet food facilities

•   4 bars

•   Camping areas

•   Shaded areas

•   Misting areas

•   Comfortable seating areas

•   Ample security

•   Ample parking areas

•   Emergency services

•   Ample clean and serviced ablutions

PLAY HARD, TREAD LIGHTLY

WIN DOUBLE TICKETS!!!

To Enter:

1. Tell us in the Facebook Comment Field below who you are most looking forward to see play and why?

Southern Puse signs Idols winner David Van Vuuren

David skyrocketed into the hearts of all South Africans after he won the national Idol’s competition which had over several million dedicated viewers in it’s broadcast.

At only 21 years old, David Van Vuuren already knows what his calling is. A believer in the fact that you have to follow your heart and soul in order to be happy and to achieve inner peace, David immersed himself in music from an early age and has never given up on his dream. “I feel as human beings we should be following our souls and our hearts and because of the state of the world unfortunately it’s quite a struggle for many to do that”.

David Van Vuuren and his band promise to offer an electrifying and highly entertaining performance to everyone who comes out to watch them. David Van Vuuren will be touring the country non-stop in 2012, taking his music to all corners of South Africa. Tour dates will be announced soon but his first show with Southern Pulse will take place at Tanz Café, Fourways in Johannesburg on the 23rd of March 2012. Be sure to get there to witness the sheer brilliance of this talented artist who personifies hard work and integrity.

David Van Vuuren’s debut album entitled ‘David Van Vuuren – Free The Animals’ is available in all leading retail and online outlets via Universal Records. Already the album is creating quite a buzz in the industry and will also be available at all live shows David performs.

 

 

Voetsek! 2012 – Do Your Bit To Help Man’s Best Friend

The 3rd annual Voetsek! Music Festival is set to take place on Saturday the 17th of March at The Bohemian in Richmond. Doors open at 17h00 with the first band starting at 18h00. Admission is R70.00. There is a discount rate based on items donated.

This year’s line-up includes:

Jet Black Camaro

David Baudains

The CouchPotatoes

WONDERboom

Paul E Flynn

Submachine

Spoonerman

The Vendetta Cartel

Ramblin’ Bones

_ _
The Show will be hosted by comedian Deep Fried Man (Daniel Friedman). “Giving to charity doesn’t have to be a drag,” says organiser Rusha Malan, “This is a way to make a real difference to those who really can’t help themselves and have a great night out at the same time.”

The brain-child of local music fan Rusha Malan, Voetsek is a one-day mini music festival aimed at raising funds for local animal charities, Wet Nose Animal Rescue and Husky Rescue.  The public can show their support by coming to see a great line-up of bands, paying their cover charge and bringing money, food, blankets and toys to the show or by committing to donating time or adoption of animals if possible.

Last year, over 350 people got down and boogied to bands to help the animals. This year we’ve got some awesome, good-hearted sponsors involved to help us help you help these charities the best we can. Peagasus Consulting and All About Food are lightening our load by donating money towards our overhead charges, The Bohemian is giving us the venue free of charge, Smack Entertainment and Total Print Management are both giving us a discounted rate for their services and Web Site Hosting South Africa is handling our on-line hosting at no cost. Add some good karma and happiness, and you can’t go wrong. Raising money for charity has never been this much fun. Drab old no-fun-let’s-all-be-civilised suit and tie shindigs will never again be the only way to show you give a *bleep*.

Make sure you put Voeksek into your diary on Saturday the 17^th of March and come armed with some cash, gifts for our drop boxes and support the nominated charities. This is a great opportunity for music lovers to show their support for our furry friends in need while catching a line-up of awesome new and established Johannesburg acts. Check out www.voetsekfestival.co.za for more info.

Voetsek! 2011 is sponsored by:

The Bohemian, Peagasus Consulting, Web Hosting South Africa, Smack Entertainment, All About Food and Total Print Management.

All contact details can be found on the website.

The details

Voetsek!

Saturday 17 March

The Bohemian

5 Park Road

Richmond
Tel: 011 482 1725

Admission R70

 

 

3RD WORLD SPECTATOR release the music video for AMBULANCE

Stellenbosch based band 3rd World Spectator have released the cinematic video for their current single Ambulance, a Universal Music Group/Silverlining Pictures co-production, directed by Padraic O’Meara from Silverlining Pictures.

Katy Perry relies on DPA’s headset mics for California Dreams tour

Katy Perry’s engineering team relies on DPA Microphones’ 4088 cardioid headsets for all the pop superstar’s live performances, including her current California Dreams world tour. With the fast-paced, high-action set mechanics of the tour, Perry’s front-of-house engineer Peter Keppler needed a mic that could adapt to any situation. The smooth design of the DPA 4088, which makes the mic almost invisible, combined with its ability to eliminate feedback and background noise, make it the ideal choice for a high-octane tour like Perry’s.

“When selecting a microphone, I wanted something that would provide a well-balanced, open and airy sound for Katy,” says Keppler. “She’s a strong singer with a great voice and I thought finding a good headset mic would be a challenge. From the moment we tried the DPA 4088, I knew the sound was no longer going to be a problem.”

During Thinking of You, Perry stands atop a pink cloud that allows her to fly out over the audience playing an acoustic guitar. During this performance, Perry is in front of the main PA, which can be a potentially disastrous sonic scenario regarding feedback.

“The off axis rejection performance of the DPA 4088 was a lot better than anything else I’d ever heard,” Keppler explains. “All the headset mics I’d previously used sounded very unnatural — either muffled or very thin and boxy, and feedback problems were terrible. The DPA 4088 solved all of these issues. Her audience shows her a lot of appreciation, and they get especially loud when she flies over the crowd during Thinking of You, which also happens to be the quietest song in the show. The DPA 4088 has come through time and time again when I really needed to get Katy’s voice above the level of the audience. The gain before feedback is excellent.”
The DPA 4088, which Perry uses exclusively as her headset vocal microphone, is especially useful during the song Hot N Cold, where she changes her outfit seven times. Since this would be impossible with a handheld, Keppler selected the DPA 4088 because it could withstand the abuse, while allowing Perry the freedom to move about the stage.

“For Katy, the requirements were that the mic sounded great and was as small, lightweight and inconspicuous as possible,” says Keppler. “We selected the beige-colored version so it’s even less noticeable when she wears it.”

Having worked as FOH engineer for Nine Inch Nails and David Bowie, Keppler knows what it takes to keep the audio running for a live tour. Night after night the 4088 has stood up to the rigors of the road, performing flawlessly.

“The 4088 has held up amazingly well,” concludes Keppler. “Sonically, it always delivers. The hardware and wiring are both surprisingly robust, especially considering the abuse they take on a nightly basis.”

The California Dreams tour continues through Europe into February.

SA Distributor: Prosound (Pty) Ltd www.prosound.co.za

The Tallest Man on Earth – SA Tour Announcement “The Wild Hunt” Tour: February 2012

Kristian Matsson, the Swedish singer song-writer is a soft-spoken guy who stands somewhere around five and a half feet tall. But on stage, he’s known as The Tallest Man on Earth, a name he’s earned with his unforgettable live performances and one of the boldest, most captivating voices around.

Following sell-out performances in the UK, Europe and Australia for his latest album tour “The Wild Hunt”, Matsson will be coming to South African stages for the first time in February 2012. He will perform at two intimate venues – first in Cape Town on Friday, 10th February at the CTICC, and then in Johannesburg on Saturday, 11th February at the Joburg Theatre.

After releasing his critically acclaimed album “Shallow Grave” Matsson wrote and performed songs on his second album “The Wild Hunt” in the months after touring with John Vanderslice and Bon Iver, garnering more fans along the way and rave reviews from the likes of Rolling Stone Magazine and Pitchfork who praised him as “a natural-born folksinger, earnest, clever, and comforting.”

“The Tallest Man On Earth is an artist that we personally enjoy very much. It is incredible to see how his music and popularity has spread through mostly word of mouth in South Africa. We can’t wait to introduce one of the best live acts to SA fans for this first time”, says Blaise Janichon from Your Friends, the promoters of the SA Tour.

Matsson has often been compared to Dylan and although his influences still weave through some of his songs, his sound is undeniably authentic and unique. But it is Matsson’s passion on stage that cuts deep into memory. The energy and raw emotion that bleeds through all his performances is mesmerizing. He is a man with a story to tell and doing so with his exquisitely beautiful music, unmistakable gravelly voice, timeless melodies and haunting lyrics, it is easy to see why he is called “The Tallest Man on Earth”.

Tickets are NOW AVAILABLE

All tickets are priced between R275 – R350

Tour Dates

Cape Town:

Friday 10th February @ CTICC Auditorium 1

Doors open at 8PM

Johannesburg:

Saturday 11th February @ Joburg Theatre

Doors open at 8PM

For more information

 

Lonehill Estate Are Going to Hollywood!

Their recent success in the US has opened up doors for the band to explore new territories. Lonehill Estate has been invited to perform in Los Angeles at the esteemed MUSEXPO in Hollywood this April.

MUSEXPO, Los Angeles, the highly respected and critically acclaimed annual international music conference will take place on April 29 – May 2, 2012 at the W Hotel in Hollywood.

But what’s more, Lonehill Estate will also be performing at the renowned Viper Room during their visit.  The Viper Room was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp until 2004 and to this day continues to host multiple music genres, including metal, rock, punk and alternative.  Situated on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, the club is known to be a popular hangout for the Hollywood elite.

Frontman, Nathan Ro expresses his excitement, “LA Baby! Just like Nonhle Thema, Lonehill Estate will walk the streets of Hollywood. I sure hope we don’t come back jerks or anything. Just like losing weight each achievement is like a notch on our belt… and we are looking good . We are so excited to be going and showcasing ourselves for the Americans. We hope to do a night drive and hopefully see a Kardashian.”

MUSEXPO:

MUSEXPO is an unprecedented and exclusive opportunity to interact with a wide range of influential decision–makers from the international music, media and technology industries.  Many talented artists across the world have showcased at MUSEXPO since its inception back in 2005 and have gone on to secure recording, publishing and management contracts.

Founder/President A&R Worldwide/MUSEXPO & Co-Founder, Worldwide Radio Summit Sat Bisla says, “Our ethos is to continually evolve, teach and inspire forward-thinking minds as well as create new platforms that will build the bridges for the future of our multifaceted business, as well as providing a showcasing platform for the crème de la crème of emerging international talent on a global stage of key decision-makers, as well as influential press and media.”

Past MUSEXPO showcase artists have included Katy Perry (EMI),LMFAO (Cherrytree/Interscope), Jessie J (Lava / Universal Republic), Evermore (Sire Records/Warner Music), A Fine Frenzy (EMI), Laura Izibor (Atlantic), Ida Maria (Mercury/Island), Teddybears (Atlantic), Missy Higgins (Warner Bros.), Frankmuzik (Island) and many others.

Lonehill Estate, who formed in 2005, made star status after the release of their hit single ‘Technoband’, followed by ‘Green Pocket’ and most recently ‘Daans’.  Their radio success nationally saw them reaching number 1 on 5fm and several campus radio stations.  They are one of the most active touring bands in the country and look forward to this opportunity of sharing their music with the rest of the world.

 

 

TASSENBERG 75 FanTAStic Years Campus Tour

Wednesday, 8 February – Arcade Empire, Pretoria
with Die Tuindwergies, Zinkplaat, Naas Veld and The Rebel Train Surfers
Entrance: R30
Time: 8PM

Thursday, 9 February – Bourbons, Potchefstroom
with Zinkplaat, Die Tuindwergies, Naas Veld and December Streets
Entrance: R10
Time: 8PM

Friday, 10 February – Mystic Boer, Bloemfontein
with Die Tuindwergies, Naas Veld and Oros in ‘n Lang Glas
Entrance: R20
Time: 8PM

Saturday, 11 February – Aandklas, Stellenbosch
with Ashtray Electric, Loveglove Pyrotechnics and The Rivertones
Entrance: R20
Time: 8PM

Cape Jazz Festival Unveils 2012 Musical Gems

Jazz enthusiasts no longer have to hold their breath with the final announcement of artists for the 2012 Cape Town International Jazz Festival. This year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival will take on March 30 and 31. In its 13th year, the festival continues to titillate South African audiences with the finest in local and international performers at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The headliners reflect the festival’s philosophy of broadening audience’s perspectives of what is understood as ‘jazz’.

“If it’s music, sweet music, lets it play,” is the philosophy of Jamaican-hailing reggae band Third World – one of the headliner acts aimed at bridging these divides. Originally formed in 1973 in Kingston, Third World has over its three-decade spanning career interwoven subtleties of funk, soul, R&B and rock into reggae music, releasing 23 albums in total. They are one of Jamaica’s longest running acts which means that they easily bumped heads with the likes of Bob Marley and the Wailers early in their career. Third World will make their South African debut at this year’s festival, firing up their message of peace, love and unity.

Brooklyn based multi-instrumentalist and producer, Marcus Miller is another major artist who headlines the festival. While Millers’ main instrument is bass, his prolific work started in the late 70s. He has worked as an arranger, songwriter, film score composer, keyboardist, clarinetist and saxophonist. A live set from Miller can include an odd mix of anything from The Talking Heads to John Coltrane and The Stylistics. Miller was born at a time when jazz was peaking in New York. He was part of a musical family which made becoming a multi-instrumentalist in his teenage years natural. Some of his best known work is with Miles Davis during the early 80′s, working on the albums Tutu and Music from Siesta. He has an epic background of musical accolades and as a session musician has worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Wayne Shorter, Chaka Khan and Aretha Franklin.

Harlem born songwriter and vocalist Patti Austin and her trio will tour her Grammy award-winning jazz program which includes hits ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to Avant Gershwin. Austin has a legacy of 16 solo albums which cross musical boundaries. Her road to success was paved early as she made her debut at the Apollo Theatre in 1954 at the age of four and had a contract with RCA Records when she was five. Keeping the musical fires burning, The Patti Austin Trio‘s festival performance will form part of a massive 2012 European tour with new album Sound Advice.

Completing the headliners of international performers is Kansas City-born vocalist Kevin Mahogany. New Yorker Magazine has labeled him “The Standout jazz vocalist of his generation”. Starting off his career as an instrumentalist, Mahogany has focused his career on being a jazz vocalist in the style of Joe Williams. Currently he runs his own label called Mahogany Jazz.

The legendary Quincy Jones is responsible for discovering and introducing Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez to the festival organisers. The impromptu performance of Rodriguez in Jones’ lounge for organisers Rashid Lombard and Billy Domingo convinced the pair that Rodriguez was a natural fit for the festival. Jones says “I’m thrilled that Alfredo has been given a platform to perform at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. I think he will find surprising musical similarities between his roots in Cuba and his South African experience.”

Other international performers at the festival include Chinese minimalist solo pianist Xia Jia and French bossa nova meets nu-wave act Nouvelle Vague. Joining them is Allen Stone, a storytelling guitarist and singer from Washington who could be described as a funky white boy with soul. Angolan afro-funk singer and composer Gabriel Tchiema completes the line-up of international acts.

Audiences will be thrilled to see legendary South African trumpeter and bandleader Hugh Masekela return to the festival and present a special project for the first time on local shores. Masekela will rally up an army of musical giants for ‘MAMA AFRICA’ -a tribute to the great songbird Miriam Makeba. Masekela as musical director joins forces with a powerhouse trio of vocalists in the form of Vusi Mahlasela, Thandiswa Mazwai and Zolani Mahola. The show made its debut at the Rio Loco Festival in Toulouse, France in June 2010 and has since travelled to Barcelona, London and Berlin.

Masekela won’t be the only South African legend on stage this year. Dorothy Masuka will also perform at the festival. Masuka rose to fame in the 50′s as a struggle artist as a singer alongside the likes of Masekela and Makeba.

If the edgiest music that is coming out of South Africa at the moment is hip-hop, then the festival has been spot on with the talent this year. HHP aka Hip Hop Pantsula and Cape Town’s own swag-boasting Ill Skillz aka Ill Literate Skill join the line-up. HHP is a multi-SAMA award-winning rapper and alongside Ill Skillz represent fresh and youthful South African voices.

There is a huge focus on African roots and rhythms on the festival line-up this year. Pietermaritzburg born saxophonist Steve Dyer has been on the South African music scene for some time but he has constantly evolved musically. His latest project Ubuntu Music will be released as an album this year and performed at the festival for the first time. His band features pianist Bokani Dyer, bassist Shaun Johannes, trumpeter Lwanda Gogwana and drummer Andre Swartz.  In a similar vein, South
African bassist Herbie Tsoaeli, who has performed with some of S.A’s greatest jazz musicians, will be presenting his long-awaited debut album African Time. Harmonica player Adam Glasser has spent significant time between South Africa and the United Kingdom, collaborating with major artists from both countries such as Dudu Pukwana and Toots Thielemens. Glasser will present his latest album Mzansi at the festival. Cape Town based saxophonist Victor Kula grew up in Rylands and now resides in Gugulethu. He has kept his musical associations proudly local and is greatly influenced by the late Winston ‘Mankunku’ Ngozi. Hassan’adas led by percussionist John Hassan experiments with Marrabenta and African jive rhythms

Old school glitz and glamour diva Sophia Foster, one of S.A’s sisters of song also joins the line-up. Another kind of diva, ex-fashion stylist Lindiwe Suttle initiated her career as a vocalist with Rus Nerwich and The Collective Imagination in 2008. Now Suttle has returned from Berlin with a more electronic focus on her debut album Kamikaze Art courtesy of engineer Dave Kutch whose previous work includes Al Green and Alicia Keys.

Zakes Bantwini has himself confessed that his live performance launches a wilder alter-ego, “Zakhele Madida (his real name) is actually a shy guy and a bit reserved. When I ‘m on stage I am in a trance and the Zakes Bantwini character takes over. He just comes out.” Bantwini is one of the few South African artists who has managed to cross the boundary of afro-house and live jazz. Radio personality, Idols judge, singer and songwriter Unathi will also perform at the festival. Fans can expect new material from Unathi since she recently released her third album With Love.

As previously announced, the rest of the line-up for 2012 is completed by the following artists: James Ingram (USA), Dave Koz with special guest Patti Austin (USA), Mike Stern with special guest Dave Weckl (USA), Virtual Jazz Reality (SA), Brubecks play Brubeck (USA/SA), Ron Carter, Donald Harrison  and  Lenny White (USA), Andre Petersen Quintet (SA), Atmosphere (USA), Jean Grae (USA), Goodluck (SA), Zamajobe (SA), Zahara (SA), The Jason Reolon Trio (SA), David Sanchez with special guest Lionel Loueke (Puerto Rico/Benin), The Moreira Project (Mozambique) and Alexander Sinton High School Jazz Band (SA).

Developmental programs where students and professionals are paired is key to the festivals outlook. Each year the festival provides a series of workshops which run over eight days aimed at developing methods and transferring skills in terms of music and business. Dr Ivan Meyer, Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport in the Western Cape comments, “Musical talent is vital to the success of these kinds of events, and music development programmes for the youth, such as those funded by the Western Cape Government, are the perfect platform to grow and nurture talent.”

Celebrating not only musical creativity, but visual creativity too, The Duotone Photographic Exhibition is another annual fixture of the festival. Every year it commemorates prolific jazz photography.

One of the most exciting elements to the festival is the annual free Community Concert which brings thousands together in the centre of Cape Town on Green Market Square. This year the concert will take place on March 28th, the Wednesday preceding the festival. The line-up is usually a teaser of some of the local and international acts that will feature at the festival.

Tickets for the festival are R400 for a single day pass and R550 for a two-day weekend pass. As in previous years, there is an additional fee of R30 per act for performances at the Rosies stage.

Tickets are available at Computicket and Shoprite-Checkers stores.

 

 

OFF FESTIVAL ANNOUNCE IGGY AND THE STOOGES, DEATH IN VEGAS, ICEAGE AND MORE

Following on from their recent win as the ‘Best Medium Sized Festival ‘at the Festival Awards Europe, OFF Festival are excited to announce their first confirmed acts for 2012 including the godfather of punk and his band, Iggy and The Stooges, cult bands Suicide and Death in Vegas and Danish punk rockers Iceage.

Taking place in the beautiful green oasis of the ‘Three Lake Valley’ in Katowice from 3rd to 5th August, OFF is a boutique music festival with an ethos of supporting art and music.

Says festival artistic director Artur Rojek “We didn’t expect to win at the Festival Awards Europe, but it means so much to us.  We are really excited about this years festival and we hope to make it extra special as a thank you to all the fans, artists, friends and sponsors who have supported us during the last 6 years.

This years event will also include pre parties on 2nd August giving festival goers the Chance to enjoy some of the cool party venues around the city. Matthew Herbert will perform at One Pig, Alva Noto  at Katowice Centre of Culture, Diamond Rings  and Sleep Party People  at the Hipnoza Club.

Tickets for the 2012 OFF Festival are available now from only 32 EUROS!

Iggy And The Stooges
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re proud to announce that Iggy and The Stooges will perform at the OFF Festival! Pleas of their loyal fans have not gone unheard. They’re coming so that we can try to outscream Iggy during “Raw Power,” “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” and “Search and Destroy.” They’re coming to show the youngsters playing the OFF Festival stages how it’s done. Iggy and The Stooges – pioneers and punk-rock legends, synonymous with on-stage antics and the sheer vital force of rock and roll. Oh, how we want to be dogs right now – announcements like these truly deserve a howl of joy!

Suicide
Ministry and Nine Inch Nails are good bands. Depeche Mode – same thing. But only at a Suicide concert will you see and hear the wellspring of inspiration for these bands. Punk aggression mixed with the inhuman coldness of the synths and the haunted, terrifying vocals of Alan Vega – Suicide’s visionary output is mandatory listening for any punk rock fan, and seeing them live might be a scary experience. In Vega’s own words: “Someone once said that Suicide was the most punk band in history, because even the punk hated our guts.” Are you sure you’re up for it?

Death In Vegas
Heirs and continuators of bold experiments of bands such as Neu! or Throbbing Gristle, only that their volatile mixture of techno, rock, and psychedelia has conquered the hearts of critics and connoisseurs of underground noise but also took dancefloors by storm. They went on hiatus in 2004 after releasing “Satan’s Circus” because Richard Fearless felt he needed to play some rock and roll in New York. Now he’s in London, heading Death in Vegas again. In 2011, the band released their new album, “Trans Love Energies.” Which basically means that during their show you’ll feel that energy, fall into a trance, and love it…

Black Face
Chuck Dukowski, one of the founding members of hardcore pioneers Black Flag, plus Eugene Robinson, the singer from Oxbow, the flagship of Californian noise avant-garde. Can we really create a better recommendation than that for the new band created by both these gentlemen? Well, they surely created one – their debut single, “I Want to Kill You.” The title speaks volumes about the band – they really sound like they’re trying to kill us.

Iceage
This crew from Copenhagen debuted only a year ago with they wickedly intense album “New Brigade” – a hardcore punch thrown from the dense, smoky abyss of noir rock. They’re often compared to Fucked Up, who invited Iceage to join them on tour. During their shows, the band is a real live wire. That was made clear last fall when they played a few clubs in Poland and will be on full display for all the fans to see during their performance at the OFF Festival.

Colin Stetson
Colin Stetson is a Canadian jazzman who plays a huge bass saxophone. That’s not enough for you. The list of artists he collaborated with includes Tom Waits, Arcade Fire, TV on the Radio, Feist, Bon Iver, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, LCD Soundsystem, and The National. Still not enough?! He’s latest album, “New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges” was nominated for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize and was included in Pitchfork’s “The Top 50 Albums of 2011” list. The magazine’s reviewer admitted that the album “sounds like nothing else I’ve heard.”

Tickets
Four Day OFF Pass – 32 EUROS
Pass for all concerts (2nd-5th August 2012 – no camping)

Four Day OFF Pass + Camping – 41 EUROS
Pass for all concerts (2nd-5th August 2012 – including camping)

Pre Party – 18 EUROS

Pass for all concerts on 2^nd August only. Matthew Herbert (One Pig) + Alva Noto (Katowice Centre of Culture), Diamond Rings _ Sleep Party People (Hipnoza Club). Please note that the capacity of the Hipnoza Club is limited and entry is on a first come first served basic.

Buy tickets Here

Travel and accommodation
There are regular cheap flights to from the UK and Europe to Katowice with Wizz Air, Ryan Air, Lufthansa and KLM.

Arriving at Katowice/Pyrzowice airport  – take the bus marked “Lotnisko” to the Katowice train station (Dworzec PKP) and then  transfer to one of the below lines.

Buses from Katowice train station (Dworzec PKP):
- to the Muchowiec airport (OFF Festival grounds) – lines 0 and 50.
- to the Trzy Stawy bus stop (shopping center, 500 meters from the festival grounds) – lines 10, 110, 672, 674, and 910.

Katowice has a broad range of accommodation, from cheap hostels to luxury hotels, but you can also live the festival life 24 hours a day at the OFF Festival Village, providing you with a place to stay, take care of sanitary needs, and grab a bite to eat.  The Festival Village at OFF Festival Katowice 2010 will open August 5 at noon, and close on August 9 at 3:00 pm. A stay at the Festival Village costs 4 € (16 PLN) per person, per day.

More information on all the travel and accommodation is available on the festival website.

OFF Festival online
http://www.off-festival.pl
http://myspace.com/offfestival
http://www.facebook.com/offfestival
http://www.twitter.com/offfestival
Vote Here

The DECEMBER STREETS sign to 2 FEET MUSIC

2 Feet Music is very proud to announce the signing of the December Streets. The band had an incredible 2011, shooting to the top of the national radio charts with 2 of their singles and sharing the stage with some of SA’s best. 2012 promises to hold even more for them!

They’ve already had commercial radio success with their hit singles “My Name” and “Fire Through The Window” and January 2012 sees them release their next single, “Got That Feeling”.

When asked to describe the new single “Got That Feeling”, front man Tristan Coetzee replies: “The nostalgic, exciting, yet mixed feelings which arise in the adventure of chasing what you can’t have”

December Streets, have been caressing the ears of many since 2009. Only in 2010 when Tristan Coetzee (vocals and guitar) and Gideon Meyer (bass and sax) – boasting a 7 year musical camaraderie – united with Nico van Loggerenberg (lead guitar), Corneil Clasen (drums) and Waldo Boshoff (trumpet), did the December Streets really progress to what you know them to be today.

Together, the guys in the band are bringing a fresh musical flavour to the SA scene. ‘Who Needs Shoes’ was their first campus hit, which reached the number one position on TuksFM’s Most Wanted and SA Top 10 charts and commercial hits ‘Fire through the Window’ and ‘My Name’ both charted on the 5FM Top 40.

The band is set to go back into the studio in April to record the rest of the songs for their debut album, which is due for release in June 2012.

Listen to their new single “Got That Feeling” here:
December Streets – Got That Feeling (Radio Edit) by sheergroup

 

 

Debut album release from the Grammy nominated and critically acclaimed duo The Civil Wars

The Civil Wars have been the independent success story of 2011 in the USA where their self released album has sold over 300 000 copies so far and won them an army of celebrity fans from Taylor Swift through to Adele, who put them on her UK and US tours in 2011.

These are just some of the highlights of the past few months:

Grammy Awards – Nominated as Best Folk Album, Best Country Duo/Group Performance iTunes Rewind – Singer/Songwriter Breakthough Artist of the Year, Best Singer/Songwriter Song of the Year (Barton Hollow), #48: Top Selling Albums Overall TIME Magazine – #9: Top 10 Albums of 2011 Paste – #3: Top 20 New Bands of 2011 and #17: 100 Best Albums of 2011 NPR – 50 Favorite Albums of 2011, Ann Powers’ Top 10 Albums of 2011 Rough Trade – #25: Top 100 Albums of 2011 Amazon.com – #5: The Best Albums of 2011, Entertainment Weekly – 5 Breakout Musicians of the Year

 

ROCKING THE DAISIES’ Premier Teaser Event, SOWING THE SEEDS – Heads to the Bush in Joburg!

Sowing the Seeds, a CONVERSE Collaboration, is coming to Magaliesburg in the form of an amazing 2-day music festival on 24^th and 25^th of February! Jo’burgers will have the opportunity to enjoy a full weekend premier camping experience with a set up like no other festival in South Africa.  Music and lifestyle enthusiasts can now enjoy a bush festival surrounded by the breathtaking Highveld landscape, at Warthogs Game Farm.

The event will offer the same laid back festival vibe and family friendly atmosphere that is synonymous with Rocking the Daisies.

Festival goers can expect an amazing venue with lush grassy areas in the heart of the Magaliesburg, with accommodation options that vary from camping to 4-star luxury lodges. This event will also host a rocking line up including South Africa’s top bands and DJ’s, cool brand experiences and a whole bunch of entertaining activities.

CONVERSE and the “The Right to Make Noise” will be there!!!  CONVERSE has been giving fans The Right To Vote for some pretty cool stuff at festivals around South Africa over the summer.  Vote for what you’d most like to have at Sowing the Seeds and Converse will again make it happen!

So what’s it going to be?  Trading up your Cons for a new pair?  The right to ice cold with a free cooler box?  Right to the best seat?  Check out the awesome options.  Also keep an eye out for complimentary tickets to the festival and other great Converse prizes.

There is only one ticket price for Sowing the Seeds at R200 – this includes a full weekend festival ticket as well as optional camping for Friday and Saturday night.

Don’t miss your chance to attend this exciting event, tickets are limited to 3000 people. Hurry before you miss out!

Buy Tickets

Be sure to watch this space for news on line-up, accommodation options, transport and other activities.

 

 

 

Temper Trap’s Lorenzo Sillittoon on his band’s “dreaded second record”…

STUDIO: The Sound Factory, Hollywood, California

PRODUCER: Tony Hoffer (Beck, Phoenix)

CONFIRMED TRACKS: ‘Trembling Hands’, ‘I’mGonna Wait’, ‘Never Again’, ‘Happiness’, ‘The Sea

LABEL:Infectious

How is your second album shaping up?

We’re recording in Hollywood so we’re much moreisolated than before. When we did the first one in Melbourne we would go to work or go home whenwe weren’t in the studio but we can’t here. Being away from our loved ones is good; it enables us tofocus on the job at hand. The weather is amazing compared to London; it’s sunny, blue skies. We’re 10 songs in; we want to get 17 done, so we’re over half way. It’s exciting.

How will it differ thematically from the fi rstone?

We’ve used experiences that we’ve had over thepast two years and classic themes like love, loss and heartbreak. One song is about the London riots. We were right in the middle of it in Hackney. Where I live there were gangs of kids every where,even outside my house, so it was intimidating. There were people getting mugged on their bikes. It’s us commenting on what happened fromboth sides, from the rioters’ side and the politicalside.

Has the band’s dynamic changed at all?

We’re a tight-knit group, when we moved toLondon we all lived together and we’re livingtogether in LA too. We stick together, like agang I guess! That has always been the same.The biggest change is that Joseph [Greer] is a permanent member now. He brings a different element. There are definitely more keyboards on this record, we all have different styles and his has contributed massively to the expansionof the sound.

What will the new record sound like?

It’s more of a concise record than the last one. Working out here with an American producer has given it more of an American feel, too. Wehave a clear-cut idea of how we want things to sound. We’ll be here for the mixing stage so we’ll be hands-on throughout. We’re definitely trying to progress as a band and step up a gear.The sound has changed, but there are songs that are – I don’t want to say the word – but “signature” sounding. They’re more in line with the last record. We want to change and move forward, but we’ve kept our sound in mind, wedon’t want to alienate our fans, it’s a very fine line that we have to tread to move forward.

What’s been the hardest thing about theprocess?

Self-doubt! There was a lot of it in the middle of the writing stage; it really got under our skin in the studio. It’s the “dreaded second record”;you’ve got to nail it, it’s so important to comeout with something that eclipses your first. Weweren’t consciously thinking about it but itwas always there in the back of our minds. Youknow people are talking about you from Twitte rand stuff, people say they hope the recordis as good as the first and you ask yourself ‘Will it be a success, will it be as good?’. We alwaystry to better what we’ve done before. You’re unsure where you’re going sometimes. I think we’ve done a good job but only time will tell. TheFly 7Bonus Factoids:Lorenzo sees celebrities “all the time” in Hollywood. He recently saw Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon.The band witnessed a double shooting near the studio.“It was pretty hairy”, Lorenzo admitted.They have found time for partying too, a recent night outwith Florence Welch was “awesome”.

RAMfest Lifetime Ticket Hunt!

Boys and girls, Ramfest is about to run a competition like no other. They are going to give you something no other South African festival has ever given you before…the chance for one of you, from each of the Ramfest cities, to win a Lifetime Ticket to Ramfest. That’s right, a ticket for life, to any Ramfest.

But… it’s not going to be easy. They’re going to make you hunt for your Lifetime Ticket. So, they will be starting with Bloem and PE on the 11th of February, moving to Durban for the 12th of February, then ending off with Joburg on the 18th and Cape Town on the 19th of February.

They will be running the competition through Facebook  first, and then Twitter, so you’ll need to make sure you have the following check-list ticked off if you want your Lifetime Ticket:

- ‘Like’ the Ramfest Facebook page

- Follow Ramfest on Twitter

- Make sure you have a smart phone with Facebook, Twitter and a camera.

- You must be able to take pictures and tweet them to Ramfest in order to take part

- You will need transport – a car is preferable, but if you ride really fast and are super fit you could maybe try a bike, but we don’t recommend it.

- You must have purchased a ticket to any Ramfest to be eligible for the prize (winners will have their ticket reimbursed)

They will be updating you leading up to the hunt, so in the mean time make sure you have the above sorted and know how to use it all. Stay in tune on Facebook for updates.

Terms & Conditions

- Entrants must be 18 years or older.

- Entrants must be carrying a valid form of identification during the Lifetime Ticket Hunt.

- Entrants must have completed all stages of the hunt, correctly, to be eligible for the prize.

- First prize (lifetime ticket) is non transferable, for cash or to another party.

- The Life Time ticket is valid for any Ramfest city.

- Entrants must have purchased a ticket for Ramfest 2012 to be eligible for the main prize. Winners will be reimbursed.

- Once presented with the lifetime ticket it becomes the property of the winner, if lost the winner will incur costs for a duplicate to be made.

- The judges decision is final.

- Persons participate in the Lifetime Ticket Hunt at their own risk.

- Ramfest, The Organisers and Partners take no responsibility for any person taking part in the Lifetime Ticket Hunt.

Best Of Luck!

 

Rodrigo y Gabriela latest album ‘Area 52′ Out Now!

The album, which was recorded in Cuba, is their first recorded collaboration with another groupof musicians; a thirteen piece Cuban orchestra composed of some of Havana’s finest youngplayers, collectively known as the C.U.B.A.On ‘Area 52′ Rodrigo y Gabriela revisit nine of their compositions and reinterpret them in a newand dramatic fashion, this is Rodrigo y Gabriela as they have never been heard before.The album was arranged by Rodrigo y Gabriela working closely with Switzerland based pianistAlex Wilson, who did the Cuban arrangements for the orchestra. He has worked with CourtneyPine, Ernest Ranglin and Mali Latino.

Recording took place during the summer at AbdalaStudios in Havana and later at Lumbini Studios in Ixtapa, Mexico. Guests on the album includeAnoushka Shankar on sitar, rock drummer John Tempesta (The Cult, White Zombie,Testament) on two tracks, jazz bass player Carles Benavent (Miles Davis, Paco De Lucia,Chick Corea) on two tracks, Palestinian group Le Trio Joubran and Samuel Formell Alfonso from Los Van Van.

The album is called ‘Area 52′. Rodrigo explains: “It’s an obvious reference to Area 51, it mustbe a fact that Area 52′s next door right? We felt it was the right time and place to deal withunknown ways to create music. It was an opportunity to experiment and dare to do things wenever believed we were gonna do”. He adds: “Of course, all the musicians we played with onthis album could be coming from another planet.Their technique and passion is almost beyond human understanding! We feel very luckybecause for us this exercise has been like a Master’s Degree for all we’ve learned from them”.

The Big Pink release new album titled ‘Future This’

The Big Pink‘s new album, Future This, released yesterday. Named after a skateboard company’s slogan from the 80s, it’s proved an apt title.Recorded over the summer of 2011, with ideas flowing, they worked with producer Paul Epworth (Adele, Florence & The Machine, Friendly Fires) to help them match their high ambitions.

The end result is a perfect realisation of the band’s initial intentions to marry theirmore outre influences with a pop sensibility. The 10 tracks add more shades to The Big Pinkpalette, commanding attention throughout with its genius gently sinking in like all good recordsshould.

Future This is completed with artwork by celebrated artist KR (the man behind Krink) using hisdistinct paint style to ‘krink’ the album’s sleeve and give them a fresh update on the legacy of4AD record design, and hark back to the skateboarding influences that shape the record’s title.

YESTERDAY’S PUPIL Release Second Part Of New Album – DUEL! as a FREE DOWNLOAD

The Parlotones LIVE at D’Aria on Sunday 12 February 2012

The Parlotones will be performing on the lawn in front of the magnificent D`Aria wine cellar on Sunday 12 February. The two previous years` Valentines shows with The Parlotones sold out weeks before the event, so make sure to get your tickets early!

Join The Parlotones LIVE at D’Aria, Racecourse Rd, Durbanville on Sunday 12 February 2012 for an exclusive and romantic sunset concert. Tickets are R175 pp (kids under 12 only pay R60) and are available online at www.webtickets.co.za. Gates open at 14h00 and the concert will start at 18h00. Queries about the concert: 021 970 2398 or 021 975 0421.

Take your picnic blanket and basket. There will be a range of award winning D’Aria wines on sale, as well as delicious food and a variety of other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. No own alcohol/beverages will be allowed.

You are also welcome to bring your umbrella or gazebo, but be sure to take it down before the show starts in order for everyone to see the band clearly. Also if you would like to bring your own chairs, please be sure to sit at the back and on the sides, where you won’t affect the rest of the crowd’s view.

 

 

Big Blues Music Festival

LITTLE TOWN, BIG BLUES

Blues lovers are excited to attend the annual music pilgrimage to Kleinmond on 2 & 3 March 2012. Early birds who buy their festival tickets before 31 January 2012 will save 25% on a weekend ticket and stand a chance of winning a Samsung Galaxy Y phone* valued at R1900.00, kindly sponsored by Kleinmond Cellular. These special ticket holders also receive a welcome gift at the festival entrance. Tickets must be purchased through Computicket.

2011 marked the festival’s first solo year as one of the country’s premiere blues music fests. Organisers are determined to offer a bigger and better show, with an even stronger line-up of SA’s most talented blues musicians on one stage over the weekend. Firm favourites such as Boulevard Blues Band, Dan Patlansky and the Blues Broers will perform again, alongside the fairer blues songbirds such as Natasha Meister, Charlie King and Monique de Jager. There are some surprises on the line-up such as Vusi Mahlasela who will highlight the roots of blues and will certainly inspire.

The festival once again plays host to bands from up north such as The Black Cat Bones and now also Southern Gypsy Queen. Rock legend Piet Botha and the Lyzyrd Kyngs will return to the festival for a third time. Crowd pleaser, Gerald Clark will perform with Henry Steel Jnr and Peter Hoven as Tony and the Trailer Cats, who will have just returned from their American tour in Jan 2012, invited by The International Blues Challenge in Memphis to take part in the biggest blues event on the American calendar.

And as if that’s not enough, the festival takes place in the spectacularly upgraded Kleinmond Harbour, with restaurants, bars and interesting shops in the adjacent Harbour Road. The setting is breathtaking and will truly shine with Kleinmond and the Overberg’s finest – from handmade chocolates to moerkoffie or a plate of “seekos” prepared in the traditional fisherman’s way.

Partnering with Paul Bothner music, the festival is honoured to offer a Guitar Workshop and Vocal Workshop for aspiring blues musicians, hosted by two of the most popular artists.

The festival will once again offer value for money packages and offers to include accommodation, entry to the area’s major tourist attractions and a range of additional discounts. General festival facilities include a 1050 square metre marquee for shade, safe parking, a buddy-bus to get you safely home, a kiddies club, arts stalls and more. The full list of artists, with performance times, and festival ticket prices (Range R150 – R250 pp) are available from the website www.bigblues.co.za

Desmond & the Tutus in Studio With US Producer Eric Broucek

Johannesburg based band Desmond & the Tutus, recently signed to Sony Music Africa, are busy recording the follow-up to their successful 2008 debut album Tuckshop with American producer/engineer Eric Broucek. Currently locked-down at the Open Room Recording Studios in Greenside, the Tutus and Broucek connected online, with Eric agreeing to come out to Johannesburg  from his base in L.A. for two weeks to produce and engineer the recording. The as yet untitled album is due out later in 2012.

Eric is a producer, engineer, and musician and for five years he served as in-house engineer for the highly influential DFA production team of James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy.  There he worked on the seminal albums of LCD Soundsystem and Hercules & Love Affair, as well as many others.  In 2008 Eric moved on to build his own recording studio in Brooklyn, where he produced and/or mixed the likes of Eleanor Friedberger, !!! (chk chk chk), Holy Ghost!, The Hundred in the Hands, Rubblebucket, and more.  In 2011, after over a decade in NYC, Eric re-established himself, and the studio, Stickydisc Recordings, back in his home town of Los Angeles.

 

DAUGHTRY ANNOUNCES FIRST LEG OF ITS “BREAK THE SPELL 2012 TOUR”

DAUGHTRY JOINS THE FIGHT AGAINST MALARIA, DONATING $1 OF EVERY TICKET SOLD TO “MALARIA NO MORE”

 

OLD MUTUAL SUMMER SUNSET CONCERTS AT KIRSTENBOSCH show off some of the best in South African entertainment

Jimmy Dludlu / Claire Phillips

 

Robertson Winery Presents: THE SUMMER JUKEBOX at BOHEMIA this January/February!

Robertson Winery Presents: THE SUMMER JUKEBOX at BOHEMIA this January/February!

This summer, Robertson Winery brings the best in South African Music to Bohemia in Stellenbosch. Fantastic live bands every Thursday and to accompany the festivities – as always, entry is FREE and there are lots of wine specials to be enjoyed. Be sure not to miss it! Save the dates below to be a part of this summer experience.

26 January – Die Tuindwergies & Willim Welsyn
2 February – Vensters Specials
9 February – Bed On Bricks
16 February – Holliday Murray
23 February – New Holland

More about the Bands:

Die Tuindwergies & Willim Welsyn

Die Tuindwergies’ first two singles were # 1 on the SA Top 30 and the # 1 most requested tune for three consecutive weeks on Tuks FM. The debut singles have also done well on other campus stations (MFM Kovsie FM, PUK FM, etc..) ‘Kopskudkinders’ was even recognized as the most popular song on Jacaranda and took the # 1 position on Jacaranda FM Top 10. “Opvoeding en Leiding” the 3rd single from the album, proved the band’s diversity. *’Kopskudkinders’ also pocketed Die Tuindwergies their first MK Award for Best Newcomer of 2011. They released their debut album in August 2010.

Willim Welsyn en die Sunrise Toffies second album, Kompos en Kraai was nominated for a SAMA for best Afrikaans Rock album in 2009. Willim Welsyn’s second solo album, Maanplaas was nominated for a SAMA for best Afrikaans Alternative album, a Huisgenoot Tempo Award for best Kopskuif (Afrikaans slang for alternative) album and a Rapport Afrikaans Vonk Award for best Afrikaans Alternative album in 2010. Maanplaas won the Huisgenoot Tempo Award for best Kopskuif album in 2010. His third album, Smeer die Weerlig, was released in 2010.

Bed On Bricks
Bed on Bricks is a unique feature on the South African musical landscape – a band whose sound is not easily defined, does not fit comfortably in any specific genre, thereby not appealing to a specific group of listeners. Yet they’re a regular feature on the main stages of the country’s major music festivals, have a diverse and fanatical following as well as proving to be an inspiration for countless other musical acts.

Holiday Murray
Although approaching the scene with international ambitions, Holiday Murray as a collective is driven by a powerful sentimentality towards their hometown and country and intends to perform as far and wide in South Africa as possible. The naming process was simple, the name Holiday Murray belonging to a tall thin wooden man who aids the writing process, attends every band orientated event, and takes centre stage at every show. They released their self-titled debut album in 2011 to critical acclaim.

New Holland
New Holland arrived on the SA rock scene in December 2007. Since then their impeccable revel rock has triumphed everywhere they’ve played, bringing with them a wall of devoted fans that now are hankering for more. With two albums to their name, namely 01 and Exploded Views, New Holland needs no introductions and in February they will be bringing the best of their music to Bohemia.

 

The Sick-Leaves release fourth album ‘Breaking Away’

Twice SAMA nominated alternative rock artist The Sick-Leaves digitally release long-awaited fourth album Breaking Away on 23^rd January 2012.

 

Planning to get ahead in the music business in 2012?

Start The Musical Year With A Strategy And A Plan

A must have for any artist or manager at this time of the year is a new look, a fresh approach and solid plan of action. Author and facilitator David Chislett is offering 3 hour consultations to artists and managers wanting to get their house in order at the beginning of the year so as to be able to achieve their music career goals.

Chislett is the author of 1,2,1,2: A Step By Step Guide To The SA Music industry, the highly successful music business hand book that is aimed at helping newbies and old hands understand the business end of the music stick. He has spent the last 2 years touring South Africa giving workshops, seminars, talks and consultations to artist and management about the business of music, strategy and planning.

“This is the perfect time of year to take concrete action about realising your musical dreams,” says Chislett of the special offer, “While it is still quiet enough to put some real plans, structure and strategy in place, artists now have the ideal opportunity to spend some time with me and improve their chances of taking their careers in the desired direction.”

These consultations are completely tailored the individual needs of each and every person. They are one on one session designed to answer the burning questions YOU have about the business, cash flow, marketing, strategy, internet, digital music, licensing and more. The cost is R1 000.00 and includes a copy of 1,2,1,2: A Step By Step Guide To The SA Music industry as well as document templates, relevant contacts, strategy notes and personalised input directly into your career.

With 25 years of experience in the SA music market, Chislett brings a wealth of knowledge, street smarts, short cuts, insider thinking, plain old common sense and a good dose of wisdom to the table. The consultations are designed to give a practical, hands-on result to very specific challenges that artists face. As such they are tailored to each and every person individually. This means that for every artist there is a new solution and that no two sessions are the same.

“With my experience in so many aspects of the South African industry, I can advise artists on pretty much every aspect of their careers,” continues Chislett, “In my opinion the biggest problem with music in our country is a lack of courage and vision from artists when it com3s to setting out their agenda, dreams and desires. Apart from the business advice I give, I also seek to set my clients free from the doubts and misgivings they may have about their work and their chances of success. But at the end of the day, what is required most is that every one of them goes back out into the industry and works really hard to act out the plans we cook up together. Without that, we have nothing.

It does not matter where you are in South Africa. You can book a consultation with David Chislett. Just email info@davidchislett.co.za with your name, location and the challenge you face and he will schedule a suitable time and make sure that the consultation can take place. But more fast to book now as the New Year is already growing older by the minute….

 

Bruce Springsteen to release New Studio Album ‘Wrecking Ball’ on March 6

Bruce Springsteen‘s new album ‘Wrecking Ball’ has been set for March 6 release on Columbia Records. Marking his 17th studio album, ‘Wrecking Ball’ features 11 new Springsteen recordings and was produced by Ron Aniello with Bruce Springsteen and executive producer Jon Landau. A special edition of ‘Wrecking Ball’ will also be available and include two bonus tracks and exclusive artwork and photography.

‘Wrecking Ball’ Song Titles:
1. We Take Care of Our Own
2. Easy Money
3. Shackled and Drawn
4. Jack of All Trades
5. Death to My Hometown
6. This Depression
7. Wrecking Ball
8. You’ve Got It
9. Rocky Ground
10. Land of Hope and Dreams
11. We Are Alive

Said long-time manager Jon Landau, “Bruce has dug down as deep as he can to come up with this vision of modern life. The lyrics tell a story you can’t hear anywhere else and the music is his most innovative of recent years. The writing is some of the best of his career and both veteran fans and those who are new to Bruce will find much to love on ‘Wrecking Ball.’”

Bruce Springsteen will make an appearance as the keynote speaker at SXSW 2012. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be touring extensively in the US and Europe in 2012. European tour dates have been announced at www.brucespringsteen.net

 

Backsberg Picnic Concert Series Part II kicks off the New Year

Backsberg Estate Cellars, in association with kykNET, would like to welcome you back to the farm for part II of their third Picnic Concert Series featuring Robin Auld, Laurie Levine, Francois van Coke, Blues Broers and Die Tuin Dwergies who will have you tapping your toes to their awesome acoustic vibes.

Continually looking for ways to innovate and keep things fresh, Backsberg has added a twist to the series this year; each of the bands is asked to bring along an up and coming band to open for them. Part I of the series saw a glimpse of the future of South African music through acts such as Janie Bay and Shen FM.

The perfect wine to have at these concerts is similarly fresh and innovative. Backsberg produces South Africa’s first wine bottled in PET, Tread Lightly by Backsberg. Ideal for picnics and other outdoor events Backsberg produces a Chenin Blanc, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Merlot in the range. These are all available for purchase at the concerts.

Part II of the series kicks off on 22 January after the short festive season break and runs every Sunday through to 19 February 2012. Pack your umbrella and picnic blankets as kykNET and Backsberg take care of the rest. Patrons can choose to pre-book a Backsberg picnic, or buy one of the famous lamb burgers at the venue.  And, of course, it‘s just better with a glass of Tread Lightly by Backsberg.

Admission to concert venue starts at 15:00, with the opening act starting at 16:00 and the main act at 17:00. For more information

Pre-sale tickets for the concerts and picnics are available from Ticketbreak. Pre-sale tickets are R85 or R170 with a picnic and R100 at the gate. Children under 12 years get in free when accompanied by their parents. The kykNET chair jumping castle and expansive Backsberg lawn to run and play on, ensures that children also have fun while their parents enjoy the music.

Programme

Part II

22 Jan: Robin Auld with The Red Robins opening with special guest Melissa van der Spuy

29 Jan: Die Tuin Dwergies with Southern Gypsey Queen opening

05 Feb: Blues Broers with Rolling Thunder opening

12 Feb: Laurie Levine with Jonathan Tait opening

19 Feb: Francois van Coke with Chris Tait opening

Visit www.backsberg.co.za for more information about the Backsberg wine range.

Up the Creek Music Festival together with Bacardi

Up the Creek Music Festival!

One river, three stages, four days, loads of music and comedy and festival goers with a passion for some of South Africa’s best music in common – get ready for Up the Creek 2012 together with Bacardi! From 2-5 February 2012, the usually quiet campsite close to Swellendam will once again be transformed into a slightly surreal spot of revelry, raging rock and soulful tunes, performances from another planet and shenanigans of the type that you can only pull off when you’re safely tucked in next to the mighty Breede River for four days.

The line up for Up the Creek 2012 is nothing short of fantastic and in typical Up the Creek tradition we will be running live music on 3 stages throughout the weekend: The Bacardi Main Stage, the MK river stage and the all-night-long BOS Breede River bar stage.

The line up for the weekend includes:

Kongos, aKing, Akkedis, Black Cat Bones, Blues Broers, Cameron Bruce, City Bowl Mizers, Fox Comet, The Great Apes, Holiday Murray, Hot Water, Karen Zoid, Louwtjie Rothman, Machineri, No One’s Arc, Piet Botha, Taxi Violence, Wrestlerish, Jeremy Loops, Luna Paige, Shadowclub, Sterling EQ, Andra, Peachy Keen, AC/DC Tribute, Southern Gypsey Queen.

This year Up the creek is hosting an international act:

KONGOS is a rock band of four brothers (Johnny, Jesse, Dylan and Danny Kongos) – sons of multi-million-seller South African singer-songwriter John Kongos. They grew up in London and South Africa and now write, record and perform in Phoenix, Arizona. KONGOS released their debut album in 2007 and are currently promoting their second album ‘Lunatic’ for Tokoloshe Records, an independent label they recently formed together with John Kongos. The album was released in South Africa on Dec 12 through Just Music.

In 2012, they bring you the same of what worked last year and more. More food vendors to get you through the days in style, including coffee maestros that can deliver your caffeine to your tent-step, more stalls and more bars throughout the festival. Once again, there will be dedicated life-guards to ensure maximum safety.

SMS and win tickets

sms CREEK to 33782 and fill out our short survey to stand a chance to WIN tickets to UTC 2012.

SMS’ @ R1.50 Free SMS’ dont apply T&C’s apply.

The winner will be announced 25th January 2012

Tickets are available from www.ticketbreak.co.za

FESTIVAL WEEKEND TICKETS:

Thursday 4pm – Sunday 4 pm

Presales: R575.00

At the Gate: R600.00

Friday 4pm – Sunday 4pm:

Presales: R475.00

At the Gate: R500.00

Saturday and Sunday:

Presales:R375.00

At the Gate: R400.00

Day pass – Sunday:

Presales: R150.00

At the Gate:R150.00

* Please note that day tickets for Friday and Saturday are not available.

* Children 13 and younger enter for free, children 14 years and older pay full price.

If you don’t want to pitch your tent, just pitch up for your pre-booked tented accommodation. Check out the TICKETS PAGE on www.upthecreek.co.za for the different camping options available.

Up the Creek 2012 promises to be yet again one of the highlights on the Festival Calendar in the Western Cape.

Gates open on Friday 3 February 16h00 for those of you who are not joining us for the Thursday evening.

General queries: info@upthecreek.co.za

 

International super group, THE CHRISTIANS, live in concert

Garry Christian is both ‘the face’ and ‘the voice’ of international super group, THE CHRISTIANS, renowned for their endless string of soul-inspired hits including their most recognized, Ideal World (1987).

2012 sees THE CHRISTIANS celebrating their 25th anniversary in the music industry with a stellar performance scheduled at River Deck Country Estate in Honeydew on the 4th of February.

The name THE CHRISTIANS refers to the brother’s surname (the original line-up). During their rise to fame in the 80’s, the Liverpool based band developed a reputation for being ‘socially aware’ and unsurprisingly comparisons were drawn to THE TEMPATIONS due to the depth and range of the brother’s magical vocal harmonies.

Fast forward a few years / decades and THE CHRISTIANS are still enjoying their everlasting success with the relatively new line up which includes Neil Griffiths, Joey Ankrah, Lionel Duke and Cliff Watson.

The vibe is relaxed…unplugged and acoustic but the voice is still incredible as is the sultry smile behind the Ray Bans.

The group will be supported by South Africa’s very own, Mark Beling Band.

Show Date: Saturday, 4th February 2012

Venue: River Deck Country Estate, 35 Peter Road, Honeydew

Time: From 20h00

Tickets: R200 (unreserved seating/standing)

Bookings: Computicket or 087 940 9920

 

 

 

Rebecca Ferguson Debut single “Nothing’s Real But Love”

Debut album “Heaven”

If pop music is infinitely surprising then the often circuitous route that brings a major star to our attention is surely exemplified in the wonderful Rebecca Ferguson.

Just over a year ago, this painfully shy, woefully under confident single mother of two was shown auditioning for The X Factor. In what is surely one of the best audition sequences ever shown on the programme, her story of dignified resignation – pregnant at 17, then again at 19, with no money and little hope – struck a chord with the nation. It seemed that this was a voice destined never to be heard. Then she opened her mouth and her stunningly raw rendition of Sam Cooke’s classic “A Change Is Gonna Come” set the bar on the show, oh, just a million miles higher.

Until now all Rebecca’s admirers have had are her TV appearances. That audition of ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ has had 2.9million views alone on YouTube, whilst her inspired renditions of Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams’, Chris Isaac’s ‘Wicked Game’ and Candi Staton’s ‘You Got The Love’ showed that her range of influences was stunningly diverse. But the show itself gave Rebecca something that money can’t buy. “It completely changed me as a person. I’m strong now. Singing used to just be a dream, now it’s my focus. I had begun to give up hope and then the show happened and now, with this first album, I just wanted to get to a point where my voice and my songs are as good as they can possibly be”.

It got her here, to her first single, ‘Nothing’s Real But Love’ passionate yet displaying the control that only a great singer can muster, the subject is one close to Rebecca’s heart – what’s really important in life – “No money, no house, no car, can beat love.”

“People used to say to me ‘Being rich doesn’t make you happy, Rebecca’’’ she says. “And I’d think I’ve got no electricity, nothing – tell that to my empty fridge. But now I’m doing okay, I realise, they were right. It doesn’t matter what you’ve got, as long as you’ve got love. I know that sounds cheesy, but that’s everything”.

It’s a theme continued on much of her searingly honest debut album. “I spilled my soul out. A lot of it comes from writing about relationships I’ve been in, so I think everyone can probably relate to the lyrics – we’ve all been there.” A self-confessed perfectionist, Rebecca, who has always written her own material, wrote a song every day for months. “People just made an assumption, ‘She came off The X Factor she won’t be able to write. We’ll just write her songs.’ Then as time passed they realised, ‘Oh, she can actually do this!’”

Whilst her direct musical influences are soul based, a quick arbitrary scroll through her iPod veers between; Ben Howard, Ray Charles, Bombay Bicycle Club, Tupac, Sam Cooke, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Florence and The Machine, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj and, of course, Adele. “She’s been such a support and said such lovely things about me,” she says of her fellow chanteuse. “She even admitted she voted for me 80 times when I was on the show. She means every word she sings, which I love.”
 

Santigold new album will be called ‘Master of My Make-Believe’

Santigold has revealed that her new album will be called ‘Master of My Make-Believe’

Part of the album was recorded in Jamaica. “I’m really hands-on with everything. It’s the difference between an artist and a plain pop star, right?,” said the singer. Of the album title, Santigold said: My record is called Master of My Make-Believe because I want it to be about creating your own reality. I have a song called ‘The Keepers’: ‘we’re the keepers, while we sleep in America our house is burning down.’.

Last April Santigold posted her duet with Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O online. The track was titled ‘Go’ – scroll down and click below to view it.

‘Go’ was thought to be the first release from the singer’s second album, which was originally supposed to be out last year and titled ‘American Dreaming’. There is no word on if ‘Go’ will be included on ‘Master of My Make-Believe’.

‘Master of My Make-Believe’ will be her first album under the name Santigold, having called herself Santogold during the promotion of her debut album, which came out in 2008.

Sourced from Nme

RAMfest – South Africa’s Ultimate Rock Festival March 2012

5 cities! 5 days! 7 stages! Local and international artists!

RAMfest is Back! Where 10′s of thousands of screaming fans converge to create a raucous spectacle of sound, light, dance and rock ‘n roll. They are trucking from North to South, East to West to make history through oneof the biggest events in Rock ‘n Roll South Africa has ever experienced.

Dates:

Friday 02 March 2012: Port Elizabeth, VENUE TBC

Saturday 03 March 2012: Bloemfontein, Kovsie Rag Farm

Friday 09 March 2012: Durban, Origin Night Club

Saturday 10 March 2012: Johannesburg, Riversands Farm

Sunday 11 March 2012: Cape Town Ostrich Ranch, N7

The 2012 line up is more explosive than ever before and with the help of their

sponsors have managed to put together the ultimate rock ‘n roll playground. Book your tickets now and join them at one of the selected venues for SA’s best loved annual music festival.

Get your tickets from Ticketbreak

Twitter: @ramfest

Full Event Info

General queries: 021 883 3607 or email info@ramfest.co.za

 

The Mars Volta have confirmed that they will release a new album this year

The band’s frontman, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, posted a message on his official YouTube account revealing that the experimental rock band had almost finished work on their sixth studio LP and the follow-up to 2009′s ‘Octahedron’.

After Sony’s Official Playstation blog announced that the band had contributed a song called ‘Zed And Two Naughts’ for their new baseball computer game ‘MLB 12 The Show’, Bixler-Zavala wrote: New Volta almost done. Vocals done. Just trying to rebutcher it and finish guitar. In studio until this week then on to Mexico to add more quantum entanglement to it. The sonogram of the little beast is looking very good.

Previously, The Mars Volta’s guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López had said that the as-yet-untitled album would mark the end of an era in the band’s songwriting, stating: “I want to collaborate more. I’ve had 10 years of kind of being a benign dictator in this band and I want to make it more like a democracy.”

However, he added that he add no plans to reunite with his former bandmates in At The Drive-In, although he did admit he could “never say never” about a possible reunion.

Sourced from NME

Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters has collaborated with members of 1980s metal band, Ratt

Grohl has joined forces with Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy (vocals) and Warren DeMartini (guitar) to record a brand new song. The track is apparently for a new Grohl project currently referred to simply as ‘TBA’, reports Noise Creep.

“We’ll let [Dave] tell you about when he’s ready, kidz,” said Pearcy through his Twitter account. “Not for a Ratt record.” He added: “Thing is it’s a way cool thing of Dave. We’re just privileged to b a part of that. Next Ratt!”

Foo Fighters recently confirmed they are planning to head into the studio to record a new album this year. The band only released their latest studio effort ‘Wasting Light’ in April 2011 but frontman Dave Grohl revealed on the band’s official blog that he has already started compiling ideas for new songs.

He wrote: “We’re not finished yet. There are still more shows to play, more songs to write, more albums to record, for years to come. I mean if you would have told me 17 years ago that in 2012 I would be writing songs for our eighth studio album…well.”

Foo Fighters have been nominated for six gongs including Album Of The Year for ‘Wasting Light’ at the 54th annual Grammy Awards, which takes place on February 12 in Los Angeles.

Sourced from NME

Killswitch Engage have officially parted ways with their frontman Howard Jones

After performing together for nine years, the band announced that they will not be discussing the reasons for Jones’ departure out of ‘respect for everyone involved’.

Jones was replaced by Phil Labonte of All That Remains during Killswitch Engage‘s 2010 tour. He is now out of the band, according to a statement on the group’s website, Killswitchengage.com

The statement, which was posted yesterday (January 4), reads: We have decided to continue on without Howard Jones as the singer of Killswitch Engage. We love Howard and are thankful for the nine years that we’ve had him in the band. Out of respect for everyone involved we will not be discussing the specific reasons behind this decision.

It continues: “Howard is a part of our family and always will be, and we wish him well. He has left big shoes to fill, so we certainly have our work cut out for us to find the next singer of Killswitch, something we plan on making priority #1 going forward.”

The band also promise a new album in the post, saying: “Most importantly, thanks to all of you for all the support throughout the years and for sticking by us for all this time. We really do appreciate it and we very much look forward to having a new record for all of you in the not too distant future that we can all be proud of.”

Sourced from NME

The Killers set to release a new album this year

The Killers’ Brandon Flowers has revealed that the band will “definitely” release a new album this year.

In an interview with BBC Radio 1′s Zane Lowe, the singer confirmed that the band would put out their fourth studio album in the next 12 months, but refused to give a precise release date.

“It’s just whether it’s [released in] the summer time or the winter time,” said Flowers when asked about the band’s plans for a new LP, before adding it was “exciting getting everyone in the room to make some noise”.

The frontman also said that he was eager to move away from the direction of their previous albums, stating: We don’t want to make ‘Hot Fuss 2′ or ‘Sam’s Town 2′, or ‘Day & Age 2′. We’ll maybe take all that stuff, the best of all of it and do what we know how to do.

The Killers’ as-yet-untitled new album will be the follow-up to their 2008 effort ‘Day & Age’.

Previously, drummer Ronnie Vannucci revealed that the LP would have a more guitar-heavy sound and said he and his bandmates had been “writing some great Killers songs”.

In addition to releasing their fourth album this year, The Killers are strongly rumoured to be headlining at least one of the UK’s major festivals this summer.

Sourced from NME

 

Coldplay score first Number One of 2012 with ‘Paradise’

Coldplay have scored the first Number One single of 2012 after ‘Paradise’ climbed to the top spot on 1 January

The rise of the track, which was released 10 weeks ago, has been partly attributed to the band’s performance during the final of The X Factor last month. It’s the second time Chris Martin and co have reached the summit of the chart – their last UK Number One was ‘Viva La Vida’ in 2008, according to the Official Charts Company.

Elsewhere, Olly Murs rose four places to Number Two, while the Christmas Number One, Military Wives Choir’s ‘Wherever You Are’ was down to Number 4. In a lean week for new releases, there were no new entries in the Top 20.

In the albums chart, Ed Sheeran rose eight places to claim the top spot with his debut album ‘+’, while Bruno Mars climbed nine places to Number Two with ‘Doo Wops & Hooligans’.

Amy Winehouse’s posthumous album ‘Lioness: Hidden Treasures’ fell three places to Number 5, while Adele’s ’21′ racked up its 49th week on the chart at Number 6.

Further down the chart, Kasabian’s ‘Velociraptor!’ (Number 14), The Vaccines’ ‘What Did You Expect From The Vaccines’ (Number 33) and The Black Keys’ ‘El Camino’ (Number 38) all re-entered the chart.

Sourced from NME

Alter Bridge to release live album and DVD ‘Live At Wembley’ next year

Alter Bridge have announced that they will release a live album and DVD of their recent headline show at London’s Wembley Arena next year.

The US rockers headlined the 12,000 capacity venue in November this year, their largest headline show in the UK to date and have revealed that they will release a live album and DVD recorded at the show, with versions available in both 2D and 3D.

The 2D live DVD and accompanying live album will be released in March, with the 3D version set to follow next summer.

The release of ‘Live At Wembley’ is almost certain to be Alter Bridge’s last activity for some time as guitarist Mark Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall are set to tour and record as part ofCreed in 2012 and 2013, while vocalist Myles Kennedy has confirmed he will be contributing vocals to the new solo album from former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash and is also likely to tour with the legendary axeman.

The tracklisting for ‘Live At Wembley’ is as follows:

‘Slip To The Void’

‘Find The Real’

‘Ghost Of Days Gone By’

‘Before Tomorrow Comes’

‘Come To Life’

‘All Hope Is Gone’

‘White Knuckles’

‘Brand New Start’

‘Metalingus’

‘Broken Wings’

‘I Know It Hurts’

‘One Day Remains’

‘Coeur D’Alene’

‘Buried Alive’

‘Blackbird’

‘Wonderful Life’

‘Watch Over You’

‘Ties That Bind’

‘Isolation’

‘Open Your Eyes’

‘Duelling Guitar Solos’

‘Rise Today’

Sourced from Nme

 

 

Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose hints he may reunite with former members

Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose has hinted he may team up with members of the original line-up for their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The singer, who is the only original member in the current outfit, also said he was reluctant to reform the old line-up because of people making money at their expense.

He told the LA Times: I’ve got mixed emotions about what the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame actually really is, but at the same time, there’s a lot of people the fans that it just means something to them, and they’re happy. So I don’t want to take that away from them.

He added: “All these managers, they all believe in one thing: sell a reunion tour and get their commission. It’s just a phone call. It’s a half a day’s work, or however long they want to keep the bidding war going. They get their commission and they don’t care if it falls on its face.”

He also said if the band were to reunite, he wouldn’t have former drummer Steven Adler, who recently said he was doubtful the original line-up would reform, and rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin on board. Surprisingly though he said he would consider joining forces with Slash despite their differences and bassist Duff McKagan, who recently supported the band on tour.

“The only thing that would make it would be Duff and Slash, really,” he explained.

“It’s nothing against Izzy and it’s nothing against Steven, or anything like that. Steven may want it, but these guys I’m working with right now, they work really hard and it’s hard work. I’ve toured with the other guys and I’ve also seen what they’ve done since, and I just know the difficulties. So it’s not really even a full reunion.”

He also explained that he has never got on with Slash ever since the band started because of a power struggle. “It was really a fight with me and Slash,” he added..

“Izzy was doing the same thing, but the fight with me and Slash started the day I met him. He came in, popped my tape out and put his in and wanted me in his band. And I didn’t want to join his band. We’ve had that war since Day 1.” Meanwhile, Rose had a fan thrown out of the band’s recent show in Vancouver, Canada.

Sourced from NME

 

Graeme Watkin’s Project Video ‘London Bridge’

The Graeme Watkins Project released their debut album “Corridors of The Mind” in March 2011, generated 3 hit singles from it and have played some spectacular live shows. As well as it started, 2011 ends on a high note as they release the incredible new music video for their current hit single, “London Bridge”.

The music video for “London Bridge”, the 3rd single from the Graeme Watkins Project, arguably has to be their best video to date. With a production crew made up of some the industry’s best and a creative concept from director, Bevan Cullinan, the video showcases the band’s incredible live performance and why they are rated as one of SA’s top live bands.

When asked about the concept of the music video and what it was like working with the band, Cullinan responds: “I direct TV Commercials for a living and have been looking to shoot a music video for a while. I approached Graeme Watkins Project because I’m a fan of not only the music, but their performance as well. I wanted to shoot a music video with the band ever since I saw them perform live at a Gary the Tooth Fairy New Years special in November 2010. I saw how good the live energy was and felt that this energy needed to showcase in their music video. London Bridge was a great opportunity to do this because of the pace of the track. It is full of energy, which is why I think it will do so well in Europe. The idea for the music video was not concerned with any show and tell story lines, but rather to re-create a performance environment in an underground club scenario, so that the band could show what they do best! There are visual threads that pick up on the essence of the song. The shots are almost voyeuristic, just documenting the phenomenal energy of the performance. The edit then does the rest, keeping track of the pace of the song. The band is very talented and the film was easy to shoot. They kept on going and going! After the shoot, they packed up their stuff and went and played a gig. Enough said!”

Working with Bevan Cullinan has been a dream for the band. From the concept of the video, the crew gathered to shoot the video, to the post production magic – every step has left the band speechless. A tough task with a bunch of Rockers!

 

Radiohead make new tracks ‘The Daily Mail’ and ‘Staircase’

Radiohead have made two new tracks available to hear online – scroll down and click below to listen to ‘The Daily Mail’ and ‘Staircase’.

The tracks, which were recorded during the studio sessions for the band’s latest album ‘The King Of Limbs’, were posted on the band’s official YouTube account earlier today. They’re also available to buy on music streaming service Deezer and Amazon.co.uk.

Last month, two previously unreleased Radiohead demos were posted online. The songs, ‘Everybody Knows’ and ‘Girl (In The Purple Dress)’, were recorded when the band were still known as On A Friday and before guitarist Jonny Greenwood joined the band.

Earlier this year, Radiohead singer Thom Yorke revealed that the band were set to head to their Oxford studio this month and in January 2012 in order to to work on new material.

They’ve also hinted at playing a UK arena tour next year, with drummer Ed O’Brien revealing last week that the band had been rehearsing “four or five new songs” ahead of their European festival shows next year.

Sourced from Nme

 

Die Vegas Show on MK this Tuesday at 20h30

Revolutionary new lifestyle programme, Die Vegas Show, is dead set on challenging the static nature of the conventional South African entertainment industry. Die Vegas Show premieres on MK tonight!

The production focuses on introducing local artists to the public in a completely relaxed environment, thereby allowing viewers the opportunity to experience these icons in their natural element.

The first season of Die Vegas Show will consists of six 24 minute-long episodes that feature interviews with aKing, Die Heuwels Fantasties, Jack Parow, Mr Cat and The Jackal, Neels van Jaarsveld, Inge Beckmann as well as scooter gang The Vesparados and design extraordinaire Merwe Marchand Le Roux. Viewers can look forward to episodes brimming with witty remarks and strong opinions that serve to violently challenge the status quo.

What is Die Vegas Show?

Die Vegas Show is a brand new, TV-based entertainment and lifestyle television programme with Rufio Vegas as presenter. The series was launched in June 2011 as online episodes that strove to provide the relevant, intelligent straight-shooting entertainment that South Africa’s younger viewers have come to expect. Episodes involve day-long interview sessions in ‘mockumentary’ format, presented in a manner that ditches pretension and conventional media perception in favour of the ’Vegas factor’.

Who is Die Vegas Show?

Die Vegas Show is the brainchild of Rufio Vegas and is created and distributed by a group of young, enthusiastic individuals who believe in the ethos of the production and as such willingly invests their time and energy in the project. The developers form part of a sub cultural phenomenon that is slowly but surely infiltrating the South African cultural landscape and reforming it from within.

 

Global Superstar Adam Lambert to release second album ‘Trespassing’ on 20 March 2012

Global superstar Adam Lambert will release his highly anticipated second album TRESPASSING (RCA Records / 19 Entertainment) on March 20th, 2012. The album’s first single “Better Than I Know Myself” will be made available for sale on December 20th at iTunes and all digital music providers.

On December 20th, fans who pre-order TRESPASSING from Adam’s website,will also receive an instant MP3 download of his new single “Better Than I Know Myself.” Fans who pre-order from the store will also have first access to exclusive album configurations and upgrades.

Lambert describes TRESPASSING, which he executive produced as “an exciting journey through the past two years of my life. It’s been a transformative period and I really wanted to make music from what I’ve experienced. All these songs honestly explore the ups and downs of my reality.”

In addition to co-writing many of the tracks, Lambert collaborated with an all star list of award winning artists, producers and songwriters including Pharrell Williams, Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly, Benny Blanco, Bonnie McKee, Nile Rogers, Sam Sparro, Bruno Mars, Nikka Costa and BC Jean.

Since the release of Lambert’s debut album For Your Entertainment in 2009 it has sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Lambert was nominated for a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Whataya Want From Me” in 2010 and also released the Glam Nation Live CD/DVD and Acoustic Live! EPs. He is the first AMERICAN IDOL to ever tour the world in support of their debut album in the year following their IDOL season. In November of this year, Adam took to the stage in the finale of the MTV European Music Awards to sing lead vocals with Queen, who were being honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Their captivating performance is widely regarded to be the highlight of the entire EMA ceremony and an indication of the outstanding years ahead in the career of Adam Lambert.

Preview of “Better Than I Know Myself”

Better Than I Know Myself by adamofficial

Foo Fighters “These Days” Named in Rolling Stone’s Best Singles of 2011

Foo Fighters “These Days” was proclaimed the #4 best single of 2011 by Rolling Stone Magazine!

“Dave Grohl cuts a tough, tender rock ballad Kurt could have admired: quietly moving verses followed by a cathartic, heartbroken chorus surrounded by a halo of guitar fuzz.

THE PLASTICS release STEREO KIDS to Radio and More!

THE PLASTICS have released their brand new single STEREO KIDS to radio stations nationwide. Originally recorded on their debut album, Shark, Stereo Kids was recently re-recorded in a new form by The Plastics at Dreamspace Recording Studio in Woodstock – adding them to the ranks of Ard Matthews, Locnville, Gazelle and many more who have previously recorded there.

“The new version of Stereo Kids captures a lot of what we’re trying to do as a band at the moment. It shows the dance element of our band. Nothing makes us happier than when we play to a crowd and everyone is moving and grooving!”

After playing their first acoustic set in December 2010, The Plastics decided to reinvent some of their songs. Stereo Kids was one of the tracks which stood out as they unwittingly transformed it from its original dark, ominous form into a more ambient dance track.

“It evokes a different feeling than the one on Shark. For the Shark version, our producer Gordon Raphael went to town on making it sound like an apocalyptic dance. It’s quite eerie and dark but still has a groove threaded throughout. The new version has a more laid back vocal delivery while still maintaining a bouncy more up tempo feel.”

The Plastics’ latest music video for Caroline, which was released in August this year, reached number four on the MK Top 10 Music Videos Chart. The Plastics were also recently chosen as one of the bands to take part in a Woolworths campaign entitled ‘Roll with the Band’.

Stereo Kids (reprise) by The Plastics

Images: Joshua Wayne and Lauren Waller

 

Its time once again for the much anticipated Marshall Music Midnight Madness Sale!

Crazy discounts on EVERYTHING

Thursday 15 December 7pm till MIDNIGHT

City & Constantiaberg Stores

5 hours of madness, once a year!

Guitars, Bass Guitars, Acoustic Guitars, Brass & Woodwind, selected Electric Pianos, Pianos and Keyboards will be minimum less 30%

Items priced to GO! Less 40% and Less 50%, Pure madness

Live instore entertainment and crazy giveaways all night!

CAPE TOWN

65 Buitengracht Street Cape Town

[t] 021 426 6325 [f] 021 426 6327

CONSTANTIABERG

Block 1 South Palms 333 Main Rd Retreat

[t] 021 200 1823 [f] 021 701 9298

 

Inside The Machine

Inside The Machine always goes in last, right before another issue goes to bed. After I click send, we print, and Muse goes on holiday. Which means we do the same: music – just with more partying. We’ll be back in 2012 with some changes and surprises. What makes any of this, and the excitement that follows next year, possible, are the people who are currently building an industry with only a dream. So, thanks to everybody I have worked with this year.

But most of all, a very special thanks to Dane van Zyl. You taught me the value of music, even though the lesson came after you passed away. Rest in peace. I love you all. Thank you.

Terminatryx is launching their anticipated Remyx v1.0 on Ten December, at the Sound On Screen music festival – which featured amazing movies and documentaries like God Bless Ozzy Osbourne and Real Punks Get Checked. “It will be the finale to the explosive 2011 festival,” says co-founder Paul Blom.

The album, which features remixes from the UK, Austria, Greece, USA and locally, will be launched live and over the internet. Paul adds, “there will be an on-line video streaming event from the White Room at Sound and Motion Studios [CT], reaching the entire world. The intimate setting will have selected guests and press, with everyone else able to watch it on-line, no matter where they are.”

Also included will be “a special guitar give-away” courtesy of Paul Bothner Music and to celebrate the launch even more, all Terminatryx releases will be available at a special reduced price at oneworld.co.za. For more updates, and on time-zones for the on-line broadcast, check terminatryx.com

The Plastics are releasing a reprise version of Stereo Kids to radio. “The new version captures a lot of what we’re trying to do as a band at the moment. It shows the dance element of our band. Nothing makes us happier than when we play to a crowd and everyone is moving and grooving!” says Plastics.

After playing their first acoustic set last December, the band decided to reinvent some of their songs. Stereo Kids was one of the tracks which stood out, and they’ve transformed it from its original dark, ominous form into a more ambient dance track.

Their Caroline music video reached number five on the MK Top 10 Music Videos Chart and is still charting. Plastics were recently chosen as one of the bands to take part in a Woolworths campaign entitled Roll with the Band, and will be performing at Synergy, as well as opening for Seether at Cape Town Stadium in December. Currently, they’re recording at Dreamspace Recording Studios as part of the production of their second album, set for release in 2012. plasticsband.com

Africa’s biggest rock ‘n roll tour, Die MK Avontoer, will be enchanting and destroying coastal towns from west to east this holiday. The press release reads: “In the spirit of a travelling carnival, Die MK Avontoer mobilises a host of musicians, photographers, troubadours, magicians, pirates, fans and wild cards into a travelling party of unmatched magnitude. With over a 130 creative creatures concentrated on two buses, a travelling tent town of their own and nothing other than a having a good time as their modus operandi. Avontoer alumni include representatives from the whole South African Diaspora sharing boundary breaking, genre-bending and mind melting adventures up and down the coast.” The line-up features Van Coke, Mr Cat & The Jackal, Jack Parow, Die Heuwels Fantasties, New Holland, new indie favourite Holiday Murray, and “a surprise guest act – to be announced…”.

Avontoer is also inviting you to become a ‘seerower’ (pirate in Afrikaans – aka Avontoer roadies) on the bus. If you’re keen, email seerowers@dpk.co.za, and visit www.seerowers.co.za to see how you can win a ‘seerower’ space on the bus.

The lucky winners will be announced on MK Studio 1, Thursday 15 December at 19:30. Tickets will be sold at Computicket and at the gates cash-only.

Dates:

21 Dec – Bazzuki Restaurant (The Terrace) @ Club Mykonos, Langbaan

23 Dec – Cheers Pub, Struisbaai

27 Dec – Sandbaaisaal, Hermanus

29 Dec – Pirates Bar @ Diaz Strand Hotel, Mosselbaai

31 Dec – GrootGeesRockFees VI, Stilbaai

dpk.co.za/avontoer

Overheard

“I fucking hate tweeting it’s for dicks. It’s rubbish.”- Liam Gallaghar, NME interview regarding his new album and an Oasis reunion.

“We got fairly pissed drunk afterward for a few hours.”- Not just pissed angry, Roger Waters comments on the first, and last, Pink Floyd reunion gig.

“I think such a dark day deserves some serious production of Dark Beats.”- Chris Aiden Darkow, DJ and underground metal celebrity, has the final comment on Black Tuesday.
“Die ANC se ma se”, rocker and ex-Assembly soundman.

Titbits

Taxi Violence front man George van Der Spuy wants you to know his rehearsal studio, Kill City Blues, has a fourth room and is available.

Leonard Cohen is set to release a new album – Old Ideas – the ten track album is his first collection in ten years, and his 12th studio album since 1967. He’s made the song Show Me The Place, available on leonardcohen.com as an instant download for those who pre-order the album.

Jack Parow’s Windows Paint designed sophomore album Eksie Ou, that also features David Kramer, should be available by the time you read this. “I want to give people something to laugh about. SA has so much kak for people to worry about, so when they listen to my CD they can laugh a bit.”

Did you also read it in a kakkish Afrikaans accent like I did?

Elvis Blue and Die Tuindwergies will be entertaining the whole family on 30 December at Drostdy-Hof during the ‘Somer in Stilbaai Piekniek’.

The Dirty Skirts are taking a break, in case you wonder why you won’t see them this summer. [they have not officially split up as some people had alluded to recently].

Dead Prez is coming to South Africa, and it’s not through Big Concerts. More on that later…

BIG BLUES MUSIC FESTIVAL

2 & 3 MARCH 2012

Kleinmond’s Big Blues Music Festival returns in 2012 ‘defying naysayers by mounting a near-flawless event with arguably the strongest line-up of blues artists ever to be assembled on one stage.’

Says event organiser Louise Fick, “Our focus is to provide excellent genre-specific music, [blues] combined with a clean and safe festival environment, and excellent local cuisine and wine.” The festival is unique in that it promotes our beautiful coast – even more so for the 2012 event as it has found a new home in the spectacularly upgraded Kleinmond Harbour – I doubt there is any other festival that will bring you as close to the sea.”

The 20 artists featured on the line-up include music legends such as Vusi Mahlasela, Piet Botha and The Blues Broers (featuring Albert Frost). The festival certainly prides itself in offering stage time to up-and-coming young blues bands and will this year include acts such as the Hellfire Blues Club, Sixgun Gospel and Crimson House Blues – most of them voted in to the line-up by Facebook fans. The ladies play a predominant role with Charlie King, In The Deepend and Natasha Meister on stage amongst others. Old favourites such as Fender endorsee Dan Patlansky, popular Boulevard Blues Band, and the ever evolving Gerald Clark are also among the performers. The full list of artists, with performance times, and festival ticket prices (Range R 150 – R 250 pp) are available from the website www.bigblues.co.za

 

Universal Music signs Mark Haze

Mark endeared himself to the wider South African audience throughout Season 7 for his impassioned vocal delivery, superb guitar work and informed song choices, a combination that saw him through to the final. The fact that only 1% separated the 2 finalists is testament to his enduring popularity with the South African public.

“I am extremely honoured and proud to be joining the Universal Music Group family. To be signed by the same label as so many of my heroes is a dream come true. I’m very excited to begin working on my album and getting to work with the team.” says Mark

Universal’s Benjy Mudie said: “Mark lives and breathes music, a true musician and bone fide rock star. His uncanny ability to mould his phenomenal voice to a wide range of genres and his commitment to his craft makes him a natural to sign to the label”.

Mark Haze is a welcome addition to the Universal Music Group family of artists including U2, Mumford and Sons, Maroon 5, Lady GaGa as well as South African superstars The Arrows, Elvis Blue and The SoapGirls.

Mark will start recording his debut album in January 2012.

 

Holly & The Woods returns with brand new single!

It’s been over 3 years since the release of Holly & The Woods’ debut album, “So I Rage”, and a good 2 years since they last released a single to radio, so it’s been a long wait for fans to hear some new recorded material from the band. December 2011 brings more than just a well-deserved holiday and Christmas-time for fans, but also the brand new single from Holly & The Woods, called “Surrender”

Holly & The Woods started 2011 with 2 new band members joining with Darren Drawbridge on guitar and Lee-Jaime Havenga on drums, as well as a song writing energy that matched their live performance. Months were spent redefining the song writing direction and goals for the band, along with the recording process, and it didn’t take much convincing when Ryno Zeelie , guitarist for the Graeme Watkins Project, was top of the list to record with. After a showcase evening of inviting close friends and fans to pick their new single from 4 brand new songs they had written, “Surrender” came through as the clear favourite.

Produced and recorded by Ryno Zeelie at Figure Of 8 Productions studio, “Surrender” was mixed by legendary engineer, Neal Snyman (The Dirty Skirts, Plush, Karen Zoid, The Graeme Watkins Project, etc.) and the final touch added by Rogan from Lapdust, who mastered it.

Listening to the lyrics for “Surrender”, it’s quite a departure from the dark lyrics on most of the songs from “So I Rage”.

“While working on the new songs, we wanted to move away from the dark theme in ‘So I Rage’ and gather a more feel-good selection of songs without losing our trademark Rock sound”, explains vocalist, Melissa Conradie. “’Surrender’ is written for my ex and as songwriters we usually harp on the heartache of a break-up, but I rather wanted to celebrate how amazing the relationship was. We focus too much on the negative and don’t embrace the positive as we should. ‘Surrender’ is not just about relationships but also how we treat life in general.”

The band will continue the recording process in early 2012, with more singles to follow after “Surrender” and eventually a new album towards Spring 2012.

“Surrender” is available as a Free Download on the Holly & The Woods website, www.hollyandthewoods.com

Holly & The Woods – Surrender by hollyandthewoods

TERMINATRYX remix album finally unleashed – “Remyx v1.0″

Late-2008 / early-2009 South Africas female-fronted Industrial-Metal band TERMINATRYX embarked on finding the right people to remix the entire acclaimed self-titled debut album, a rarely tackled endeavor in South African music (except for mainstream artists doing a few songs per album, not each and every track in sequence).

This led to an incredible range of collaborators from around the world inspired by the tracks to put brand new spins on the already unique TERMINATRYX songs, from Dance, Industrial and Avant-Garde styles, to Trance, Aggro-Tech, EBM, Electronica, string- & acoustic versions plus more. These include people like the legendary Martin Degville from Sigue Sigue Sputnik, with Lloyd Price (UK), Sheep On Drugs (UK), Industriezone (Austria), Modern-e-Quartet (Greece), SA Goth legends The Awakening (relocated to the USA), and local musical forces like Battery 9 and Mr Sakitumi, plus Terminatryx versions and bonus tracks.

More info at www.TERMINATRYX.com/remix

In between the original album and its remixed version, the TERMINARYX / NOSFERATU DVD was released (including music videos, a short film, photo galleries and the full classic silent vampire film Nosferatu, with its brand new soundtrack created and performed by Terminatryx with musical collaborators incl. members from Lark, Voice Of Destruction, K.O.B.U.S., Mr. Sakitumi and Matthijs Van Dijk – since then this collaborative project has produced 6 of these new silent movie soundtracks, and is accumulatively known as THE MAKABRA ENSEMBLE).

The KOPSKOOT! album was produced by Terminatryx members and is the first ever heavy Afrikaans compilation feat 16 acts, incl. Siek+Sat by Terminatryx.

“Remyx v1.0″ Tracklisting:

“Venus Rising” remix by – INDUSTRIEZONE (Austria)

“CONsume” remix by – Martin Degville & Lloyd Price – SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK ELECTRONIC (UK)

“Virus” remix by – AXXON (South Africa)

“Midnight” remix by – THE AWAKENING (USA / RSA)

“SleepWalkers” remix by – iRONic (South Africa)

“Tabloid Android” remix by – TERMINATRYX Acoustyx (South Africa)

“Symbionik” remix by – SHEEP ON DRUGS (UK)

“We Come In Peace” remix by – MODERN-E-QUARTET (Greece)

“Up To You” remix by – NuL (South Africa)

“The Love Song” remix by – JEKYLL & HYDE (South Africa)

“Siek+Sat” remix by – BATTERY 9 (South Africa)

“Absinthium” remix by – MR. SAKITUMI aka Sean Ou Tim (South Africa)

Bonus Tracks:

ANIMOTION’s 1980s hit “Obsession” is the first ever TERMINATRYX cover version added to the live set late-2009. It was recorded at Flamedrop Productions by Paul Blom, additional recording and mixing at Bellville Studios with Theo Crous (also on guest rhythm guitar).

“Maciste Descends” is a track from one of the Terminatryx-driven MAKABRA ENSEMBLE live movie soundtracks, as performed for the classic 1920s Italian silent movie Maciste In Hell.

The “Undead On Speed” Terminatryx version of their Afrikaans song “Siek+Sat” closes off this ambitious project with a bang.

Exclusive additional content can be accessed via a smart phone QR code scan in the CD sleeve.

 

Foo Fighters have been nominated in six categories in the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards

Wasting Light Nabs Noms For Album of the Year, Best Rock Album; “Walk” For Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song; “White Limo” For Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance; Back & Forth Documentary Nominated For Best Long Form Music Video.

In addition to the evening’s highest honor, Wasting Light is also nominated for Best Rock Album, while its current single “Walk” is up for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song and album track “White Limo” is a contender for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance. In addition, the band’s acclaimed documentary Foo Fighters: Back and Forth has been nominated for Best Long Form Music Video. Finally, Foo Fighters colleagues racked up two related nominations, with Butch Vig up for Producer of the Year for his work on Wasting Light and the Deadmau5 remix of “Rope” up for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical.

Should Foo Fighters sweep the above categories when the GRAMMYs air live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 12, 2012, the band would double its career GRAMMY tally from six to twelve. The Foos’ previous GRAMMY wins have included three for Best Rock Album (There Is Nothing Left To Lose; One By One; Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace), two Best Hard Rock Performances (“All My Life”; “The Pretender”) and one Best Short Form Music Video (“Learn To Fly”).

Speaking from Melbourne, Australia where Foo Fighters are in the midst of a sold out stadium tour, Dave Grohl said, “We’re totally honored and blown away at the six nominations for Wasting Light! It’s nice to know that we live in a world where an album made in a garage, entirely to analog tape, with no help from computers, can be nominated for Album of the Year. Long live Rock and Roll!”

The half dozen 2011 GRAMMY nominations are yet another peak in possibly the most phenomenal year of Foo Fighters’ 16-year career to date: The path leading to the nominations began in earnest with the April release of Wasting Light, the band’s seventh studio album and first to hit #1 in its native U.S.–also debuting at #1 in eleven other countries including the UK where it ended Adele’s 11-week run atop the albums chart, and Australia and New Zealand where it has had the biggest first week digital album sales in both country’s chart histories.

2011 has also seen Foo Fighters receive the most positive critical notices of the band’s 16-year career including a 4-star lead review in Rolling Stone calling Wasting Light “the best Foos album since the first two,” as well as the band’s sixth Saturday Night Live appearance, first performance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the theatrical and televised premiere of the Foo Fighters: Back and Forth documentary (directed by Academy Award winner James Moll), and a still-ongoing world tour that included a sold out return to Madison Square Garden, two SRO nights at the L.A. Forum and a 130,000 capacity July 2-3 headline engagement at the Milton Keynes Bowl in the UK.

More recently, the Sam Jones-directed clip for Wasting Light single “Walk” took Best Rock Video honors at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.

 

 

 

Lilly Million – Frontlines

Check out the latest music video from Lilly Million. The first single ‘Frontlines’ off her debut album Lilly on Love, Truth and Freedom.

The young and charismatic Lillian Million, better known as Lilly Million has been captivating audiences across Johannesburg with her soulful organic folk vibe. The singer songwriter has managed to produce a sound that’s uniquely unlike anything SA has ever seen, stirring great excitement among the lonely hearts of SA’s music enthusiasts.

The single ‘Frontlines’ reached #1 on the Puk FM Top 30 this week, a phenomenal achievement from SA’s fast rising new star.

 

Just Music is proud to represent the following Grammy nominated albums in South Africa

Adele – 21

Record Of The Year

Album Of The Year

Song Of The Year

Best Pop Solo Performance

Best Pop Vocal Album

Best Short Form Music Video

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical

Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Record Of The Year

Song Of The Year

Best New Artist

Best Alternative Music Album

The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

Best Folk Album

Robyn – Boy Talk Pt.3

Best Dance Recording

Best Dance/Electronica Album

 

Mike Posner to release sophomore album SKY HIGH in early 2012

First single “LOOKS LIKE SEX” ships to radio next week and will be available for sale at all Digital Providers from 6 December.

Singer, songwriter and producer Mike Posner announced today that he will release his sophomore album Sky High (RCA Records) in early 2012. The first single off Sky High, “Looks Like Sex”, ships to radio next week and will be available for sale at all digital providers on December 6th.

The release of Sky High comes on the heels of Posner’s highly anticipated return to the mixtape, he independently released The Layover on November 20th

Since the release of Posner’s major label debut 31 Minutes To Takeoff in August of 2010, he has traveled all over the world promoting his album and his three smash singles, the multi-platinum breakout hit “Cooler Than Me”, his top 10 follow up “Please Don’t Go” and “Bow Chicka Wow Wow” which featured Lil’ Wayne. He was nominated for an American Music Award for Breakthrough Artist and has performed on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, America’s Got Talent, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Lopez Tonight, Live! With Regis & Kelly and The Wendy Williams Show.

Critics praised Posner and his debut album, with Rolling Stone saying “Mike Posner is at the head of a new genre…” and praising it’s “…big, club-friendly synth hooks”. Entertainment Weekly called it “…sly, electro-pop…” and USA Today stated it is “…breezily infectious…”

In March of 2009, Posner’s first mixtape A Matter of Time (recorded in his dorm room) rose to the #1 position on iTunesU, promptly garnering him the attention of major labels. After signing a deal with RCA Records that summer, Posner returned to Duke to finish up his course load, all the while beginning work on his debut album, self-releasing his second free mixtape One Foot Out The Door (featuring collaborations with 3Oh!3, Bun B, Kid Cudi, Wale) through iTunesU and rocking shows every weekend at colleges and festivals across the country. 23 year old Mike Posner hails from Southfield, MI and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. He graduated from Duke University in May 2010 with a BA in Sociology and Business.

 

 

 

 

 

Just Music, giving away a FREE MP3 Sampler

Just Music is giving away a FREE MP3 Sampler featuring tracks (& some exclusives) of our South African artists: Zebra & Giraffe, KONGOS, Shadowclub, Yoav, Machineri, Dear Reader, Pascal & Pearce, Goodluck, Flash Republic and Locnville.

Just Music – South African Artist Sampler – December 2011 by JustMusicSouthAfrica

The Roland Albertson Band invited and sponsored to record at The Red Bull Studios in Cape Town

It’s been a big year for Joburg-based singer songwriter Roland Albertson since returning to SA from London towards the end of 2010. Most recently he has popped up on Red Bull’s radar when he was offered a sponsored trip to Cape Town for him and the band to record in the state-of-the-art Red Bull Studio for a week in December.

The trip to Cape Town on 3 December will also kick off of the Legends of the Sun summer tour and be the first time The Roland Albertson Band will be traveling together since Roland found his new band members to bring his songs to life on home soil. They will be playing three gigs in Cape Town, starting with a Sunday acoustic session at Sapphire in Camps Bay (4 December), followed by a midweek knees-up in Kalk Bay (7 December) and a fabulous Cape Town send off at The Assembly’s fourth birthday bash on Friday 9 December.

The Roland Albertson Band consists of Stu J on drums, Stu B on electric guitar, Mark on bass and Roland on acoustic guitar and vocals. In October, they performed at Tanz Café and a charity gig alongside Evolver One, Louise Carver, Dozi and Heinz Winkler.

“Its amazing to have found three talented band members who share my affinity for sun and sea, as well as my passion for simple, old school timeless songs!” - Says Roland

Roland is still just for the music and all about the songs. As part of his ongoing online project, Natural Selection, he has recently released the fourth song called Hurricane. Three songs off his debut EP, Legends of the Sun, will also be getting extra air – and wave – time, amongst the surfing community as Jason Hearn’s The Africa Project surf film premiers on Friday 25 November in Cape Town. The songs are White Wednesday, No Place Like Home and Find Your Own.

Roland is a busy man between the creative and business sides of his trade and is amped for what lies ahead in 2012. He is currently shooting a video for White Wednesday, a track off Legends of the Sun which has received much attention for its awareness raising contemplation on the future of our planet’s health. “What would you do when it’s all gone?” This song is particularly apt ahead of COP17, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which kicks off in SA for the first time in Durban on 28 November. The Roland Albertson Band is also working on securing gigs in Durban for the end of December as the next stop on the Legends of the Sun tour.

“It’s not easy being a four piece on a non-existent budget, but since we already feel like we’re flying, combined with Red Bull ‘giving us wings’, we’ll soon be taking the music to the rest of the South African tribe!”

Cape Town December gig listings for The Roland Albertson Band

The Roland Albertson Band, fronted by singer songwriter Roland Albertson on vocals and acoustic guitar, is kicking off their summer ‘Legends of the Sun tour’ in Cape Town in early December. Catch them around the peninsula, from a Sunday sundowner set at Sapphire in Camps Bay (4 Dec) to a midweek knees-up at The Brass Bell in Kalk Bay (7 Dec) and at the Assembly’s fourth birthday on Friday 9 Dec.

The Roland Albertson Band afternoon session at Sapphire

When: Sun Dec 4pm

Where: Sapphire, Camps Bay

Tickets: Free

The Roland Albertson Band rock The Brass Bell

When: Wed 7 Dec 7pm

Where: Brass Bell, Kalk Bay

Tickets: R30 at the door

The Roland Albertson Band wishes The Assembly a happy birthday

When: Fri 9 Dec 8pm

Where: The Assembly, Cape Town

Tickets: TBC

 

 

 

DOUBLE ADAPTER’S debut video for their single – EAT YOU ALIVE

DOUBLE ADAPTER’S debut video for their single – EAT YOU ALIVE – is now officially out

 

Sting: Back to Bass Tour SA 2012

Two weeks to go to Cape Town Acoustic and Folk Festival!

The Cape Town Folk ‘n Acoustic Music Festival

Saturday 10 December at CTICC, Cape Town

18 Top South African artists: Ard Matthews, Steve Newman, Farryl Purkiss, Rory Eliot, Brian Finch, Guy Buttery, Christine Weir and Julie Blundell, Janie Bay, Gavin Minter, Louise Day, Tombstone Pete, Andrew James and Steady Tiger, John Ellis, Diesel Vanilla, Machineri, Gary Thomas, Natasha Meister, Jack Mantis.

“I am honoured to be part of the first Cape Town Folk ‘n Acoustic Festival. It is my sincere hope that it will be well-supported so that it may become a real highlight on the SA music calendar. SA has such phenomenal talent; all we need now is a place to showcase it. What better place/event than this?” – Ard Matthews

Real Wired Music, the creators of Vintage Sundays and the Cape Town for Haiti Concert, in association with Eastern Acoustics, bring you another extraordinary live music experience. Together with Sedgwick’s Old Brown Sherry and Marshall Music, the Cape Town Folk ‘n Acoustic Music Festival will bring together 18 top South African artists of this genre in a sophisticated, concert-style setting, with solo or duo sets performed completely acoustically. Performances will be stripped down to the essence of the songs – guitar and voice. The evening is set to be an experience of the finest musical storytelling from the personal journeys of some of South Africa’s best songwriters and musicians.

“The Cape Town Folk’ n Acoustic Music Festival looks set to be one of the evenings for which this summer will be remembered.”– Tombstone Pete

Tickets are R180-00 on www.webtickets.co.za or R200-00 at the door.

The first 300 seats booked will receive a gift bag courtesy of Sedgwick’s Old Brown Sherry!

Book Tickets

R5 of every ticket sold will be donated to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.

The Cape Town Folk ‘n Acoustic Music Festival would like to contribute to a feel-good holiday season for all! We will have containers set up in the foyer for you to bring along your donation of a fluffy toy. The toys will be delivered to the children at The Warehouse, Child Welfare and Al Noor Orphanage before Christmas.

 

 

 

“For years I’ve always heard about the epic folk festivals that flooded our country in the ‘60s and ‘70s. People bringing their stories, messages and simple songs to the masses is an essential social gathering particularly in our rich and diverse cultural landscape. I’m looking forward to the Cape Town Folk ‘n Acoustic Music Festival growing from strength to strength each year whilst highlighting the importance and necessity of South Africa’s songsmiths.”

 

– Guy Buttery

 

 

 

“It’s an absolute honour and privilege to be playing alongside the calibre of musicians at this event.” – Farryl Purkiss

 

 

 

The Brothers Streep “Secrecy Bill” song

The Brothers Streep have done it again with a song reflecting the suddenness of the Secrecy Bill.

Check out the Video here

 

If anyone can add a hilarious musical comedy spin to Tuesday’s passing of the Secrecy Bill, it’s local funny men, The Brothers Streep!

“Inspired by recent events we stayed up late into the night and wrote this little song.” – www.brotherstreep.com

 

The Secrecy Bill

You’re sitting at the table at the end of a meal

You went for a steak ‘cause you felt sorry for the veal

Your friend lifts his hand and starts waving at the bar

Hope he just wants the cheque ‘cause you don’t know CPR

The waitron brings the book with urgency and haste

Clearly expecting a large tip he has drawn a smiley face

You’re reaching for your wallet, will it be cash or card?

Unfortunately no cheques ‘cause it says so on that placard

Your friend takes the slip, now the awkward fight begins

You say you’ll pay but he insists that everything’s on him

You try cast your mind back to figure out what you ate

It’s hard to remember ‘cause you had a lot on your plate

You attempt to sneak a peak but he’s covered it with his hand

 

It’s the Secrecy Bill, you can’t believe it’s been passed

It’s the Secrecy Bill, it happened so fast

It’s the Secrecy Bill, no matter how you appeal

It’s the Secrecy Bill, now watch them pay for that meal

 

Living the Dream releases Debut album ‘Nyasa’

“an African-country-folk-swing”

The launch of our first CD features a combination of some of South Africa’s finest musicians and a flavor that is truly South African. Legendary saxophonist McCoy Mrubata joins members from bands such as Radio Kalahari Orkes (RKO) and Casette, with some of the best Jozi/Soweto “jazzcats” to produce an African-country-folk-swing that only us locals could have come up with. The music is all original and mostly composed by LTD cofounder and guitarist Friso Woudstra (RKO/ Casette). It lays a foundation for the rest of the band to perfect melodies and grooves that will have South Africa stomping to the beat. Drummer/producer Bradley Cooper has skillfully perfected the production of a combination of 6 solo instrumentalists together without them overpowering the audience or each other. The band includes McCoy Mrubata (sax), Friso Woudstra (guitar), Pule Makona (piano), Wynand Davel (violin), Tebogo Sedumedi (bass), Bradley Cooper (drums).

Date: Wed 30 November 2011

Venue: Rhapsody`s, Shop 13 Menlyn Piazza (corner Lois and Glen Manor, opposite Menlyn Mall.)

Time: 19h00

Free Entrance

 

 

 

 

TAXI VIOLENCE releases emotional new single and wins International Video Award

Taxi Violence, one of SA’s top Rock Bands, gave their fans a pleasant surprise when they released their first Unplugged album in May 2011 with “Unplugged: Long Way From Home”. Having already garnered success with 2 hit singles, “Heads or Tails (unplugged)” and “Long Way From Home”, the 3rd single “Between The Heavens And The Deep Blue Sea” hits very close to home, especially for front man, George van der Spuy.

“The musical composition for the song was written in studio during the same period that my father had a stroke and shortly after passed away. There was a degree of uncertainty as to what the outcome would be after the stroke. One half of the lyrics were written during this period and the other half after he passed away. Not only is the song dedicated to him, but the entire Unplugged album for all the help and support he gave to the band over the years.” responds vocalist George van der Spuy, when asked about the song writing process behind the song.

The tracks from “Unplugged: Long Way From Home” are reworked versions of songs from the albums ‘Untie Yourself’ and ‘The Turn’, except for three new tracks, which includes the new single “Between The Heavens And The Deep Blue Sea”, released to radio the week of 14 November.

When losing a father, most sons wish they had the talent to immortalise their dad in a song. There’s no wishing for George. He did it.

Taxi Violence – Between The Heavens And The Deep Blue Sea by sheergroup

Song Lyrics: “Between the Heavens and the Deep Blue Sea”

I never thought I’d see the day where hearts and worlds divide

It turned my vision upside down and spat me to the side

I feared the worst could happen and I feared a dreary day

Where all I’d known would disappear and leave me frail and pale

Between the Heavens and the deep blue sea

I wait for my saving grace

Resistance would have been pointless, a waste of energy

Misguided would I walk the earth and troubled I would be

I feared that I would wake and I feared it was all true

Reality old friend has finally dawned upon me too

Between the Heavens and the deep blue sea

I wait for my saving grace

Young and upcoming director, Ryan Kruger, has done it again at the 2011 Wirral International Film Festival. Having won the Best Video Award for “The Turn” by Taxi Violence at last year’s awards ceremony, 2011 has seen him win the Best Video Award once again for his work on “Heads or Tails (Unplugged)”, also by Taxi Violence. All winners will also automatically be entered into next year’s Italian Film Festival held in the twin peninsula of Sezze Latina. Taxi Violence and 2 Feet Music wishes Ryan all the best of luck!

 

“…for Taxi Violence this may be unplugged but to the uninitiated hearing them for the first time, Long Way From Home should simply be received as a damn fine and extremely wholesome rock offering.” – Dave Mac, Muse – rated 4/5

“Taxi Violence’s latest album Long Way From Home, is nothing short of brilliant” – Kimberly Yu, The Big Issue

“It’s the perfect winter warmer and our favourite Taxi Violence album – so far…” – Jo-Anne King, Heat – rated 4/5 (Album of the Week)

 

David van Vuuren to “Free The Animals” on November 25

From the thundering opener “You will leave a mark “, with its powerhouse drumming, driving bass line and slashing guitars, it’s clear that Idols Season 7 winner David van Vuuren is no simple pop idol. If anything he is an edgy, intensely passionate and unique singer who is equally at home with muscular alternative rock songs and gentle introspective folk tunes.

His debut album “Free The Animals”, released by Universal Music on Friday November 25th ,is the result of a 5 week, non stop stint in Good Noise Studios, working with the SAMA Award winning pair of producer Brian`O Shea and engineer/programmer Crighton Goodwill as well as executive producer Benjy Mudie (the team behind the success of Elvis Blue and The SoapGirls) . In addition to his current smash single “Hall of mirrors” , the album includes potential hit singles in the quirky, strings-driven “Utopia (find me)” , the infectiously swinging “Lovers fight `til the end” , the atmospheric “Killing the innocence” as well as the anthemic “ Amazing” ( which promises to be the `Lighthouse` of 2012). The album is boosted by the inclusion of a brace of original songs including “Troublesome mind”, “If we don’t fear” and a stunning updated rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia”.

“Free The Animals” will be available in 3 formats – the Standard Edition contains 11 songs including the aforementioned tracks ; there will also be a Special Edition containing said 11 songs as well as a second bonus disc of 6 acoustic songs, recorded live in studio. These include David’s spine tingling version of Don McLean’s “Vincent” ( the song many believe clinched him the Idols title), as well as seminal songs from his musical upbringing by the likes of Bob Dylan, Damien Rice and Neil Young. The Live disc is rounded off by a rollicking, hollering and stomping version of “Swing low sweet chariot” .The Special Edition will also be available digitally.

David and his band, `Free The Animals` will commence a national tour in February/March 2012.

 

KONGOS to Tour South Africa This Summer In Support of New Album ‘Lunatic’

KONGOS is a rock band of four brothers (Johnny, Jesse, Dylan and Danny Kongos) – sons of multi-million-seller South African singer-songwriter John Kongos, best known for his two international hits “He’s Gonna Step On You Again” and “Tokoloshe Man”. They grew up in London and South Africa and now write, record and perform in Phoenix, Arizona.

KONGOS’ single “I’m Only Joking” reached No. 1 on the Tuks FM Top 30, Top 20 Most Wanted and SA Top 10 charts for two weeks in a row. The track has received more than 15 weeks of heavy rotation on 5FM and Tuks FM, as well as many other stations in South Africa, and it is featured on an SA Hits compilation, along with top SA acts, released by Just Music.

The music video for “I’m Only Joking” premiered on TV 5 on SABC 3 and is in rotation on MKTV.The band’s second single “Come With Me Now” is in heavy rotation on 5FM, Tuks FM and others and is rising up the 5FM Top 40. It just entered the Tuks FM SA Top Ten. KONGOS released their debut album in 2007 and just completed their second album for Tokoloshe Records, an independent label they recently formed together with John Kongos. The band is proud to announce that their new album entitled ‘Lunatic’ will be released on January 23rd, 2012 in South Africa on Just Music.

In support of the new album, KONGOS will be touring South Africa, with shows in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and other cities beginning Dec 9 at Town Hall in Johannesburg. The Dec 9 Johannesburg and Dec 11 Pretoria shows are almost sold out. Highlights of the tour include an MK TV performance, a live on 5FM performance and the Avontoer NYE show in Stillbaai.

Schedule (Additional dates to be announced):

9 Dec. The Alexander Theatre – Johannesburg

11 Dec. Park Acoustics – Pretoria

17 Dec. The Assembly – Cape Town

23 Dec. Unit 11 – Durban

31 Dec. Avontoer NYE show – Stilbaai

14 Jan. A Word Of Art – Cape Town

20 Jan. Tanz Cafe (George Bizos SAHETI Bursary Fund – Charity Event) – Johannesburg

21 Jan. Live5 (5FM live performance)

21 Jan. Arcade Empire – Pretoria

27 Jan. MK TV Performance – Greenside

4 Feb. Up The Creek Festival – Swellendam

Purchase Tickets

A tribute to the LEGENDS OF MOZAMBIQUE produced by MOREIRA CHONGUICA

After producing two of his own award-winning albums and a handful of songs for other artists, celebrated jazz saxophonist, producer and three time SAMA award winner, Moreira Chonguiça has embarked on another journey of producing a full length album of legendary artists from his home country, Mozambique.

Entitled “Khanimambo: a Tribute to the Legends of Mozambique”, Moreira is honoured to have worked with these legendary Mozambican musicians whose talents have added a new dimension to his life. This new album may be purchased via www.moreiramusic.com and Moreira Chonguica (official fan page) | Facebook as well as some select music stores in South Africa.

He met most of these musicians many years ago after listening to them on the old LM radio station and being taken as a boy by his late father, to see them perform. In a way this album is a tribute to his father as it was completed exactly a year after his death.

“What I found so exciting, and it was not by plan or design, was that when I approached each of the artist to participate, they each brought me a song that was so different from the next one.” says Moreira.

This album is a mixture of traditional Mozambican sounds, rock, ballads and jazz with unsolicited commentary in between most of the tracks by the artists themselves. The ten artists featured on the album are all from very varying areas of Mozambique: Zena Bacar – Nampula (62); Chico António – Maputo (63); Chico da Conceiçᾶo – Inhambane (84); Aly Faque – Nampula (44); Elvira Viegas – Maputo (56); Júlia Mwito – Capo del Gardo (39); Wazimbo – Maputo (63); Xidiminguana – Gaza (75); Hortêncio Langa – Gaza (60) and Dilon Djindje – Marracuene near Maputo (84) with additional comments by Moisés Mandlate – Maputo (92).

The backing arrangements were recorded and mixed at Paris studios in Fish Hoek and mastered at Milestone studios by Murray Anderson. The voices were recorded at RGB studios in Maputo owned by Golo advertising agency. The portrait shots were shot by internationally acclaimed South African photographer, Zwelethu Mthethwa who has been responsible for the photographs on all of Moreira’s previous albums.

 

 

Rolling Stone Magazine to Launch in SA

Legendary music, culture and current affairs magazine Rolling Stone launches in South Africa on Wednesday 23 November 2011. Covering everything from young visionaries and icons to politics, movies and more, Rolling Stone believes in music as a unifying force.

Boasting a 50/50 split of local and international content and showcasing South Africa’s diverse creative talent, Rolling Stone South Africa engages local audiences with stories that resonate in their own experiences and lives.

Rolling Stone South Africa Editor-In-Chief Miles Keylock says: “It’s about respect – for our subject matter and our readers. We focus on real, in-depth pop culture and current affairs stories, not tabloid headlines and hype. You’re not going to get this kind of editorial content in any other magazine in South Africa. We will be featuring kwaito alongside rock, jazz alongside pop, and hip-hop alongside house. That potential, to start cross-pollinating cultural conversations, is one of the most exciting things about the magazine.

The monthly title has a retail price of R34.95. The magazine features in-depth, up-close and personal profiles on cultural icons and ground-breaking artists, cutting edge current affairs and provocative pieces on TV, radio, fashion and entertainment trends.

Find it at the following outlets: Exclusive Books, CNA, Musica, Pick ‘n Pay Hyper, Look & Listen, Spar stores nationwide and select outlets

Founded in 1967 by Jann Wenner, Rolling Stone remains the world’s leading music and pop culture publication. Whether the subject is music, politics or movies, millions of readers in 16 countries across the globe turn to Rolling Stone each month to keep informed.

Rolling Stone has always tested its maxim of journalistic integrity with hard hitting and often controversial coverage of political matters. From groundbreaking ‘gonzo’ journalist Hunter S. Thompson to iconic photographer Annie Leibovitz, Rolling Stone has mapped the evolution of pop culture for the past five decades.

 

VUSI MAHLASELA on US Tour 2011

After rave reviews and two sensational, sold out performances at The Fugard Theatre in Cape Town last weekend, South African music icons VUSI MAHLASELA and KAREN ZOID and will again storm the Cape when they team up to perform at the Oude Libertas Theatre in Stellenbosch, for one night only on Sunday 27 November.

A truly remarkable live performer, Karen Zoid has been celebrating her 10th year as a recording artist this year, while Vusi will celebrate his two decades in the industry with an extensive national tour in 2012. Vusi is currently touring the USA as part of the Still Black, Still Proud tour. This is Vusi’s fourth US tour this year, in support of his most recent studio album ‘Say Africa’, which was produced by legendary Bluesman Taj Mahal, and released there in January on the ATO Records label. ATO is co-owned by former South African Dave Matthews, a long-time Vusi fan and supporter, and a superstar in his own right.

Still Black, Still Proud celebrates James Brown’s lasting legacy while exploring the deep relationship between Soul, Funk and contemporary African music. Brown’s legendary band leader Pee Wee Ellis says, “Since the beat came from Africa, we wanted to bring it back by way of combining Funk with some African rhythms.” Since 2008 artists from the U.S. and Africa have come together in a show that The Boston Globe dubbed “a pan-continental funk-soul supergroup” and All About Jazz proclaims simply “explosive.” Discovering the points at which African and American music strike sparks off each other, Pee Wee and a host of stars including Maceo Parker, VUSI MAHLASELA and Cheikh Lo now bring James Brown’s revolutionary music full circle in this rhythm fueled tribute of Afro-funk. As much as the music of Africa influenced Brown’s style, he likewise inspired an entire generation of African artists. Brown’s music was immensely popular, deeply felt and vastly influential in Africa; “Even in the furthest villages, people knew about James Brown!” says Vieux Farka Touré. Since 2008, Still Black, Still Proud has toured the UK, Europe, and North America performing in front of sold-out audiences to rave reviews. Previous guest artists include Fred Wesley, Vieux Farka Touré, Tony Allen, and Angelique Kidjo.

Current Still Black, Still Proud tour dates:

11/16 Chapel Hill, NC

11/18 Great Barrington, MA

11/19 Burlington, VT

11/20 Philadelphia, PA

11/22 St. Paul, MN

Tickets are available now at Computicket

4am Brand new Album – Neserton Drive

After the release of 4am‘s debut album “Light from Light” in April 2010 4am had massive success with Singles such as “Sirens, Steering Ships, Elements and Come What may” that all enjoyed massive airplay on all radio stations countrywide including 5fm, Highveld Stereo, KFM, OFM, East Coast Radio, Tuks FM, MFM, Puk Fm and more. They also

Produced a number of music video’s to accompany the singles and shared the stage with countless top SA bands throughout the year.

Over the last 4 months the band has been very hard at work in the studio recording the follow up sophomore album NESERTON DRIVE.

Neserton Drive see’s the band return to their slightly more edgy roots musically, a sound that they have harnessed over the years hence the vintage theme of the album artwork. The tracks are a combination of up tempo rock songs that have hard hitting and melodic chorus’s guaranteed to leave you wanting more.

This 10 track album is set to take on the SA music scene head on and promises to deliver an emotional and explosive Journey that certainly won’t disappoint. Look out for singles off the album such as “Resonation, Golden Handshake and Dark December” to hit radio stations country wide very soon!

Neserton drive will be available in music  stores nationally in the following weeks to come, so keep a look out for it.

 

Jack Parow’s Eksie Ou Released December

South Africa’s dangerous, romantic Afrikaans rapper, Jack Parow, will release his eagerly anticipated sophomore album, Eksie Ou, under his own label, Parowphernalia. The album will hit the shelves early December 2011 and his best goods yet can be expected. Eksie Ou follows in wake of his platinum selling album, Jack Parow, released in May last year.

Jack Parow is back with an album that will make you laugh, think, cry and basically get down. “I just want to give people something to laugh about. South Africa has so much kak for people to worry about, so when they listen to my CD they can laugh a bit. I also have some serious songs, but they have a light undertone,” says Parow about his lyrics.

Eksie Ou was produced by Justin de Nobrega. He also produced Parow’s first album, Jack Parow. Some of Parow’s kiefest friends collaborate with him on this album. They are Dawid Kramer, Francois van Coke (Fokofpolisiekar and Van Coke Kartel), Pierre Greeff (Die Heuwels Fantasties), Gazelle, Haezer, PH Fat and Sibot. Below he talks about his upcoming album.

The sound on Eksie Ou

“As with my first album, it is a mix of a variety of music. It moves from hard Hip Hop beats to Boeremusiek to Dub Step to Adult Contemporary music. I’m not sure what adult contemporary is, but it sounds heavy. So yes, it is a journey through various influences that grabbed me during the writing process en drunk nights. But I think it is lekker; something for everyone and everyone for something as the Three Musketeers said.”

How it differs from the first album

“Well, it’s different lyrics and different music, so that’s the first way it’s different. I think also because I am supposedly cooler than before (I’m not, but don’t tell anyone, otherwise my street cred will be destroyed), I can work with fancier and more radical musicians. On my first album there were pity collaborations, but this time everyone is more borderline happy to work with me, so the beats and lyrics are shmaarter.”

Collaborating with Dawid Kramer

“Dawid Kramer is like my hero. I am crazy about him. I grew up on his music and I still have all his records. So to do a song with him was heavy next-level and also intensely nerve-wracking, because I wanted to be cool. I thought so much about how to be cool, that I looked like a nerd and acted weirdly, but thank the lord he still did this track with me. He probably felt sorry for me.”

Catch Parow performing his new tunes at:

27th November – Kirstenbosch Gardens, Cape Town

2nd December – Cool Runnings, Fourways

5th December – Durban Rage

8th December – Plett Rage

10th December – Big Top Arena, Carnival City

21st December – Struisbaai, MK Avontoer

23rd December – Langebaan, MK Avontoer

31 December – Jeffreys Bay beachfront

 

DARING DOCCIES Documentary Film Festival

This 2nd chapter of Flamedrop & Cinemaniacs’ exciting DARING DOCCIES Documentary Film Festival assembled a wide range of thought-provoking, controversial and award-winning international documentaries, most making their South African (and African) theatrical premieres, with subjects including government conspiracy, local farm murders, drugs & science, the holy bloodline, trepanation, 2012, flawed education, Egyptian uprising, outlaws etc.

A literary addition is also in place with 3 topical books featuring at the event with audience give-aways.

After DARING DOCCIES they will launch straight into the next explosive installment of the SOUND ON SCREEN Music Film Festival, 2-10 December – more info at www.flamedrop.com/sos

THE BIG UNEASY

Harry Shearer (renowned satirist, Spinal Tap bassist & legendary voice of Mr Burns, Flanders & others on The Simpsons) uncovers the real eye-opening reasons for the New Orleans disaster during Hurricane Katrina & its subsequent cover-ups.

(courtesy Harry Shearer)

WAR OF THE FLEA

Since the advent of democracy in South Africa, the alarming problem of farm murders persists. While people are arguing both sides of the issue, the country’s food growers are being killed. Producers will attend its opening screening which will include an audience Q&A.

(courtesy 7 of 9 Productions)

THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE

Every mystery of human existence… explained in one movie!

The director ofTrekkieslooks into questions like: Why are we here? What started the Universe and was it a mistake? Does God exist and why is he so interested in our sex lives?

A humorous, uplifting search for enlightenment via some challenging ideas and extraordinary people.

(courtesy Walking Shadows)

FAT BELLY - Chopper Unchopped

The story of notorious Australian Mark “Chopper” Read’s life hit the screens in 2000 starring Eric Bana. But in this documentary you get the full warts & all perspective from the man himself.

(courtesy Shoreline Entertainment)

DIRTY PICTURES

Alexander ‘Sasha’ Shulgin is the scientist behind more than 200 psychedelic compounds including MDMA, more commonly known as Exstasy. Considered to be one of the greatest chemists of the twentieth century, Sasha’s vast array of discoveries have had a profound impact in the field of psychedelic research. This movie looks at his life & work, and inevitable clashes with authority.

(courtesy Shoreline Entertainment)

This 2nd chapter of Flamedrop & Cinemaniacs’ excitingDARING DOCCIES Documentary Film Festivalassembled a wide range of thought-provoking, controversial and award-winning international documentaries, most making their South African (and African) theatrical premieres, with subjects including government conspiracy, local farm murders, drugs & science, the holy bloodline, trepanation, 2012, flawed education, Egyptian uprising, outlaws etc.

A literary addition is also in place with 3 topical books featuring at the event with audience give-aways.

After DARING DOCCIES we’ll launch straight into the next explosive installment of theSOUND ON SCREEN Music Film Festival, 2-10 December – more info at www.flamedrop.com/sos

THE MURDER OF MARY MAGDALENE – Genocide Of The Holy Bloodline

Was Mary Magdalene murdered? Did the Catholic Church conspire to eradicate the Holy Bloodline? This unique film journeys to places never before researched in connection with this story, uncovering a tale so mysterious, so at odds with the accepted norm, that we are forced to question everything we previously held to be true. Dig deeper into the mystery popularized by The Da Vinci Code.

(courtesy Reality Films)

A HOLE IN THE HEAD

Trepanation is the ancient process of boring a hole in the skull. This fascinating documentary looks at modern trepanation around the globe and the higher level of consciousness experienced by those undergoing this radical process.(courtesy Spectacle Film, inc.)

PLUS

EGYPT: Insights Into A Revolution

With trepanation pioneered by the ancient Egyptians and others, a companion piece linked to the country of origin is included. This doccie short looks at the recent uprising and the monumental regime overthrouw via musicians, civilians and members of the media.

(courtesy Sebastien Saugues)

2012 – AN AWAKENING

With the mysterious 2012 prophecy around the corner, this film goes deeper than the vague predictions of ancient prophets, and explores how the earth is in the middle of a transformation set to change the way we live our lives forever.Featuring leading aurthors in the genre incl. Patrick Geryl, Adrian Gilbert, David Icke, Gregg Braden, Peter Taylor and others.

(courtesy Reality Films)

THE WAR ON KIDS

Completed a year before Waiting For Superman, The War On Kids looks at how the US education system sets out to make the youth docile, obedient and powerless, through zero tolerance, excessive & invasive security measures, abuse of prescription drugs, and mirroring the penal system. With the America as the largest democracy in the world, with its inherent educational problems, what can South Africa learn from this?

(courtesy Spectacle Film, inc.)

THE CONSPIRACY TO RULE THE WORLD

With compelling interviews and analysis of evidence (& lack thereof), cover-ups and unanswered questions are revealed in the 9/11 attacks, a sinister group known as Common Purpose, and whether the moon landing was fake. While it is easy to shoot these down as conspiracy theory babble, if the authorities fail to deliver believable explanations, should we merely accept that? Where there’s smoke…

(courtesy Reality Films)

ZEITGEIST REFUTED

Every story has more than one side. Here, thoughts opposing those in the first chapter of ZEITGEIST The Movieis taken on with counter arguments from a Christian perspective.

As always, we believe in putting it out there and leave it up to the viewer to decide.

(courtesy Holy Bible Prophecy)

Aaron Russo’s MAD AS HELL

This pre-9/11 spoken word session by the late Aaron Russo sees him attacking the US government’s controlling grip on its citizens, claiming it to be turning into a totalitarian regime.

The politically outspoken Russo’s career included managing Bette Midler and producing movies like Trading Places and The Rose (his productions receiving 6 Academy Award- & 2 Golden Globe nominations).

(courtesy All Your Freedoms, inc.)

 

Mônica da Silva releases new album

Socialite Fiasco Music announces the launch of Brasilissima by Brazilian American singer Mônica da Silva. Mônica’s new album is a throwback to the days of Astrud Gilberto with plenty of modern elements and edge. Mônica grew up between the U.S. and Belém, Brazil, a city on the Amazon River. On Brasilissima, she brings this cultural diversity to her music, seamlessly flowing between English and Portuguese and blending bossa nova with indie pop. Miami’s Acontece Magazine has called Mônica’s music “the future of Bossa Nova with the face of youth today.”

Putumayo Records is excited to feature up-and-coming artist Mônica da Silva on their forthcoming album Brazilian Beat. Her first single from Brasilissima “Aí Então”, will be part of the Putumayo World Beat Series, to be released on January 31st. The official video for “Aí Então” has just been released. The cutesy video features the song’s two writers Mônica da Silva and Chad Alger. The couple call their self-styled music “indie nova”.

 

Buy the Album

 

 

15th Annual Emerging Sounds Challenge

The 15th annual final of the Emerging Sounds Challenge taking place on Saturday 3 December at Rockabilly’s in Edenvale looks set to be one of the most exciting finals in the events history.

The standard of the bands at this year’s final makes this event not only one of the most exciting finals but one of the toughest to judge.

This year also has the biggest prize on offer with the winning band playing themselves to over a R100 000 worth of prizes. In fact the band that wins this year’s event will be set up to really further their musical career.

The Emerging Sounds Challenge has always been about creating platforms for bands to further their musical careers and this year’s event is taking this concept to another level.

Thanks to Music Mate and Audiosure for sponsoring the main prizes on offer. The winning band plays themselves to some awesome musical gear courtesy of Music Mate (including a Pearl Drum Kit and boss pedals) along with a Wharfedale Pro Rig PA system from Audiosure (the PA system alone is worth R68 000). Bands also get to record at Get Phat Studios in Fourways with Steve Grenfell (Jesse Clegg’s engineer) and they have an EPK filmed courtesy of Orange Orbit in Randburg. The winning band will also have a session with music guru Dave Chislett on planning their musical career in 2012 and they will also receive publishing advice from M2 Music.

The band winning this year’s final is setting themselves up to really crack it in the SA music industry.

There is also a diverse range of musical styles on offer covering a wide range of musical styles in English and Afrikaans.

Those attending will hear a mixture of rock, acoustic, electric instrumental, punk, rockabilly and fusion funk jazz.

Bands through to the finals are:

Use your words

BeVonk The Band

Storm Under Control

Avenfall

All Guns Full Ammo

My Flawless Ending

Wysdiman

Middle March

Delta Grove

Token Nobodies

Carniwhores

Colourful Her

Savage Lucy

Crimescenesex

Reasonable Man

Candi Black

A Minor Affair

The first band is on stage at 15:00 and the event ends just after 23:00 – when the winning band gets announced.

Entrance on the day costs R40

Dave Chislett’s book One Two One Two will also be on sale on the day at a discounted price of R200. This is the ideal book for any band serious about cracking it in the SA Music industry and also makes for a great Christmas present for everyone with an interest in the SA music scene.

 

 

 

 

 

Synergy Live Music Festival

It’s that time of year again and The Synergy Live Music Festival is back and set to rock out Boschendal Wine Estate in the otherwise quiet town of Franschoek!

Between the sun and the stars, between the city and the winelands, between live and electronic. Synergy Live, South Africa’s legendary music & lifestyle festival, returns to the rural beauty of the Boschendal Wine Estate in the heart of the Franschhoek wine lands, from November 25 to 27.

Soak up the sun, mingle, relax, pitch a tent and rock out to a super-cool collection of more than 100 celebrated local and international bands, live acts, comedians and electro artists. It’s not just the Mother City’s premier outdoor music festival – it’s a three-day celebration of nature, summer, and life itself.

Tickets on sale Online and at Outlets

Full Weekend R 440.00 Webtickets

Full Weekend R 410.00 Outlets

Sat / Sun R 395.00 Webtickets

Sat / Sun R 380.00 Outlets

Outlets

Sport ‘n Surf – Long street – 021 426 4550

Sport ‘n Surf – Diep River – 021 712 1160

The Surf centre – Canal walk – 021 555 4970

Gypsy – Durbanville – 021 976 2604

Skint – Noordhoek – 021 785 7777

Royal Vendetta – Claremont – 021 683 9399

Hoodoo Tattoo – Big Bay – 021 554 4086

Music Moods – Somerset Mall – 021 851 0102

Gypsy – Stellenbosch – 021 886 715

Full Event Info and Artist Line Up

Calling all South African Bands…

This is your chance to perform in front of thousands of fans and alongside legendary artists including Prime Circle, Johnny Clegg, Die Heuwels Fantasties, Elvis Blue and many more at the Knysna Rocks Music Festival this summer.

The Knysna Rocks Music Festival has created an incredible prize hamper including an opening slot at Knysna Rocks on Friday 23rd of December; an opening slot at The Assembly in Cape Town as well as a week worth’s recording time at the Red Bull Studios for the winning band!

Entry and voting will be FREE!

Competition Entry details:

To enter the Head2Head Competition, bands must complete a short informational profile on the Knysna Rocks Facebook Page http://facebook.com/knysnarocks

Entries must be submitted before Tuesday, 29th November 2011.

The top 10 bands will be announced in the press soon afterwards and the competition will enter the “voting stage” where fans can vote once per day until Monday, 12th December 2011.

The band with a mixture of the most votes & best marketing campaign wins!

The winning band will be announced on Wednesday, 13 December 2011.

The Judges:

All entries will be reviewed by a panel of industry professionals.

Prizes:

An opening slot at Knysna Rocks on the 23rd of December 2011

An opening slot at The Assembly within six (6) months of the Knynsa Rocks Festival.

A full week’s worth of recording time in the Red Bull Music Studio, Cape Town.

And other great prizes

The Venue: Sports Grounds in Knysna

Date: Friday 23rd December 2011

Time: 2PM – 11PM followed by Knysna Rocks after party. (Gates open at midday)

Tickets NOW ON SALE at Computicket or 083 915 8000
General Admission: R165
VIP (over 18’s only): R265

www.knysnarocks.co.za

 

Seven Year Kismet will be returning to South Africa

Seven Year Kismet will be returning to South Africa one final time before name change and new album

Seven Year Kismet, a metal band based in the South of England, have toured to South Africa a hand full of times already but this time it’s a little different and a little special. They’ve decided to come back for 3 weeks to record their new album here, in our home land. Tracking will commence Monday the 14th November at Red Room Recording Studio in Elardus Park, Centurion. Jared Gunston will be at the producer chair to follow up on the single they did together “Behold the Eve of Ruin” which can be heard HERE. Gunston has also worked with many local artists such as Chromium, Knave, Death by Ninja, The Frail, etc so it promises to be a powerful new album. Wait though, there’s a catch, Seven Year Kismet will be changing their name to start over fresh in England, and will be performing all their new tracks live here in South Africa to showcase and get ready to take it back home to England. You’re not going to want to miss out on this tour.

Supporting this tour is none other than: Chromium, Relentless Mercy, Candi Black & 11th Hour.

Tour Dates are as follows:

11 NOV – Factory

Support: Relentless Mercy

12 NOV - Potch

Support: CandiBlack

18 NOV – Rumours

Support: Fragmented Children

19 NOV - The Doors Nightclub

Support: 11th Hour

23 NOV - Black Dahlia (R100 Pigs Night)

Support: 11th Hour

25 NOV - Rock Shack

26 NOV - Cool Runnings Fourways

 

BUSH is Back!

The David Gresham Record Company best known for releasing global superstars such as Nickelback, Placebo & Staind is proud to announce the signing of Billboard number 1 alternative rock act “Bush”. Bush fronted by vocalist Gavin Rossdale return after a decade long hiatus, with their 5th studio album entitled “The Sea of Memories”. The album will be released in South Africa on the 1st of December 2011 and will be available at leading retail outlets nationwide.

“The Sea of Memories” is the first Bush album to be released on the bands imprint Zuma Rock/David Gresham Records in South Africa. The first single “The Sound of Winter” is only the seventh alternative single in Billboard chart history to go to number 1 off an independent label. Bush have sold a combined total of 10.9 Million albums in the United States and will be touring with Chevelle and Filter for the new album.

Bush have peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Alternative airplay chart for the 5th time in their career with the first single off the new album called “The Sound of Winter”, this single is the band’s latest number one after “The Chemicals between us” hit the summit of the charts 12 years ago. The Sound of Winter knocked “Walk” by the Foo Fighters off the top spot to further establish the band as a major force in today’s alternative rock scene.

Bush consists of members:

Gavin Rossdale (Vocals), Robin Goodridge (Drums), Corey Britz (Bass guitar), Chris Traynor (Guitar)

“Like they never left” Billboard Magazine 29 October 2011

“The Quartets first record in a decade is a surprisingly vital viva-la-grange manifesto. Gavin Rossdale sounds a thousand times perkier” Rolling Stone Magazine review, 13 September 2011

 

5gum Summer Sessions: Desmond & The Tutus & Friends

Featuring loads of friends – Shortstraw, Rambling Bones, Beatenberg, Ashtray Electric and DJs too - Richard the Third, Sassquatch, Data Takashi, VGA, Musical Chairs and Haasbroek!

For More info Check Out the Facebook Event

Comedy Night on Long Street – Zula Bar

 

What to expect at this years OBS Festival – Cape Town

Observatory’s 15th Festival is more organised than ever thanks to The Observatory Village of Arts, a recently formed NPO focused on promoting local artists. The 2011 line-up will include the likes of aKing, Bed on Bricks, Firefly, Reburn, Tidal waves, Van Coke Cartel and The Rudimentals. Saturday will feature a carnival theme, finishing off with some chilled Blues on Sunday.

Of course I am looking forward to Obs fest!,’ says Donovan Copley of the infamous local band Hot Water, who will be performing as part of the festival. But if great music is not enough to tickle your fancy, you can also expect to see a whole variety of different arts involved in the festival this year. Showcases will include; theater arenas, dancers, puppets, circus acts and an interactive graffiti wall. Shop fronts will be transformed into mini art galleries for the weekend.

‘Observatory has always had a huge arts culture,’ says Andrew Fife, Festival Project Manager.

‘There are lots of artistic people living and working here and we want to start including all these different art forms into the festival.’

OBS festival this year will be on the 9 Dec

Festival tickets are priced at R50 for Friday, R70 for Saturday, R20 for Sunday and R90 for an all-weekend pass. Tickets can be purchased through Webtickets.

 

 

 

 

Springbok Nude Girls Back On Tour

The Springbok Nude Girls burst onto South Africa’s indie music scene in the late 90’s and spent the next decade on the road and in the studio. Between 1995 and 2007 the band had an incredible 15 releases.

This year, Springbok Nude Girls are back with the same electrifying force and energy that first brought them to the public’s attention 16 years ago. In 1994 the band spent less than a week recording their first release, Neanderthal 1, which includes the cult classics, Bubblegum on my Boots, Stay, Managing Mula, I am Your Friend and I Know what I Want.

Nearly two decades later, they’ve followed the same maniacal formula. In June this year, the band reunited, after a 4 year hiatus, on the Isle of Wight, a small island off the coast of England where they spent just a week living together, writing and recording, as part of a music ‘experiment’.

“The brief was simple: lets get together and see what happens. If we like what we hear at the end of it, then we can maybe release it. No pressure, no interference. So we pushed the boundaries of what’s supposed to be possible and I think the result is interesting.” Says Arno Carstens

The result is Apes With Shades, a 6 track EP filled with the same raw power, edgy madness and contradictory genius that has formed the pulse of the Nudies music since their inception.

This limited edition EP is destined to become yet another SNG collectable. Get your copy on tour, at Look and Listen or online with Nokia Ovi Store.

Full tour details and dates  and to Listen to the Full EP – go to www.nudegirls.co.za

 

 

 

 

The Cape Town Folk and Acoustic Music Festival – December

Saturday 10 December at CTICC, Cape Town

18 Top South African artists: Ard Matthews, Steve Newman, Farryl Purkiss, Rory Eliot, Brian Finch, Guy Buttery, Christine Weir and Julie Blundell, Janie Bay, Gavin Minter, Louise Day, Tombstone Pete, Andrew James and Steady Tiger, John Ellis, Diesel Vanilla, Machineri, Gary Thomas, Natasha Meister and Jack Mantis.

Real Wired Music, the creators of Vintage Sundays and the Cape Town for Haiti Concert, in association with Eastern Acoustics and Cape Town International Convention Centre, brings you another extraordinary live music experience. Together with Sedgwick’s Old Brown Sherry and Marshall Music, the Cape Town Folk ‘n Acoustic Music Festival will bring together 18 top South African artists of this genre in a sophisticated, concert-style setting. The line up sees a mix of great acoustic guitarists like Steve Newman, Gary Thomas and Guy Buttery with singer/songwriter stalwarts like Farryl Purkiss, Rory Eliot, Ard Matthews and Brian Finch. The look and feel of the festival will be in the style of a 70s Folk concert –all artists will perform solo or duo sets completely acoustically. Performances will be stripped down to the essence of the songs – guitar and voice.

Add to all this some blues sounds from Natasha Meister and Machineri; and some folk /pop by Janie Bay; and the evening is set for an experience of the finest musical storytelling taken from the personal journeys of some of South Africa`s finest songwriters and musicians.

Marshall Music – Home of the Acoustic Guitar:

Win a Tanglewood guitar and a chance to be an opening act at the Cape Town Folk n Acoustic Music Festival For more information go to - www.marshallmusic.co.za or on Facebook

 

 

 

RAMfest 2012 Official Announcement

IN FLAMES is confirmed for RAMfest 2012. They will perform at Ramfest in Cape Town and Johannesburg

SAT 10 March – Ramfest, Riversands Farm, Fourways, Johannesburg

SUN 11 March – Ramfest, Cape Town Ostrich Ranch, N7

“We at RAMfest HQ are very excited and proud to announce IN FLAMES as 1 of the headliners at RAMfest 2012. It is high time that Real Alternative Music is properly showcased in SA and finally we are able to give SA metal fans something to shout about.” – RAMfest organiser Dawid Fourie

More details about Ramfest 2012 to be released soon! Ticket sales on www.ticketbreak.co.za will open by mid November 2011.

 

The Rescu Tour Dates

The Rescu released their debut album in August and has received rave reviews, complimenting the band as a new SA Rock act to look out for.

The band drew their inspiration for the songs from various elements and life experiences. Their genuine and heartfelt love for South Africa and its people inspired many of the tracks. The band name expresses their desire for something relevant, something needed, something out of the ordinary; something that happens to be in the right place at the right time.

“As a band, we like the idea of getting people excited, being positive and focusing on the good stuff that life has to offer. Our performance as a band is an integral part of conveying a message of hope. We put a lot of effort into our live shows, we work hard at keeping the energy up and offering something special to the audience. We are all about bringing the rock and roll to every performance, having fun doing it and just letting the music say what it has to say. At the end of the day, our music is designed to inspire, to lift up. It`s about the triumph of the human spirit and its connection to the spiritual and physical world we live in.”

To date, The Rescu have performed with some of the biggest names on the SA music circuit, sharing the stage with Just Jinjer, Arno Carstens, Prime Circle, Foto na Dans and The Dirty Skirts. These performances, as well as the many smaller shows played by the band have given them the street cred they require to hold their own at any level of live performance.

Catch The Rescu live in November:

23rd November: &Union, Breestreet, Cape Town 8pm, free

26th November: Synergy Live, Main Stage, 3pm

27th November: V&A Waterfront with Prime Circle, 6pm, free

 

Freshlyground – LOVE NO HATE Video Blog

Follow the Freshly Ground Tour around South Africa on their Video Channel Diary

Check out the First installment here…

 

 

Release of the first part of the brand new YESTERDAY’S PUPIL

Today sees the release of the first part of the brand new YESTERDAY’S PUPIL album for FREE Download. Three years since the release of his debut album in 2008, Peach van Pletzen (also from Bittereinder, Tumi Molekane, Joseph Clark and Oorlog Frankenstein) is back with music which not only undoubtedly reflects the change and growth in his sound, but also portrays his maturation as producer and artist.

Part 1 is entitled SINGULARITY and features two singles, namely Too Tired To Disco and Goodbye. The album will be released in five different parts with two month intervals between each part – every part for FREE DOWNLOAD. Each individual part will consist of two brand new original tracks accompanied by an artwork for each track as well as the lyrics and artist notes.

“Music is free in one way or another. I would prefer for the people to rather get the music directly from me, the source, in a high quality rather than some shitty torrent download somewhere. It is also important for me to have as many people as possible hear my music. I am releasing it in parts because of the fact that is free instead of giving it all away at once. I have worked long and hard on this album and doing it this way just feels right – I want to give each song it’s worth.”- Yesterday’s Pupil

Download for free on Website

 

ADELE “Live At The Royal Albert Hall” DVD AND CD

Monday November 28th sees the release of Adele’s “Live At The Royal Albert Hall” concert film. It has been an incredible year for Adele, starting with her #1 album “21″, her #1 single “Someone Like You”, the global smash “Rolling In The Deep” and her spellbinding live appearance on The Brits. Her album “21″ has become the biggest selling album in the world this year -12 million copies sold and counting – and “21″and “19″ remain the UK’s 1st and 2nd highest selling albums so far. She has received rave reviews for her live shows and “Live At The Royal Albert Hall”, recorded at the height of this amazing year, showcases exactly why Adele has become one of the most sought after live performers in the world.

“Live At The Royal Albert Hall” will be available on DVD and Blu Ray and features the full 90 minute performance, plus behind the scenes footage shot throughout that day. The package also contains an exclusive live CD of the entire show. This is the first time fans will be able to hear all of Adele’s hits and best loved songs on one CD plus her stunning covers of Bonnie Raitt’s “If I Can’t Make You Love Me” and The Steeldrivers “If It Hadn’t Been For Love”

The Tracklisting is as follows:

Hometown Glory

I’ll Be Waiting

Don’t You Remember

Turning Tables

Set Fire To The Rain

If It Hadn’t Been For Love

My Same

Take It All

Rumour Has It

Right As Rain

One & Only

Lovesong

Chasing Pavements

I Can’t Make You Love Me

Make You Feel My Love

Someone Like You

Rolling In The Deep

 

“Live At The Royal Albert Hall” is available on DVD and Blu Ray on XL Recordings/Just Music on Monday 28th November.

 

THE BROTHERS STREEP sign to 2 FEET MUSIC

It’s been an exciting 2011 for acoustic comedy act, The Brothers Streep. First they steal the hearts & smiles of South African viewers as they perform their catchy hit “We’re Never Going To Be (SA Idols)” during the audition rounds of SA Idols and again Karaoke Style at the SA Idols finale on the 4th of October, and with good luck coming in threes, they’ve just signed a deal with 2 Feet Music, a division of top SA indie label, Sheer Sound.

2 Feet Music will be repackaging and releasing their “Suitable for the Whole Family” album as an Extended Edition in November 2011, which will include the major hit single “We’re Never Going To Be (SA Idols)” and the song used in the advert for Geely’s new Panda car advert, “Eye To Eye”.

“The Idols producers saw the song we played via Skype for Anna Paquin on the Graham Norton Show, and this gave them the idea of getting us to do a song for them.  They called us and gave us full reign to make fun of the competition and it’s stars.  We were genuinely surprised at what we got away with saying.” responds co-frontman Simon van Wyk when asked how Brothers Streep came to write and perform the song on Idols.

Performing as both a duo and full band, they have made their mark locally through playing at major South African events such as Rocking the Daisies (2010 & 2011) and The 1st Annual Comics Choice Awards (2011), whilst also broadening their horizons internationally by playing to Anna Paquin on The Graham Norton Show (2009) and debuting their own full length show at The Gilded Balloon as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2010).

Formed in 2005 by Dylan Hichens (guitar and vocals) and Simon van Wyk (guitar and vocals), The Brothers spent their early years performing their harmonious blend of comedy and music in the Cape Town band scene, before later branching into the comedy arena. The result is a comedy band where melody and music don’t take the back seat to the laughs. Their songs span a variety of topics, from flavoured milk products to Disney princesses, as well as pirates, the economy, movie twists and other day-to-day observations – there’s certainly something for everyone with The Brothers Streep. Completing the band are their friends and fellow ‘brothers’, Tim Smith (keys), Richard Graham (bass) and Tim Price (drums).

Van Coke Kartel’s fourth album Wie’s Bang Out November 2011

WIE’S BANG

Van Coke Kartel’s fourth album Wie’s Bang will be released by Supra Familias in November 2011. This album follows in the wake of their three multi-award winning albums: Van Coke Kartel (self-titled), Waaksaam & Wakker and Skop, Skiet en Donner. The last two albums both won SAMA Awards for ”Best Afrikaans Rock” album and the first album received a SAMA nomination in this category.

Wie’s Bang is Van Coke Kartel’s first album with the new four-piece line-up. Jedd Kossew (lead guitar) and Jason Oosthuizen (drums) add their unique musical flavour to complete the band’s best work to date. Award winning producer Theo Crous from Bellville Studios produced the album and calls it “the best sounding album” to come from his studio to date.

Van Coke Kartel will introduce the new album with an extensive tour in November/December 2011.

Jagermeister, Monster Energy, Macbeth Footwear and Music Connection presents

Wie’s Bang Album Launch Toer

The brand new full length album”Wie’s Bang” and brand new Van Coke Kartel merchandise will be available at all events.

Tour schedule:

27 November – Kirstenbosch Gardens, Cape Town (with Jack Parow, Die Heuwels Fantasties en JR)

29 November – Firkin Centurion (Free entry)

30 November – Barcode Night Club, 122 North Rand Road, Boksburg, Johannesburg (with Die Tuin Dwergies)

1 December – FTV, Silverstar Casino, Featherbrook, Muldersdrift, Mogale City (Krugersdorp)

2 December – Arcade Empire, Pretoria (with Springbok Nude Girls)

3 December – Tanz Cafe, Four Ways, Johannesburg (with Springbok Nude Girls)

10 December – Bucklys, Edward Street, Bellville (with aKING)

28 December – Zanzibar, Plettenbergbay.

30 December – Cafe Havana, J-Bay (with Die Tuin Dwergies)

For Full Tour info go to – vancokekartel.co.za

Wie’s Bang Comic Book

As part of the Wie’s Bang campaign, Van Coke Kartel is in the process of releasing a series of four comic books online. In the comics the late Kurt Cobain challenges the band to write a rocking album. If they don’t succeed they are doomed to play sokkie treffers for the rest of their lives…

The comics will be released on a limited edition flash drive, as well as in printed format by December. The first two comics have already been released. Buy them Here

 

C.O.M.E. – Monday 31 October HALLOWEEN THEMED SHOW

 

The Cranberries Making A Comeback

The Cranberries released the new song “Show Me,” as a free download on yesterday via the band’s official Facebook page

“Show Me” is the first new music heard from the band’s forthcoming album, Roses, which will be released in time for Valentine’s Day 2012 via Cooking Vinyl on February 13th and in the U.S. the following day. Roses is the first studio album from The Cranberries in over a decade. “Show Me” will be available as a free download for two weeks.

Dolores stated, “Having recorded two albums with various different musicians during our hiatus, I could clearly see that Noel and Mike have a unique way of creating chords and Ferg keeps it together in a subtle way. We had a blast in the studio, Stephen was in his zone and it came together rather quickly. There is a sense of rejuvenation in the group, a freshness.” Guitarist Noel Hogan added, “I always had the attitude that there would be another album. Over the last six years, Dolores and I were sending each other ideas on and off.” During the reunion tour, the band began working on new music during sound-checks. “The icing on the cake was to work with Stephen Street again who helped us re-discover our sound.”

The songs on Roses come from a band with a renewed hunger and in every corner you’ll find the extraordinary sound of Dolores O’Riordan’s voice, the pivotal instrument which transformed the band from a group of young Irish hopefuls at the edge of the 80s into an MTV sensation and worldwide super group within just a few short years.

The Cranberries debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? featured the massive singles “Linger” and “Dreams” and hit #1 in Britain. The follow-up, No Need To Argue cemented the group’s popularity via such popular tracks as “Zombie,” “Ridiculous Thoughts,” and “Ode To My Family,” ultimately being certified 7x Platinum in the U.S. and 5x Platinum in Europe (hitting #1 in Germany, Austria, and Australia, and #2 in the U.K.). The Cranberries had four top 20 Billboard albums, 8 hit singles, and worldwide sales of over 30 million records.

Roses Track Listing:

1. Conduct

2. Tomorrow

3. Fire & Soul

4. Raining In My Heart

5. Losing My Mind

6. Schizophrenic Playboys

7. Waiting In Walthamstow

8. Show Me

9. Astral Projections

 

Die Heuwels Fantasties at Huisgenoot Namaqua Festival on 28 Oktober 2011

It is exciting times for Die Heuwels Fantasties with their recent trip to New Zealand as the Springboks’ Art ambassadors and performances at the Huisgenoot Skouspel this past weekend. Their second album, Wilder as die Wildtuin, achieved Gold status in sales in September and they were chosen to share the stage with Kings of Leon on 26 October in Cape Town and on 29 October in Johannesburg.

The band is excited about the invitation to play at Huisgenoot’s new Afrikaans music festival, the Namaqua Festival outside Vrendendal on Friday, 28 October. Jack Parow and Coenie de Villiers will join Die Heuwels Fantasties on stage to make this performance extra special.

“We were originally booked to play at the Namaqua Festival on the Saturday evening, but Huisgenoot moved us to the Friday evening so we can play with Kings of Leon on the Saturday. We will also perform with Coenie and Parow! It is going to be awesome,” says Hunter Kennedy, the band’s bassist.

Pop star Jax Panik will now fill the spot on Saturday evening that was originally intended for Die Heuwels Fantasties. Die Heuwels Fantasties will also perform at the Pendoring Awards in Midrand on 21 October and at the Pica Awards in Sandton on 17 November.

Heel te Mal in Nieu-Seeland

Jaco “Snakehead” Venter (aKING and Fokofpolisiekar) filmed footage of the band’s trip in New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup. The result is an inspiring music video for their song Heel te Mal.

 

 

New Release By Derek Gripper

With musical gestures that traverse an emotional range from Hendrix to Bach, THE SOUND OF WATER takes the listener on a journey that transcends the accepted notions of what a guitar can do.

Fresh from a twelve city tour of Switzerland and an intense three days of recording in Knysna with award winning sound engineer Howard Butcher, Cape Town composer-guitarist Derek Gripper launches his latest album, The Sound of Water, with a concert at the Newlands Sufi Temple on Sunday October 9th at 7pm.

This will be the first in a series of concerts to promote Gripper’s powerful recording, which juxtaposes his multi-layered compositions for solo guitar and voice with compositions by iconic Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist Egberto Gismonti.

“The Gismonti tracks on this recording represent some of my all-time favourite music, so bringing these unique and awe-inspiring works to life on a single guitar was a hugely rewarding process which challenged me to dig as deeply into the guitar’s resources as I was able.”

<a href=”http://newcape.bandcamp.com/track/copenhagen” _mce_href=”http://newcape.bandcamp.com/track/copenhagen”>Copenhagen by Derek Gripper</a>

From Joni, the expansive 15 minute opening track, to the explosive bass of Dance of the Heads, the hushed, jazzy tones of Ano Zero, and the evocations of the Kalahari in Copenhagen,The Sound of Water takes the listener on a journey that transcends the accepted notions of what a guitar can do.

Butcher’s sound engineering has revealed a new power and depth with The Sound of Water, a departure from Gripper’s previous recordings which were characterised by a raw and elegant minimalism.

“Normally I sit in front of the mic and play, leaving it just like that. This time we spent a lot of time in post-production, delving into the possibilities of the studio so as to highlight the sound of the guitar and really bring it into a sharp focus. The result is an energetic and dynamic sound which captures the whole range of light and dark, orchestral and fragile… Listening back I would say that the musical gestures traverse an emotional range from Hendrix to Bach.”

The CD will be released on New Cape Records with a cover image provided by William Kentridge. This is certain to be one of the most definitive releases in the already extensive New Cape Records catalogue

 

Music Business Masterclass Launched

Three major forces in the South African music industry combine to create THE course in Music Business

Academy of Sound Engineering, in conjunction with David Chislett and Nick Matzukis, are proud to present the Music Business Master-class (MBM). Billed as “the premier one-stop business course for the modern musician trying to make it in the new music industry”, the MBM is designed to train artists and managers, up to the highest professional level, in everything they need to know about today’s music business.

The industry is abuzz with talk of how the music business has changed, how record companies might be fading away, and how artists need to “do it themselves” as independents. The problem, however, is that there is not enough information readily available for average South African musicians to empower themselves to take advantage of this situation. That is all set to change with the introduction of the MBM.

Many courses and ideas have come and gone in the past, but the MBM is the only course where you can find out everything in one place, at an advanced level.

The course is given by perhaps the two most highly-respected industry training consultants in the professional music environment, Nick Matzukis and David Chislett, under the auspices of the Academy of Sound Engineering. The course comprises a two-month skills programme that covers everything from contracts and contract law, to marketing, new business models and the use of the digital arena. It is the only truly comprehensive course available today that empowers musicians and managers of any level to seize control of their careers by understanding the business and then being able to take advantage of the new business terrain in the music industry. In a nutshell, the MBM is pitched at the highest level and is designed to teach you everything you need to know about making money out of the music industry.

The programme covers:

Getting started: thinking about your music

Artist agreements: steering your project

Income streams

Planning for Success

Marketing start

The digital arena marketing, reach

Business Models

Industry overview key players (SA and internationals)

Royalties

Contractual Principles

The Record Deal and its variants

The Publishing Contract and its variants

The Artist Management Agreement and its variants

Copyright

The programme takes place 2 nights a week for 2 months at the ASE campus in Auckland Park from February 2012. The course fee includes tuition, some working materials, a copy of Nick Matzukis’ Book “South African Music Law And Contracts“ and a copy of David Chislett’s Book “1,2,1,2: A Step By Step Guide To The SA Music Industry.”

With a one-off introductory offer of R5 950.00 for the first course only, the first MBM is now open for enrolment, but seats are limited.

For more information or to book your place contact: (011) 482-9200 or georgej@ase.co.za

 

Van Coke Kartel New Music Video

The end of the world is always near…

There will always be Chaos…

WIE’S BANG

Supra Familias will release Van Coke Kartel’s fourth album, Wie’s Bang, in November 2011. This album follows in the wake of their three multi-award winning albums, Van Coke Kartel (self-titled), Waaksaam & Wakker en Skop, Skiet en Donner. The last two albums were both rewarded South African Music Awards (SAMA) for ”Best Afrikaans Rock” album and the first album received a SAMA nomination in this category.

The best yet

Wie’s Bang is Van Coke Kartel’s first album with the new four-piece line-up. Jedd Kossew (lead guitar) and Jason Oosthuizen (drums) add their unique flavour to complete the band’s best work to date. Award winning producer, Theo Crous from Bellville Studios is producing this album and calls it “the best sounding album” to come from his studio to date.

No fear

Van Coke Kartel wanted to create an album for the people; a piece that their ever growing audience will appreciate. The band is not afraid to experiment and delivers a diverse sound, from heavy rock songs to classic rock ballads and some electronic elements in the mix ala Skop, Skiet en Donner.

A few lekker surprises are also to be expected. Van Coke Kartel collaborates with Zebra & Giraffe on their first original English / Afrikaans track, Siener. All the Bellville boys come together as the ”Bellville Choir” on the more experimental track, Nevermind, and Jack Parow joins the party on Chaos.

Wie’s Bang explores apocalyptic, political and party themes and guides the listener to the depth of Van Coke Kartel.

Vir Almal

Vir Almal is the first teaser single released earlier this month. It was released online as a free download and was downloaded 7 000 times within the first 24 hours. The track was recorded at B# Studios and was produced by Peach van Pletzen.

 

DAUGHTRY Unveils album art and track listing for BREAK THE SPELL on 21 November 2011

DAUGHTRY Unveils album art and track listing for BREAK THE SPELL on 21 November 2011

October 7, 2011 — Los Angeles, CA — DAUGHTRY have revealed additional details including album artwork and track listing for its eagerly anticipated album, Break The Spell, out November 21st from 19 Recordings/RCA Records. The long awaited third album from the multi-platinum selling rock band includes the chart-climbing “Renegade” and “Crawling Back To You,” which is well on its way to becoming the band’s fifth No. 1 at the Hot AC format. The new record will be released 5 years to the day from the release of their multi-platinum debut album in 2006.

Break The Spell is a powerful collection of hooks and strong, rhythmic choruses that provide the perfect backdrop for frontman Chris Daughtry’s emotionally resonant voice. Every song was co-written by Chris with either one of his band-mates (guitarists Josh Steely , Brian Craddock and bassist Josh Paul) or collaborators such as Marti Frederiksen, Busbee and Bret James. Produced by Howard Benson, who worked on DAUGHTRY’S two previous chart-topping albums, Break The Spell allows the band room to grow musically while still maintaining its knack for distinctive, melodic pop-rock anthems.

Daughtry have scored 4 No. 1 hits, garnered 4 Grammy nominations, sold over 7 million albums and played sold out concerts around the world in less than 4 years. Daughtry’s self-titled debut was the fastest selling rock debut in Soundscan history and its follow up Leave This Town marked the quintet’s second consecutive No. 1 album. In addition to recording and touring, Daughtry is also dedicated to using its position to raise awareness about a number of charitable causes.

1. Renegade

2. Crawling Back To You

3. Outta My Head

4. Start Of Something Good

5. Crazy

6. Break The Spell

7. We’re Not Gonna Fall

8. Gone Too Soon

9. Losing My Mind

10. Rescue Me

11. Louder Than Ever

12. Spaceship

 

HOT CHELLE RAE Reveals Cover Art For New Album

HOT CHELLE RAE Reveals Cover Art For New Album

Titled:  WHATEVER

SET FOR RELEASE 29 October2011

For More Info Go To:

www.hotchellerae.com

Follow Them On Twitter:

@HotChelleRae

@RyanKFollese

@JamieFollese

@NashOverstreet

@IanKeaggy

 

News: Emilie Autumn puts DPA 4088 headworn mic through its paces

Emilie Autumn puts DPA 4088 headworn mic through its paces

Theatrical performer and musician Emilie Autumn, backed by her all-female band the Bloody Crumpets, doesn’t stint on the entertainment. Apart from singing, violin-playing and vaudevillian chit-chat between performers, Autumn’s act includes aerial flying, burlesque fan dancing, stilt-walking, fire eating and multiple costume changes. She finds the only headworn mic to keep pace with her flamboyant performances is the DPA 4088 cardioid headset.

“I’ve been using the DPA 4088F in all of my shows, which are a unique blend of rock and theatre, making them a severe challenge to mic properly,” explain Autumn. “The theatre side demands that we use headsets and that the mics are as invisible as possible, but the rock side demands that we are all able to sing, scream, and generally go nuts every night, with over two hours of intense vocals. I’m also playing wireless electric violin as I’m singing and running all over the stage, something that would be impossible with a hand-held or a bulkier head-worn mic.

“My sound engineer Tim Bolish and I have been testing different headset mics over the past few years, taking them on international tours only to find that, when under the gun, they had distortion or other issues, were too heavy or uncomfortable for the artists to move freely in, were too visible, or simply didn’t sound as good as we needed them to. The DPA 4088 is the only headset mic that’s been able to stand up to all our requirements beautifully. Since we’ve been using them our stage antics have gotten even crazier, so I’m a bit worried about what trouble our new-found freedom will get us into…”

Adds Bolish, “Emilie’s live show is a very unique experience, for both myself at front of house, and for her fans. Since it is essentially a blend of rock show and theatre, having great sounding audio and striking visuals is equally important. Thanks to the 4088 I’m able to get the vocals to sound clear and natural without having a bulky mic covering up the performers’ faces. Emilie and her band of four girls love them because they are comfortable to wear, and don’t interfere with their performance in any way. The only downside of using DPA mics is that the girls often forget they are even wearing them, so I’ve got to make sure they’ve given the mics back at the end of the show!”

Emilie Autumn is touring in support of her new album, Fight Like A Girl, in early 2012, with the DPA 4088 accompanying her all the way.

For more information on DPA Microphones, please visit www.dpamicrophones.com

 

 

Cultureclash 2011 a Huge Success

Cultureclash 2011 a Huge Success

Academy of Sound Engineering students create fantastic music concert

This Heritage Weekend, the students of Academy of Sound Engineering pulled out all the stops at their annual student concert, Cultureclash. The band performances and production levels say it all – the venue was buzzing from 12 noon on Saturday to the early hours of the next morning.

Now in its fifth year, the concert was held in the grounds of Truth, an expansive property in Midrand, and saw an increase in the number of artists as well as the fact that the overall calibre of the artists this year were of a much higher standard. We also welcomed a new major sponsor onboard for the 2011 event. “We are thrilled that our decision to move Cultureclash outdoors has been vindicated by the enthusiastic response we received from sponsors, exhibitors, the media and the visiting public,” says George Hattingh, Head of Marketing at Academy of Sound Engineering.

The main aim of the festival is to allow students of Academy of Sound Engineering to put on a world-class outdoor event, thereby assisting them in their studies by providing practical access to the real-world concert environment, the technical and business management of such an event – and, of course, to have some fun with various different music genres (hence the name “Cultureclash”.)

Well organised and executed, the Cultureclash festival delivered on all its promises. In addition to the 28 live bands and 19 DJ’s. 8 Sponsors, including main event sponsor Dawn For Men, participated in the event, providing the crowd with a taste of the good life. Among the sponsors present at the event was Dawn For Men’s Nicole Howarth, who showcased the Dawn for Men products to the eager crowd and VIP’s. “Cultureclash and Academy of Sound Engineering provide a great platform to get our products exposed to the right youth markets,” she said.

Cultureclash provided great entertainment for the students of Academy of Sound Engineering and for all the other visitors who attended. “This concert is really great,” said Abi Dengler a student at ASE. “I can watch a great band, choose between two live stages, dance, eat and party to my heart’s content – what a great show.”

The festival catered for every palate and featured a wide range of artists who rocked the crowds and kept them on their feet. Headliners included Zebra and Giraffe, EvolverOne, Gang of Instrumentals, Voodoo Child, Pestroy, Knave, Chromium, Koldproduk, Redwood, Royal K, Kyle Worde and dozens more. The sound, lighting and staging were of the highest professional standards.

“The event was fabulously successful, with every inch of the venue packed with activities and people enjoying a day and night of music,” said Hattingh. “Cultureclash has grown into a major Jo’burg event and we will be working hard to ensure it gets even better next year, with the involvement of students and performers from the entire country. What is most amazing about this event is that it was completely conceived, developed, managed, set up, produced (technically), filmed and audio mixed by students of Academy of Sound Engineering. A DVD of the concert will also be produced by students. We are very proud of them, and this production just proves how successful their training at the Academy has been. No other college can claim this level of practical production experience by students.”

The happy faces and comments of visitors to the concert are testament to how Academy of Sound Engineering is fast becoming Africa’s leading provider of training and education in Sound Engineering, Music and Video Technology.

Academy of Sound Engineering would like to thank its students, the artists and above all the event sponsors, Dawn For Men, UJFM, Monster Energy, Audiosure, Sound Headquarters, Surge Sound, Music Connection, Sound GP and Fencit Transvaal. See you at the next Academy of Sound Engineering event!

For more information visit www.ase.co.za and www.cultureclash.co.za or email info@ase.co.za

 

 

 

SA Band 3rd in International Video Competition “Break Free”

SA Band 3rd in International Video Competition “Break Free”

Local South African band Son of a Thousand wins third place in Tom Tom’s international Break free video competition.

SING WIN AND BREAK FREE was the campaign that got over 32 000 people around the world voting for videos submitted to Tom Tom. The brief was simple: To be stuck in a traffic jam and to use the song “I Want To Break Free” by Queen. Tom Tom had done a couple of their own humorous versions with actor John Cleese to get the campaign going.

South African band Son of a Thousand loved the concept and created their own version of I Want To Break Free. Their version of the song got much attention and from here things just fell into place, Justin Head – Night Drive director from A Breed Apart Films and crew from Little Shack Studios climbed on board to create the video called “Under Pressure!”. Son of a Thousand proved that they are not just talented musicians but that they can act really well.

The video shows Lars and Leonard played by Federico Fernandez (Lead Guitar) and Shaun Parsons (Vox) stressed out and stuck in a traffic jam, there is a lot of humorous banter between them. Leonard puts on some music to calm the situation and Lars drifts into a dream world where he is a real rock star jamming with the band Son of a 1000 in the traffic … with screaming fans an all.

Justin, Little Shack, Son of a 1000 and a few friends did it just for fun but are ecstatic about winning third place in a world wide competition…….Perhaps the world will notice some of the talent SA has to offer.

Follow them on Facebook

Listen to them on Reverbnation

 

 

 

 

 

 

JESSE CLEGG BAND – THE GREAT ESCAPE Live at The Lyric Theatre on 4 November 2011

JESSE CLEGG BAND – THE GREAT ESCAPE Live at The Lyric Theatre on 4 November 2011

In the space of two short years, Jesse Clegg has streaked into the top of the radio charts and into the hearts of music fans throughout South Africa.

After releasing ‘Life on Mars’ in April 2011 and after a sold out national tour in July 2011, Jesse Clegg is bringing his show, The Great Escape, to the Lyric Theatre on Friday 4 November 2011.

With his second solo record, platinum-selling artist Jesse Clegg takes a bold step forward to create a rock ‘n roll record that is as true to the genre’s roots as it is visionary.

Titled ‘Life On Mars’, the album sees Clegg make a pretty astonishing leap from his 2008 debut, “When I Wake Up” – which, in spite of the substantial sales, radioplay and nominations it earned, was now clearly only a first step into an exciting music career for the 22-year-old. The success of ‘When I Wake Up’ is also no small achievement for a singer and songwriter who only revealed his work to close friends and family when the album was virtually done. “I was very tentative in those early days,” the Johannesburg born-and-raised artist now reveals. It was no surprise when Jesse earned two prestigious South African Music Award nominations in 2009 – for Record Of The Year and Music Video Of The Year, both for his supercharged debut single, “Today”.

Aiding him in executing ‘Life On Mars’ is Grammy Award-winning producer, David Bottrill (Muse, Tool, Staind, Silverchair, Placebo) – with whom Clegg found a “meeting of the minds” during the recording process in Canada that took place late 2010 and again, in early 2011.

 

The new material is everything you would expect from someone whose debut made a mark right out of the gate – confident, and increasingly sure-footed. Still, for fans of this genuine talent, there are plenty of surprises awaiting when Jesse Clegg again steps into the public spotlight.

The support act for Jesse Clegg show at the Lyric Theatre on 4 November 2011 is four piece progressive, alternative pop rock band Isochronous.

Having recently performed abroad as the support act for German musical icon Marius Müller-Westernhagen; this Pretoria based band confirmed its status as one of the best live acts in South Africa. While participating in a 10 show stadium tour which reported over 140 000 spectators, the group performed at some of the most prestigious venues in Germany, including the O2 Arena in Berlin, the O2 World in Hamburg and the Festhalle in Frankfurt.

 

Tickets from R135 including Computicket service fee. The show starts at 9pm.

Or Call: 0861 915 8000.

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‘ICE PROJECT’ TO PERFORM ALONGSIDE BIG NAMES AT AARDKLOP FESTIVAL ON FRIDAY 7th OCTOBER 2011

‘ICE PROJECT’ TO PERFORM ALONGSIDE BIG NAMES AT AARDKLOP FESTIVAL ON FRIDAY 7th OCTOBER 2011

This coming Friday evening will see Sovereign Entertainment’s latest signing, ICE PROJECT, play on “Die Bultfantasties” stage in Potchefstroom – alongside Wrestlerish, The Black Hotels and headline act, The Parlotones.

The band’s ‘Aardklop Festival Set’ will include songs off ICE PROJECT’s, soon to be released, debut album “Boy In The Photo”, which was recorded by the award winning production team of Theo Crous and Neal Snyman (The Parlotones, Chris Chameleon, Prime Circle etc).

ICE PROJECT have honed their live show over the last year in front of ‘The Parlie Army’ and thousands of other South African music fans, as an opening act for their label mates. They have solidly built their fan base – sparking a demand and creating anticipation for the release of their CD.

Members include Cobus Bester (Voice), Louis Potgieter (Bass/Piano), Theunis de Bruyn (Drums), and Heinrich Pelser (Lead Guitar).

For more info on the Aardklop Festival Follow them on Facebook

 

 

CITO and PAUL E. FLYNN are ABSINTHE – At Le Canard Restaurant – for one night only

CITO and PAUL E. FLYNN are ABSINTHE - At Le Canard Restaurant – for one night only!

Joburg diners are in for a treat when two of the country’s finest performers can be seen on one stage as ABSINTHE, at the award-winning upscale Sandton restaurant, Le Canard on Saturday 22nd October 2011.

Absinthe is the acoustic rock collaboration between the lead singers of WONDERboom and Sugardrive, Cito and Paul E. Flynn, where they have taken a supper club approach to some of your favourite songs from the last century. The concept is simple. No originals, just covers.

The fusion of these two uniquely diverse voices will be accompanied by acoustic guitars in an awesome show ranging from great alternative classics to contemporary favourites. Cito and Paul pay tribute to a way of life with their own unique signature performances in a relaxed, unplugged style ideally suited for this cosy setting.

Their programme will include easily recognisable hits, some of which are also included on their recently released album, “A Rendezvous at Nirvana”;

Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen

Clocks – Coldplay

Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve

On Call – Kings of Leon

Blue Hotel – Chris Isaak

Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division

Friday, I’m In Love – The Cure

Killing Moon – Echo & The Bunnymen

Condemnation – Depeche Mode

The “Absinthe @ Le Canard” experience on Saturday 22 October is a magnificent entertainment option for the mature, discerning audience. The ticket price of R380 is all inclusive of the performance, 4-course menu, liqueurs and wines.

Booking is essential as seating is limited for this one night only musical journey experience.

Reservations can be made on 011 884 4597 or lecanard@icon.co.za

For more information on Le Canard, Click Here

For more information on Absinthe, Click Here

 

Courtney Love has signed a deal to pen her own memoir.

Courtney Love has signed a deal to pen her own memoir.

The book will apparently “set the record straight” about her marriage to Nirvana late frontman Kurt Cobain, her career as a rock star and actress, and her relationships with other celebrities and her daughter, Frances Bean.

Love will write the as-yet untitled book for William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, reports Rolling Stone. It is expected to be released later this year.

Earlier this year writer Neil Strauss revealed that the singer offered up the chance to snort the ashes of her late husband in his book ‘Everyone Loves You When You Are Dead: Journeys Into Fame And Madness’.

According to Strauss, when he was once interviewing Love she showed him the drawer where she kept Nirvana frontman Cobain’s ashes. She then allegedly asked if he would like to snort them.

Nirvana are set to enter the Top Five in the UK album chart this weekend with the grunge legends’ reissued and repackaged version of 1991 album ‘Nevermind‘.

Sourced from NME

 

Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell: ‘I can’t read or write music’

Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell: ‘I can’t read or write music’ Frontman says he wishes he’d stuck with piano lessons at an early age.

The singer admitted he regrets not persisting with piano lessons at an early age which would have taught him everything he needs to know. He blamed a “mean” teacher for putting him off.

He said: “I learned to read music when I was 10 and did piano and took lessons. Unfortunately, I didn’t really have any direction. It just felt like school. It was another subject, another course. I had kind of a mean piano teacher. ”I picked it up very fast and I learned to read music very fast, but I don’t now at all.”

The singer said he attempted to take up lessons later in his life but he found it extremely difficult.

He told Indiewire.com: “I think in my early 30s, I attempted to take lessons to read music again. I thought well, it’s in there so it should be easy to pick back up again. But it was so not.”

But Cornell said the fact he can’t read or write music hasn’t hindered him in any way to becoming a successful singer and songwriter, and he can still explain his ideas to people.

Sourced from NME

Lesson to be learned here boys and girls? Even musicians should go to ‘Musician School’… Or what do you think?

First Listen – Evanescence

Evanescence – Third Album Released

It’s been eight whole years since Evanescence shot to the top of the UK singles chart with their debut cut ‘Bring Me To Life’ and five years since they last released a studio album. Given the pseudo nu metal tendencies of that debut smash, the operatic leanings of singer Amy Lee’s voice and their brief dabble in the bonkers, yet extremely profitable world of Christian rock, they’ve been billed as proponents of just about every genre over the years.

Now back with their self-titled third record, in spite of the fact that pretty much the band’s whole line-up, bar Lee, has been dispensed with and replaced over the years, it’s pretty much business as you were, musically speaking.

‘What You Want’ You’ll have heard this one. A big thumping drumbeat and driving guitar riff kick things off, before giving way to a stomping chorus written with NFL stadiums in mind. They’re back alright.

 

Sourced from NME

 

New Release: K’s Choice – Echo Mountain

It’s been 10 years since their last studio album was released, but Belgium’s most talented musical export, K’s Choice, has returned with one of their strongest albums to date, ECHO MOUNTAIN

K’s Choice has always been a hard band to pin down to a single style, and as a result, was one of the few bands of the late ‘90s to build followings with both the Lilith Fair and Lollapalooza factions. As evidenced by their fifth full-length overall (and first in a decade), 2011s ‘Echo Mountain,’ the group’s knack for the eclectic remains very much intact.

Originally formed in the early ‘90s by the brother-sister tandem of guitarist/singer Gert and Sarah Bettens (hailing from Antwerp, Belgium), the group built a large worldwide fan base, on the strength of such strong and varied albums as 1993’s ‘The Great Subconscious Club,’ 1996’s ‘Paradise in Me,’ 1998’s ‘Cocoon Crash’ and 2000’s ‘Almost Happy.’ Add to it a worldwide hit single (1996’s “Not An Addict”), European hits “Believe”,  “Almost Happy” and “Everything For Free”, plus some very high profile tour opportunities (opening for Alanis Morissette for the majority of the dates supporting her classic ‘Jagged Little Pill’ album, as well as part of the aforementioned Lilith Fair tours), and a long and fruitful career lay ahead for K’s Choice.

With ‘Echo Mountain’ being released, the now six-piece band have launched a substantial tour supporting Echo Mountain, with dates beginning in Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland and Holland, before visiting other parts of the world, including such exotic locales as Japan. A South African tour is on the cards as well for 2012.

When asked to send a message out to their South African fans about the release of their “Echo Mountain” album in South Africa, brother and sister, Sarah and Gert Bettens, had this to say:

“We’re very proud of our new record ‘Echo Mountain’ and so happy that it will finally be released in South Africa.  Every second we ever spent there has been special.  We’ve been so fortunate to have been able to tour all over Europe and the United States, but there was something about being in South Africa that just felt different from every other place in the world..  Some people called it a tour, we called it a vacation.  We hope to be back soon.” Sarah Bettens from K’s Choice.

“I’m really pleased to tell you that our last album “Echo Mountain” is being released in South Africa. Sarah and I have been busy making solo-albums and having children for a while, so It’s the first album we made with the band for 8 years, and we’re obviously very pleased with the result. First we locked ourselves up in a house in Asheville, North Carolina, and then we spent 2 weeks recording all the new songs in a wonderful studio close to the house that has the same name “Echo Mountain”. Hope you South Africans enjoy it as much as we do, and to come to your amazing country once more to play some shows. Can’t wait : It’s been way too long …” Gert Bettens from K’s Choice.

The beautiful 14 track album is out now in South Africa, and is a must have for all K’s Choice fans – old & new!

DAUGHTRY ANNOUNCE TITLE AND RELEASE DATE FOR EAGERLY ANTICIPATED THIRD ALBUM

DAUGHTRY ANNOUNCE TITLE AND RELEASE DATE FOR EAGERLY ANTICIPATED THIRD ALBUM

BREAK THE SPELL DUE FROM 19/RCA RECORDS ON 21 NOVEMBER 2011

Multi-platinum selling rock band DAUGHTRY has announced details about its highly anticipated third album, which will be called Break The Spell. It will be released by 19 Recordings/RCA Records on November 21st — five years to the day that the band released its self-titled 5x-platinum debut album, which shot straight to No. 1, as did the group’s second, 2009’s platinum Leave This Town. Two tracks have been released to radio: “Renegade,” which is climbing the chart at Rock, and “Crawling Back to You” which was the No. 1 Most-Added track at Hot AC this week and could become the band’s fifth No. 1 at the format.

Break the Spell is a gleaming showcase for frontman Chris Daughtry’s powerful, emotionally resonant voice and knack for relentless melodic hooks and big, anthemic choruses. Produced by Howard Benson, who produced Daughtry’s two previous albums, Break The Spell gives the band room to evolve musically while aiming to satisfy its many long-time fans. “Going in to the writing sessions, we said, ‘Let’s not try to sound like anything. Let’s just write, and see what happens,’” says Chris, who co-wrote every song with either one of his band-mates (guitarists Josh Steely and Brian Craddock and bassist Josh Paul) or collaborators such as Marti Frederiksen, Busbee, and Bret James. “We came up with some pretty interesting tunes that sound nothing like anything we’ve done before. Even though some of them didn’t make the album, the process stretched us and took us to new places. It was an absolutely inspirational experience.”

Daughtry  has a song featured on the soundtrack to the video game Batman: Arkham City, a heavy rocker called “Drown In You” that is exclusive to the soundtrack, which will be released on October 4th. Daughtry is also featured on the upcoming ZZ Top tribute album A Tribute From Friends with a cover of “Waitin’ For The Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago” due out  11 October 2011.

For more details about Break The Spell, including the track-listing go to www.daughtryofficial.com.

Guns N’ Roses, the Cure, Red Hot Chili Peppers Nominated for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Guns N’ Roses, the Cure, Red Hot Chili Peppers Nominated for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Other nominees include Erik B. and Rakim, Joan Jett, The Small Faces/Faces, Beastie Boys and Donovan

Nominations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2012 are in. Guns N’ Roses, the Cure, Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Eric B. and Rakim, the Spinners, the Small Faces/Faces, Freddy King and Rufus with Chaka Khan are all hitting the ballot for the first time, while previous nominees Beastie Boys, Laura Nyro, War Donovan and Red Hot Chili Peppers also made the cut. The top vote-getters will be inducted on April 14th, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio, home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

Artists that released their their first single or album in 1986 or earlier were eligible for this year’s ballot. “The 2012 Nominees embody the broad scope of what ‘rock & roll’ means,” said Joel Peresman, President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “From vocal groups to hip-hop, from singer-songwriters to hard rocking artists, this group represents the spirit of what we celebrate at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Many bands – including the Talking Heads, Cream, the Police and Led Zeppelin – have put aside longstanding feuds to perform at the Rock and Hall Fall of Fame induction ceremony. If Guns N’ Roses are inducted, the group’s longtime fans will certainly be hoping for a reunion. “I have no idea how that’s supposed to go,” Slash said in a 2010 interview when asked about a Hall of Fame reunion. “If Axl, Duff, Izzy and myself start communicating, it could go one way. It we don’t, God knows.”

Sourced from Rolling Stone

Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan has dubbed U2 fans “cardboard cut-outs”

Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan has dubbed U2 fans “cardboard cut-outs”

The singer said supporting Bono and co on their 360 Tour was one of the worst live experiences the Leicester band have ever endured. “I didn’t take in anything supporting them, them gigs were horrible, worst ever,” he told News.com.au. “U2 fans are cardboard cut-outs, can you imagine supporting U2? Their fans are probably into one band and one album – ‘The Joshua Tree‘.

He added: “I didn’t learn anything because that’s just a fucking different level. It was amazing to watch and meet them, but I didn’t learn anything apart from just get the fuck out.”

Kasabian’s frontman went on to describe the experience as like playing to an “empty stadium”. “We were the support, so it is what it is,” he added. “I hate supporting bands, we’re not a support band. So that’s never going to happen again.”

The band’s new album ‘Velociraptor!’ has shot straight to the top of the Official Albums Chart.

Sourced from NME

 

 

INXS unveil Snow Patrol collaborator Ciaran Gribbin as their new singer

INXS have announced their new singer after the sacking of JD Fortune

The band have unveiled Ciaran Gribbin, who previously penned Madonna’s one-off single ‘Celebration’ and sang backing vocals on Snow Patrol’s ‘Eyes Open’, as the man to front the Aussie outfit.
His appointment comes just days after Fortune was dumped from the band for a second time and new song, ‘Tiny Summer‘, was posted on the band’s official website INXS.com. Fortune was previously fired in 2009.

Gribbin is set to hit the road with the group for a six-show run through South America, Europe and Australia in November.

“Without a doubt I was a fan of INXS,” he told Billboard.com. “I remember ‘Kick’ like it was yesterday. I remember seeing the guys on MTV and then on Jools Holland’s BBC show watching as a kid, just blown away by them. INXS definitely played a huge part in my musical education as a songwriter and something I aspired to, so to be in the band now is pretty amazing.”

Original INXS singer Michael Hutchence died in 1997.

Sourced from NME

Kai Fish of The Mystery Jets-Releases his first Solo Album

Kai Fish, who you may know as bass player of The Mystery Jets, has announced details, and a taste of, his first solo album “Life in Monochrome“, out 26th September 2011 on his own label, Music For Wolves.

A deeply personal record, Life in Monochrome is an intimate portrait of a songwriter coming to terms with a period of great change and upheaval in his life.

With Californian producer Dean Reid, Kai recently decamped to Paris, a place he dreamed of living as a teenager, and with friends including Mystery Jets members William Rees and Kapil Trivedi, London singer Sophie Rose and Lisa Wisznia of Elephant, made his first record under his own name.

Already an established songwriter in his own right (having recently penned tracks for Mark Ronson and The Count and Sinden, as well as having written or co-written many of the Mystery Jets finest songs), Life in Monochrome sees Kai firmly come into his own over the course of an 11 track album, which the NME has given 8/10 and described as “heartbreak in every hue… via that rare alchemical art of spinning life’s dross into spun-gold song”

 

Fore More Info – Click Here

MR CAT & THE JACKAL Launch Music Video for – BAD MAN, HE COMIN’

MR CAT & THE JACKAL Launch Their Official Music Video for: BAD MAN, HE COMIN’

‘There’s a bad man coming. A bad man coming down the hill. There’s a bad man coming. And he’s coming down here to kill.’

Friday the 23rd of September will see Mr Cat & The Jackal launch their second music video from their critically acclaimed Sins & Siren Songs album released earlier this year. The music video is for their latest single – BAD MAN, HE COMIN’ – which has been play listed on campus and regional radio stations nationwide.

The BAD MAN, HE COMIN’ music video was shot in June and July this year mostly on a farm in the Free State and also in Swellendam. Directed by Yesterfang Puppetry & Animation and all footage shot by Bruce Flyinghorse Geils – the video features a skeleton-like puppet who digs himself out of his grave and assembles his missing parts. He gathers legs and some organs along the way and finds a couple of instruments and tools on which he jams with his other skeleton friends.

The music video follows after the release of the music video for The Devil Always Wants To Dance earlier this year and is a great follow up. First they had flames, now they have skeletons and horses.

“At the end of the day it’s a short little story…everybody loves a story.”

A video out of puppetry was a natural progression for MCATJ. They knew from the start that BAD MAN, HE COMIN’ would be the second single from the album and such a bad ass song needs a bad ass video.

“We love theatre, and puppetry obviously is a very theatrical form. We have worked with Yesterfang for a while, so when they wanted to do a music video – we had no doubt in our minds that it would be great.”

Mr Cat & The Jackal will be launching the BAD MAN, HE COMIN’ music video this Friday at Dorpstraat Theatre on the R44 between Stellenbosch and Paarl. Besides the screening of the video, there will be a live performance by Mr. Cat & The Jackal and an exhibition by Yesterfang Puppetry & Animation and Flyinghorse Photography.

Entrance is R60 and activities start at 20h30. There are limited seats available – for bookings please contact Dorpstraat Theatre on 021 889 9158 or 072 735 5696.
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Nibs Van der Spuy Touring UK and Italy

Nibs van der Spuy is one of South Africa’s few musical gems to have garnered a loyal European fanbase

Internationally renowned, guitarist, singer, songwriter Nibs van der Spuy has been touring the world with his brand of insightful acoustic guitar mastery and poignant lyrics over the last 4 years.He has been citedas a fresh voice in the ‘Nu folk’ movement. With his virtuosic acoustic guitar style and mesmeric voice he has enchanted listeners from small intimate theatres to large festival stages. With the release of his latest offering, ‘A House across the River’, France’s leading newspaper ‘Liberation’, wrote a full page article on Nibs and backing South Africa, Keith Tamkei from the Sunday Times,  praised it with a rare 5 stars.

Nibs is currently promoting the release of his DVD, the SAMA nominated, ‘Live at the Vagabond Café’. He is due to release his all acoustic album, ‘Morning Star’ in November 2011.

Nibs will be entertaining fans in the UK and ITALY in September and October as he performs on the following dates:

Nibs live at the GREEN NOTE with Rodney Branigan
Wednesday 21 September (doors open at 7pm)
106 Parkway, London, NW1 7AN
Bookings:  £8 in advance

Nibs at the MADAME GUITAR INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL, Udine Italy
Sunday 25 September

For more Info – Click Here

Rocking The Daisies is Soon Upon Us

Rocking The Daisies Coming Soon…

 

 

City of Heroes Pre-Release Their New Music Video “Fight or Flight”

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Zebra and Giraffe – A Chat with Alan Shenton, Guitarist

Zebra and Giraffe – Chatting to Alan Shenton, Guitarist

Zebra & Giraffe started out as the solo project of Greg Carlin, who formed a live band after his debut album in 2008. This release, titled ‘Collected Memories’ received attention from the likes of MTV and saw them playing at the MTV Africa Music Awards in  (2009), as well as later winning the MTV Award in the Best Alternative category.In the last year, Z&G’s profile in South Africa has grown exponentially, affording them the opportunity to travel to LA to play at the Muse Expo earlier this year and last month they celebrated their 4th Anniversary gig at Oppikoppi.

How was it when you first formed the band in the wake of Greg Carlin’s solo success ?
It was really nerve-racking to walk out on stage at our first ever gig at Oppikoppi 2008 and to perform to thousands of people, but I think perhaps SA was looking for an act of Z&G’s nature at the time.There was a lot of publicity that went into the build up of Greg’s solo release ‘Collected Memories’ and that meant there was a lot of hype for a band that didn’t really exist yet. Most of us hardly knew each other prior to our first rehearsal, but we have since become great friends. Our first album together as a band ‘The Inside’ (released 2010) was very well received and is something that we are most proud of to date.

What is it like entering the international music scene?
It is very intimidating and difficult! The standard overseas is much higher, and things are done very differently. It’s like starting out right at the bottom again – the only way to compete is to explore and learn about these new territories.

In what way does it differ to our local music scene?
The South African industry is slowly becoming a micro-international industry that has managers/entertainment lawyers/A&R reps/powerful indie labels/booking agents etc and we are learning every day from the international scene. The standard overseas is still higher, but compared to 10 years ago the gap is definitely closing.

What is your advice to aspiring musicians?
They need to be 100% dedicated to making it work- it doesn’t come to those who don’t seriously want it. The industry is changing drastically, however by being managed correctly and running a good business side of the band, you definitely have a chance.

Would you describe your music as ‘commercial’?
The lines are so blurred between ‘commercial’ and ‘authentic’ and I don’t believe in any clear divide what so ever. At the end of the day, well-written music trumps everything, whether it is ‘organic’ ‘authentic’ ‘commercial’ ‘underground’ or any other crazy description people can come up with.

Zebra and Giraffe are planning on recording an EP in the next few months and will be touring South Africa extensively throughout the summer. They also have plans to explore overseas territories in 2012.

For more Info go to www.zebraandgiraffe.co.za

They will also be performing at Culture Clash 24 September JHB, To win VIP tickets Click Here

INTERVIEW: Rachel Briant

Dance You’re On Fire Release new music video for MICHELLE

Dance You’re On Fire Release new music video for MICHELLE

“My Michelle you are the first one, oh boy do I have eyes for you. So does everybody else. I wouldn’t call it first love, but you know how to leave me blue.” – Lyrics

DANCE, YOU’RE ON FIRE recently released the music video for their latest single, MICHELLE. Directed by band member and bassist, Paul van der Walt – the video was shot in mid August in Pretoria North.

The video is set in the 1920s and follows a ‘gangster’ theme. It documents a happy young couple being driven through the country when they are tricked and hijacked by a band of armed thieves. The couple are brought to an unused barn, where some interesting activities go down. The video plays out in true mafia fashion until the end, when something completely unexpected occurs.

DANCE, YOU’RE ON FIRE always knew that they wanted to release MICHELLE, but they weren’t sure of how it would be received because it is so different from every other song on the album. When it became clear to them that the track was doing well on radio and that people were enjoying it, they decided to go ahead with the video for the single.

“It feels good to have a video out which has a great narrative. The concept behind Boxes of Tigers was pretty simple, and it was really great to finally have the budget to pull off a proper narrative, historic video – it’s something we have wanted to do for a long time.”

Check out the video for MICHELLE

 

MICHELLE will premiered on MK Channel 324 on DSTV on Kraakvars last night.

DANCE, YOU’RE ON FIRE will be performing live on Studio 1 on MK on Friday the 23rd of September, at Clash of Cultures in Midrand on Saturday the 24th of September and also at Aardklop on Saturday the 8th of October.

A Conversation with Andre Pienaar of Ashtray Electric

A Conversation with Andre Pienaar of Ashtray Electric

‘Ashtray Electric, Cape Town band and winners of MK`s Best Newcomer Award 2009, have been taking a break after the recent release of their second album ‘Measured in Falls’, but will begin touring again this month. I caught up with Andre Pienaar – front-man and vocalist of Ashtray Electric – at his own home in Sea Point. He drank Oros and smoked cigarettes as we talked. His olive green shirt matched his eyes, and his long greasy locks and laid-back drawl one was all that one would expect of someone in a famous Indie-Rock band.

How did Ashtray Electric come to be?
‘I was busy getting a degree to please my parents when Rudi came up to me drunk one night and said ‘Can you sing?’ So I went to my first practise with them and sat in a corner formulating songs in my head. Ashtray Electric officially formed in 2007 and the name was inspired by some of the songs we were listening to at the time – I thought ‘Ashtray Electric’ sounded slightly arb and left-of-field. But hey, band names are just band names.’

Do you think you are going be the next big SA band, or are you just another Bellville rock export?
‘Every musician wants to travel and headline huge festivals, it’s always the ultimate goal. Ja, so some people are saying we can be the next big thing, but that kind of success is always based on a lot of hard work. I think if Ashtray Electric get a break to perform internationally, we’d do really well. We try to steer clear of the fraternity gimmick that is a lot of Bellville rock bands, ‘cos then audience’s draw up stigma’s before they’ve even heard you play.’

What is Ashtray Electric’s sound?
‘Everyone brings their own kinda flavour, so there are lots of influences floating around that create the entity that is Ashtray Electric– and I’m not even sure what that is. (laughs) When we create new songs, I doubt we (the band members) even hear the same thing. I don’t consider our music commercial, we just write songs that we like. Never underestimate your audience – they pick up on if you are fake.’

 

I hear you write all of Ashtray Electric’s songs. From where do you draw inspiration?
‘I need to be creative to stay sane. The lyrics I write are very personal – I see songs as my diary almost. I just write about everyday stuff, but within that I think there are lessons to be learnt. I try to write in a style that can be interpreted in any way you want.’

How do you get on as a band?
‘Now after 4 years we know each other and work well as a team. It’s nice where we’ve gotten to as a band – we are self-managed, so we delegate responsibilities to make the best of each of our strong points.

Is the musician’s lifestyle as glamorous as people think?
‘No. It’s very sporadic, kind of like a ‘hurry up and wait’ mentality. When you’re busy, you’re busy and then suddenly you’re not busy at all.’

How happy are you with your new album, ‘Measured in Falls’?
‘We’re all very proud of this album. When we made our first EP, called The Dare Sessions, we had no fucking clue what we were doing. Bonjour, our first album, was a bit rushed but now for this, our 3rd release, we knew what we were doing and what we wanted. We worked on it for 2 years … this album was a lot more thought-out and we’re happy for that. It’s nice to look back now and see we gave this one time enough that it needed.’

Tell us about your up and coming tour?
‘We’ve been taking a month off but this month we will start touring again. First we’ll be playing at Stellenbosch and Kirstenbosch, then we’re going up country to the Arcade Empire in Pretoria, Culture Clash in Jo’burg and then finally ‘Oop Aarde’.

‘Ashtray Electric have all the rebellious quirk deserved in title to those who are Indie and rock out, and if they have received as much attention for their music as the rumours say, they certainly haven’t let it go to their head. One thing’s for sure though: this isnt a band that is selling out anytime soon, but will rather continue ‘simply doing their thing’ and most probably be loved for it. Catch them at the Culture Clash Festival at Truth 24 September 2011.

 

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Prime Circle tops the bill for Kirstenbosch New Year’s Eve concert

Prime Circle tops the bill for Kirstenbosch New Year’s Eve concert

New Year’s Eve 2011 is just around the corner and if you want to be with your favourite folks celebrating the arrival of 2012 then Kirstenbosch is the place to be.

Hosted by Amarula, this year’s concert features the hugely popular group Prime Circle as the headline act with Idols winner Elvis Blue opening the evening.

Rocking in the New Year has become a tradition at Kirstenbosch and 2011 will be going out in style. Bring along your family, pack the picnic basket to overflowing and spread the blanket as you prepare for the concert of the year. Host Amarula are offering delicious cocktails at the Amarula bar so it’s time to indulge at the hottest concert of the year.

Prime Circle has had an exceptional year and are recent winners of the SAMA BEST ROCK ALBUM for their fourth studio album “Jekyll and Hyde” and an MK award winner, they shared the stage with Billboard chart topping act, 3 Doors Down during their recent European tour. Their tours have brought them a “global polish” and whilst on the road is what they love the five members of the band agree home ground is still the best.

Idols Season Six winner, Elvis Blue , has already endeared himself to a wide audience and has seen his self titled debut album attain Gold status (20,000 copies) in less than a month from release – a superb achievement by a previously little known musician. Taking the stage at Kirtstenbosch fulfils one of his personal dreams. Elvis Blue is a man with a melodic goal with an overwhelming desire to make music that matters and his lyrics echo this.

A capacity crowd is expected as these two proudly South African acts celebrate their music with their fans and toast the final sunset of 2011 before welcoming the opening hours of 2012. Expect to hear the tracks that have made their albums such a success and relax under the stars as a New Year rolls in under the African sky.

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Date: Saturday December 31

Time: Gates open at 19h00 and the concert starts at 20h30.

Tickets are R250 each.

Seating is unreserved so make sure you get there early to get a spot near the front, but first you have to book tickets.

Book at www.webtickets.co.za or phone the Kirstenbosch ticket office on 021 761 2866.

RCA Records is excited to announce the release of Talihina Sky

RCA Records is excited to announce the release of Talihina Sky

Talihina Sky The Story of Kings of Leon will be released at the end of October 2011, available on both standard DVD and Blu Ray.  The DVD and Blu Ray editions will come with 30 minutes of bonus features including additional scenes not included in the film, two commentaries from the band and filmmakers as well as home-movie footage. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 21, garnered huge praise and was acquired by Showtime, premiering on the network on August 21.

When three teenaged brothers and their cousin rebelled against their strict, religious Southern upbringing to form Kings of Leon, their humble back story garnered almost as much attention as their music.  Many questioned if they were really related and if rumors of their father being a Pentecostal preacher were true.  Since then, the band has achieved worldwide, Grammy® Award-winning success and Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon lies to rest the mystery and myths as it details the rise to fame from their bible belt beginnings.

The documentary kicks off at the annual Followill family reunion in the back woods of Talihina, OK, where the boys return to their roots and unwind with their family.  First-time director and Followill friend Stephen C. Mitchell weaves personal home videos, unedited interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of the band’s journey from their small-town beginnings — spent in poverty and touring the circuit with their father, a Pentecostal evangelist minister, and their devout mother — to living the rock star dream.

 

Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon is produced by Casey McGrath for Phear Creative and executive produced by Nathan, Caleb, Jared and Matthew Followill.

South African Tour dates:

Wednesday 26th October 2011
Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

Saturday 29th October 2011
FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

FREE VIP Tickets to Culture Clash 2011 – JHB

ASE - Academy Of  Sound Engineering, is hosting their annual Culture Clash Event on 24 September 2011 and we are Giving away a Set Of Double Tickets!!!

The Festival includes clashing of genres and cultures all in one fantastic party. The aim primarily to bring high quality South African music under one roof to be appreciated and enjoyed.
Green room (House floor):Featuring up and coming DJ’s performing the crowd pulling Electro House and general dance genre’s. These DJ’s will also include big name DJ’s who often perform at Truth and various other nightclubs around Johannesburg and South Africa.

Featuring artists from a wide range such as Zebra & Giraffe, Evolver One, Gang of Instrumentals, DJ REDWOOD, DJ Soosh, DJ Calculus, DJ CutKeyLow, Chromium, Pestroy, Knave and Agro.

The Floors
Hip Hop & Dubstep Dungeon:

Headlined by Redwood (4 times National Hip Hop and Beat Box CHAMPION and 2nd Runner up World DMC DJ Championships) and many other high profile & ASE DJ’s catering to that more unique dance genre.

The Monster Stage:

This outdoor stage will be showcasing upcoming talent for the majority of the afternoon. This will be made up of a variety of bands both from the student body of the Academy of Sound Engineering and a few awesome, well known and established acts to end things off.

The Dawn For Men Main Stage:

This stage will start as early as 13h00 with great South African Bands featuring various genre’s ranging from Blues, Pop Rock, Commercial Rock to Afro Jazz and Funk.

VIP:

Catered musically by a variety of DJ’s throughout the day creating a more “chilled out” environment for the Bands and Media as well as other selected VIP’s, providing a space to relax in throughout the day.

To WIN VIP Tickets to this Awesome Event – Enter in Two easy Steps

1. Click ‘Attending’ On the Facebook Event

2. Tell us in the Facebook Comment field below what you love most about South African Music.

 

 

Heineken Symphonic Rocks 2011 – Tickets in High Demand

Heineken Symphonic Rocks 2011 – Tickets in High Demand

Tickets to the second iteration of Symphonic Rocks, which this year boasts performances in both Johannesburg and Cape Town, are in high demand, event organiser and creator Andy Mac has confirmed.

This should see artists such as Zebra and Giraffe, Crash Car Burn, Arno Carstens, Loyiso, Tumi and the Volume and MACSTANLEY performing with the support of a full symphony orchestra to capacity

crowds at Grand West Arena West Casino in Cape Town and The Big Top Arena at Carnival City in Johannesburg on 1 October and 7 October respectively

Presented by Heineken® in association with 5FM, this year’s line-up will feature a mixture of some of South Africa’s most popular artists representing a variety of genres including R&B, Rock and Pop.

Additional performers include 2010 bestselling twin brothers Locnville and Zolani Mahola of Freshlyground for the Johannesburg event.

1 October: Grand West Arena West Casino in Cape Town

Line Up: Zebra and Giraffe, Crash Car Burn, Arno Carstens, Loyiso, Tumi and the Volume and MACSTANLEY.

Ticket Price: R225

7 October: The Big Top Arena at Carnival City in Johannesburg

Line Up: Zebra and Giraffe, Crash Car Burn, Arno Carstens, Loyiso, Tumi and the Volume, Locnville, Zolani of Freshlyground and MACSTANLEY.

Ticket Price: R225, R250 and R275

New Van Coke Kartel track – Free Download

New Van Coke Kartel track – Free Download

Van Coke Kartel returned to their Bellville Studios on Monday 5 September 2011 to start working on 12 brand new tracks.

Since March 2010 the band has changed the original three piece line up with the addition of Jedd Kossew on lead guitar and Jason Oosthuizen on drums. The song Vir Almal was recorded earlier this year at B# Studios in Boksburg. It was produced by Peach Van Pletzen that worked with the band on the SAMA awarded Skop, Skiet and Donner album.

”We wanted to showcase what the new four piece outfit have been working on in the past few months and hopefully get fans excited for the new tracks” says bass player Wynand Myburgh.

The song had a great response with 7000 downloads within the first day.

‘Vir Almal’ is Van Coke Katel’s new single and has been submitted to local radio stations.A video for the song has also been produced and will premiere on DSTV channel MK on 14 September 2011. A uncensored version will be available at www.vancokekartel.co.za and promise to make a lot of men happy and feminists very angry. The 12 new tracks will be released middle November 2011 under the title ”Wie’s Bang?”

Download the song FOR FREE

CHRIS LETCHER releases ‘Spectroscope’

CHRIS LETCHER releases ‘Spectroscope’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recorded and mixed in London by Finn Eiles (My Bloody Valentine, Jack Penate, Razorlight), Letcher’s new album extends his use of lush orchestration. Bass clarinets, string and brass sections, mbiras and singing saws enfold drum machines and 1970s synthesizers to buttress an album of literate pop songs.

Letcher has performed at Austin’s South by Southwest and Toronto’s North by Northeast. He is set to tour widely in support of his new record, performing with, amongst others, Katherine Mann of Quinta (who has also recorded and toured with Bat for Lashes and Radiohead drummer Phil Selway).

Letcher’s songs appeared in the feature film The Bang Bang Club (2011) starring Ryan Phillipe. He recently completed the score for a BBC adaptation of the DH Lawrence novel, Women in Love, and also scored a six-part serial drama for Sky1. Other recent film music credits include HOUR, a film made in collaboration with photographer, Tim Wainwright, and My Black Little Heart with director Claire Angelique and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours).

Frieze appeared in both The Sunday Times and the Mail & Guardian’s ‘Albums of the Decade’ lists and was featured on the influential Morning Becomes Eclectic show on California’s KCRW, Australia’s JJJ, BBC 6 Music, and BBC Radio 3 in the UK. Frieze was also in the top position on both eMusic’s Commercial Alternative and Progressive Rock charts in the US for ten months.

Each song on Spectroscope is conceived as a separate ‘band’ on a spectrum that runs from hooky pop song structures (‘The Sun! The Sun!’, a snare-and-kick-driven kind of ‘We Will Rock You’, albeit in a 7/4 time-signature) to more abstract compositions with less conventional structures or instrumentation. ‘One Died’, for example, is a setting of Robert Berold’s poem of the same name for voice and overdriven ‘tack’ piano, harmonically and structurally more adventurous than anything on Letcher’s previous records.

Letcher’s roots in South Africa are also more evident on this record. He uses a pair of ‘interlocking’ mbiras (or ‘thumb pianos’, one in the left speaker, one in the right) as the basis for a reworking of a fragment of Bill Callahan’s masterpiece ‘I’m New Here’. This ‘hocket’ technique found in many types of African music — where melody lines emerge from a weave of two or more separate but interlocking parts rather than from a single lead solo instrument — is also present in the coda of ‘The Loneliest Air’, and in the intertwining pair of clarinets on ‘You Only Had to Point’.

The influence of Letcher’s soundtrack work is also evident in the instrumentation on Spectroscope — from the lush string section that brings ‘Seeing Things’ to a close, to the harp, trombone and French horns that form a musical bed for ‘Starrrs’.

For Full World Tour Line Up Details – Click Here
What people have said…
“Keenly intelligent, musically dense, utterly memorable.” – Billboard
“Chris Letcher crafts songs that sound like dawn: low and creaky, slowly building to a big burst of light.” – Rolling Stone
“A sense of luminous menace… further proof of the pleasure-potential of the disquieting and disturbed.” – Guardian

Shadowclub presents the brand new Shadowclub music video

Shadowclub presents the brand new Shadowclub music video

For the new single ‘Good Morning Killer’ – directed by Josh Clarke at Fiendish Productions

 

What people are saying about the Shadowclub’s debut album ‘Guns & Money’:

“Guns and Money is a high-energy slab of dirty, sexy rock ‘n roll. As if The Black Keys were fronted by Jeff Buckley, Shadowclub are something to truly behold.” Lloyd Gedye – Mail & Guardian

“Shadowclub are the most authentic and real rock band to come out of South Africa since the nineties. International quality. International appeal. Rock star all the way.” Therese Owen – The Star Tonight

When I first ever heard Shadowclub play, my jaw hit the floor. It wasn’t the tightness of the band or even the songs to be honest. It was just that I was listening to a genuine bona fide rock n roll group – I realized at that moment that I dont think I’d ever actually heard one before.”  Jon Savage-5FM

“Shadowclub know how to write songs, know how to deliver them and best of all… sound like they’re having a blast doing it. Easily the freshest band to come out of Gauteng in some time, Guns and Money contains 12 sizzling blues (or is that boozed?) filled rockers with plenty of attitude, good hooks and a real sense of authenticity to their songs.” Dave Mac – Muse Magazine

 

Check Out the Album Review

 

MORE INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS TO ROCK THE DAISIES

MORE INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS TO ROCK THE DAISIES

British rock band, Band of Skulls has been confirmed as the headlining international act for the main stage on Saturday night and French electro duo Mustard Pimp / DIM MAK will be the main act for the Red Bull Studio Live Electronic Stage on Friday night.
Band of Skulls, a popular rock band from England, consist of Russell Marsden (guitar / vocals), Emma Richardson (bass / vocals) and Matt Hayward (drums). The band released their first album, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, in September 2009. Success on both sides of the Atlantic has made them a high-profile and much sought after act.

After two years of solid touring the band has recently been recording their second album. The last month saw the band play the Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee as well as two sold-out shows in Los Angeles. Expect to be blown away on the Saturday night by world renowned rockers!

Hitting the electro stage is French electro production/remix duo Mustard Pimp, signed to Dim Mak, with remixes of Will Smith, Stereoheroes, Dada Life and Atari Teenage Riot already under their belt. Some other tracks include Cherry, Pidgeon Flu (feat. Blatta & Inesha] Gold 3, Beetle Gum and Valium.

Read The Muse Exclusive Interview and Album Review

For the final line-up  - Click Here

New look Golden Tiki

Since the opening of the new, bigger and better Golden Tiki at 59 4^th avenue Linden, owner and head inker Ryan ‘Busta’ Bolton has been continuing to make changes and upgrades

 

The coffee shop is a bit smaller, but you can still get a mean cup of coffee. But now you can also browse through an extensive range of clothing and accessories from the likes of Critik Shows, Smells Like Psycho clothing, Barking Rude rock n Roll Threads and Keepnix accessories. The store also stocks a growing range of albums and books by independent artists.

 

Tattoo buff and all round good guy Damian Ponsonby has been appointed store manager and he keeps the diaries running smoothly, serves a mean cup of coffee and is always available to chat and help with tattoo related queries.

 

“We have been in this shop since late 2010 and we have settled in nicely,” says Busta of the new look and ideas, “Some of our ideas didn’t work out so well, but others people definitely showed they wanted more of. So we kept the great coffee, beefed up the clothing and have made it a warmer, friendlier place to visit.”

 

The shop is open from Tuesday to Saturday every week and resident tattoo artists Busta, Sean Damian Perrins and Jan Giebelmann are on hand to turn your wildest ink ideas into tattoo realities. The resident artists have been joined by apprentice artists Chelsea and Seona who are working their way to becoming full blown artists.

 

The Golden Tiki also has a visiting artist booth which features Dave from Missing Ink every second week. Travelling international artist will be making visits in the near future, so watch this space for details.

 

With its brand new store front branding and wide range of products, the Tiki is the perfect place to have a cup of java and shoot the breeze with like-minded people while trying to decide what new piece of ink to get done. Located conveniently on 4^th avenue, there is plenty of parking and easy access.

 

Checkout their Website For more Info

For all queries and bookings, contact store manager Damian Ponsonby on Tel: 071 397 4536 or info@thegoldentiki.co.za

 

 

Die Heuwels Fantasties’ Second Album is out!

Die Heuwels Fantasties‘ second album is out

Wilder as die Wildtuin, has just reached Gold status in album sales!  The album reached Gold status in six months after its release.
Hunter Kennedy says that “It feels like we can’t believe it.  Thank you for the Gold status everyone!  You are awesome for buying our CD.”

Die Heuwels Fantasties is an Alternative/Pop act. This ground-breaking group is considered to be the first successful Afrikaans electronic act.

They are revered for their prolific live performances and have gathered a large and wide fan base since their inception in 2008.  Die Heuwels Fantasties has played at all the major festivals in South Africa and have shared a stage with Oasis, Snow Patrol and Panic at the Disco at the Coca-Cola Zero festival held in Cape Town in 2009.  They have also toured to the Netherlands, Belgium and UK in 2010.
Die Heuwels Fantasties have won every notable award in South Africa for their music and music videos.  Highlights include the South African Music Award for Best Alternative Afrikaans Album in 2010 and the MK Award for Best Group in 2011.

Their first album, Die Heuwels Fantasties, achieved Gold status in album sales and their second album, Wilder as die Wildtuin,has also reached Gold today; just under six months after its release.  They  made history in the South African music industry with this second album when they became the first Afrikaans rock group to reach Number 1 on SABC’s Top 20 top seller chart. This chart has been going for forty years.

 

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Hart van Windhoek Festival 2011 – Namibia

Hart van Windhoek Festival 2011 – Namibia

The festival takes place on 16 and 17 September at the Doc Jubber hockey and cricket grounds in Olympia, Windhoek.
With Westlife, Freshlyground, Die Heuwels Fantasties, Theuns Jordaan, Kurt Darren and many more.

Line Up:

Friday 16 September
Gates open at 1 pm. The fun starts on the main stage with Koos van Zyl, Rohuan de Jager, Charlize Berg, Thysa Jacobs, Willem Botha, Karlien Husselman, Wambüseun, Snotkop, Heinz Winckler, Ludik and finally Westlife. The MC for the night is Ashley Pienaar.

Saturday 17 September
Gates open at 9 am and Charné kicks off the festivities on the main stage. After that it’s Kobus Muller, Lee Scott, David Fourie, Dewald Louw, Pieter Naudé, Viljoen Retief, Adam Tas, Wicus van der Merwe, George Meiring, Adam, MoniQue, Jay, Bongi, Corlea, Melissa van der Spuy, Broers, Sorina die Flooze, Die Heuwels Fantasties, Nicholis Louw, Bobby van Jaarsveld, Kurt Darren, Freshlyground, Romanz and Nianell and then Theuns Jordaan.

The artists are looking forward to the event almost as much as the Huisgenoot team.
“I can’t wait to go back to Namibia!” says Corlea. “Windhoek is one of the best concert parties ever. The people are incredible and I really love performing there. There’s no festival like the Hart van Windhoek festival!”

Tickets are available at Computicket and your nearest Shoprite and Checkers at N$205 for Friday (including the Westlife concert) and N$120 for Saturday. Tickets at the gate will sell for N$250 on Friday and N$150 on Saturday. Children under 12 pay N$100 on Friday and N$60 on Saturday. Festival goers are welcome to bring umbrellas, but no Gazebos. There will be certain areas indicated where umbrellas will be allowed.

 
Win Hart van Windhoek afterparty tickets

Do you want to party with the stars? Well, here’s your chance!
You could win a double ticket to the Huisgenoot Hart van Windhoek festival afterparties on 16 and 17 September. The parties take place at Die Bendehuis after each night’s show and if you’re lucky you could be rubbing shoulders with the artists you just watched on stage!
SMS the word HART and your name to 5003 and you could be the lucky winner. Each SMS costs N$3.

The competition is in association with the Huisgenoot Hart van Windhoek sponsors – FNB Namibia, KykNet, Shoprite and Checkers, Tafel Lager and Radio Kosmos.
For More Details – Click Here

PINK FLOYD REDEFINE THEIR LEGACY

PINK FLOYD REDEFINE THEIR LEGACY

Major Pink Floyd release campaign, Why Pink Floyd…?, to include unreleased music from the archives, collectors’ box sets and complete studio recordings remastered.

Pink Floyd and EMI Music, whose association dates from 1967, announce a comprehensive release schedule, to be launched on September 26, 2011, encompassing CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, SACD, an array of digital formats, viral marketing, iPhone Apps and a brand-new single-album ‘Best Of’ collection.

The legendary band, who are still one of the most successful and iconic artists of all time, recently signed an agreement with EMI which has allowed the development of a multi-format programme of packages, many containing archive material that has been collated during an extensive process between EMI and Pink Floyd for a range of media formats.

The releases, under the banner Why Pink Floyd…?, are designed to appeal to a wide cross section of their fans, with music to excite first time listeners, while super-deluxe box sets will cater to dedicated fans, allowing them to immerse themselves in multi-disc sets, containing alternate takes, unreleased tracks, restored live concert screen films and a live recording of the legendary The Dark Side Of The Moon performance at Wembley in 1974.

A series of different listening experiences have been specially created for this release:  in addition to remastered CD’s called ‘Discovery’ and the ‘Immersion’ CD / DVD / Blu-ray / memorabilia box sets will be a series of ‘Experience’ Editions – coupling one classic album with a further disc of related content from that album to offer a deeper listening experience.

26 September 2011 Release Date:

All 14 remastered studio albums ‘Discovery’ editionsBox-set of all 14 albums with photo bookAudio downloads of ‘Discovery’ albums and box-setThe Dark Side of The Moon – ‘Immersion’ and ‘Experience’ editions, Vinyl LP and digital editions

Expanded deluxe and special edition versions of Pink Floyd masterwork The Dark Side Of The Moon, in a 6-disc ‘Immersion’ box set and ‘Experience’ 2-disc versions, as well as a collectors’ vinyl LP and various digital formats. Plus 14 studio albums, digitally remastered will be available separately or as a box set.

Other initiatives will include a digital marketing plan utilising user-generated content to allow fans to make their own creative contributions to the band’s music, plus iPhone Apps which will give a unique insight into Pink Floyd’s recorded legacy.

7 November 2011, Phase 2 Releases:A Foot In The Door -The Best of Pink FloydWish You Were Here – ‘Immersion’ and ‘Experience’ editions, Vinyl LP and digital editions

Wish You Were Here ‘Immersion’ 5-disc and ‘Experience’ 2-disc editions, both of which will include bonus material from the band’s 1974 Wembley dates, including a 20-minute tour de force live rendition of ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, as well as a unique recording of ‘Wish You Were Here’ featuring the legendary jazz violinist, Stephane Grappelli. A collectors’ vinyl LP will also be available, as will various digital formats.

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Calling All Musos – New Live music venue – RUMOURS LOUNGE

New Live music venue – RUMOURS LOUNGE (Weltevreden Park, Westrand, JHB)

CALLING ALL BANDS and MUSOS NEW VENUE LOOKING FOR BANDS

RUMOURS LOUNGE
Weltevreden Park, Westrand, JHB

Finally – a NEW LIVE MUSIC VENUE West of Johannesburg.

RUMOURS LOUNGE in Weltevreden Park (Westrand, JHB) is a new Live Music venue recently established and looking to showcase a variety of bands and live entertainment.

The venue comes with a full sound system & engineer, full backline and lights, at NO COST TO YOU.  The venue is inside a shopping complex with loads of safe and secure parking.

If you are looking for a show date please e-mail Fred with the details of your band (including genre type) and an idea of what type of event you would like to host at RUMOURS LOUNGE.  All music genres are welcome, but you need to move quickly as dates are filling up fast.

Events needs to consist of at least 3 bands running from 8:30pm.
Line ups of more bands are welcome but you must please check that there are no big sports events on the date.

Fully licenced bar so ALL EVENTS are for OVER 18’s ONLY.

The typical RUMOURS LOUNGE week runs as follows:
· TUESDAY – TRIVIA QUIZ NIGHT – Free entrance and all are welcome to come and take part in the fun.
· WEDNESDAY – ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT – Free entrance with entertainment supplied by some top notch musos. All Musos are welcome to come along and showcase a few acoustic songs on stage.  If you are interested please e-mail Fred for details.
· FRIDAY – LIVE MUSIC NIGHT – Cover charge depends on the bands playing. Live music from 8:30 as well as sports on the big screens all day.
· SATURDAY – LIVE MUSIC NIGHT – Cover charge depends on the bands playing. Live music from 8:30 as well as sports on the big screens all day.
· SUNDAY – OPEN STAGE JAM SESSION – Free entrance with music from 5:30pm. The stage is open to anyone that would like to jam and meet other musos. All musos are welcome to come along and showcase your talent on stage. Full backline is supplied all you need is your own instrument.  If you are interested please e-mail Fred for details.

DETAILS:

Venue: RUMOURS LOUNGE, crn JG Strydom and Cornelius rd in Weltevreden Park, Westrand, JHB
Contact: FRED – rumourspub@polka.co.za
Go To www.rumourslounge.co.za

Vusi Mahlasela Tours US West Coast

Vusi Mahlasela Tours US West Coast

 

 

 

 

As Spring finally breaks across South Africa, Mamelodi based troubadour VUSI MAHLASELA is joining his fellow Sony Music artists RAY LAMONTAGNE and BRANDI CARLILE for a US West Coast Summer Tour. Vusi is no stranger to the road and this will be his third US tour in 2011, a year he kicked off by touring there alongside up and coming singer/songwriter Amos Lee.
Vusi’s last studio album, the acclaimed ‘Say Africa’, was nominated for a 2011 SA Music Award and Vusi was one of the outstanding live performers at the ceremony in May earlier this year. The album was recorded in Dave Matthews’ studio in Charlottesville, and released in the US in January 2011, via Matthews’ ATO Records. (Vusi has been signed to ATO since 2003). The album featured a core recording band of US based ex-pat players Ian Herman (of Tananas fame), Bakithi Kumalo (of ‘Graceland’ fame) and Mongezi Ntaka (Lucky Dube’s former guitarist).

Vusi will soon be celebrating his 20th year as a recording artist in South Africa. He has released eight albums over the past two decades and is widely regarded as one of the superstars of South African – indeed African – contemporary music. Late 2011 and early 2012 will see Vusi embark on a run of South African theatre shows in celebration of this extraordinary landmark in his career.
Ray Lamontagne and The Pariah Dogs won a 2011 ‘Best Folk Album’ Grammy Award for their album ‘God Willin & The Creek Don’t Rise”. Lamontagne has released several solo albums (all on the RCA label via Sony Music) and is widely considered one of the shining stars of the massive US folk music scene. Brandi Carlile is another star of the US folk music scene, and has released four solo albums. She is best known locally for her song ‘The Story’, which is featured in a long-running TV commercial for Tracker. This track is off her brilliant album also entitled ’The Story’, now also proving a top seller across South Africa.  Sony Music will soon be releasing her upcoming “live’ album on Columbia Records.

Ray Lamontagne and The Pariah Dogs (supported by Vusi Mahlasela and Brandi Carlile) Tour Dates:

Aug 30, EPCOR Centre, Calgary, Canada
Aug 31, Winspear Centre, Edmonton, Canada
Sep 2, The Orpheum, Vancouver, BC
Sep 3, Bumbershoot Music Festival, Seattle, WA
Sep 4, Edgefield, Portland, OR
Sep 6, Les Schwab Amphitheater, Bend, OR * With Brandi Carlile
Sep 9, The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA *
Sep 10, The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA *
Sep 11, Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA *
Sep 13, Copley Symphony Hall, San Diago, CA *
Sep 14, Comerica Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona *

Sheer Sound and 2 Feet Merge into One Powerhouse

Sheer Sound’s imprint rock label, Seed, and their singer/songwriter division, 2 Feet, are merging to become one powerhouse local division for Sheer Sound

The goal of 2 Feet Music has always been to expose a select range of extremely talented artists, such as Farryl Purkiss and Nibs van der Spuy, to the globe, where as Seed Music was created to give emerging South African Rock Bands a platform to release and distribute their albums locally. Seed Music soon developed to become home to some of SA’s most successful Rock Bands such as The Dirty Skirts, Boo!, Taxi Violence, The Graeme Watkins Project and Plush, to name a few, and was no longer seen as a development label for up-and-coming bands .

Some Seed artists are now part of the 2Feet goal to be exposed globally and thus the lines between the 2 labels have become blurred. 2 Feet Music will be the label hosting both the 2 Feet and Seed Music releases and the exciting new journey begins as we create platforms to promote our local talent globally.

Join The 2 Feet Mailing List
Sheer Group is celebrating 15 years as Southern Africa’s largest independent Music Label and we’d like to share some of our great music with you by offering you a Free 2 Feet album to download.

The 2 FEET MUSIC COMPILATION features 9 exceptional Indie full tracks from phenomenal artists including Farryl Purkiss, The Dirty Skirts, Nibs van der Spuy, The Graeme Watkins Project and more.
To get this album totally free visit 2 Feetmusic and sign up for their newsletter

BOMBINO – THE SOULFUL SOUND OF THE SAHARA’S YOUNG GENERATION

BOMBINO
THE SOULFUL SOUND OF THE SAHARA’S YOUNG GENERATION

Raised amidst rebellion and exile, Bombino’s blazing guitar transports Tuareg traditions into the future.Already a superstar in the Tuareg community, with the release of Agadez on Cumbancha Discovery (April 18th in Europe and April 19th in North America), Bombino’s stature as one of Africa’s hottest young guitarists will be revealed to the world.

Just thirty years old, Bombino has earned renown throughout the Sahara for his guitar wizardry, and his bootleg tapes are traded among music fans in the region like illicit treasures. Some of Bombino’s early and live recordings have made their way into the hands of enthusiasts in the West, and in 2006 Bombino traveled to California with the band Tidawt to record with Keith Richards and Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones.
He even served as Angelina Jolie’s guide to the region when she visited a few years ago. His Casanova good looks, enigmatic charisma and natural charm have endeared him to his fans, and his compelling life story and socially conscious songs led him to be the subject of an award-winning new documentary film, Agadez, the Music & the Rebellion, that is currently making the rounds of film festivals in the U.S. and Europe.

Catch him Live at the following events…

Fri 09-Sep-11 South Africa Johannesburg Arts Alive Festival

Sat 10-Sep-11 Zimbabwe Harare Manenberg Book Café

Sun 11-Sep-11 Kenya Nairobi Sarakasi Dome

DANCE, FLY, WALK, CYCLE AND PLAY AT ROCKING THE DAISIES

DANCE, FLY, WALK, CYCLE AND PLAY AT ROCKING THE DAISIES

DANCE
Rocking the Daisies headliners  include Civil Twilight, Prime Circle, Just Jinjer, aKING and Lark as well as supporting international act Belleruche (UK) and 2011 SAMA award winning YOAV.

Friday night at the festival will also see the newly created Daisies ALL STARS, a onetime collaborative performance including an array of SA’s top artists from Francios van Coke to Tasha Baxter, backed by a 15 piece Motown band!

It gets better…. the Daisy Crew will be announcing another couple of exciting acts next week.

As always, the festival has a little something for all amped festival goers.

Electrifying international DJ Kevin Saunderson (The Elevator) – Detroit USA, will rock on the Red Bull Studio Live stage. Festival goers can also look forward to South African DJ’s Anthea Sholtz, C9ine, Haezer, Kid Fonque, Killer Robot, P H Fat and Sibot.

The Nu World Beat Ring will present Boom Pam (Israel), Nomadic Orchestra vs Mr Cat & the Jackal and Napalma amongst other exciting acts.

A full confirmed line-up will be posted on www.rockingthedaisies.com shortly.

FLY

Fly on the Daisy Plane, brought to you by Velvet Sky Airlines. For the first time ever our Johannesburg based fans will be able to make their way down to the Festival for an unbelievable R999.  This deal includes return flights and entrance into the event- all inclusive.

There will be a number of flights to choose from so make sure you get your tickets now!
NB: ONLY 200 TICKETS AVAILABLE

For bookings – Click Here

WALK

Culture Talent in hand with Rocking the Daisies bring you this year’s Fruit and Veg City Walking the Daisies. 100 festival goers will walk along the beach to the Festival through the West Coast landscape.

This year Walking the Daisies have teamed up with bobsforgood, the social development initiative striving to  provide every needy South African child with a pair of quality, leather, locally made school shoes. All walkers will be asked to donate R150 to shoe one child in need, making sure no little feet are ever dusty, dirty, sore or tired

Applications to join the walk will be launching on the 9th September. So keep a look out on www.rockingthedaisies.com for all walking information.

CYCLE

150 keen cyclists will get to enjoy a beautiful outdoor ride with the added benefit of finishing at Rocking the Daisies just in time for the party to start.

Keen cyclists can head to www.webtickets.co.za and purchase their discounted ticket to the Festival

PLAY

Go and play with them and get your tickets at Rafikis on Kloof or at any of these local Fruit and Veg City Stores:

·         Fruit and Veg City – Willow Bridge North Shopping Centre, Bellville
·         Fruit and Veg City – N1 City Value Centre, Goodwood
·         Fruit and Veg City -Tokai
·         Fruit and Veg City -Table View
·         Fruit and Veg City – Upper Roeland, Cape Town
·         Fruit and Veg City – Access Park , Kenilworth

Tickets are also available online at www.webtickets.co.za

Ticket Prices:

Full Weekend:
Pre sold: R450
Gate: R550

Saturday and Sunday:
Pre sold: R450
Gate: R550

Sunday:
Gate: R150

Cycle:
Online: R300

The Rescu – Debut Album Release August 2011 Upcoming shows in JHB and PTA

The Rescu – Debut Album Release August 2011 Upcoming shows in JHB and PTA

The Rescu is a 3-piece rock band based in Cape Town, South Africa. Bandmembers include Mike Vaughan – lead vocals and bass, Brendyn “Rusti” Rossouw – drums and vocals and Gray Lowndes – guitars.

The band has been crafting and performing the songs that make up their debut, self-titled album for the last 18 months.
The band drew their inspiration for the songs from various elements and life experiences.  Their genuine and heartfelt love for South Africa and its people inspired many of the tracks. The band name expresses their desire for something relevant, something needed, something out of the ordinary; something that happens to be in the right place at the right time.

 

To date, The Rescu have performed with some of the biggest names on the SA music circuit, sharing the stage with Just Jinjer, Foto na Dans, The Dirty Skirts and Prime Circle. These performances, as well as the many smaller shows played by the band have given them the street cred they require to hold their own at any level of live performance.

The Rescu will be in Gauteng from 7 – 10 September, performing at the following venues

Wed 7 Sept: Cool Runnings, Boksburg. Free entry.
Fri 9 Sept: Tings and Times, Hatfield – Line up: Arno Carstens, The Rescu. R70.00.
Sat 10 Sept: Tanz Café, Johannesburg. R100.00 – Bookings: 082 888 0235.

First radio single “I did it for You.”

The band’s peers in the industry have shown a great deal of support and encouragement.  Here, a collection of quotes to that effect:

“The Rescu is a well refined band with HUGE sound and great songs. Definitely a powerhouse band on the rise and to look out for” – Ard Matthews (Just Jinjer)

“Guys your new album is truly something special… can’t wait for you to share it with the world!” – Ben Peters (Goodluck)

The self titled album has just been released by 2 Feet, a division of Sheer Sound and will be available in music stores nationwide by the end of August.

Twitter: @therescuband
Follow them on Facebook

DieselVanilla go to New York

DieselVanilla go to New York

Rochelle Hubsch and Darren Digby have bought their plane tickets for New York, where they plan to collaborate with producer Kieran Kelly in creating their first album.

They contacted him a month ago after hearing his production magic on Angus and Julia Stone’s album ‘Down the Way’, after which he agreed to work with them.

‘We considered Kieran coming to South Africa, but we settled on New York because of the better resources that will be available to us there,’ says Darren. ‘This recording is very important, as your first album is your first impression.’A producer himself, Darren hopes to learn much from watching Mr Kelly at work.

‘Everything is falling into place, amazingly!’ Rochelle says. ‘I’ve had dreams since forever, but they always seemed like dreams.’ ‘Then again, I’m a feisty one,’ she adds, laughing.

Eastern Cape’s Rochelle and Darren have only been playing together as DieselVanilla for the last 11 months. Rochelle’s honey-suckle voice combined with Darren’s guitar strumming and harmonising make for a unique and moving performance.

They both drew musical inspiration from the emotional realm and all their songs are spiritual in a way can be heard and understood by most audiences.

‘I think we allow our listeners to breathe through the venerability in our music.’ Rochelle explains. ‘We definitely are very selective about where we choose to have our gigs. We enjoy intimate theatres and small venues – we want an audience that can truly focus on the music.’

Both times I saw DieselVanilla play at Pincushion Cottage, Scarborough, everyone present sat silent and completely transfixed as these ‘narrative melancholic story-tellers’ put us under their spell.The couple’s wistful sound has echoes of Damien Rice – a big musical influence – and their lyrics about love and hope are bound to trigger nostalgia in even the toughest of listeners.

These musicians also enjoy a relationship of the more romantic kind, and this intimacy comes through nicely in their music.While Rochelle is the ‘Alice in Wonderland’, Darren is the more practical one. To spend time together, they weed the garden.

When they release the album, it will be under the name ‘Digby Roochy’, a combination of Darren’s last name and Rochelle’s nickname.

Upcoming shows:

DieselVanilla will be playing at the Red Gallery in Tokai on the 10 Sept.Follow them on Facebook

Words: Rachel Briant

 

Yolanda Y’awa’s Afro-contemporary Jazz, Afro-pop, Reggae and Latin Style

Yolanda Y’awa’s Afro-contemporary Jazz, Afro-pop, Reggae and Latin Style

South African artist Yolanda Y’awa has just left on her Solo Debut tour of Europe, starting in Germany where she has been selected as the only South African artist to perform at Berlin’s music showcase ‘Popkomm’.
‘I received a phone call literally two weeks back,’ says this Gugelethu babe, ‘That was definitely the highlight of my career thus far!’Although Miss Y’awa has toured internationally in the past as a band member of Coda, Tucan Tucan and others, this will be the first time she will be performing songs on tour from her debut solo album.

 

The album, aptly named ‘My Journey, My CrossOva’, echoes much of Yolanda Y’awa’s personal journey and is a mix of Afro-contemporary jazz, afro-pop, reggae and Latin.Yolanda claims she drew inspiration from her love for her children, the beauty of nature and ‘the serenity of the presence of life in Africa’.

‘I always remind myself that I have a lot to be grateful for and to look forward to,’ says Yolanda about her career.‘This cannot always be part of our plan but if the universe permits it, then whatever happens is part of destiny.’

At the recent event at Capello (thrown in order to help raise funds for the artist’s tour) Yolanda won the audience over through a combination of her charming African melodies, uninhibited personality and original sense of style. Yolanda wore her own designs – all unique pieces that show a pride in both the traditional and the contemporary -complete with signature netting-fabric scarf.

As well as having won a number of prizes and awards for her various talents, this charismatic character also possesses a heart of gold: her work with charitable organisations such as Amy Biehl Foundation and the SA Ubuntu Business Network is evidence of that.  I see no reason why anyone would want to see this passionate young lady do anything less than succeed, and I wish her the best of luck on her European tour!

Y’awa’s next fundraising show will be at On Broadway Theatre from the 1st to the 3rd September and tickets are R70 .On sale now at Computicket or On Broadway, Tel 021 424 1194 or www.onbroadway.com

Check her out on Facebook

Laurie Levine – Six Winters: Upcoming Launches in Pretoria and JHB

Laurie Levine – Six Winters: Upcoming Launches in Pretoria and Johannesburg

Laurie Levine`s new album “Six Winters” (Rhythm Records) has been receiving rewarding reviews since its release in August 2011. Producer Dan Roberts, who worked with Laurie on her previous album as well, found a balance between a contemporary sound and Laurie`s love of folk music. The combination of Laurie’s characteristic songwriting and Dan Roberts` unique engineering and dedicated production flair is cutting new territory and could very well head up a new movement leading us towards a rekindled appreciation of the power and the role in society of female story telling through music.

Journalist Henry Cloete, MK online, comments: “Levine sings alternately with the seductive suppleness of a Norah Jones, the emotional devastation of a Duffy, the poetic conviction of a Regina Spektor and the doggedness of Fiona Apple. From the sixteenth second of the album – when Levine’s voice announces itself – you’re caught up in the tales and anecdotes of Laurie Levine. Ritalin for the soul.”

After a very successful CD Launch in Cape Town, Laurie Levine will soon be introducing the new album at two official CD Launches in Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Friday 9 September: Pandora`s Art House, Pretoria

Address: 621 Berea Street, Pretoria
Cover: R60.00
Time: 20h00
Bookings: Pandora.art1@gmail.com

Thursday 22 September: The Alexander Theatre, Braamfontein

Address: 36 Siemens Street.
Cover: R80.00
Time: 19h30
Bookings online: www.laurielevine.co.za

Laurie Levine on Facebook

Follow her on Twitter: @Laurie_Levine

See Also - Album Review: Six Winters

Top line-up for White Mountain

Top line-up for White Mountain

A number of top artists from around the country are set to perform at this year’s White Mountain Festival, which is coming up from September 29 to October 2 and once again promises a weekend of great live music in an awesome setting.

Included on the bill for this gem of a festival held at White Mountain Lodge near Giant’s Castle in the scenic Central Drakensberg are melodic rockers aKING, the platinum-selling Jesse Clegg Band, Plush frontman Rory Eliot and SAMA-nominated singer-songwriter Josie Field.

Other must-see acts include Habit To, Margaret’s Daughter, Allan John Band, Naming James, Shotgun Tori, Rooibaardt, The Hinds Brothers, Nate Maingard, Holly, Nosi and The Zulus, The Kickstands, as well as 2010 SA Idols finalist Jess Yallup, among others.

A special treat for guitar enthusiasts is that acoustic fingerstyle guru Guy Buttery and blues maestro Dan Patlansky will also join forces in a rare unplugged collaboration, combining their contrasting styles in what is sure to be a showcase of true guitar wizardry!

Also on offer are fun outdoor activities for the whole family, arts and crafts, assorted food outlets and a beer market featuring several local breweries.  Festival-goers can also make full use of the lodge’s facilities, including a restaurant, rustic 150-year-old pub, children’s playground, swimming pool and satellite TV.

Now in its sixth year, White Mountain is KwaZulu-Natal’s only acoustic music festival and is known for its relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, plentiful amenities and beautiful surroundings.  Situated less than 200km from Durban, 400km from Johannesburg and only 25km off the N3 on tarred roads, it makes for the ideal weekend getaway and also provides easy access to a number of nearby tourist attractions, including the Midlands Meander.

Tickets cost R500 at Computicket and include camping for the entire festival.

For more information, visit www.whitemountain.co.za or contact 031 563 0824.

SPONSORS AND ARTISTS TO ROCK THE DAISIES

SPONSORS AND ARTISTS TO ROCK THE DAISIES

SEED Experiences, organizers of the Rocking the Daisies Festival, are excited to announce the key sponsors for this year’s Festival, as well as some of the electrifying artists who will be performing from 07-09 October 2011.
Wrigley’s 5 Gum successfully launched into the South African market earlier this year and will be the presenting sponsor for Rocking the Daisies 2011. The brand will no doubt be bringing a world-class sensory experience to the Festival. Other confirmed sponsors include:
Carling Black Label, which will also be bringing you the boys-only answer to the Daisy Den, The Champions Zone – think bar, games and chilling areas. In the lead-up to the festival, Carling Black Label will be presenting Band Hero competitions for consumers to enter and winners get to rock out at Daisies, win awesome prizes and meet some of other rock-stars at the festival.

SAB is also extending its ‘No Regret Friday’ campaign to the Festival.  SAB will be sponsoring the hydration stations and helping party-goers get safely to and from the Festival via buses. There will also be a number of other exciting activations at the Festival to remind guests to get the most out of the Festival by not over indulging.

Flight of the Fish Eagle Brandy will present a premium VIP experience viewing deck overlooking the main stage. Consumers can register to be part of the experience on www.fisheagle.co.za.

The Brutal Fruit Daisy Den will make sure all the lovely ladies of Rocking the Daisies are well looked after and pampered with first class ablutions and hot showers as well as self service hair stations and nail bar with OPI and a relax zone with the latest local magazines. Don’t forget glam dressing rooms and counters with plenty of mirrors and basins. Plus delicious complimentary Brutal Fruit to top it all off!
Rocking the Daisies is also proud to announce some of South Africa’s best musical talent, confirmed to rock the festival so far:
·         The Arrows·         Kwesta·         Foto Na Dans·         Jack Parow·         Mix n Blend Band·         iScream and the Chocolate Stix·         Jeremy Loops & Co·         Belleruche (UK)·         Shadowclub·         Gazelle·         Mr. Cat & The Jackal·         Nomadic Orchestra·         Sylvestre Kabassidi·         Peachy Keen·         Tumi and the Volume·         Graeme Watkins Project

The final line-up will be posted on www.rockingthedaisies.com

Don’t forget to book your tickets early, available now at www.webtickets.co.za

To WIN VIP Tickets and An Awesome RTD Hamper- CLICK HERE

FARRYL PURKISS leaves his musical mark on 4th season of PRIVATE PRACTICE

FARRYL PURKISS leaves his musical mark on  4th season of PRIVATE PRACTICE

After a Major buzz earlier in the year from International Fans of the Hit TV show, Private Practice, South African fans will soon be hearing why South Africa’s most beloved Singer/Songwriter, Farryl Purkiss, has had his international fan base grow rapidly overnight thanks to the TV show.

2011 brought a great start to the year for Farryl Purkiss after his single ‘Pennies In the Snow’ aired on major US TV Series Private Practice on International TV Screens in January. Fans from all over started contacting Farryl via his Social Network pages and those who were still finding out who Farryl was, were posting blogs across various websites commenting on the song “Pennies In The Snow” which they had just heard on the show. After all the international hype, we get to watch this highly anticipated episode of Private Practice as it airs in South Africa on Mnet and Mnet HD on Monday, September 12th, at 21:30.

“Pennies In The Snow” is taken from Farryl’s most successful album to date, “Fruitbats & Crows”. Since its release, “Fruitbats & Crows” has generated three major hit singles with “A Million Grains Of Sand”, “Kissing Devils On The Cheek” and “Creeping Up On Me” doing incredibly well on radio and Brian O’Shea winning the 2010 SAMA for “Best Producer” for his work on “Fruitbats & Crows”.

 

Catch FARRYL PURKISS live on the following dates:

 

Sun, 11 Sep – EAST COAST RADIO, Durban Day

Tickets: http://online.computicket.com/​web/event/east_coast_radio_dur​ban_day/441258837

Thu, 15 Sep – MK Studio 1 – Mail elle.oosthuizen@mnet.co.za to be part of the studio audience

 

Thu, 15 Sep – Tanz Cafe

Entrance fee: R100.00
Start Time: 20h30
Venue address: Tanz Café, The Buzz Shopping centre, Witkoppen Rd, Fourways.

For Bookings: 011 658 0277 / Katherine@tancafe.co.za

Fri, 16 Sep – Aasvoëlklub, Bloemfontein

Entrance fee: R55.00
Start Time: 19h30
Venue address: Plot 35, 9th Avenue, Bloemfontein (http://www.vulture-aasvoelclub.com/contact.php)

For Bookings: 084 559 8991

 

Sat, 17 Sep – Arcade Empire, Pretoria with ISOCHRONOUS

 

WIN: VIP Tickets to Rocking The Daisies Plus An Awesome RTD Hamper

Over 100 Acts, Four stages, Food and trade stalls, Rugby World Cup Beer Garden, Exciting ways to travel to the Festival, New Green Initiatives, Ladies Only Daisy Den (Pamper Area) and Loads More!

Win FREE VIP Tickets PLUS an awesome surprise Rocking The Daisies Hamper compliments of their sponsors…

To enter simply….

Name your favourite band or performance from last year’s Rocking the Daisies event…

Of course since you’re in the running to win tickets we recommend  you click ‘attending’ on the  the Rocking the Daisies Event Page and also ‘like’ their Facebook page while you’re about it!

And for good measure ‘Like’ the the Muse Magazine Facebook page too for daily updates and info.

 

Important Note: ‘Liking’ the Rocking the Daisies event or Facebook page or the Muse Magazine Facebook page is not a requirement to enter the competition.

This Competition is Now Closed, Thank You For Entering

THE WINNER: KIM CAMPBELL – Congratulations!!!

The Rescu releases self titled Debut album

The Rescu releases self titled debut album

“The Rescu is one power rock act that SA needs to watch out for; they are coming in full force!” – Marco Gomes (Prime Circle)

The Rescu is a 3-piece rock band based in Cape Town, South Africa. Bandmembers include Mike Vaughan – lead vocals and bass; Brendyn “Rusti” Rossouw – drums and vocals; and Gray Lowndes – guitars. The band has been crafting and performing the songs that make up their debut, self-titled album for the last 18 months. Regular trips to an empty house in a small town, not far from the mother city helped to produce the 10 tracks that make up the album.  These song-writing getaways, coupled with countless rehearsal sessions back home was a fruitful pre-production stage for The Rescu to find their sound and capture it.   The band drew their inspiration for the songs from various elements and life experiences.  Their genuine and heartfelt love for South Africa and its people inspired many of the tracks.

 

The band name expresses their desire for something relevant, something needed, something out of the ordinary; something that happens to be in the right place at the right time. To date, The Rescu have performed with some of the biggest names on the SA music circuit, sharing the stage with Just Jinjer, Foto na Dans, The Dirty Skirts and Prime Circle.  These performances, as well as the many smaller shows played by the band have given them the street cred they require to hold their own at any level of live performance. The album was recorded at the Heritage Sound studio in the heart of Cape Town city’s “heritage square” on Buitengracht Street. It was engineered by the band’s own drummer, Brendyn “Rusti” Rossouw. The mix engineering was handled mostly by Rian Loubser, a young, edgy sound-shaping artist. A touch of international class was added by Nashville mix engineer, Jeff Balding on “beautiful life”.  The album mastering was done by Rogan of Lapdust Studios in JHB. The Rescu will be launching their album on the 31st of August at Grand West Casino’s “Hanover Street.”

 

The music video for the first single, “I did it for you”, will also be screened on the night. The band’s peers in the industry have shown a great deal of support and encouragement.  Here, a collection of quotes to that effect: “The Rescu is a well refined band with HUGE sound and great songs. Definitely a powerhouse band on the rise and to look out for” – Ard Matthews (Just Jinjer)  “Guys your new album is truly something special… can’t wait for you to share it with the world!” – Ben Peters (Goodluck) The album will be released by 2 Feet, a division of Sheer Sound and will be available in music stores nationwide by the end of August. The Rescu will launch their album at Hanover Street, Grand West on Wed 31 August. JHB dates TBC soon.

 

 

Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition 2011

Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition is putting out a call for public submissions in three key areas of the 2011 event.

Africa’s leading music industry event has opened up the submissions for its mini-film music-themed festival, for papers to be presented at the conference and for acts wanting to be considered for the high-profile Moshito 2011 live showcases.

This year the emphasis is on the digital space – in South Africa, across the continent and internationally – and organisers are calling for papers in this area of the\ music business. However, as in previous years, the issues of social security, entrepreneurship, the live industry, as well as music industry basics are also to be covered and paper submissions on these topics are also welcome.

Producers and directors can submit their films for inclusion in the music-themed film festival. Features, documentaries and short films will all be considered for inclusion in the 2011 event.

Finally, acts wanting to be considered for Moshito’s popular live music showcases (both on site and on the fringe of the festival) are also invited to submit demos, accompanied by profiles. We encourage submissions to be of high quality and original.

Moshito 2011 takes place from August 31st to September 2nd at The Sci Bono Discovery Centre in Johannesburg’s Newtown precinct.

 

Submissions can be made to:

■showcases@moshito.co.za or delivered to the Moshito office at 10 Henry Nxumalo Street, Newtown

■Papers can be sent to info@moshito.co.za

■Films delivered to the Moshito office at 10 Henry Nxumalo Street, Newtown

■Go to www.moshito.co.za for additional information and updates on Moshito 2011.

 

Below are the delegate category options

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL = R200 (3 day discounted price pass) (Opening Date 11 July 2011. No late submissions will be accepted for the special after 11 August

DAILY PASS = R150

3 DAY PASS = R300

GROUP PRICE (10 people) = 10% discount

 

Long Way from Home music video launch at Zula Bar this Friday

Long Way from Home music video launch at Zula Bar this Friday

Long Way from Home
represents that feeling of being out of your comfort zone, doing something you don’t normally do or just going somewhere for the first time.

Taxi Violence will be launching the music video to the title track of the album, Long Way from Home, this Friday at Zula Bar in Cape Town.

Who’s this Big Head guy?

Big Head is the cover guy on the Long Way from Home album.  He represents this not-from-here, outside- the-norm or just here-for-the-first-time feeling. As Taxi Violence are known for their Hard Rock songs and explosive live performances, doing an unplugged album was something completely new and different.  This forced the band to explore avenues which were completely different to anything they had done before; hence they felt a long way from home.

They managed to track Big Head down in the wilderness and convince him to come through for this event!

Event details:

Date:  Friday, 12 August
Line-up: Taxi Violence with The Plastics and LaVi
Venue:  Zula Bar, Cape Town
Cover:  R40
Contact:  021 – 424 2442
Other: The Plastics will launch Caroline, from their debut album, Shark.

Yoav returns to South Africa for two live shows at The Assembly

Following his SAMA Award for Best Alternative Album and his sold out shows with Imogen Heap earlier this year, Yoav returns to South Africa for two live shows at The Assembly in Cape Town on Saturday 13th August and at Tanz Café on Wednesday 17th August.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An exceptional singer/songwriter, Yoav has the unique ability to create a phenomenal spectrum of sound that transcends genre, resulting in a one-man sonic showdown. Using his trusty, beat up, acoustic guitar, and a constantly mutating live looping setup he calls “The Beast,” Yoav’s distinctive sound and multi-layered songs have connected with audiences everywhere.  Yoav will be playing songs from his critically acclaimed album “A Foolproof Escape Plan” and favorites such as We All Are Dancing, Where Is My Mind, Greed, Beautiful Lie and Club Thing.

 

Buy Tickets  HERE for The Assembly show  at R50 and tickets for the Tanz Cafe show are available from  Tanz Cafe at R100

Natasha Bedingfield’s third album – STRIP ME AWAY

 

The Plastics Video Launch at Zula Bar

On Friday the 12th of August, THE PLASTICS will launch their music video for CAROLINE at Zula Bar in Cape Town. Shot in April and directed by Thomas Ferreira from 187 (who has made music videos for the likes of Jack Parow, The Dirty Skirts and Die Heuwels Fantasties), CAROLINE is their second music video offering from their debut album, Shark, after the release of Caves in December 2010.

“CAROLINE has always been one of our favourite Plastics songs. We wrote it while we were still a 3 piece, before Arjuna joined the band, but it only felt right to release it on Shark. The softer songs are always a bit more difficult to put together than the party ones because they rely more on the dynamics and the touch of the band carrying them. So CAROLINE was definitely a major step forward for us. Our previous videos have always been for the more upbeat songs, so we wanted to release something different for a change.”

The video was filmed at band member Karl Rohloff’s house in Vredehoek, also known as ‘Ground Zero’. “It felt surreal to have my house lit up like a movie set! We’ve been wanting to shoot a video there for ages and it came together remarkably quickly, thanks to the help of the crew and our friends!” says Karl.

 

CAROLINE as a song is a completely different offering than Caves. Whereas Caves is more of a party song, CAROLINE called out for a more sombre, introspective video. The Plastics have always thought of the CAROLINE as something you can put on in the background and make out to. It’s a romantic song; and the video captures that atmosphere extremely well. Everyone can identify with the romance theme surrounding the video. As always with The Plastics, there are a few quirky moments whilst the video manages to demonstrate the signature The Plastics flavour.

The Plastics tours to The North for the first time since the release of Shark in July 2010

In September, The Plastics will be touring up country for the first time since the release of their debut album, Shark, in July 2010. On the 1st of September they will be appearing on MK’s Studio 1 for an interview and live performance, catch them on the 2nd of September at Arcade Empire in Pretoria and on the 3rd at Unit 11 in Durban with The La Els and Isochronous.

Be sure to catch a live performance and interview of The Plastics on SABC 2’s Hectic Nine 9 on the 11th of August at 16h00.

JOHNNY CLEGG’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

Johnny Clegg will be in Cape Town at the Grand West Arena with his 30th anniversary concert on the 27 August,

JOHNNY CLEGG’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT re-uniting the original Juluka, Savuka and Johnny Clegg band for this once only event. The show will feature dancers and audio visual footage starting from Johnny’s early years to present day.

 

This will be the first time that Juluka will be seen in Cape Town since their concert at the Good Hope Centre 26 years ago. Johnny will be performing the hit songs spanning his 30 year career, including Impi, Cruel, Crazy Beautiful World, I Call Your Name, African Sky Blue, Scatterlings and many more.

GrandArena @ GrandwestSaturday 27th August @ 8.30pm Tickets from R150 to R200 excluding Computicket service fee
Buy Tickets or call 0861 915 8000

Foo Fighters Garage Tour

“On August 1, the Foo Fighters released a 40-minute documentary of their intimate tour around the USA, playing in garages of diehard fans.
Earlier this year, fans could enter the garage tour competition, and winners received a free concert by the band in their garages plus a chance to perform and drink beer with the famed rockers alongside 50 of their closest friends. The tour consisted of eight dates coast to coast.

 

 

 

 
Last month, Foo Fighters released the full-length documentary Back and Forth as a digital iTunes release and a DVD and Blu-ray release. The film, directed by Academy Award-winner James Moll, spans the band’s 16-year career, chronicling their rise to Grammy Award-winning fame.
Fronted by Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters just scored their first number one album in the US with their latest release, Wasting Light. The album, which dropped April 11 in the UK and April 12 in the US, peaked in first place in 11 other countries, including the UK and Australia, and has been the band’s most successful album to date”. – The Independent UK

 

The Foo Fighters Garage Tour (full length) is a selection of music, laughs and lots of great stories from the tour – check it out here:

 

 

Joss Stone Announces Release of New Album, LP1

Joss Stone Announces Release of New Album, LP1

LP1 to Be Released exclusively in South Arica by The David Gresham Record Company.

David Gresham Records is proud to announce that the company will release Joss Stone’s new album, LP1 in August 2011. As a world-renowned soul singer who Smokey Robinson calls “Aretha Joplin,” Joss has sold over 11 million records globally. Having just turned 24, Joss has already amassed a career’s worth of successes. She is a Grammy winner, five-time Grammy nominee, and the recipient of several Brit Awards.

 

This is the first album Joss has recorded with total creative freedom. She co-wrote and co -produced it with super-producer and Eurythmics co-founder, Dave Stewart. Together they immersed themselves into a rock n’ soul musical odyssey in Nashville, Tennessee, finishing LP1 in only six days. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had making a record with Crazy Dave Stewart at the helm, and yes the players in Nashville are unbelievable!!!” says Stone. “This album captures a specific moment in time that was spontaneous and full of creativity.”

 

 

“Joss can sing with the ferocity of a lioness and dynamically switch to the most delicate whisper in the same phrase,” says Stewart. “She is always honest and full of real emotion. It is an honor to work alongside a true artist who understands so much at such a young age.”

PLUSH releases A Brand new self-titled Album

PLUSH has released a brand new self-titled album and the first single, “Dancing In A Storm”, dominates charts on local radio.

The Cape-Town based band have always been humble about their success in SA and the overwhelming response to their fourth studio album has had them packing out venues once again following their successful CD launch tour in May. KZN fans will be part of PLUSH’s next SA tour as they kick things off at ‘Unit 11’ in Durban on the 13th of August. Thereafter Jo’Burg and Pretoria fans get to see the band at ‘Tanz Cafe’ and ‘Tings ‘n Times’ respectively,  with the home town crowd in Cape Town and Stellenbosch joining them for 2 big nights out at the end of August. If you have still not seen PLUSH live, it’s time to spoil yourself and find out why these guys pack out every venue they perform at!

Don’t miss out on the following PLUSH performances:

13 August – Unit 11, Durban19 August – Tanz Café, JHB20 August – Tings ‘an Times, PTA26 August – Mercury Live, Cape Town31 August – Klein Libertas, Stellenbosch

“Pop rock and soft rock aficionados will adore every second of this album, because Plush have written some of the most unforgettable radio-friendly tracks (especially ‘I Am Frank’ and ‘Always Awake’) this side of the equator” – musicreview.co.za
Check out The Music Video for the First Single “DANCING IN A STORM” below…

 

BEHIND THE NEW ALBUM:

The album, being self-titled, signifies a fresh start for the band which began a movement in 2003, and found its momentum as an acoustic duo. Plush gained traction with Eliot’s frontman charisma and the creative flair of his close friend and Plush lead guitarist Chas Smit. Just as things seemed to be lifting off in 2005, tragedy struck when Smit was hit by a car and killed while trying to cross a road in Pietermaritzburg.

Marshall Music – BLOW OUT 6th Birthday Sale

If you have been keeping a key eye out for a great deal on musical equipment, you need to make your way down to the closest Marshall Music to you between 28-31 July. For their Ultimate 6th Birthday Blow Out Sale!

ENTER: ‘The Look & Listen Trivia Challenge’ and WIN!!!

 

ENTER: ‘The Look & Listen Trivia Challenge’ and WIN!!!

All you have to do to enter is answer the not-too-hard daily trivia questions on Look & Listen’s Facebook page.

Each day’s question relates to a different featured product (Games, DVD’s, Music & Digital). This will be posted about in the form of a product review, containing the answer to the question. Look out also for the helpful clue on Twitter daily that will make it even easier to win.

 

The prizes:

Up for grabs are 31 Magneats (Headphone cable management) and a R1000 L&L virtual voucher. Competition closes 27 July 2011.

So… are you ready to flex your grey matter and win?

Get a helpful daily clue here:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lookandlistensa

Get each day’s question and enter here:

http://www.facebook.com/LookandListen?sk=app_126653550751135

 

The Dirty Skirts Launches ‘LOST IN THE FALL’

 

“LITF is a visceral, dark, lyrical and dreamy album. It’s our finest work to date, and we’ve poured our heart and soul into it.”

Saturday, the 23rd of July, sees THE DIRTY SKIRTS launch their much anticipated new album, LOST IN THE FALL, at Zula Bar in Cape Town. The album was recorded at Heritage Studios in Cape Town with Brendyn Rusti Rossouw, mixed by Neal Snyman, mastered at Sterling Sound Studios in New York and released through 2 Feet, an imprint of Sheer Sound cc.

“Long. Beautiful. Complex. Real. Deep. It’s been two years of intensive work, and the last six months have been ridiculously intense. The last month, well, that’s been insane. Last week nearly broke us. We’ve given everything to this album. We’ve made music that has satisfied us deeply.” - Jeremy de Tolly.

LOST IN THE FALL is quite different from any previous offerings from THE DIRTY SKIRTS. Whether it’s an evolution or a sudden change in direction – it’s heavier in parts, and it’s deeper in content. They have written some of the most complex and interesting music of their careers so far. To them, LOST IN THE FALL is the best work they’ve ever done and it is reflected in the 12 tracks of deep, beautiful and intense music.

 

“Our intention going into this recording was to take control of every aspect of the process. We’ve known what we wanted it to sound like, and asked Neal and Brendyn to assist us to realize the vision. Recording at Heritage Studios with Brendyn (Rusti) was a sublime experience. Rusti is a great ear to have in the studio when you put down your tracks. His role was much more than engineering the recording process – he’s been a vision in his own right, and very, very supportive. Neal’s role was to mix the album, and we achieved some really creative and exciting sonic executions with him.”

 

The first single from LOST IN THE FALL, Strike The Match, was released earlier this year and was play listed on radio stations nationwide. It reached the Top 10 on Highveld and KFM’s Hombrew charts, as well as entered the 5FM’s Top 40 and the music video reached nr. 1 on the MK Music Video Charts.

LOST IN THE FALL Launches:

In July and August, THE DIRTY SKIRTS will be taking LOST IN THE FALL on a launch tour through South Africa. Be sure to catch them at the following venues in a city near you:

23 July / Zula Bar / Cape Town / 21h00 / R50
29 July / Town Hall / Johannesburg / 21h00 / R50
30 July / Arcade Empire / Pretoria / 21h00 / R50
27 August / Unit 11 / Durban / 21h00 / R50
THE DIRTY SKIRTS will be featured in the latest issue of People Magazine and issue 373 of Heat magazine. They will also perform live on Studio 1 on the 28th of July as well as be on Jon Savage’s Rock Show, and live on the Fresh Drive on Friday 29 July.

The Dirty Skirts Website: http://www.thedirtyskirts.com/

The Dirty Skirts on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thedirtyskirts

The Dirty Skirts on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thedirtyskirts

 

Leona Lewis’s brand new single ‘Collide’

 

Leona Lewis’s incredible story continues  with the announcement of her brand new single ‘Collide’.  With ‘Collide’, the record-breaking international superstar from Hackney showcases a new sound that is set to dominate dance floors across Europe this summer.

‘Collide’, a dance-pop anthem, is a departure from Leona’s signature sound and is her first new recorded material to be heard since the release of her Number 1 album ‘Echo’ in 2009. ‘Collide’ is a massive tune with a euphoric catchy chorus.  Built around a staccato piano riff ‘Collide‘ builds and builds into an immense anthem.  Leona’s world class vocal is instantly recognisable and is a powerful reminder as to why she has enjoyed such incredible global success to date.

 

“I’m excited for people to see a different side to my music.  I’m a fan of so many different genres and styles. For me this song has all the great ingredients of a summer anthem.  I can’t wait for my fans to hear it and to share the rest of the album.” Says Leona

 

‘Collide’ will get its first UK radio play today on the Scott Mills show on Radio 1 (Friday 15^th July – between 4 – 7PM).

The ‘Collide’ package also features a remix by the hottest DJ/producer in the world right now, Afrojack (Grammy award winner, credits include US no 1 Pitbull ‘Give Me Everything’ and remixes for Madonna, Lady GaGa, Black Eyed Peas, Tinie Tempah, Snoop Dogg). In the last few days Afrojack has already road tested his remix a couple of times in Ibiza, getting great responses with audiences demanding to know who the tune is by.

 

 

Marking a new chapter for the multi-platinum selling artist, ‘Collide’ is the first track to be taken from Leona’s as yet untitled third studio album, which she is currently putting the finishing touches to, due for release in November.

Leona has been working with the world’s most prestigious songwriting and production talent including Sandy Vee (Katy Perry ‘Firework’, Rihanna ‘Only Girl In The World’, David Guetta ‘Where Them Girls At’), Autumn Rowe (Alexis Jordan ‘Happiness’), Ammo (Katy Perry ‘E.T’), Jonas Quant (Hurts), Chuck Harmony (Rihanna ‘Russian Roulette’), Claude Kelly (Bruno Mars ‘Grenade’) and ‘Bleeding Love’ writer/producer, Ryan Tedder. Leona has been working with incredible UK talent including Fraser T Smith (Adele ‘Set Fire to the Rain’, Florence ‘You Got the Love’), Al Shux (Alicia Keys ‘Empire State of Mind)’, Steve Robson (James Morrison, Take That), Naughty Boy and Emeli Sande. Her previous albums ‘Spirit’ and ‘Echo’ both topped the UK album chart.  More news will be announced soon.

 

 

 

the pseudo video is now on Vevo – http://www.youtube.com/user/leonalewisVEVO

 

www.leonalewismusic.com

Twitter: @leonalewismusic

 

 

Rocking The Daisies Returns

 

Rocking the Daisies, one of South Africa’s most-loved music and lifestyle festivals has hit the six year mark and returns again in 2011.
The sixth Rocking the Daisies will again take place at Cloof Wine Estate in Darling (Western Cape).  It starts on Friday, 07 October, and will run until the Sunday, 09 October 2011.
Music lovers and festival goers can expect an even bigger, better, more entertaining and humorous weekend with a sensational line-up of international and local acts, DJ’s, comedians and performers.  Expect an amazing array of green ways to “play hard and tread lightly”, including Walking the Daisies, Cycling the Daisies and innovative eco-friendly experiences and ideas.
For more info and to buy tickets check out the brand new Rocking the Daisies website at www.rockingthedaisies.com

Check out all the fun and craziness that went on at last year’s festival…

 

 

Follow them on twitter: #RockingtheDaisies

Check them out on –  facebook.com/rockingthedaisiesfestivalwww.rockingthedaisies.com

KAREN ZOID ANNOUNCES HER 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR – 10 CITIES, 10 GIGS | August to October

KAREN ZOID ANNOUNCES HER 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR
10 CITIES, 10 GIGS | August to October

The release of her first solo album (Poles Apart) 10 years ago fired the imagination of both critics and the public when she burst onto the scene with the song Afrikaners is plesierig.  The song became iconic and Karen Zoid became South Africa’s queen of rock crossing over between Afrikaans and English markets. Ten years and 5 solo-abums later Zoid will embark on a national tour to celebrate a decade in the music industry.  The AFRIKANERS IS PLESIERIG TOUR will kick off in Cape Town on 22 & 23 July at the Fugard Theatre. 10 shows will be held from August to October at Oppikoppi, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Pretoria, Potchefstroom, Langebaan, Durban, Nelspruit and Stellenbosch.

Over the past 10 years Zoid’s albums achieved gold status, she received a SAMA for Best Female Artist, won numerous other awards and performed with international artists like John Mayer, Annie Lennox, Metallica and Hothouse Flowers. TIME Magazine and US News & World Report highlighted her role as an icon in South-African music.  First year students at Universities study her writing as part of their academic modules.

Fans were introduced to songs like Beautiful, Ons soek rock & roll and Verandering. In 2005Small Room became one of the biggest songs being play listed on radio. Aeroplane Janebecame the most requested song over the past three years on radio.

Fans can look forward to Karen performing some of her greatest hits exclusively at these memorable gigs. For more dates and information visit www.karenzoid.co.za

 

Turbo Sounds Emerging Challenge Brought To You By Music Mate

“Emerging Sounds is the oldest running battle of the bands in the country”

One band will win over R100 000s worth of prizes in this year’s Emerging Sounds Challenge. Enabling them to start touring and earning money from every gig they perform.

This year the winning band will play themselves to a Wharfedale Pro Rig (valued at R68 000) courtesy of Audiosure and Music Mate, along with a Pearl Vision VBX 5-piece drum kit and Boss Single Effect Pedals courtesy of Music Mate. Plus studio time at Get Phat Studios with a sound engineer. Plus a television quality EPK (electronic press kit) courtesy of Orange Orbit Studios as well as an one on one session with music guru David Chislett who will assist the band in setting up a 12 month strategy for 2012. And the winning band will also receive publishing assistance with M2 Music(thereby ensuring the artists assets – its songs are both protected and nurtured as the band goes from strength to strength).

A rich musical history has been created as thousands of musos and hundreds of bands across the country over the past 14 years have performed at the Emerging Sounds challenge. Some of those that rose to the challenge include Seether (Saron Gas), Freshly Ground, the Parlotones, 340ml, Prime Circle, Evolver, Taxi Violence, the Blk Jks, the Finkelsteins, Cutting Jade and Plush to name a few.

Conceptualised in the studios of the SABC during the 5FM TDK Radio Sessions 15 years ago the essence of the event remains the same – creating platforms for bands to further their musical careers. This year the Turbo Sounds Emerging Challenge brought to you by Music Mate has some fantastic prizes on offer worth over R 100,000-00.

What makes this year’s event significantly different to the past 14 years is that everybody entering will have the opportunity of being paid for their performance. Participating bands will also be eligible for discounts from Music Mate when purchasing musical equipment as well as discounts from Get Phat Studios in Johannesburg when booking studio time. Bands also receive constructive feedback after each performance from the judges in the form of their score sheets.

Apart from bands being able to win some fabulous prizes we well as getting discounts for musical equipment and studio time they will also have the opportunity of earning monies from the gig.

 

All bands win in this year’s event because they all qualify for discounts at Music Mate and Get Phat Studios and it is the first battle of the bands offering bands the opportunity of getting paid for their performance. Studio time at Get Phat Studios will also be given to the bands coming second and third.

All bands performing will also be able to purchase Dave Chislett’s book “One Two One Two” on the music industry at a discount at the gig.

 

At the same time the Music Mate Acoustic Competition 2011 for soloists and duos is also taking place with the following prizes on offer from this leading music retailer – namely a Cort CJ5X NAT Jumbo acoustic guitar and a full Wharfedale PA system. Plus studio time from Get Phat Studios with a sound engineer and a television quality EPK filmed by Orange Orbit Productions.For the first time in its history the finals in December will also be filmed courtesy of Orange Orbit Productions.

Creating platforms for bands and groups to further their musical careers

Between April and November this year monthly legs will take place in Johannesburg and Pretoria choosing the best bands at each event to proceed to the semi finals and then the final in December.

During this time there will also be one-off events taking place in the Vaal, Nelspruit, Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Bloemfontein, Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg.

From these events the best bands on the day will be chosen to proceed to the final in Gauteng at the beginning of December. This applies to both the band and acoustic guitar competition.

The Event

Emerging Sounds is the oldest running battle of the bands in the country and it has never just been about bands playing their songs for prizes. Bands receive constructive criticism from the judges and receive the judge’s scores sheet after each event – the aim is to improve a bands performance and ensure that each band leaves better for the experience.

The event has never been about finding the freshest latest sound either – it has always judged bands on their performance on that specific day at that specific time. After all you are only as good as your last gig and it is our belief that every time a band plays on stage that performance must be the best one they have ever played.

Music workshops have also taken place for bands and musicians competing in the event as we believe in empowering artists and musicians from a grass roots level.

This event offers all participating bands and musicians the opportunity of taking so much more from the event, which they can implement immediately in furthering their own musical career. The Turbo Sounds Emerging Challenge is about creating platforms for bands and musicians to further their musical careers.

Legacy

The legacy of the Emerging Sounds Challenge over the years has produced platforms for a wealth of musical talent so hurry and enter your band today.

Muse Magazine supports this initiative and is proud to be associated with the event as media partner.

DATES:

GAUTENG

Barrels in Alberton

April 10 / May 1 / June 5 / July 3 / Aug 7/ Sept 4 / Oct 2 / Nov 6

Café Barcelona in Pta

April 27 / May 29 / June 26 / July 31 / Aug 28 / Sept 25 / Oct 30 / Nov 27

Tanz!

Sun, May 15 / June 12 / July 10 / Aug 14 / Sept 11 / Oct 9

Black Dahlia (for Metal bands)

Sat, June 11 / Sat, July 9 / Sat, Aug 13 / Sat, Sept 10 / Sat, Oct 8

REGIONS

JULY

Fri 01 / Sat 02 –  Bloem

Fri 29 / Sat 30 –  Pochefstroom –  Bourbon Street

AUGUST

Sat 06 – Pietermaritzburg  at the Red Door

Sat 27 – Cape Town

SEPTEMBER

Fri 02 / Sat 03 – Nelspruit at the Barnyard Theatre

Fri 30 / Sat 1  - The Vaal  - bands

OCTOBER

Sat 08 / Sun 09 – The Vaal – acoustic

FinalsBand – December 4Acoustic – December 11

For further information or to book your band or acoustic act, contact the Squire on 0827707524 or emergingsounds@mweb.co.za.

Written   By   :   Muse Reports

Zebra & Giraffe and Van Coke Kartel Haal Asem Kwagga Tour

Zebra & Giraffe and Van Coke Kartel: Haal Asem Kwagga Tour

30 July – 27 August brought

Get ready Cape Town! The Haal Asem Kwagga Tour kicks off at The Assembly in Cape Town on Sat 30 July.  Going to be a phenomenal party! Get your tickets at www.webtickets.co.za, brought to you by MK, Jagermeister, Ray-Ban and Music Connection.

Date: 30 July 2011
Line-up: Van Coke Kartel, Zebra & Giraffe and DJ Sideshow
Venue: Assembly, 61 Harrington Street, Cape Town
Cover: R70 at the door on the night of the event
Pre Sold tickets: R60 via http://www.webtickets.co.za/assembly

Contact & info: Pierre CoetzeeContact & info: Pierre Coetzee   021 465 7286 , 082 555 7789, pierre@theassembly.co.za

Time: Doors open @ 21h00
Other: Haal Asem Kwagga Tour 2011: The best South African live music experience

Sponsored by: MK, Jagermeister, Ray-Ban and Music Connection.

 

Ashtray Electric – “Measured in Falls” National (SA) Tour in July

Winner of MK`s Best Newcomer Award 2009 and voted to have the potential to be SA`s next musical export, Ashtray Electric have been leaving their gutsy footprints at venues and festivals nationwide. Their music is laced with engaging melodies and packed with galloping riffs and attitude. Add to that their signature sleazy-slow motion sexiness and you`ll find this unique package of four musicians that have skillfully made their mark. Ashtray Electric`s new CD Measured in Falls was released in June 2011. Ashtray Electric will be performing in Bloemfontein, Pretoria, Potchefstroom, Durban, Stellenbosch, Grahamstown, PE and East London.

Ashtray Electric first unapologetically gallivanted onto the SA Music Scene three years ago. Their debut album “Bonjour” received rave reviews from fans and media alike. “Ashtray Electric is in fashion. They most certainly ignite something electric on stage.” Atiyyah Kahn – Music Journalist

Measured in Falls introduces Ashtray Electric`s new musical progression. It is not merely a collection of songs; it is an album in the full sense of the word. The new tracks are warm, luscious, and extraordinary. The album contains 11 brand new tracks, as well as their popular single “Release” (with Gazelle) as a bonus track. “Release” enjoyed high rotation on 5fm and national campus radio stations and the video reached no 1 on MK.

The album cover shot features actual DNA strands of the band members. Each band member had the inside of their cheeks swabbed with an ear bud. The epithelial (skin cell) tissue extracted from each member was lysed (breaking down of the cell wall) to expose the entire genetic genome into the lysed material. The DNA was then purified from all other cellular bodies and amplified using PCR technology. Each sample of DNA was then cut using a cocktail of enzymes and run in separate lanes on a Electrophoresis Gell giving rise to the 4 smears witnessed on the image. The broken bands in the 5th lane is a simple molecular weight marker.

“Measured in Falls is a dictation of fears, trusts and other internal questions, but more importantly as its name suggest, it tries to bring across the message that we all f*ck up. It`s okay. You can always get up, go on, and fall again.” - AGMP

Ashtray Electric will be  introducing their new album on a nationwide tour in July

See Below for Dates

Date: Fri 15 July 2011
Venue: MK Sessions 2011 @ Vry Fees (Volksblad Fees)
Address: Blêrkas (beer garden on festival grounds), Bloemfontein

Cover Charge: R60 at Computicket

Time: 20h00

Other acts: Frank Freeman and Jack Parow

Date: Sat 16 July 2011
Venue: Arcade Empire, Hans Strijdom Drive, Pretoria.
Bands start: 21h00
Other acts: Wrestlerish

Cover Charge: R30 before 10pm, R40 after 10pm

Time: 21h00

Date: Thu 21 July 2011
Venue: Memphis Rock
Address: 12 Esselen Street, Die Bult, Potchefstroom
Cover Charge: R25
Time: 19h00

Date: Fri 22 July 2011
Venue: Town Hall
Address: 66 Carr Street, Newtown, Johannesburg

Cover Charge: R40

Time: 21h00
Other acts: Wrestlerish

Date: Sat 23 July 2011
Venue: Unit 11
Address: 191 Matthews Meyiwa, Durban

Cover Charge: R40

Time: 21h00
Other acts: The Stellas, Scarlet Hill

Date: Wed 27 July 2011
Venue: Klein Libertas Teater
Address: Bergzicht Plein, Du Toit Street, Stellenbosch

Cover Charge: R40 before 10pm, R50 after 10pm

Time: 21h30

Date: Thu 28 July 2011
Venue: The Union

Address: Steve Biko Building, Prince Alfred Street, Grahamstown

Cover Charge: R20 before 10pm, R30 after 10pm

Time: 20h30

Date: Fri 29 July 2011
Venue: Raggies Bar
Address: Shop 22/23, Sporgs Centre, Beacon Bay, East London

Cover Charge: R30.00

Time: 21h30

Date: Sat 30 July 2011
Venue: Pool City
Address: Times Square Building, c/o Heugh & 5th Avenue, Port Elizabeth

Cover Charge: R30.00

Time: 21h30

 

Legendary Folk Singer – Michelle Shocked Celebrating 25 years as “The Campfire Girl on tour in South Africa

 

Southern Pulse is proud to announce the upcoming South African tour of legendary folk singer, Michelle Shocked.

Between the widening gap of ultra-rich and working poor – or, for that matter, uber-celebrities and starving artists – stands Michelle Shocked, an independent American singer-songwriter and a working artist thriving on the spoils of a hard-won fight.  Shocked received her first international exposure in Europe, particularly Britain, with her debut album The Texas Campfire Tapes.Her break into U.S. national renown came with the release of her 1988 album Short Sharp Shocked which was met with strong acclaim from listeners all around the world.  We all remember the great songs of that album like Anchorage, When I Grow Up, Memories of East Texas, If Love was a Train and Graffiti Limbo.  On the crest of this independent momentum, Captain Swing and Arkansas Traveller were released.

This year’s  Campfire Girl tour bears witness to the enduring legacy of her highly unusual debut, The Texas Campfire Tapes, a bootleg famously recorded on a Sony Walkman and released, unbeknownst to Shocked, by an enterprising Briton. Shocked was more surprised than anyone when the album made its debut on the UK independent charts in November 1986 – “I never made a record,” she recalls, “so why would I expect to be on an English chart?” This early experience, and a 1996 legal battle to retain her catalog ownership against Mercury Records, made Shocked a natural poster child for artists’ rights. In 2003, The Texas Campfire Tapes finally found its way home to her Mighty Sound label.“I can’t always say I’ve understood the charm people find in a recording so raw,” she admits. “There’s crickets chirping, a truck driving by shifting gears, and the batteries in his Walkman were almost dead, for Pete’s sake!”

But there is little doubt that the unedited intimacy resonates with many and draws the listener into a spunky vagabond’s adventures; it remains one of her best-selling titles.
Whether you are a fan from the past or total newcomer to the Michelle Shocked experience, this promises to be a highlight on the calender of this year’s music events in South Africa, brought to you by Southern Pulse.

 

South Africa Tour Dates:

Thurs 4 Aug – Krakatou – Durban

Fri 5 Aug – Café Barcelona – Pretoria

Sat 6 Aug – Tanz Café – Johannesburg

Sun 7 Aug – Oppikoppi Festival, Northam

Mon 8 Aug – Fugard Theatre, Cape Town

Tues 9 Aug – Fugard Theatre, Cape Town

Wed 10 Aug – Klein Libertas Theatre, Stellenbosch

 

 

JON SAVAGE launches SA Music Industry Podcast

JON SAVAGE has launched his new website and his weekly SA Music Industry Podcast. A guide and tool to help South African bands, artists and industry people understand more about the music industry.

 

“I can’t tell you how much I wish something like this existed when I first got into this industry. Every musician in SA knows that this is a grueling industry, and in Cassette’s life, we had HUGE ups and HUGE downs! When I look back now and see how we played the game and how we were a band, I wish there had been some sort of guide as to how to make your band work. I’ve only started to figure it out now!” Savage
Each episode will be 30-45 minutes long and the first introductory episode went out on the 1st of July. After that they will be released every Monday morning on www.jonsavage.co.za – and will be absolutely FREE!

Some of the highlight episodes include:

• Raphael, manager of The Parlotones, talking candidly about the methodology around the rise of The Parlotones;
• 5FM music compilers about exactly how they choose music for on air;
• Stephan from MK about how they select music videos for the channel;
• Ross Garrett – legendary photographer,
• Caroline Hillary from Red Flag talking about mistakes bands make in PR;
• Charl, the brand ambassador for Jagermeister, about how bands strike up relationships with sponsors and so much more

 

Zula Bar – New and Improved

Zula Bar has been a popular fixture on Long Street in the Mother City for over half a decade. I reckon it’d be safe to say that anyone who’s even vaguely interested in live music and lives in Cape Town crossed the threshold, climbed stairs and enjoyed a night out soaking up the usually great vibe of the institution. Owners Zoe and Vusa have created a thriving business and have given many upstart acts and households names alike a space to rock the foundations and please the general populace. Testament to Zula’s success and dedication to the scene, they’ve decided to take a big leap and move into a new mega-venue a couple blocks further from the epicentre of Long Street’s hubbub. Recently, the new Zula staged their Grand Opening – a weekend festival replete with a roster of some great bands spread over two evenings, the highlight being a rare performance by local legends, the Springbok Nude Girls.

The opening appeared to be a massive success, the place was packed with a truly diverse crowd of revellers, young and old, and the atmosphere was excitable. Some of the bands were unfortunately generic and lost the attention of the crowd but the likes of The Jack Mantis Band, the Hogs, the Rudimentals and, of course the Nude Girls, electrified the place. 

Simply put, the venue is incredible. It looks to me like the local music scene will finally have a capacious haunt to let down its collective hair and really get wild in numbers. It boasts two levels, each of which is larger than any club on the circuit. The upstairs music hall is undoubtedly going to be a nexus of future sonic uprisings in Cape Town – the space has been inspiringly dubbed ‘Upstage’ and I see it doing exactly that, upstaging the rest of the industry and showing ‘em who is boss. With its Victorian embellishments and a delightful lofty ambiance, Upstage looks set to become a second home to performers and crowds.

Acoustically, I was pleasantly surprised as I expected a mushy din considering the bare concrete and cavernous nature of the place. Hopefully, Zula will look into taking the extra steps to treat the room, potentially turning a great space into a legendary space. ‘Downstage’ on the opening eve looked somewhat incomplete, with a distinctly warehouse vibe that wasn’t necessarily remiss and added an interesting tone – the atmosphere could sit well with particular genres and parties that till now have not had decent venues to explore. A bit sad that the balcony from the last venue couldn’t be amended to this new space but this new Zula is a clear case of one massive upgrade. I’m certainly keen to become part of the furniture!

 

 

 

WORDS: James Rose-Mathew

IMAGES: Saskia Swanepoel

DANCE, YOU’RE ON FIRE – SECRET CHIEFS released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Dance, You’re On Fire’s debut album SECRET CHIEFS will be released through Broken Silence/Southern Pulse in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

 

 

Their single Boxes of Tigers has already been play listed on more than 25 radio stations in Europe including the likes of RBB Fritz, Bremen Vier, Ego FM, HoRadS and many more, and has also already started charting on college stations around Germany. “Secret Chiefs’ is a thoroughly noble album with strong songs – the commute between pop appeal, brain lining and punchy rock back and forth. Sitting still is very difficult. The band has neither sounds too trite or flat, but a knack for great songs with irresistible choruses. The current singles Boxes of Tigers and Living are strong feel-good sunshine-music.” Hooked-On-Music.de

DANCE, YOU’RE ON FIRE are currently on their nationwide ‘Secret Chiefs Winter Warm Up Tour‘ which will continue throughout July and end with a performance at this year’s OppiKoppi Festival.

The music video for their single Michelle will be released at the end of July.

 

 

 

News: New Single – “My Perfection Featuring Babette Labuschagne “

CHROMIUM has released a new version of “My Perfection” featuring SA’s Afrikaans Rock Sensation “Babette Labuschagne”.

It is completely left field of what CHROMIUM usually do, but having 3 studio albums under their belt as well as having branched out to a new Acoustic route to perform in clubs that would usually shy away from the band, it was time to experiment a little and try reach new fans and friends, by showing them that CHROMIUM has beautiful “quieter” side.

The download is online for a limited time only, enjoy and spread the word!

Download “My Perfection Featuring Babette Labuschagne”: http://www.mediafire.com/?3ain99nb4srzblg

www.chromium.co.za
www.myspace.com/chromiumtheband

News: The Script Strikes African Gold!

RCA JIVE Africa are proud to announce The Script’s self titled Debut album has surpassed the Gold mark in South Africa!

Their sophomore album Science & Faith is also well on track to achieve Gold status.

The Script have just touched down in South Africa ‘for the first time’, where they are about to kick off their sold out tour.

Congratulations to all involved!

News: One Dead, Dozens Hospitalized at Electric Daisy Carnival in Dallas

Chaos erupts at rave featuring Diplo, Paul Van Dyk and Skrillex

The Electric Daisy Carnival, a dance music festival in Dallas, Texas featuring sets by Diplo, Paul Van Dyk and Skrillex, got out of hand on Saturday, resulting in the death of one man and the hospitalization of over two dozen (click for more information) other attendees. Investigators have not revealed the cause of death for 19-year-old Andrew Graf, but other concert-goers were hospitalized for hydration and alcohol consumption issues. Billboard has reported that one of these attendees is in critical condition.

It’s unclear exactly what went down at the show, but audience crowding was apparently a problem, with Diplo being quoted by the Dallas Observer as saying “It was crazy. There were too many kids on stage.” Attendance for the festival is estimated at well over 11,000.

The Electric Daisy Carnival, a long-running rave that also puts on annual festival events in Nevada, Colorado, Florida and Puerto Rico, has run into similar trouble in the recent past. Following a number of drug-related arrests and the Ecstasy overdose death of a 15-year-old girl last year, the Los Angeles-area Electric Daisy Carnival was canceled and moved to Las Vegas earlier this year.

 

News: Amazing Production Put on By Prosound At The Bushfire Festival

Prosound provided the technical services to the Bushfire Festival hosted in Swaziland on the week-end of the 28th of May. The festival was a great success and attracted approximately 15 000 people, with an eclectic mix of artists from SA electronic act Goldfish to Zimbabwean musician Oliver Mtukudzi.

The festival featured an open-air main stage, and adjacent to this a smaller inside amphitheater. Both venues ran concurrently with bands, industrial theatre, poets and DJ’s performing, from 10AM to 4AM every day.

For the main a Meyer Sound Milo line array system was used with Meyer Sound Galileo for processing – arrays were flown using the Prolyte S36V towers. On front of house a Midas Legend 3000 analogue mixing console was used  - making it easier for the changes made to the line-up during the show. TC Electronic and Klark Teknik was used for processing  - and on stage a host of Electro-Voice microphones were used. For on-stage monitoring the RCF Art-series active speakers were used with great success – and for all the DJ’s Rane Professional DJ mixers were provided.

For the amphitheatre an Electro-Voice TourX loudspeaker systems was used, also with Klark Teknik and TC Electronic processing and Electro-Voice mics on stage. Prosound’s Barco daylight screen was also used as part of the main stage for branding, as well as visual effects provided by some of the DJ’s.

Prosound’s hire department did a sterling job under the watchfull eyes of Donovan Calvert. And comments from Jiggs Thorne – Director of the Bushfire Festival: “Firstly, we are extremely grateful for the amazing production put on by Prosound. Please send a big thank out to the amazing team!”

 

To View more on Swazi Bushfire Festival click here

 

 

News: Gavin Degraw To Release New Album – Sweeter On August 9TH, 2011

First Single, “Not over you,” Co-Written And Produced By Ryan Tedder, Goes To Radio On June 6TH And Available At iTunes And All Other Digital Providers June 7TH

Platinum-Selling Singer-Songwriter Will Hit The Road With Maroon 5 And Train For 20+ City North American Tour On July 22ND

May 16, 2011 — New York, NY — Platinum-selling singer, songwriter, and musician Gavin DeGraw will release a brand-new album, entitled SWEETER, on J Records on August 9th, 2011. The album’s first single, “Not Over You,” which Gavin co-wrote with OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, who also produced the track, will premiere today May 16th on AOL Music, impacts radio on June 6th and will be available for purchase through iTunes and all other digital providers on June 7th.

Gavin and Ryan first met when they performed on the same bill and the two, both groove-minded piano players, decided to write together. “Not Over You,” which poignantly evokes the difficulty of getting over someone, is one of two songs Gavin co-wrote with Ryan for SWEETER, which was recorded in several locations, including Ryan’s studio in Denver, Blackbird Studio in Nashville, producer Butch Walker’s space in Venice, CA (where Bob Dylan recorded some tracks in the ’70s), and the legendary Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood. The album finds the New York native — beloved for his blue-eyed soul vocals, freewheeling melodies, and earthy charm — experimenting with new sounds, which resulted in a potent, swaggering strut, both musically and lyrically, on sexually charged songs like the R&B-infused “Sweeter” and “Radiation.” The racier moments are balanced out by more emotionally transparent songs like the vigorous “Not Over You,” and the uplifting “Soldier” and “You Know Where I’m At,” which convey a vulnerability while still managing to feel distinctly masculine.

“The question for me became, ‘How do you expose your vulnerability without seeming like somebody who gets kicked around, and at the same time, describe your ability to get past something without sounding cocky,” Gavin says. “That’s always tricky, because you know you’re being judged on the lyrics and they’re all very personal.”

Gavin decided that his best strategy was to shrug off any expectations and focus on the songs, working with co-writers for the first time as a way to broaden his horizons, such as Ryan Tedder, who also co-wrote and produced “Sweeter,” and Andrew Frampton (The Script, Natasha Bedingfield). He also worked with a host of top-notch producers including Butch Walker (Weezer, Avril Lavigne), Eric Rosse (Sara Bareilles, Tori Amos), and Ron Aniello (Barenaked Ladies, Matt Nathanson).

“Co-writing with other people changed everything for me,” Gavin says. “Not only did it open my mind to new ideas, but it changed the way I wrote on my own. Playing all these different styles with other musicians led me to think about things differently when I was working by myself. I was able to tap into things I do live, dabbling with some of that late ’60s, early ’70s R&B stuff; I was able to record all the styles of music that I like and put them on one album. It was great to take my leash off and experiment. Although it doesn’t stray too far from what I’ve done, I think it’s the first album I’ve made that has caught my true sound.”

Gavin first broke through with the 2003 release of his debut album, Chariot, which sold over a million copies, earned platinum certification, and yielded three hit singles: “I Don’t Want To Be,” “Follow Through,” and the title-track, “Chariot.” Gavin’s self-titled second album debuted at No. 1 on the digital sales chart and at No. 7 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart in 2008, earning Gavin his first Top 10 album. It spawned the hit singles “In Love With A Girl,” which Billboard dubbed “a rocking homerun,” and the gold-certified “We Belong Together.” In 2009, Gavin released Free as a gift to his die-hard fans clamoring for recorded versions of Gavin’s live favorites.

Gavin has made numerous appearances on television shows like The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Live with Regis & Kelly, Good Morning America, and many others.

Gavin will hit the road in July with TRAIN and Maroon 5 for an extensive North American tour this summer. Please see below for all of his upcoming confirmed tour dates.

Please visit www.gavindegraw.com for new music and more.

06/02 Tampa, FL                                The Ritz Ybor*
06/18 Biloxi, MS                                 Hard Rock Live*
06/24 Las Vegas, NV                          Red Rock Resort*
07/15 Kansas City, MO                       Power & Light District Outdoor Stage*
07/16 St. Louis, MO                            Celebrate St. Louis Concert Series*
07/17 Springfield, MO                         The Gillioz Theatre*
07/22 Chula Vista, CA                         Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
07/23 Paso Robles, CA                      California Mid-State Fair
07/25 Hollywood, CA                          Hollywood Bowl
07/27 Albuquerque, NM                      Sandia Casino
07/28 Morrison, CO                            Red Rocks Amphitheatre
07/31 Mount Pleasant, MI                    Soaring Eagle Casino Resort
08/02 Charlotte, NC                             Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
08/03 Virginia Beach, VA                    Farm Bureau Live @ Virginia Beach
08/05 Camden, NJ                              Susquehanna Bank Center
08/07 Mashantucket, CT                      MGM Grand Theater at Foxwood
08/09 Saratoga Springs, NY                Saratoga Performing Arts Center
08/12 Wantagh, NY                             Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
08/13 Mansfield, MA                           Comcast Center
08/14 Bethlehem, PA                          Muzikfest +
08/15 Hershey, PA                             Hershey Park Pavilion/Stadium
08/17 Nashville, TN                             Bridgestone Arena
08/18 Indianapolis, IN                         Indiana State Fair
08/19 Des Moines, IA                         Iowa State Fair Grandstands
08/20 Chicago, IL                               Charter One Pavillion +
08/21 Clarkston, MI                             DTE Energy Music Theatre
08/22 Toronto, ON                              Molson Canadian Amphitheater
08/25 Syracuse, NY                            New York State Fair
08/26 Holmdel, NJ                              PNC Bank Arts Center

 

 

 

News: Bloedsuiers opens Crowd Funding for one more week and hosts an Auction!

BLOEDSUIERS - the first Afrikaans vampire movie starring the likes of Francois van Coke, Inge Beckmann, Rob van Vuuren, Porteus Xandau, etc – has opened its CROWD FUNDING again for one last week. BLOEDSUIERS are also hosting an AUCTION to auction of the Vampire Fangs Van Coke’s character wears in the teasers. They are looking to raise the FINAL R100 000 for the production of the movie through these two main events.

CROWD FUNDING:

BLOEDSUIERS is the first Afrikaans movie in South Africa partly funded by CROWD FUNDING – a method fast becoming popular in the USA and in Europe whereby filmmakers raise funds in the form of “pledges” from fans to produce / finance their films and in so doing, providing audience participation in the filmmaking process and building an audience base prior to release. This is the first time this is being attempted to such a degree in South Africa.

Now – FOR ONE WEEK ONLY, the Crowd Funding for BLOEDSUIERS is opening again from 20 – 26 June: Fans can pledge as little as R30, the idea being that a critical mass builds over a short period of time and requisite production finance is raised.

“Not only are you pledging your support toward this project, but you are also helping to revolutionize the way local filmmakers produce films” says producer Benjamin Cowley, “the success of this model will pave the way for both up coming and established filmmakers to produce films for local audiences.”

Anyone who pledges will have access to the members area of the website, where exclusive content can be viewed. Their pledge also gives them automatic entry into a number of competitions (details on the website) AND depending on the amount pledged, theyʼll get a variety of exclusive rewards.

Pledges can be made on the website (Click on PLEDGE/LOGIN at the top of the homepage) using a secure online payment gateway which accepts Master Card and Visa. If you don’t have either card, you can contact BLOEDSUIERS through the website and they will provide EFT details. There is also huge scope for product placement, so brands interested in getting exposure through the film can also contact them on pp@bloedsuiersmovie.com.

AUCTION:

For three days only from the 21st to the 23rd of June BLOEDSUIERS will also be auctioning off a collector’s display case which contains autographed production stills of Francois van Coke, and mounted mould of his mouth with the actual fangs (dentures) worn by him in the teasers (these were custom made to fit him). The value of manufacturing this exceeded R5,000. The auction will be done through www.bidorbuy.co.za, listed as VAN COKE FANGS by Bloedsuiers Movie and will go live at 10h00 on 21st June and close midnight 23rd June.

MORE ABOUT BLOEDSUIERS:

Cape Town based Producers Benjamin Cowley (Firebird Pictures) & Anton Rollino (One Step Beyond), have teamed up with director Jon Day (Orange Films), writers Darron Meyer (award winning writer for “Tornado, the Kalahari Horse Whisperer”) & Tyrel Meyer to produce the first Afrikaans language South Vampire film, entitled “Bloedsuiers”.

A cross genre of comedy and horror with colloquial Afrikaans dialogue, the story introduces the existence of “blood suckers” in South Africa since the days of Jan van Riebeeck & Co. Fast forward to modern day Cape Town when two amateur vampire hunters accidentally capture their first ever vampire, thereby launching into a journey that will take them to the Klein Karoo to track down and kill an evil blood sucking Prince known as Wyker. By so doing they will fulfill an ancient prophecy. The only problem being that the prophecy is a vampire one…and Wyker knows theyʼre coming!

CAST:

The film will star Darron Meyer (HBOʼs Generation Kill), Tyrel Meyer (I now pronounce you Black & White), Inge Beckmann (Lark), Francois van Coke (Van Coke Kartel), Porteus Xandau (Liefling & 7de Laan), Rob van Vuuren (better known as Twakkie), Cherie van der Merwe (Bakgat & Bakgat 2), veteran actor Andre Roothman (Arende & Known Gods), Karl Thaning (Binnelanders & Judge Dredd) and Jack Parow. Shooting will commence in mid July to mid August.

Itʼs pure local Rock, with real grit, textures, flavors, and an edge – BLOEDSUIERS is true to the genre and simply cool with fun characters and an entertaining plot that will not only appeal to the Afrikaans market, but all South Africans (“donʼt compare us to Twilight” says director Jon Day, “cause youʼre way off!”). The soundtrack will feature the first-ever recorded collaboration of Inge Beckmann and Francois van Coke, as well as a host of SAʼs top musical talent.

Visit the website NOW to join the revolution: http://www.bloedsuiersmovie.com/

 

 

News: Foals And Freshly Ground To Headline Finest Festival In The World

International acts Foals and Freshlyground will headline this year’s Lake of Stars Festival on 30th September to 2nd October in Malawi, Africa.

In Johannesburg next Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 June to officially launch Lake of Stars, festival founder Will Jameson says “It’s hard to imagine a better festival than last year- our biggest and best to date.  This year will be justly global, truly African, showcasing a diverse mix of traditional and new African music, art, poetry, fashion, markets, food and more.”

In their exclusive African debut, Foals, will bring their unique sound to the warm heart of Africa. Mercury prize nominees, with their track Spanish Sahara voted as Single of the Year by NME magazine in 2010, this is one of the greatest live acts in the world who have already developed a strong following in South Africa.  Get ready for their huge, rising anthems to hit the waves of Lake Malawi.

‘Radiohead were once an influence, but fast becoming peers’ – Uncut’ ****

‘Champion thoroughbreds’ – Mojo ****

Hugely popular South African act, Freshlyground are guaranteed to get the crowd moving with their infectious blend of afropop, jazz and rock. The group have won numerous awards including an MTV Europe Music Award for ‘Best African Act’ and performed at the World Cup last year, collaborating with Shakira on ‘Waka Waka’ which has become the highest selling World Cup anthem of all time.

‘Freshlyground are probably going to become SA’s most important band in the 21st century’ – Cape Argus

‘An effervescent Afro-pop recipe that transcends any merely “eclectic” fusion’ – Mail & Guardian

Joining the amazing international headliners will be a brilliant line up of Malawian talent including reggae stars Black Missionaries, afropop legend Lucius Banda plus hot new stars Maskal and Skeffa Chimoto.

Jameson says, “I encourage you to come and experience first-hand what is being talked about from London to Johannesburg.  Where else can you see over 70 live acts from Africa and Europe playing everything from indie to kwaito to reggae and dubstep in a location that Wanderlust travel magazine hails as one of the Top Ten emerging travel destinations in the world.”

“The festival was borne from a desire to raise money for a developing economy, promote Malawi as a top travel destination and expose Malawian artists to international crowds, as well as putting on an amazing event that now forms part of the global festival circuit,” says Jameson.

This year we are proud to partner with DHL Express Malawi, Access Communications and Kenya Airways.  We also continue to work with our UK technical partners Audile, Funktion One, Studiocare, STS Touring and Brentwood Communications who provide essential equipment and volunteers to run the event.  The project would not happen without assistance from these companies, we look forward to delivering a successful event with their support.

To arrange interviews with Will Jameson on Tuesday 21 or Wednesday 22 June, contact will@lakeofstars.org or +44 (0)7725 428 377.

For line up announcements and further information, visit www.lakeofstars.org.

To book your tickets, visit our travel partner Jambo Africa www.jambo-africa.com.

 

 

 

News: The Howl Records Folk Festival

Howl Records presents a week long folk festival at The Nunnery!

Come and experience 11 of South Africa’s finest folk musicians in a nice little theatre in Braamfontein.

Tickets are R60 per night. There are limited seats available so book online at shop.wolves.co.za or buy tickets at Wolves.

The Nunnery’s address:Wits Performing Arts Campus, 24 Station Str, Braamfontein

The Lineup:
MON 20TH : Fonda & Gil Hockman

TUES 21ST : US Kids Know & Juliana Venter

WED 22ND : Josh Grierson & Rambling Bones

THURS 23RD : Gil Hockman & Die See

FRI 24TH : Thomas Krane & Shotgun Tori

SAT 25TH : The Frown & Skyline On Fire

News: Tumi And The Volume Live in South Africa in June 2011

South Africa’s premiere Hip-hop band Tumi and The Volume are pleased to announce a series of live dates nationwide in support of their third album Pick A Dream.

Every one of their preceding albums has been acknowledged for their overall contribution to not just Hip-hop made in South Africa but also the quality and attention to detail invested in each release.  No different, Pick A Dream was nominated at the 2011 South African Music Awards in the Best Rap Album category, while the group itself received a nod for the Best Group.

“I guess we kind of want to feel like we never stopped playing in South Africa. It would also be great if we felt that people hadn’t stopped listening to us and even knew our new stuff,” anticipates TATV’s guitarist and producer Tiago Correia-Paulo ahead of their 5-date stint.

Fans will most likely welcome TATV’s latest live set –  a hearty mix of their classics and the current material which includes the new radio favourite Asinamali. The album’s lead single brings in Zimbawean MC Zubz on the hook to ponder the attitudes to and politics of fame, money. High on concept, the black-and-white visuals inspired by Malian photographer Malick Sidibe match the song’s vintage texture. Asinamali  is currently on high rotation within one week of premiering on MTV Base Africa. It is also gaining popularity on alternative pan African music station Channel O.

“Theirs is a tale of fierce determination complemented by sheer talent. They have done it all, from backpacking to galvanising world audiences…” the Mail & Guardian recently described TATV, and true to form, soon after serenading Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town audiences, the band will then jet off to their other musical home Paris for a few summer dates.

Soul singer Zaki Ibrahim who is featured on the album will provide tour support for Tumi and the Volume in Johannesburg and Pretoria

The following are Tumi and the Volume dates in South Africa this month:
15 June Johannesburg

16 June Johannesburg

17 June Durban

18 June Cape Town

The Johannesburg quartet Tumi And The Volume have quickly forged an identity as rising stars of new African music… Mondomix

Theirs is a tale of fierce determination complemented by sheer talent. They have done it all, from backpacking to galvanising world audiences…  Mail and Guardian online

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: TUMI AND THE VOLUME PICK A DREAM (SAKIFO/SONY BMG SOUTH AFRICA)

It’s been a decade since the Jozi-based Tumi and the Volume, without the benefit of a local  precedent, went about making a band. In an extended residency at the original Bassline in Melville, for which their 2003 SAMA-nominated debut album is named, they transitioned from spoken word experimentalists to being the only Hip-hop outfit of its kind as far as style and accomplishment in South Africa, and even beyond. A particularly impressive performance of theirs in Reunion Island where they were playing at the famed Sakifo Festival scored them an international record deal with the label born parallel to the festival, and home also to Finley Quaye and True Live. It suited TATV’s live instrumentation aesthetic  - think Stetsasonic meets TV on the Radio but African –  to the point where by the time their self-titled second album came out in 2006, as common practice they juggled a sort of dual musical citizenship between France and South Africa.

Pick A Dream the third album from TATV, now a European and North African festival staple band whom rapper Mos Def counts as a favourite, marks the first time they will see a major label release through Sony South Africa. It will also be the first time in years they will partake in a scene whose seed they helped sow, about which guitarist and producer Tiago Correia-Paulo says, ‘The scene is definitely much richer now than when I started making music here in South Africa. There’s also a greater will to be successful and excel with music. Both music extremes, pop and underground, are alive and well.’

For their part, TATV (comprised of lead MC Tumi Molekane, drummer Paulo Chibanga, guitarist Tiago Correia-Paulo and bassist Dave Bergman) have had ample opportunity to approach their own excellence as a group and with their extra-curricular ensembles. Tumi has built a formidable solo career highlighted by a performance with uber pop star Shakira at the FIFA World Cup opening concert and having both his albums My Good Eye (2008) and Whole Worlds (2010) SAMA-nominated. Chibanga with Correia-Paulo are steadily increasing the global footprint of their dub group 340ml having won 2 SAMAs (Best Alternative Album, Best Engineer) in 2009.With their shared range and calibre, creating album three for TATV was the easy part. This time around, attention to sonic detail was the utmost focus as Tiago explains, ‘The songs were written quite quickly. In recording them we really wanted to make sure we would end up with a very rich analogue sound.’ Literally going the distance they, along with  French producer/engineers Laurent Dupuy and T ‘n T, laid down the album at Studio Py in Paris.

Subject matter-wise TATV never stray far from the place their story began. In the way that only Tumi can articulate whether rhyming, reciting poetry, or sing-rapping he challenges the way things are in South Africa compared to the way they used to be.  “They celebrated their liberation with so much libation when the morning came, they had lost their heads…” is his sobering conclusion to the opening narrative La Tete Savante, which visually correlates with the album sleeve art designed by the French graphic artist Hippolyte. Asinamali, referencing a near-forgotten tradition of protest art brings in Zubz to ponder the attitudes to and politics of fame, money and all that comes with it. Limpopo is a serenade to life which dissolves into the sweetest guitar groove. It’s one of noticeably many sing-along melodies this album contains. Another would be the afro-beat inspired Volume Trials featuring Zaki Ibrahim.

Following a 6-week stint of promotional gigs in Europe, the lads finally bring the goods home with a national tour which promises to catapult them back into the consciousness of long standing fans and brand new supporters. Pick A Dream is comfortably varied and pitched above the genre’s generic standard, and is a powerful testimony of longevity especially in these fickle times which Tumi best describes: ‘I feel like we are in phase two of what happened early in 2000 with the explosion of local Hip-hop and youth culture with Bongo Maffin, Moodphase 5, Max Normal then, and now Blk Jks, Yesterday’s Pupil, Die Antwoord,  Voodoo Child and others. We are still here.’

Twitter.com/tumifromthev
Or @tumifromthev
Facebook.com/tumiandthevolume

 

 

News: Brian McKnight ‘Just Me’

The David Gresham Records Company Proudly Present’s Brian McKnight’s Eagerly Awaited 14^th Album ‘Just Me’

Brian McKnight returns with his 14th album, JUST ME. This exciting new fan pleasing collection is set to include 10 brand new studio tracks written specifically for this project including the 1st single “Fall 5.0″.

Over the years Brian McKnight has released 13 albums, 7 of which have gone platinum. McKnight has sold an astonishing 20 million albums worldwide, toured the world and has collaborated with performers across every genre including Justin Timberlake, Diddy, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Nelly, Vanessa Williams, Willie Nelson, Rascal Flats and Kenny G.

McKnight’s first single off the album, “Fall 5.0”, is already causing a bit of a stir worldwide. Take a look to see why:

Dianne Reeves, Four Times Grammy Award Winner To Perform At The Teatro

First Time Ever, Four Time Grammy Award Jazz Singer, Dianne Reeves Performs Two Concerts At The Teatro

The internationally acclaimed four-time Grammy Award winning singer and doyenne of jazz, Dianne Reeves will perform in South Africa for the first time at the Teatro at Montecasino, Johannesburg for two concerts only on Thursday, 4 August and Friday, 5 August 2011 commencing at 20h00. Tickets now on sale at Computicket.

Born and raised in Denver Colorado, USA, Dianne Reeves is the only singer to have won “Best Jazz Vocal Performance” category for three consecutive album recordings namely In The Moment – Live in Concert (2001), The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan (2002) and A Little Moonlight (2003). This is a first in any Grammy Award category.   In 2006 Ms Reeves received her fourth Grammy Award for the soundtrack of George Clooney’s “Good Night, and Good Luck”, the Academy Award nominated film (in which she also appeared) that chronicles Edward R. Murrow’s confrontation with Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Her virtuosity, vocal prowess and unique jazz and R&B styles has seen Dianne Reeves performing and recording with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. She has also recorded with Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim and was a featured soloist with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic.  Ms Reeves was the first Creative Chair for Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the first singer to ever perform at the famed Walt Disney Concert Hall.

At the beginning of this year, Ms Reeves performed at the White House State Dinner for the President of China, Hu Jintao. In April, Ms Reeve’s performance at the 120th Anniversary Gala of the Carnegie Hall was hailed by The Boston Globe newspaper as ‘breathtaking’.  Hosted by and featuring James Taylor, the evening also included guests Barbara Cook, Steve Martin, Bette Midler, Sting and former president Bill Clinton.  The New York Times said of Dianne’s performance: “Although Ms. Reeves performed only one number, the Billie Holiday lament, ‘Don’t Explain,’ it was a killer.”

During the remainder of this year, Ms Reeves will tour internationally with Sing The Truth!, a production honoring the music and spirit of great female artists. Dianne Reeves joins Angelique Kidjo and Lizz Wright in continuing the legacies of much-loved South African artist, the legendary Miriam Makeba, Abbey Lincoln, and Odetta, and performing songs by other great women in music ranging from Billie Holiday to Lauryn Hill, along with selections of their own original songs.

The Dianne Reeves concerts are promoted by local promoter, Sponono Entertainment who recently brought international Jazz musicians Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour Teatro to South Africa at the end of last month for two highly successful performances. Other artists previously brought to this country by Sponono Entertainment include Gladys Knight, Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack.

From the White House and across the USA, to Canada and Europe, and soon for the first time on African soil, don’t miss the two Dianne Reeves concerts at the Teatro at Montecasino.  Book now at Computicket by calling 0861 915 8000, visit www.computicket.com or visit your nearest Computicket outlet. For all Teatro group hospitality bookings contact Montecasino Hospitality & Corporate Events on 011 510 7905  or montecasino.hospitality@tsogosun.com

JOHANNESBURG
VENUE: The Teatro at Montcasino
DATES & TIMES: Thursday, 4 August 20h00 and Friday, 5 August 20h00
PRICES: R400.00, R450.00, R550.00, R650.00

BIOGRAPHY: DIANNE REEVES

DIANNE REEVES is the eminent jazz vocalist in the world today. As a result of her virtuosity, improvisational prowess and unique jazz and R&B stylings, Reeves received the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings—a Grammy first in any vocal category.

Reeves appeared in George Clooney’s “Good Night, and Good Luck,” the Academy Award nominated film that chronicles Edward R. Murrow’s confrontation with Senator Joseph McCarthy. The soundtrack recording of “Good Night, and Good Luck” provided Reeves her fourth Best Jazz Vocal Grammy in 2006.

Reeves has recorded and performed extensively with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. She has also recorded with Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim and was a featured soloist with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic.

Reeves was the first Creative Chair for Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the first singer to ever perform at the famed Walt Disney Concert Hall. Reeves worked with legendary producer Arif Mardin (Norah Jones, Aretha Franklin) on the Grammy winning A Little Moonlight, an intimate collection of ten standards featuring her touring trio. When Reeves’ first holiday collection Christmas Time is Here was released in 2004, Ben Ratliff of The New York Times raved, “Ms. Reeves, a jazz singer of frequently astonishing skill, takes the assignment seriously; this is one of the best jazz Christmas CD’s I’ve heard.”

In 2007 Reeves was featured in an award-winning documentary on the all-too-brief life of Billy Strayhorn. Her first solo album in several years, When You Know, was released in 2008. Since then, she has been touring the world in a variety of contexts including “Sing the Truth,” a musical celebration of Nina Simone which also featured Liz Wright and Angelique Kidjo. Reeves began 2011 performing at the White House State Dinner for the President of China, Hu Jintao.

A new album is due later this year.

 

Holiday Murray goes iPAD…

“ They’ve released a record that can sit comfortably alongside any current international release, in terms of both production quality as well as song-writing class.”  -  Music-is.posterous.com

As a first offering to audiences, this is definitely an album you need in your collection and a very successful stamp of impact on the SA music scene.   –   Rachelle Crous – Overtone

“The Cape Town launch was essentially the last show of our tour and we wanted to make it a big show for our home crowd. It was more successful than all of us imagined and a proud night for the four of us.”  – James Tuft, lead vocals, guitar

Since returning from a highly successful country-wide album launch tour in May, Capetonian foursome Holiday Murray has continued to embed their unique imprint on the South African music scene.

With the first single off their self-titled debut album being playlisted on national radio station 5FM and the music video of their first single, Jirey, on high rotation on DSTV music channel MK, the band also recently became the first SA band to perform a song using iPads as instruments during a TaxiJam performance.

HOLIDAY MURRAY GOES iPAD on TAXIJAM

Holiday Murray – A Taxijam from taxijam on Vimeo.

Cruizing through the streets of Cape Town, Holiday Murray recently put on a TaxiJam performance with a difference. Rather than play their usual instruments, the band performed their hit single, Jirey, solely on Apple iPads. Says vocalist James “TaxiJam approached us, and we thought it was a great idea. iPads are still a relatively unexploited way of performing music in South Africa, especially as a group, so we went for it.”  ”We decided on Holiday Murray for the iPad TaxiJam as we wanted to get a “live” sound from the iPads without relying too much on drum pads and backing tracks,” said TaxiJam founder Simon Wall. “These guys were the perfect choice.”

Recently relaunched, Taxijam has, over the past couple years, become an institution on the local music scene. “Taxijam is the smallest gig around,” says Simon. “We provide a selection of some of South Africa’s finest creative talent performing in an intimate 5-minute taxi ride. All clips are recorded and shot in exactly the same style, and uploaded onto our website. Whether you are famous or infamous, signed or unsigned, rock or pop, acoustic or metal or simply someone with a story to tell – anyone can hop on board!”

Holiday Murray’s next music video release will be for Antagonizer, the second single off the band’s debut album. The video, a collection of footage shot by Johno Mellish and Adriaan Louw will contain scenes from the band’s two previous tours.  Says guitarist Justin Davenport “The video is not necessarily a literal commentary on the meaning of the song, but encapsulates the song’s imagery with honest depictions of Holiday Murray on tour.  Johno Mellish has edited the footage with his own take on the song and sewn together imagery that is both beautiful and exciting.”

HOLIDAY MURRAY TO PLAY OPPIKOPPI

2011 Over the next two months, Holiday Murray will be playing a run of Cape Town shows (please see below for details). Holiday Murray has also been confirmed to perform at Oppikoppi 2011, and will be doing a small three-show tour on their way up north, possibly including their first-ever performance in Durban. The band has also been invited to perform at the Billabong Pro Surfing Tournament in Jeffrey’s Bay on 15 July.

Regarding the rest of the year says violinist and bassist Chris Carter “We plan to promote our album as much as possible, as well as taking some time out to write new material.  Our major goal for this year is to expand our fan base beyond these borders, and we hope to have something of a small international tour planned by year end.” Says drummer Ellis Silverman “After we’ve all finished our exams in June, we are planning to sail outta Cape Town for a few days together, take some instruments and maybe some recording devices, and maybe there will be some new music revealed soon!”

HOLIDAY MURRAY NOW AVAILABLE ON iTUNES
Holiday Murray’s music is now available on MXit, iTunes and Soundcloud, with Jirey and Stop Thief! available as free downloads on Soundcloud

UPCOMING HOLIDAY MURRAY GIGS
15 June - STUDIO 7 with aKing :: R150
1 July – DIZZY’S Camps Bay with Summer Shade :: R30
8 July - MERCURY Cape Town with TBC :: R30
15 July - BILLABONG PRO Jeffrey’s Bay
19 July - WAITING ROOM Cape Town:: R30 (with Beatenberg)
23 July - PURPLE TURTLE Cape Town with Jeremy Loops :: R30-R40
6 August - OPPIKOPPI UNKNOWN BROTHER
18 August – BOHEMIA – Stellenbosch

 

 

 

 

News: Red Hot Chili Peppers Reveal New Album Track List

Songs on ‘I’m With You’ include ‘Brendan’s Death Song’ and ‘Even You, Brutus?’

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced the track listing for I’m With You, the band’s first studio release since 2006. The record, which will hit stores on August 30th, marks the debut of new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who joined the band following the departure of John Frusciante and took an active role in writing the new songs.

“I felt like I had the experience,” Klinghoffer told Rolling Stone. “There was no real adjustment. This is playing music with people I admire and who have been friends for years.”

Klinghoffer’s influence may have led to a somewhat darker sound for the band. The new record promises to be harder-edged than the band’s previous material, and titles such as “Brendan’s Death Song,” “Ethiopia,” “Factory of Faith” and “Even You Brutus?” seem rather glum and serious for the band that gave us “Sir Psycho Sexy” and “Party On Your Pussy.”

Here is the complete running order of the album. Those hoping for some feel-good Chili Peppers jams can take solace in the fact that the record also includes songs titled “Dance, Dance, Dance” and “Happiness Loves Company.”

1. Monarchy of Roses
2. Factory of Faith
3. Brendan’s Death Song
4. Ethiopia
5. Annie Wants a Baby
6. Look Around
7. The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie
8. Did I Let You Know
9. Goodbye Hooray
10. Happiness Loves Company
11. Police Station
12. Even You, Brutus?
13. Meet Me at the Corner
14. Dance, Dance, Dance

 

 

News: Farryl Purkiss releases SPECIAL EDITION of “Fruitbats & Crows”

Out this week, 13 June 2011, is the SPECIAL EDITION of one Farryl Purkiss’ most successful albums to date, “Fruitbats & Crows”. Since the release of “Fruitbats & Crows”, the album has generated three major radio hit singles with “A Million Grains Of Sand”, “Kissing Devils On The Cheek” and “Creeping Up On Me” doing incredibly well on South African radio and Brian O’Shea  won the 2010 SAMA for “Best Producer” for his work on “Fruitbats & Crows”.

2011 also brought a great start to the year for Farryl Purkiss after the single ‘Pennies In the Snow’ aired on major US TV Series Private Practice on International TV Screens in January. “Pennies In The Snow” was heard on episode 11 of Season 4 of Private Practice, which still has to air on SOUTH AFRICAN TV.

What makes the SPECIAL EDITION release so, err… Special, is that the tracks on the Bonus Disc are special versions and new songs that have NEVER been available before.

 

“IN APOSTROPHES” is an acoustic version of a brand new song for the next Studio album, “MONKEYS’ WEDDING LIVE” has become a fan favourite request at LIVE shows and differs vastly from the Album version of “Monkeys’ Wedding”. The PIANO MIX of “Sticks & Stones” was the version used on PRIVATE PRACTICE’s fifth episode of season three and is finally available to fans who’ve been wanting it since it featured on the series. “Number Seven” never made the final tracklisting when “Fruitbats & Crows” was released and is now available on this BONUS DISC as the only Instrumenta; Song on the album, and the release also includes Farryl’s stunning versions of the BOB DYLAN track “Positively 4th Street” and the classic NEW ORDER single “Blue Monday”!

Connect with Farryl Purkiss on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Farryl-Purkiss/21183980229 – or on Twitter – http://twitter.com/#!/farrylpurkiss.

News: Two Minute Puzzle – Ep & Video Launch

Two Minute Puzzle started in the winter of 2010 as a studio project, which in turn led to the band stepping into live performance.

Two Minute Puzzle have recently pressed there first EP. The songs are a dynamic plethora of experimental folk rock. The recordings are multi-layered,
live act, consisting of a three piece: guitar, bass, drums and keys. To heed their sound will take you on a ride of rifts and a cacophony of forcible tenor.

While some of the tracks are beautiful and emotive, the guys can also can also rack out a dubious yet humorous style that leaves the audience smilingly perplexed.

Their collaboration artists include Xander Ferreira (Gazelle), Inga Beckman (Lark) and Jeremy Loops.

Die Alone by Two Minute Puzzle

FACEBOOK : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Two-Minute-Puzzle/127889317261798
SOUNDCLOUD : http://soundcloud.com/two-minute-puzzle
MYSPACE : http://www.myspace.com/twominutepuzzle

News: Arctic Monkeys’ new album ‘Suck It And See’ out this month

Arctic Monkeys have named their new album ‘Suck It And See’, and was released on June 6.

The album, their fourth, was produced by James Ford at Sound City Studios in Los Angeles. It features 12 new songs including ‘Brick By Brick’, which you can hear by scrolling down and clicking below.

The album will be the Sheffield band’s first since 2009′s ‘Humbug’, which Simian Mobile Disco man Ford also did some production work on, alongside Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme.

It will arrive just before the band’s Sheffield Don Valley Bowl gigs, set for June 10 and 11.

 

The tracklisting of ‘Suck It And See’ is:

1. ‘She’s Thunderstorms’
2. ‘Black Treacle’
3. ‘Brick By Brick’
4. ‘The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala’
5. ‘Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair’
6. ‘Library Pictures’
7. ‘All My Own Stunts’
8. ‘Reckless Serenade’
9. ‘Piledriver Waltz’
10. ‘Love Is A Laserquest’
11. ‘Suck It And See’
12. ‘That’s Where You’re Wrong’

Source   :   http://www.nme.com

News: Paramore debut new track ‘Monster’ from ‘Transformers’ soundtrack – audio

Paramore have debuted their new track ‘Monster’, which is taken from the soundtrack to the forthcoming film Transformers: Dark Side Of The Moon, this afternoon.

The track, which you can hear by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and clicking, is also streaming on their official website www.paramore.net.

Other artists set to feature on the soundtrack for Transformers: Dark Of The Moon include My Chemical Romance and Linkin Park.

Paramore singer Hayley Williams said of the track: “We’re back for the attack! And we are so excited to be a part of the Transformers album. Tell your friends… Paramore is still a band.”

The song was written as part of the band’s writing sessions for their new album, which will be the first not to feature former guitarist Josh Farro and drummer Zac Farro after they left the band in December 2010. Josh Farro recently claimed that one of the reasons he left was because the band’s lyrics clashed with his religious faith.

Source   : http://www.nme.com

News: Coldplay release new single ‘Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall’

It’s here! The brand new single from Coldplay, ’Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall’ is now available at iTunes worldwide (http://cldp.ly/itunescp), except in the UK where it will be released at 12.01am this Sunday, June 5.

Listen to it here – enjoy!

Source   : EMI Music

 

News: Watershed – At Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden, JHB Sunday 12 June.

Old Mutual Music in the Gardens:  Sunday 12 June: Watershed at Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden, Johannesburg.

Music in the Gardens Concert Series

Old Mutual is proud to present yet another concert series of SA’s leading phenomenal artists, with their annual Old Mutual Music in the Garden series. In association with South African National Biodiversity Institute the concert series will take place at the popular botanical gardens: Pretoria National Botanical Gardens and the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden. In the month of June, concert goers may look forward to acclaimed local bands: Watershed, Theuns Jordaan, Bobby van Jaarsveld and Vivere.

Watershed

SA’s leading acoustic rock and pop group Watershed has a string of platinum and gold albums and awards to its name. In 2003 they won the Best Pop Album SAMA for their debut album Wrapped in a Stone. A decade after their first release album, Watershed had taken a giant leap in 2010 by performing at the prestigious South by Southwest festival in Austin Texas, Canadian Music Week, amongst numerous other festivals in Europe. To date they have racked up more international releases for their studio albums and unveiling a hits compilation that honours their rich history of music production and their established name in the music industry.

Watershed have been extremely busy recording a brand new single entitled ‘Water’ with legendary producer Brian O’Shea. Brian was also responsible for the recording of Watershed’s first two albums. The single is currently being mixed and mastered and is set for release to radio at the beginning of July. The band have been busy performing all over the country with a brilliant performance recently at the Durban Botanical Gardens. A brand new video is set for the single but in the meanwhile, a new studio video of ‘A Million Faces’ featuring Liz Rennie and Tim Moloi has just hit Youtube.

The video showcases a more intimate performance by the band. Craig Hinds has been busy being involved in the Nikon online charity campaign that starts this month as well as being involved with the composition of the music for the new ‘Jock Of The Bushveld’ animated movie.

 

Tickets available: www.ticketbreak.co.za

Ticketbreak: R80.00

Pre-sale at gardens: R90.00

On day sales at gardens and ticketbreak: R100.00

Children under 13 are for free.

 

Families are encouraged to bring picnic baskets and blankets (Note: No Glass, tin cans or cutlery allowed into venue – advise to use plastic instead.)

Gates open: 12h00

Main act: 15h00

Gates close: 18h00

Facilities Available:

Restaurant and Tea Garden available on site.

Alcohol not sold and only available in Restaurant.

Kids Zone available 13h30 – 16h30

The Old Mutual Music in the Garden Concerts will be a great family occasion with great music extravaganza.

 

News: Seether “Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray”

With the South African release due on the 7th June, the United States has continued to embrace South Africa’s biggest rock export. The album, “Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray”, debuted at Number 2 on the Billboard Top 200 charts, Seether’s highest ever chart position and an increase of almost 10% on week one sales over their last release, “Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces”.

Meanwhile, the albums debut single, “Country Song”, is dominating USA radio holding down three Number One positions and climbing all other charts. The song continues to be the most added song on both Active Rock radio and Modern Rock radio.

Active Rock    - “Holding onto Strings Better Left to Fray” is currently at  number 1 in Active Rock

Mainstream Rock    - “Holding onto Strings Better Left to Fray” is currently at  number 1 in mainstream Rock

Heritage Rock    - “Holding onto Strings Better Left to Fray” is currently at  number 1 in Heritage Rock

Modern Rock    - “Holding onto Strings Better Left to Fray” is currently  number 12 in Modern Rock

Top 100 Singles    - “Holding onto Strings Better Left to Fray” is  number 74 in the Top 100 Singles

Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and the official Seether site have seen almost 20% increases in visits since the release of the new album. 1,360,000 fans on facebook, 450 000 friends on Myspace, and 28,000 twitter followers have made Seether the fastest growing band on the net over the last week.

Album Release: Belladonna – And There Was Light

In August 2010 belladonna hole themselves up in a tiny rehearsal room to start working on a brand new selection of Rock Noir songs penned by belladonna’s two songwriters, the luscious singer Luana Caraffa and the band producer/guitarist Dani Macchi. It’s the conception of their much-awaited third album: “And There Was Light”.

In November the band flies to Los Angeles to the legendary Stagg Street Studios (the vintage studio of many classic recordings of Patti Smith, CSNY, Tom Waits) to record totally live, with no click tracks, all playing at the same time, just as in those classic Led Zeppelin or Bob Dylan records of a bygone era.

With the invaluable help of engineer Mike Tacci (Metallica’s “Black Album”) and of Grammy-nominated producer Alex Elena (Alice Smith, Lily Allen) the band puts onto tape the incendiary takes that form the rock-hard foundation on which in the following months Dani and Luana built the emotional architecture that makes “And There Was Light” such aunique-sounding yet timeless record.

The album is a true journey, over an hour of high-intensity music that seamlessly gravitates between echoes of Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan-style allegories, White Stripes blazin’ tones, Blue Oyster Cult’s esoterism, Arcade Fire’s romanticism and Jimmy Page’s passion for the blues-tinged and spiritually malevolent guitar riff.

Yet its sound is that unmistakable belladonna-patented Rock Noir – the genre they single-handedly originated and that many bands the world over now swear to – and Luana’s vocals are as sensual and sexual as ever, making the deeply literary lyrics come alive with Truth.

Several prestigious guests enrich “And There Was Light”: the above-mentioned Alex Elena (former drummer with Iron Maiden superstar Bruce Dickinson and Miles Davis keyboardist Adam Holzman) on percussion, Massimiliano Annibaldi (the renowned Italian film soundtracks composer) on the theremin and the viola da gamba, Imani Coppola (the cult NY singer-songwriter recently in the UK top 10 as Little Jackie) on the violin, Francesca Bottaro (of avantgarde pop combo Shootin’ Stars) on the sax and the L.A. art-rock Diva Ruby Friedman with a spoken-word feature.

“We’ve always felt our music had a cinematic quality to it, yet once we finally completed “And There Was Light” and treated ourselves to a full playback of it all we were absolutely amazed ourselves of how deep its power of conjuring upmoving images was” reveals Dani, and Luana adds poignantly: “We’ve always known that writing and making music is akin to Automatic Writing, and we truly feel that we only channeled this album, that it already existed somewhere insome as-yet-undiscovered dimension and it then materialized through ourselves, full of energy, and full of light”

“And There Was Light” will be released worldwide on iTunes on the 16th of May 2011.

belladonna belladonna and there was light

belladonna bio

How many artists can claim to have single-handedly originated a musical genre? Italian quintet belladonna are amongst that rare breed of bands whose absolute uniqueness has enraptured and inspired countless fans, followers and imitatorsall over the world.

Rock noir, that belladonna extraordinary brand of emotionally-charged rock’n'roll melodrama utterly seduced hordes of Music lovers tired of being force-fed computer-driven, fake-angst pseudo-rock down their ears.

metaphysical attraction

belladonna’s legendary self-produced debut “Metaphysical Attraction” resounded so deeply in rock fans’ collective consciousness that it not only turned the band overnight into one of the most loved unsigned bands in the world, but it even bestowed upon them the honor of 2 Grammy Awards 2008 ballot nominations, an unprecedented event for a DIY band.

Over 1.000.000 views on MySpace, magazines like Rolling Stone and GQ hailing them as the “next big thing”, shows with Dita Von Teese at Erotica 07 in London, gigs with Scars On Broadway and Siouxsie & the Banshees, performancesat the Dubai International Film Festival – but belladonna remained unfazed.

the noir album

Personally invited by alt-rock producer supreme Sylvia Massy (Tool, System of a Down) to record their sophomore album in her all-analog studio in California, USA, in a few weeks belladonna committed to tape 11 rock noir Luana/Danipennedsongs, loaded with their trademark sheer sensual energy.

“The Noir Album” came out in March 2009, immediately entering the Italian iTunes chart and getting rave reviews all over the world.

on tour

belladonna premiered “The Noir Album” live in the USA at L.A.’s legendary Key Club and as official representatives ofItaly at Austin’s SXSW in March 2009.

Back in Italy, the band played with major acts like Nine Inch Nails, Mars Volta, Staind and Korn, on the strenght of the first single off “The Noir Album” – the relentless rock noir tale of love/hate “Till Death Do Us Part” – being chosen as Single Of The Week by Italy’s biggest rock radio, Virgin Radio.

In October they went back to L.A. to play a showcase at the Fonda Theater, and then to the UK – where Iron Maiden superstar Bruce Dickinson championed belladonna by broadcasting “Till Death Do Us Part” on his BBC radio show – with a sold-out headline show at The Garage in London.

2010 saw the band hit the road again, with a European tour in March and a UK club tour in April and in July.

collaboration with michael nyman

In December 2010 belladonna release “Let There Be Light”, a single written in collaboration with legendary English composer Michael Nyman and based on his “The Heart Asks Pleasure First” from the soundtrack of the Oscar-winning movie “The Piano”. Michael Nyman himself plays piano on the track. A truly exceptional event that once again highlights the absolute uniqueness of the path trodden by this very special band.

www.belladonna.tv

www.facebook.com/belladonnaband

www.twitter.com/belladonnaband

Music News: Inside the Machine

If different genres were different drugs, metal would be heroin. You either end there by mistake or because the plunge made more sense than anything else. Its subscribers found the world on abrasive terms with its roots in technical Jazz and rock and roll and metal remains one of the few guitar genres still pushing the boundaries further, deeper, darker into the oily belly of its own self.

Despite having the most talented and obsessed musicians, who are often stubborn for change, having gone to extremes, metal is undoubtedly one of the least commercially viable genres in Southern Africa.

Which makes Terminatryx’s new video for Virus an anomaly with export quality production; the international metal world can and should take notice. In addition to Virus, Terminatryx are also working on a video for Siek+Sat an Afrikaans song, and they’re in pre-production for a video of one of the tracks which will be on the forthcoming remix album of their release, Remyx v1.0. Produced by Flamedrop Production, the album is to be released by ENT Entertainment after July 2011.

Remixes are not uncommon, but a rarity for bands (especially from SA) to have the entire album worked over. This is also an intercontinental project with remixers from 5 different parts of the globe, giving each song an individual take.

International remixers are: Martin Degville from Sigue Sigue Sputnik with Lloyd Price (UK); Industriezone (Austria); Sheep On Drugs (UK); Modern-e-Quartet (Greece) and The Awakening (USA / RSA).

Local remixers include: Battery 9, Nul, Axxon, and Mr Sakitumi.

Check www.TERMINATRYX.com

The only black band white folks care to hear and see, Blk Jks, are heading to Mali to record their next release. Not that interesting, I know. However word on the internet is they might collaborate with jazz marvel trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer and singer Hugh Masekela. Now say oooh and aaah.

The most famous unknown band, which featured in last issue’s Muse, The Brother Moves On, has finished a video for Rainbow Child. The video as the name of the studio, No Budget Productions, suggests, is cheap. However it somehow catches the song brilliantly. They get my vote for unknown act to play at Oppikoppi.

Looking for New Music:

John McDonnell of The Guardian called Brokencyde “the worst thing to happen to music.” The band are singled out in crunk-core, a genre that combines R ‘n B and screamo. Listen to: Freaxxx.

Kanivool a hard rock outfit who have distinct South African sound, despite being from Australia. They have been active since 1997 and have won several awards touring the world over. www.karnivool.com.au

The LA’s. A forgotten treasure of the nineties. Fronted by indecisive enigma Lee Mavers, who made his riches from the song, There She Goes – famously covered by Sixth Spence Non the Richer. Lee wanted to originally record the album on a Dictaphone and only ever managed to make one. A pop-masterpiece nonetheless. Listen to: Looking Glass, I.O.U (alternative version) and Son of a Gun.

Ard Mathews (pic by: Deborah Rossouw)

New and Upcoming Releases:

Gazelle are currently mixing and mastering their second album, The Rise and Fall of an Empire, at Dreamspace. The Merseystate owned and run studio are also recording Joshua Grierson’s latest and Ard Matthews’ solo debut. Ard has made the first recorded track Fire Within available on his website www.ardmatthews.com. It doesn’t sound a thing like Just Jinjer and leans heavily on electronic backing.

After a four month hiatus, and quitting V.O.L,  Kevin Rule has started new metal act With Dawn who are currently working on a yet-to-be-named EP. He just couldn’t resist a comeback.

Durban indie-pop sensation, The Otherwise, are currently planning their second album and a tour to Cape Town in July. Watch this space for more details.

Chris Chameleon has released As Jy Weer Skryf, an album that sets Ingrid Jonker poems to music. The album is available on Rhythm Records.

The Otherwise

The Wild Eyes have finally completed a follow up to their 2006 debut, Our Love has a Special Violence. The much anticipated EP is called Swastique. No surprises there. But expect this one to be plenty different.

Mr. Cat and the Jackal are presently filming puppets for the video of Bad Man He Comin. The video will be produced by Yesterfang Productions who are also working on a video for Captain Stu’s Tempo which should be ready in the next two months.

The Dirty Skirts’ new album Lost in the Fall is due for release in June 2011 [see our interview with the Skirts on Pg’s. 24 & 25]. According to Skirt’s guitarist David Moffatt “the sonic has changed on this album. We are closer to the experience that we’ve envisaged. We have deliberately preserved the grittiness of our pre-studio recordings. Some of the material is dark and hard, but there is loads of beauty and heart too.” Lost in The Fall  is co-produced by The Dirty Skirts and Neal Snyman and engineered by Brendan Rossouw.

Weird-but-revered-duo Witness to Wolves are currently busy with their debut called Porcelain, recorded between Down South and Frozen Heart studios. Only a limited edition of copies will be printed, but the entire album will be available for download. The group also plan to embark on a nationwide tour for a series of unusual shows.

Ex-Libertines frontman and most famous junkie on earth, Pete Doherty, has been sentenced to six months in prison. In March 2009, Doherty was one of four people taken into custody after 27-year-old filmmaker Robin Whitehead died from a suspected overdose in January 2009 . Doherty was charged with possession of cocaine and has pleaded guilty. This will be his third time in jail. To add insult to injury, his former lover Kate Moss is getting married to Kills singer Jamie Hince. The supermodel is also reported to have lined-up Snoop Dogg for her wedding.

Mick Jagger has started a new super-group called Super Heavy. With him in the band are Joss Stone, Damian Marley, Eurhythmics’ Dave Stewart and Indian musician A.R. Rahman. The band is rumoured to be in discussions for a major record deal.

Notorious B.I.G is to be marketed as a product. The rapper’s estate has done a deal with Brand Sense Partners who are planning to churn out a range of products bearing the rapper’s name.

Written  By   :   Johann Smith

 

 

News: Chris Letcher live in SA – Tour Postponed!

 

 

****  Chris Letcher Tour Postponed Due to Bicycle Accident   ****

Sadly on Wednesday, 15 June, Chris took a tumble from his bicycle on Waterloo bridge and fractured his hip. He is currently in hospital where he is being well looked after, but he will be immobile for six weeks. Unfortunately he has had to postpone all the SA gigs till later in the year.

Letcher and band were also set to perform at the Bassline in Johannesburg (reuniting with old musical comrade Matthew van der Want, with whom the last Van Der Want/Letcher show was back in 2005!), and at Patat in Cape Town.

“Apologies that I have to cancel these shows, but we’ll come back out for a proper tour later in the year”, responds Letcher from his hospital bed, disappointed about having to cancel the tour.

****  Chris Letcher Tour Postponed Due to Bicycle Accident   ****

London-based songwriter and film composer, Chris Letcher, returns to South Africa in July this year for performances at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in support of a brand new album. Letcher and band will also perform at the Bassline in Johannesburg (reuniting with old musical comrade Matthew van der Want, with whom the last Van Der Want/Letcher show was back in 2005!), and at Patat in Cape Town.

Recorded and mixed in London by Finn Eiles (My Bloody Valentine, Jack Penate, Razorlight), Letcher’s new album extends its precursor Frieze’s use of lush orchestration; bass clarinets, string and brass sections, mbiras and singing saws enfold drum machines and 1970s synthesizers to buttress an album of literate pop songs.

Performing in Grahamstown with Chris Letcher will be Katherine Mann (Quinta) (who has also recorded and toured with Bat for Lashes, and Radiohead drummer Phil Selway’s band) and Victoria Hume. Both feature prominently on Letcher’s new album which will be released internationally in September with European and US tours in support.

Letcher has recently completed the score for a BBC adaptation of the DH Lawrence novel Women in Love and a six-part serial drama for Sky1.

Letcher’s debut solo album Frieze (2007) received glowing reviews, and Letcher has performed at festivals and venues around the world. He is published internationally by Warner Chappell.

Frieze appeared in both The Sunday Times and the Mail & Guardian’s ‘Albums of the Decade’ lists, and has received extensive radio play, reaching the top 20 in the US on College Radio charts, and also featuring on the influential Morning Becomes Eclectic show on California’s KCRW, Australia’s JJJ, BBC 6 Music, and BBC Radio 3 in the UK.

Frieze was also in the top position on both eMusic’s Commercial Alternative and Progressive Rock charts in the US for ten months, and Chris has performed at Austin’s South by Southwest and Toronto’s North by Northeast. Other recent film music credits include HOUR a film made in collaboration with the photographer, Tim Wainwright, and My Black Little Heart with director, Claire Angelique, and cinematographer, Anthony Dod Mantle (Slumdog Millionaire).

Praise for Frieze:

“Keenly intelligent, musically dense, utterly memorable” Billboard

“Chris Letcher crafts songs that sound like dawn: low and creaky, slowly building to a big burst of light.” Rolling Stone

“A sense of luminous menace… further proof of the pleasure-potential of the disquieting and disturbed.” Guardian

“Letcher has created a world that feels somehow more real than the one we’re living in, and when the album is over, our own world doesn’t feel quite the same.” Etan Rosenbloom, Prefix Mag

“A lush orchestrated soundtrack.”  Editor’s Picks, Blender, US

“The most sophisticated rock album ever made by a South African Artist.” FHM

“An intricately orchestrated, sincerely sung and often humorous offering… disquieting, electro-flecked, intricately composed revenge ballads.” Critics’ Choice, London Time Out

Deep Frieze – Chris Letcher from Chris Letcher on Vimeo.

Date: 2 July 2011
Venue: Bassline, Johannesburg
Line-Up: Chris Letcher (with a special Van Der Want/Letcher performance)
Time: 8pm
Entrance Fee: R80
Address: 10 Henry Nxumalo Street, Newtown, Johannesburg
Venue Contact Info for Bookings: 011-838 9142/5/6, info@bassline.co.za

Date: 5 July 2011
Venue: Beethoven Room, Grahamstown
Line-Up: Chris Letcher
Time: 15:30
Entrance Fee: R80
Online Bookings: http://www.computicket.com/web/event/chris_letcher/364303154/190430303
Address: Somerset Street, Grahamstown

Date: 6 July 2011
Venue: Beethoven Room, Grahamstown
Line-Up: Chris Letcher
Time: 17:00
Entrance Fee: R80
Online Bookings: http://www.computicket.com/web/event/chris_letcher/364303154/190430302
Address: Somerset Street, Grahamstown

Date: 7 July 2011
Venue: Equilibrium, Grahamstown
Line-Up: Chris Letcher
Time: 12:00
Entrance Fee: R40
Online Bookings: http://www.computicket.com/web/event/acoustic_vibes_at_eq_chris_letcher/364306252/
Address: 63 New Street, Grahamstown
Venue Contact Info: bigalbabie@hotmail.com

Date: 7 July 2011
Venue: Graham Hotel, Grahamstown
Line-Up: Chris Letcher
Time: 14:00
Entrance Fee: R60 (Online booking via www.computicket.com)
Address: 123 High Street, Grahamstown
Venue Contact Info: (046) 622 2324       / grahamhotel@afritemba.com

Date: 8 July 2011
Venue: Beethoven Room, Grahamstown
Line-Up: Chris Letcher
Time: 18:00
Entrance Fee: R80
Online Bookings: http://www.computicket.com/web/event/chris_letcher/364303154/190430302
Address: Somerset Street, Grahamstown

Date: 9 July 2011
Venue: Beethoven Room, Grahamstown
Line-Up: Chris Letcher
Time: 11:00
Entrance Fee: R80
Online Bookings: http://www.computicket.com/web/event/chris_letcher/364303154/190430302
Address: Somerset Street, Grahamstown

Date: 9 July 2011
Venue: Graham Hotel, Grahamstown
Line-Up: Chris Letcher
Time: 18:00
Entrance Fee: R60 (Online booking via www.computicket.com)
Address: 123 High Street, Grahamstown
Venue Contact Info: (046) 622 2324       / grahamhotel@afritemba.com

Date: 10 July 2011
Venue: Gatta Patat Theatre (Cape Diamond Hotel), Cape Town
Line-Up: Chris Letcher + Benguela
Time: 8pm
Entrance Fee: R100
Address: c/o Longmarket Street & Parliament Street, Cape Town
Venue Contact Info for Bookings: 021 461 2519       / patat@capediamondhotel.co.za

For more on Chris Letcher, go to: www.letchermusic.com

 

Music News: Inside the Machine

If different genres were different drugs, metal would be heroin. You either end there by mistake or because the plunge made more sense than anything else. Its subscribers found the world on abrasive terms with its roots in technical Jazz and rock and roll and metal remains one of the few guitar genres still pushing the boundaries further, deeper, darker into the oily belly of its own self.

Despite having the most talented and obsessed musicians, who are often stubborn for change, having gone to extremes, metal is undoubtedly one of the least commercially viable genres in Southern Africa.

Which makes Terminatryx’s new video for Virus an anomaly with export quality production; the international metal world can and should take notice. In addition to Virus, Terminatryx are also working on a video for Siek+Sat an Afrikaans song, and they’re in pre-production for a video of one of the tracks which will be on the forthcoming remix album of their release, Remyx v1.0. Produced by Flamedrop Production, the album is to be released by ENT Entertainment after July 2011.

Remixes are not uncommon, but a rarity for bands (especially from SA) to have the entire album worked over. This is also an intercontinental project with remixers from 5 different parts of the globe, giving each song an individual take.

International remixers are: Martin Degville from Sigue Sigue Sputnik with Lloyd Price (UK); Industriezone (Austria); Sheep On Drugs (UK); Modern-e-Quartet (Greece) and The Awakening (USA / RSA).

Local remixers include: Battery 9, Nul, Axxon, and Mr Sakitumi.

Check www.TERMINATRYX.com

The only black band white folks care to hear and see, Blk Jks, are heading to Mali to record their next release. Not that interesting, I know. However word on the internet is they might collaborate with jazz marvel trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer and singer Hugh Masekela. Now say oooh and aaah.

The most famous unknown band, which featured in last issue’s Muse, The Brother Moves On, has finished a video for Rainbow Child. The video as the name of the studio, No Budget Productions, suggests, is cheap. However it somehow catches the song brilliantly. They get my vote for unknown act to play at Oppikoppi.

Looking for New Music:

John McDonnell of The Guardian called Brokencyde “the worst thing to happen to music.” The band are singled out in crunk-core, a genre that combines R ‘n B and screamo. Listen to: Freaxxx.

Kanivool a hard rock outfit who have distinct South African sound, despite being from Australia. They have been active since 1997 and have won several awards touring the world over. www.karnivool.com.au

The LA’s. A forgotten treasure of the nineties. Fronted by indecisive enigma Lee Mavers, who made his riches from the song, There She Goes – famously covered by Sixth Spence Non the Richer. Lee wanted to originally record the album on a Dictaphone and only ever managed to make one. A pop-masterpiece nonetheless. Listen to: Looking Glass, I.O.U (alternative version) and Son of a Gun.

Ard Mathews (pic by: Deborah Rossouw)

New and Upcoming Releases:

Gazelle are currently mixing and mastering their second album, The Rise and Fall of an Empire, at Dreamspace. The Merseystate owned and run studio are also recording Joshua Grierson’s latest and Ard Matthews’ solo debut. Ard has made the first recorded track Fire Within available on his website www.ardmatthews.com. It doesn’t sound a thing like Just Jinjer and leans heavily on electronic backing.

After a four month hiatus, and quitting V.O.L,  Kevin Rule has started new metal act With Dawn who are currently working on a yet-to-be-named EP. He just couldn’t resist a comeback.

Durban indie-pop sensation, The Otherwise, are currently planning their second album and a tour to Cape Town in July. Watch this space for more details.

Chris Chameleon has released As Jy Weer Skryf, an album that sets Ingrid Jonker poems to music. The album is available on Rhythm Records.

The Otherwise

The Wild Eyes have finally completed a follow up to their 2006 debut, Our Love has a Special Violence. The much anticipated EP is called Swastique. No surprises there. But expect this one to be plenty different.

Mr. Cat and the Jackal are presently filming puppets for the video of Bad Man He Comin. The video will be produced by Yesterfang Productions who are also working on a video for Captain Stu’s Tempo which should be ready in the next two months.

The Dirty Skirts’ new album Lost in the Fall is due for release in June 2011 [see our interview with the Skirts on Pg’s. 24 & 25]. According to Skirt’s guitarist David Moffatt “the sonic has changed on this album. We are closer to the experience that we’ve envisaged. We have deliberately preserved the grittiness of our pre-studio recordings. Some of the material is dark and hard, but there is loads of beauty and heart too.” Lost in The Fall  is co-produced by The Dirty Skirts and Neal Snyman and engineered by Brendan Rossouw.

Weird-but-revered-duo Witness to Wolves are currently busy with their debut called Porcelain, recorded between Down South and Frozen Heart studios. Only a limited edition of copies will be printed, but the entire album will be available for download. The group also plan to embark on a nationwide tour for a series of unusual shows.

Ex-Libertines frontman and most famous junkie on earth, Pete Doherty, has been sentenced to six months in prison. In March 2009, Doherty was one of four people taken into custody after 27-year-old filmmaker Robin Whitehead died from a suspected overdose in January 2009 . Doherty was charged with possession of cocaine and has pleaded guilty. This will be his third time in jail. To add insult to injury, his former lover Kate Moss is getting married to Kills singer Jamie Hince. The supermodel is also reported to have lined-up Snoop Dogg for her wedding.

Mick Jagger has started a new super-group called Super Heavy. With him in the band are Joss Stone, Damian Marley, Eurhythmics’ Dave Stewart and Indian musician A.R. Rahman. The band is rumoured to be in discussions for a major record deal.

Notorious B.I.G is to be marketed as a product. The rapper’s estate has done a deal with Brand Sense Partners who are planning to churn out a range of products bearing the rapper’s name.

Written  By   :   Johann Smith

 

 

News: Rancid to record new album later this year

Rancid will enter the the studio later this year to record their eighth studio album.

In a post on Facebook.com/rancid, the Californian punks told fans about their plans for the follow-up to 2009′s ‘Let The Dominoes Fall’.

“We are really excited about doing a small run of shows later this summer with our friends Blink-182. Immediately after those shows Rancid will be headlining four shows on the West Coast. Rancid has been taking an extended break for the last 18 months, and we thought that these shows would help us to get our chops up before going into the studio with [Bad Religion guitarist] Brett Gurewitz to record our eighth album in September.”

“It’s always good for us to go out and play some shows,” add the band, “just to get us ready before going into the studio, and that helps bring that live energy to tape. We’ll keep everyone posted with any new developments. 2012 will be a big year for us, because it’s our 20th Anniversary, so we’re definitely going to do our own tour all over the world. As always, we appreciate your support. See ya in the pit. Rancid.”

For more details on their US tour dates with Blink-182 see the band’s official site Rancidrancid.com.

 

Source   : http://www.nme.com

News: Pink Floyd redefine their EMI legacy

Major Pink Floyd release campaign, Why Pink Floyd…?, to include unreleased music from the archives, collectors’ box sets and complete studio recordings remastered.

Pink Floyd and EMI Music, whose association dates from 1967, announce a comprehensive release schedule, to be launched on September 26, 2011, encompassing CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, SACD, an array of digital formats, viral marketing, iPhone Apps and a brand-new single-album ‘Best Of’ collection.

The legendary band, who are still one of the most successful and iconic artists of all time, recently signed an agreement with EMI which has allowed the development of a multi-format programme of packages, many containing archive material that has been collated during an extensive process between EMI and Pink Floyd for a range of media formats.

The releases, under the banner Why Pink Floyd…?, are designed to appeal to a wide cross section of their fans, with music to excite first time listeners, while super-deluxe box sets will cater to dedicated fans, allowing them to immerse themselves in multi-disc sets, containing alternate takes, unreleased tracks, restored live concert screen films and a live recording of the legendary ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ performance at Wembley in 1974.

A series of different listening experiences have been specially created for this release:  in addition to remastered CDs called ‘Discovery’ and the ‘Immersion’ CD/DVD/Blu-ray/memorabilia box sets will be a series of ‘Experience’ Editions – coupling one classic album with a further disc of related content from that album to offer a deeper listening experience.

Roger Faxon, CEO of EMI Group, said: “This is a unique collaboration between EMI and one of the most creative and influential bands in history. We have worked together for more than a year on this programme which incorporates all the elements that have made Pink Floyd one of the most inspiring forces in modern music. Why Pink Floyd? Because their music is without equal and these exciting new releases will allow music fans to rediscover their incredible legacy and demonstrate that an appreciation for artistic quality never goes out of fashion.”

Storm Thorgerson, the band’s longtime Art Director, has overseen the visual design, including new booklets for all the CDs, new artwork for the box sets and menus for the DVD content. Respected photographer Jill Furmanovsky, has edited books of original unseen photographs. Pink Floyd collaborators James Guthrie (in the US) and Andy Jackson (in the UK) have been in charge of digital remastering to the highest audio and audiovisual standards.

Pink Floyd film archivist Lana Topham has supervised the painstaking restoration of many historic films from Pink Floyd’s classic era, included in the ‘Immersion’ box sets for ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ and ‘Wish You Were Here’.

First to be available on 26 September 2011 will be:

Expanded deluxe and special edition versions of Pink Floyd masterwork ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’, in a 6-disc ‘Immersion’ box set and ‘Experience’ 2-disc versions, as well as a collectors’ vinyl LP and various digital formats. Plus 14 studio albums, digitally remastered will be available separately or as a box set.

Other initiatives will include a digital marketing plan utilising user-generated content to allow fans to make their own creative contributions to the band’s music, plus iPhone Apps which will give a unique insight into Pink Floyd’s recorded legacy.

On 7 November 2011, Phase 2 of the releases will include:

Wish You Were Here ‘Immersion’ 5-disc and ‘Experience’ 2-disc editions, both of which will include bonus material from the band’s 1974 Wembley dates, including a 20-minute tour de force live rendition of ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, as well as a unique recording of ‘Wish You Were Here’ featuring the legendary jazz violinist, Stephane Grappelli. A collectors’ vinyl LP will also be available, as will various digital formats.

Released simultaneously will be ‘A Foot In The Door – The Best Of Pink Floyd’, a collection of their most well known songs, contained on one album for the first time.

The long-awaited 5.1 version of ‘Wish You Were Here’, mixed by James Guthrie, will also be released in parallel via independent label Acoustic Sounds.

‘The Wall’, which has sold 25-million double sets and has become a cultural and political touchstone over the last three decades, will be afforded the same exhaustive treatment on February 27, 2012, with deluxe packages including a 7-disc ‘Immersion’ set and a 3-disc ‘Experience’ edition. A collectors’ vinyl LP will also be available, as will various digital formats.

Pink Floyd’s official website, www.pinkfloyd.com, will be given a substantial relaunch from today. Pink Floyd’s FaceBook page now has over 11 million followers.

September 26:

All 14 remastered studio albums ‘Discovery’ editionsBox-set of all 14 albums with photo bookAudio downloads of ‘Discovery’ albums and box-set‘The Dark Side of The Moon’ – ‘Immersion’ and ‘Experience’ editions, Vinyl LP and digital editions

November 7:

‘A Foot In The Door -The Best of Pink Floyd‘‘Wish You Were Here’ – ‘Immersion’ and ‘Experience’ editions, Vinyl LP and digital editions

February 27 2012:

‘The Wall’ – ‘Immersion’ and ‘Experience’ editions, Vinyl LP and digital editions

In 1967 the band comprised Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Richard Wright. Barrett left in 1968, to be replaced by David Gilmour. Syd Barrett died in 2006; Richard Wright died in 2008. Pink Floyd have sold over 200 million records worldwide to date.

www.pinkfloyd.com

www.facebook.com/pinkfloyd

News: Fuzigish ‘Setlist’ Tour in Bloemfontein at Mystic Boer

The ‘SETLIST’ Tour continues…South Africa’s most legendary party band and successfully unique skanking machine FUZIGISH will be releasing their new album ‘SETLIST’ in Bloemfontein at The Mystic Boer with guest artist Frank Freeman on the 18th June 2011. R30 entrance and ‘SETLIST’ albums on sale for R100. Only hardened rock stars like Fuzigish will be able to survive the next leg of this “grueling” tour…..

On the 13th May 2011, Fuzigish, South Africa’s most legendary party band and successfully unique skanking machine will release ‘SETLIST’ at Cool Runnings in Fourways. For those not in Gauteng, do not fear as the Fat Ska Beatin’s will be dealt out nationwide as Fuzi hits the road this May, June & July.

The SETLIST album represents a collection of 23 songs taken from four previous full length albums. Fuzigish also decided to take a trip to the studio and record two new songs, “Burn the f%^&ing house down” and “We Rise!”. SETLIST is completely and proudly an independent release.

“At the time of this release, these are the songs that we seem to play the most at our shows. Our “Set-List”more or less, for the past two years… Almost.”- J Bones

SETLIST is the perfect album for new fans as well as die hard Fuzi fans. All the songs have been entirely remixed and re-mastered into more powerful tracks for your listening pleasure.

The SETLIST Album will be on sale at all gigs for R100. Don’t miss out on the limited edition SETLIST USB stick which features all 5 albums as well as artwork, demos and more for sale for R250. Fuzigish merchandise will be on sale at all tour gigs.

Fuzigish have remained one of South Africa’s top bands, both live and in what they record. Their longevity alone is proof of that tasty pudding, and the popularity of the recorded albums is the back up. After spending a few years on the back burner, Fuzigish are back, so Burn the house down, watch out for Secret police, keep it Maximum & many Fat ska beatings to you. Brace Yourselves!

The newest single- ‘Burn the f%^&ing house down’ can be downloaded from http://fuzigish.com/easylistening.html

TOUR DATESDATE TOWN VENUE COVER SUPPORT

Date: 13th May 2011

Town: Johannesburg

Venue : Cool Runnings in Fourways

Cover : R50 or R100 with album

Support : None

 

Date : 4th June 2011

Town : Durban

Venue : Unit 11

Cover : R40

Support : Low Profile

 

Date : 18th June 2011

Town : Bloemfontein

Venue: The Mystic Boer

Cover : R30

Support : (To be announced)

 

Date : 25th June 2011

Town : Johannesburg

Venue : BEEG Day Out

Cover : R100

Support : Many!

 

Date : 9th July 2011

Town : Pretoria

Venue: Tings and Times

Cover : R40

Support : Sunday Punchers Juggernaught

 

Date : 16th July 2011

Town : Cape Town

Venue : Mercury Lounge

Cover : R50

Support : Hog Hoggidy Hog

 

Date : 29th July 2011

Town : Port Elizabeth

Venue : Jesters

Cover : R40

Support : Sick Day September

 

Date : 30th July 2011

Town : Grahamstown

Venue : Slipstream Sports Bar

Cover : R30

Support : Folklore

 

Web : www.fuzigish.com

Facebook Page : www.facebook.com/fuzigish