Cape Town Music Scene: June 2011
A while back, I did a blog post about the album launch of Macgyver Knife ( Macgyver Knife Album Launch). Shortly after the launch, I received a copy of the CD. Due to personal reasons , I was not really "into" listening to the CD at that time - I listened to it only for about a day. It was put aside, for later. I must say, from that first listen, I liked what I heard, but was not convinced.
About twee weeks ago, I started listening again. And again. And again. I liked what I heard more and more, and was more than convinced about it. My personal favorite track is "Mary Lou and the Guy" , and "Dark side of the Sun" and "Jaguar". "Jaguar" has a nice "live" sound to it, and overall I must say, the CD has a very unique sound. Not sure if I am correct on this, but I could hear the bass guitar much better on all the songs, than on any other CD I have listened to before.
Overall, a very well done CD, from packaging, to sound, content etc. As this is the first CD Review done by CTMS, I don't have a rating system yet - and decided I am not going to have one! What I said above is what I think - decide for yourself! I am happy to have the CD in my collection, and will listen to it often enough. Now, I must just see these guys live! Cannot wait! I will not say much more, other wise I will spoil it for you - do yourself a favor, and GET it. Where you wonder? Here are the details :
Sewing Legend is available in Cape Town at Revolution Records in Observatory (Lower Main Rd) and at MABU Vinyl in town (off Kloof near the Labia Theatre/City Varsity). The album is also available on iTunes -http://tiny.cc/j8xxu - and at www.cdbaby.com
Article by Vicky Jankiewicz ( @Vicky_JKWICZ )
It was time to see what the Ashtray boys were up to, and Harrington street was packed with cars when we got to Assembly. Doors opened at 8pm, and if you were smart, you could’ve gotten tickets on webtickets.co.za for R40, but you could also buy tickets at the door for R50. The venue was packed with people who were eager to see what Ashtray had in store for us. The band is Andre Pienaar on guitar with his amazing vocals, Regardt Nel on bass and backing vox, Rudi Cronje on guitar as well as Rupert Nel on drums.
Their new album, Measured in Falls, is a more serious album than their previous one “Bonjour”, which shows how they have grown – both musically and personally after just three years in the South African music scene. And no, they have not tried to be like all the ‘other bands’ by incorporating dance and trance and drum and base like other bands feel they have to do in order to fit in with changing times, which is a plus point. The sexy Ashtray Electric feel that you like, is still what they are about. If you missed out, you really have to check them out when they play another gig, because kicking yourself now is not good enough. Like all good bands who actually care about their fans, they played some of their older stuff like “Quite Overstared” and “When Sex Becomes a Sport”, not only new stuff that everyone still needs to get used to. The boys are so talented - it is sometimes hard to believe that you are not listening to the CD, but to the actual live act. Then you look up, and their presence on stage is something ‘electric’ which drags out your soul and makes you forget for a while where you are and who is around you.
“Release”, which is a bonus track on the album with Gazelle, is the popular track off the album at the moment, which has enjoyed high rotation at various radio stations like 5FM. The other eleven tracks on the album are lyrically deep buy touching on the concept of truth, deception and manipulation which comes along with it. According to Pienaar, this is everyday concepts that everyone has to deal with to define who we become and what we want to be. After the band got off stage, G-Zis took over with their genre of “Belief”. Alex Fourie and Adriaan Louw started their own DJ-gig, and I might add that this will make you take your dancing shoes out.
Favourite tracks on Measured in Falls are “Here comes the rain again”, “When the Weather Changes” and “I’ll Change”. The album was well worth the small amount of R110. The new band merch is pretty sexy too, just like their sound and look. Check them out, because they have been doing their own thing – and like the lyrics to “Bittersweet Manipulator” go “I don’t need to dance, I’ve got music in my blood”.
Big thanx to Biz Lounge for the pics
Follow Biz Lounge on Twitter - @Biz_Lounge
Link to Ashtray Electric FB page ------ > Ashtray Electric
And Twitter - @AshtrayElectric
Die is Cape Town Music Scene se eerste Afrikaanse artikel, aangesien die band waaroor die post gaan, Afrikaans is en geen beter manier om dit te doen, as oor die nuwe manne wat groot naam maak, naamlik Gee Oor. Hierdie is 'n band wat Cape Town Music Scene voel nog groot dinge gaan bereik! Hou hulle dop! Gaan gerus na hulle Facebook Page om van die musiek te hoor - Gee Oor
Barry en Johan kom van skooldae af al saam en het saam met ander vriende in ‘n band gespeel op skool. Na skool het almal hulle eie paadjies gevat, maar die twee het gebrand om nog musiek te maak. Barry en Sid het op Stellenbos ontmoet waar hulle ontdek het dat hulle altwee hierdie passie vir musiek deel en het ook so vriende geraak. Einde 2009 het Johan, Barry en Sid besluit om ernstig te begin musiek maak en het hulle na die 4de member vir die band begin soek. Dit is waar Wilbri by Gee Oor aangelsuit het, nadat Johan en Barry eintlik Wilbri se broer, Heino, genader het. Johan wat eers bass gespeel het, het toe sy plek agter rhythm kitaar in geneem en is net ‘n mikrofoon in die hand gestop. Barry het begin om riffs te skryf op lead guitar, Sid het dit uitgekap op die dromme en Wilbri het die band se klank voltooi met sy base en vocals.
Waar kom die naam dan nou vandaan? Gee Oor beteken om te luister. Vandag praat mense baie makliker as om te luister. Met sosiale netwerke soos Facebook en Twitter en gesels netwerke soos Mixit, Wats App en BBM is dit so veel makliker om jou stem dik te maak, maar baie min mense luister werklik. Met die naam nooi ons mense uit om te sit en net bietjie in te neem.
Gee oor is 'n Afrikaanse rock band, met n punk invloed, van Bellville wat bekend is vir hulle hoë spronge en energie belaaide vertonings. Elke vertoning verander die skare in bewonderaars en lank na die musiek stil is, wil die skare nog hê. Gee Oor is meer as ‘n band, dis ‘n leefstyl. Die vier manne se postiewe houding tot die lewe word gevoel in hulle up-beat musiek en ongewone lirieke. Deur middle van hulle musiek is Gee Oor oppad na ‘n revolusie om die gedagte patrone van Suid Afrika te skuif en ongelykheid en armoede te veg. Gee Oor het vroeg in 2011 hulle debut EP opgeneem en beplan om teen einde 2011 hulle eertse vol lengte album op die been te hê.
Daar waar musiek gemaak word is Gee Oor. “Ons hou van Rock&Roll… so dans saam!”
Die band bestaan uit
Johan Louw (21) Lead vocals & Rhythm Guitar
Barrry-John Gouws (22) Lead Guitar
Sidharta Philander (23) Dromme
Wilbri Voster (18) Bass em Vocals
Johan, Barry en Sid swot nog en Wilbri is 5de jaar by Tygerberg (Hoërskool).
Barry en Sid swot albei ingeneurswese. Barry doen meganies en Sid chemiese.
Johan kan ook bass en keybord speel en skryf meeste van Gee Oor se lirieke.
Barry geniet paintball en gym en Wilbri speel hokkie.
Wilbri ry ‘n rooi volla.
Johan is ‘n agent vir Herbalife.
Sid kom van Caledon af.
All die members is single.
Gee Oor beskryf die volgende oomblikke as van hulle belangrikste / gunsteling oomblikke sover :
Een van die hoogte punte van Gee Oor is definitief Vlakvarkgat Rock Fees van Oktober 2010. Daar het Gee Oor die geleentheid gekry om met bands soos Seisoen na Somer en Baarmoeder Gevoel te speel en na die tyd te kuier. Van Coke Kartel het ook daardie aand by die fees op getree.
By Leonz pub in montagy gardens het meerderheid van die crowd vir Gee Oor kom ondersteun. Die band het ‘n uitstekende performance gegee en hulle het baie gespring en die energie van die musiek het baie sterk deur gekom. Op ‘n stadium tydens die set het daar ‘n breuk gekom in die liedjie “Oorlog” . Johan, Barry en Wilbri het gelyk gespring… Sid het net gesien hoe sy drum kit voorentoe beweeg en die volgende oomblik was daar ‘n gat in die stage. Die band het dit reg gekry om actually die stage te breek.
Gee oor het in Maart 2011 weer by Aandklas gespeel. Ontwetend het ‘n maties fotograaf die show by gewoon en ‘n week later was ons foto in My Matie, ‘n baie mooi foto waar johan hoog in die lug spring. Die My Matie het Gee Oor beskryf as”… powerfull stage presence.”
Gee Oor het vir die eerste keer in Maart 2011 by Nameless Pub gespeel. Ons het daar aan gekom en die plek het maar redelik stil gelyk en ons was nie ongelooflik amped vir die gig nie. Die eerste band het gespeel en min mense het die koue trotseer om te kom kyk hoe hulle speel. Ons was die laaste band vir die aand gewees en het maar min verwagtinge gehad. Ons het begin jam op stage en maar net onsself geniet. Toe ons weer kyk was daar ‘n crowd mense wat buite gestaan het en ons ondersteun het. ‘n Redelike paar mense het na die show na ons toe gekom om meer ons musiek uit te vind en vir ons gesê dat hulle baie gehou het van wat hulle hoor. Dit is altyd ‘n fantastiese gevoel as mens by ‘n onbekende plek speel en die crowd ‘n gamble is… want as dit goed uitdraai dan weet jy, jy doeniets reg.
Die band het die volgende te sê oor die music scene : Die music scene is tough. Daar is baie bands daarbuite en ‘n groot meerderheid van die mense wat Suid Afrikaanse musiek ondersteun wil net na waar die “groot” bands speel. Aan die anderkant is daar wel redelike hoevelheid mense wat minder bekende bands ondersteun en na shows toe kom.Gee Oor het fantastiese fans en daar is altyd ‘n groep wat ons ondersteuners. Die crowd maak elke vertoning net besonders en gee die band energie om ekstra te perform. Oor musiek in die algemeen : Musiek is in ons bloed! Dit is in ons, dit is om en dit is iets wat jy nie van een van die band-members kan skei nie. Gee Oor sien musiek as ‘n platform om met ander mense te connect. Vir ons is musiek soos ‘n universal language, want al verstaan jy nie die taal nie kan jy definitief die instrumente en die emosie wat dit oordra aanvoel en geniet.Musiek laat ons leef! Van in die prac room tot op stage is dit ‘n passie wat jy kan uitleef en deel met ander. Jy kan dit op jou eie geniet, net saam met die band rond joke met nuwe riffs en lirieke of met ‘n hele crowd deel (vreemd of bekend). Die stage is soos Gee Oor se play ground waar hulle net kan fun hê en die fun met ander deel.
Hulle eie persoonlike musiek smaak, en wat hulle beinvloed as band : Johan: Straatligkinders, Relient K, Switchfoot, Mumford and Sons, Foto na DansBarry: Red Hot Chili Pepers, The Killers, Relient K, Foo FightersSid: hou baie van heavy metal en rockWilbri: Muse, Foto na Dans, AlterbridgeBand: Straatlig Kinders. 30 Seconds to Mars, Muse, As I lay dying, Foo Fighters
Cape Town Music Scene voel ook dat hulle manager, Heike Victor, 'n shout-out moet kry vir die great werk wat sy vir die band doen!
MANAGER: Heike Victor084 832 9576heikev@webmail.co.zaFACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Gee-Oor/113822848651213TWITTER: http://twitter.com/#!/4geeoor
Doors open at 7PM | Free
Pecha Kucha nights are informal and fun gatherings where creative people get together and share their ideas, works, thoughts, photographs - just about anything really. Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase for the sound of 'chit chat', it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea - 20x20 - twenty images in twenty seconds. It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace.
~ WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE : See You Next Wednesday ft. Stone-Age Citizens
~ FRIDAY 10 JUNE : Discotheque with Kennedy, Battle Beyond the Stars, Richard the Third & And Drop! (USA)
~ SATURDAY 11 JUNE : Ashtray Electric ‘Measured In Falls’ Album Launch
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. Now they launch their new album ‘Measured In Falls’ at The Assembly, with support from G-ZIS, Haasbroek vs Tommy Gun and DJ Sideshow. Presented by Jägermeister. Online presale available at Webtickets.