SA ROCK DIGEST CHRISTMAS GIG GUIDE http://www.sarockdigest.com 16th December 2002 ----------*********----------- Separate gig section supplied with SA Rock Digest Issue #184. -------------- LIVE REVIEWS -------------- NEW SA BANDS TO WATCH IN 2003 Nadia Neophytou spotlights Lazarus, Ivanhoe, and Cruel April - three Cape town bands destined for bigger things next year. The band Lazarus has been playing a couple of Wednesday night shows at the Purple Turtle to, amongst others, an audience of supportive friends. It's a promising sign when these friends wear expressions of genuine enjoyment during the band's set and not the obligatory "yeah-you-were-good" kind of look. With the surge of punk bands in these here parts (especially at the Turtle), Lazarus are a welcome boost of strong rock and the band has some well-crafted songs. Like many new bands starting out, Lazarus has a few things to work on, stage performance being one of them, but unlike many that show promise and then fizzle out early into the run, this four-piece shows potential with staying power. Hopefully I'll be proved right. Independent media producer group, Bastard Media, recently held an exhibition of photographs of SA musicians in action. Newcomers Ivanhoe were set to play on the bill alongside the Dolly Rockers and the Buckfever Underground. A young band - most of the members are still in school - Ivanhoe perform with a degree of restraint, careful not to break too many rules just yet. But give them time. With a female vocalist who shows just enough spunk and attitude, Ivanhoe look set to join the breed of nu-Afrikaans "Klank" rockers, led by Kobus and Karen Zoid. Singing about a "nuwe generasie" and 'my liefde", Ivanhoe's lyrics reflect just one of the many identities living in South Africa today. I'd seen the name Cruel April on a few flyers, the band having played various gigs around Cape Town, but the Obs Fest was the first time I'd actually seen them live. As the second act on stage, in the late afternoon, the band wasted no time in setting the stage on fire. Strong guitars, lots of bass and solid songs performed with huge amounts of energy seems to be Cruel April's formula for doing things. Cruel April are a three piece to definitely look out for! (NN) -------------------- UIT ONS KOPPE UIT - EKSTRA DIK Vrydagaand, 6 Desember is die rockers Ekstra Dik se CD-uitreiking ('Uit ons koppe uit’) in Café Barcelona, die verbeterde watergat in Elarduspark, Pretoria-Oos, gevier. Ekstra Dik is al sedert 1993 aan’t woeker en het toeka al in After Dark begin note toor. Op baskitaar en agter die mikrofoon kry jy vir Ettienne Celliers, agter die ander mikrofoon hoor jy Ilse Klink se buigbare stem, die dromme word deur Tony Smith geslaan, klawerbord, kitaar, bekfluitjie en nog 'n mikrofoon vir sing word deur Chris Becker bestuur, en die hoofsnaarman/sanger is Adriaan Coetzee. Meeste van die 11 snitte op 'Uit ons koppe uit’ is deur Chris en Ettienne geskryf en Adriaan het ook 'n mes in die pastei met 'n snit of twee. Hulle begin die aand met 'Afrika Son’. Die ligte gaan af, slierte rook begin tussen die tafels deursluip. 'n Verdomp sterk openingsnit, met 'n lekker Afrikaritme en Ilse vooraan - "En ons sing en ons dans en ons lewe / Verslaaf aan die Afrika Son". Jou voete wil sommer net met die sypaadjie af riel. Ilse is 'n wildeperd op die oop Camargue vlakte. Sy gloei en glimlag, die donker oë blink. Heita. 'Herfsnag’ is 'n lekker ding met duidelike kitaargesprekke tussen woorde. "Wie gee jou die reg / My gevoel was eg / Nou’s alles is weg ja / Dis alles weg" - en die baskitaar loop tussenin met sulke swaar stewels. Dit wil-wil gemeen klink, weier om te oordonder. Luister mooi, hierdie bas se stem kry krediet waar dit moet. 'n Koel stuk geordende jazz energie in Snit 4. Die storie van 'Auntie Molly Wilmans’. Hier word vandag se Marius met gister se Frank vergelyk - en soos jy met Marius loop, word hy afgedank deur die nuwe bestuur omdat hy gestrem is en hy gaan vergas homself in sy motor in Schubartpark. Maar hy vat nog 'n laaste lyn. Hier spring die kitaar in en skrou vir jou - moerig en sad. Dit wat Ilse nie sing nie, lees jy tussen die note. 'Ystyd’ is die enigste snit wat oënskynlik effe gekniehalter word deur die los refrein. Dit wil-wil net nie pas by die res van die sterk lirieke en warm ritme nie. Duidelik is daar 'n plan hiermee. "Al die digters is finaal bekroon / Geen meer rede, en geen gelofte is afgelê / En ons lag en ons dans rondom 'n dooie boom". Woes lekker om die kitaarsnare saam met strotte te hoor vleg. 'n Goiingsak vol nuwe klanke en dapper woorde. "Magstryd in die politiek / Of die liefdesbed..." en in die double-beat doen Tony Smith onnoembaar vinnige goed met sy dromme. 'n Woeste gek ritme, maar sonder sukkel roffel hy daai stokke rond. Nou gooi hulle ons met 'ANC’. Ilse se stem kry soveel kleure en klanke dat dit amper onthuts. Die ANC ry met 'n limo om die hoek. En jy kan maar smeek vir goedkoper pille, puur verniet. Vir hierdie een kweel haar stem met 'n verraderlike rits kreune en warm spitse - veral in die refrein. Die byt is nietemin voelbaar. "Die ANC is in beheer / Die taxman en die unies het jou brein, jou balle beet..." Die baskitaar maak vir gogga bang met 'n donker doem-doemmm-duhhmmmm... en hierdie een maak toe met Ilse in jou kop. 'Morning Rain’ - 'n ligte maar sielvolle stuk ding getoor met emosie. Ettienne begin met "A quarter past twelve / And she looks towards the door / Her mind runs back / To scenes of the night before..." Hierdie song is verdomp mooi. Daar is die stunning kitaar net voor die refrein jou tref. Sulke haunting maar windgat licks, net om die woorde in jou kop te kom vasmessel. Die note is stil, maar die melodie weier om sag te praat. Hulle vertel ons van 'Will you be there’. 'n Rustige vakansieritme, maar ook met 'n struktuur glad nie volgens 'n boekresep gebak nie. Jy luister hom soos hy kom. En jy kan hoor hoe mooi Ilse pas tussen snaar en drom. Die ander lekkertes is die witwarm 'Fire’ met Ettienne se stem aan’t gesels, 'Loerbroer’ en die gatskop "Geraamtes". Die CD-blaadjie het nie lirieke by nie, so luister met 'n fyn oor, en kyk hoe Ekstra Dik hulle houding vir jou uitgooi. Die lewe hy’s lekker. Kou vir hom soos 'n perske. "Hoog bo die wolke / Of onder die grond / Net waar jy wegkruip / Daar sluip ons rond..." in "Loerbroer" bring 'n glimlag vir realiteitstelevisie. En met "Ek sit hier met my kamermure om my toegevou / Daar’s 'n draadloos op die tafel / En 'n hangkas vol geraamtes" - 'n vraag of jy regtig jou geraamtes moet bekyk. Hierdie CD is volgepak met Afrika-oemf, wintie jazz en denkende rock. Ekstra Dik. So uit die kop uit word die streep mooi dik getrek. Carina Laubscher Melville ----------------- RECOMMENDED GIGS ----------------- NEW DURBAN DOCKSIDE VENUE Greetings from Dockside 17 - Nottingham Road Breweries' brand new events warehouse. We have 800 sq metres for hire. We want to showcase South African artists! Where are you guys? Contact me so that we can put on some exciting gigs here in Durban. Anita Baker (customer Relations - Dockside 17) DOCKSIDE 17 Ph: 031 3376201 --------------------- AK MASSIVE TOUR Wednesday 18 December: Al's, Knysna with Arcane Thursday 19 December: Whammy Bar, Table View with Velve Friday 20 December: Barney's, Rondebosch with Arcane Saturday 21 December: Stage Magazine Music Festival Noon River Club, Observatory Saturday 21 December: Mercury Live, Cape Town with BOO! And Regatta 69 -------------------- ARCANE TOUR Wednesday 18 December: Al's, Knysna with The AK Massive Thursday 19 December: Mercury Live with Death By Chocolate and Slugs of War Friday 20 December: Barney's, Rondebosch with The AK Massive Saturday 21 Deember: Stage Magazine Music Festival River Club, Observatory --------------------- ANTON GOOSEN 28 Des. - Tassenberg Struisbaai Music Festival (solo) -Struisbaai - onbevestig 31 Des. : Mossel Bay Santos Beach New Year's Festival (with band) Kontak: Dirk Uys - 021-886 6642 2003 4 Januarie 2003: privaat funksie: Cullinan -------------------- CD WHEREHOUSE V&A Waterfront, Cape Town December Free In-store gigs 16th (11am) - One80 17th (6pm) - NAC Children's Choir 18th (1pm) - Karen Zoid (Rock) 19th (2pm) - Slugs of War (Rock) 19th (6 -9pm) - Thursday Sundowners with Smirnoff and What's Phat DJ Mixing 20th (2pm) - Azania (Reggae) 21st (12noon) - Abakhaya (African Marimba band) 21st (4pm) - Gommora; Robbie and S'bu 22nd (1pm) - Molly Baron 24th (1pm) - African Xmas Marimba Band 25th (12noon) - Cape Malay Choir 26th (12noon) - Cassida Band 27th (12noon) - Ambassadors 28th (12noon) - Latin Music 30th (6pm) - Jazzy Jeff - An international DJ, the producer to Will Smith and co-star in the movie 'The Prince Of Belair'. Jazzy has just released his first single and will be doing a signing and scratching session at CDW. ------------------------- HARBOUR MUSIC CLUB The line up, for the Harbour music club music evening Wednesday 18 December is as follows: Eric Sawyer Guitar, Vocals, Songwriter An entertaining performer of Folk Rock. Burton Lane Jenny and Roger Guitars, Vocals Very good vocal harmony from Fish Hoek. Cool Bananas Mark Harris and Alex Bozos, Guitars, Vocals Cool music with a humerous touch. This will take place at Ek & Jy the seafood cafe' part of the Harbour House restaurant complex in Kalk Bay Harbour, Kalk bay. Entrance R20 . Starting time 20:30 .Inquiries Dave 0217886330 or 0828534088. There is a bar with reasonable drink prices and there are excellent fishy delicacies with table service. Dave Plater 0217886330 0828534088 -------------------- INDEPENDENT ARMCHAIR THEATRE (16 - 22 December) Monday 16 - Dino Mirana and special guests Buddy Wells and Kesivan Naidoo This is Dino's second project since moving down from Mozambique. In 2001 he moved to Cape Town after being accepted to study music at UCT, and began this new project playing world music fusion - afro-latin, modern, drum & bass, funk, jazz & African music. Dino's on guitar and vocals, with Tony Paco (drum & backing vocal), Blue (bass), Monguezi Conjua (keyboards), and Tsepo Mugoane (electric violin). Tuesday 17 - A.R.T. African Rhythm Travellers (ART) is a new musical phenomenon born out of the union of the live dance act Colorfields and afro-reggae band The Branch. The style is a unique blend of energised and impeccably arranged dance floor material, African melodies and rhythms, and dub grooves. Wednesday 18 - The Buckfever Underground Time: Doors open 8pm Damage: Free Get your grubby paws on the results of The Buckfever Underground's recent studio outing, aptly titled 'Teaching Afrikaans as a Foreign Language' ('TAFL'). They will be selling TAFL CDr's at R35 a pop and special edition packs of all three of their releases (TAFL, Survival is Personal and Jou Mede Mens Is Dood) for R100. Numbers are limited so if you want to ensure that you get yours email gil@basatrdmedia.co.za. Thursday 19 Kobus Friday 20 Golliwog Saturday 21 New Porn/Cruel April New Porn is a new project featuring both Arno Carstens and Albert Frost. It can only cook. Cruel April are Jedd Kossew - guitar and vocals, Raph Kossew - drums, Michael Auer - bass Sunday 22 Sunday Movie and Pizza - 'The Big Blue' (Directors Cut) Details are subject to change. For More Info: The Independent Armchair Theatre Lower Main Road, Observatory, Cape Town. 021 447 1514 -------------------- JULIAN'S 286 Acacia Rd, Blackheath, Jhb. 011 678 2880 Thurs 19 Dec at 8.30 Pm, The Cuban Doctors, R25 Frid 20 Dec from 8.30 "The Mississippi Muthers", R35 Sat 21 Dec at 8.30, "The Best of Clapton and Hendrix", R65 Read http://www.cd.co.za/legends/julianlaxton Listen http://www.samp3.com/artists_l_s.html -------------------- JUST JINGER 20 Dec - Al's Dance Club, Knysna 23 Dec - Diaz Strand Hall, Mosselbay 27 Dec - Dunes, Hout Bay 28 Dec - Doodles, Parklands 29 Dec - Dockside, Century City -------------------- KAREN ZOID Dec: Mon 16 - Gansbaai (contact Anel 083 6070 794) Thurs 20 - Highstreet Teater, Durbanville (contact Trudie 083 454 3840) Thurs 20 - Pedro and Friends - Tygervalley (contact Pedro 021 9761 761) The public can meet Karen at the Tygervalley shopping centre after the interview of the show (Pedro and friends). Fri 21 - Dorpstraat Teater, Stellenbosch (contact Hettie 083 41 79 389) Sat 22 - Die Stalle, Hermanus (contact Anel 083 6070 794) Thurs 27 - Rock Festival, Struisbaai (contact Dirk 082 379 444 7) Fri 28 - Mosselbaai (contact Hennie 082 445 19 53) Tues 31 - TUKS, Pretoria (contact Anel 082 445 19 53) ------------------- MERCURY Mercury Live: (ex Jam) & Mercury Lounge: (ex District 206) Tuesday 17th: Venue closed to the public for private function. Please note that the Tuesday night jam sessions are suspended until Tuesday 7th January due to the holidays and events booked over the next three weeks. Wednesday 18th: Mercury Live: (ex Jam) & Mercury Lounge: (ex District 206) Plow Studios will be sponsoring an evening of live entertainment that features bands, not only from within their stable, but containing members from their management team. Plow Studios are the company that has graciously (and free of charge, I might add) provided the back line gear for the Tuesday night jam sessions. Finally, they will have an opportunity to host an evening for which they will get paid. The bands featured tonight have all played at the venue before and while all three of them are new on the scene, their founding members are seasoned professionals. In the 'Lounge' we have Darren Carrikas' project Spindle sect. Wouter Swart, know to you as Woody, bassist extraordinaire with Arno Carstens' New Porn, brings his latest side project, The Voodudes, to 'Live' tonight. Lyrical Herb is the side project of another Plow Studios music wiz. Hanro van Wyk is the man bashing the skins with New Porn. Doors open at 9pm. Couvert: R20-00 for both floors. Thursday 19th: Mercury Live: (ex Jam) The party season kicks into top gear with Slugs of War and Arcane from Gauteng and P.E. respectively. Both are the types of bands that provide great rock with a unique edge. In the case of the former there is a definite Celtic feel to their sound and according to one leading journalist "they are a hell of a lot of fun". Local flavour is provided by the awesome Death by Chocolate, recent headliners at the venue. Doors open at 9pm; couvert: R20-00. Mercury Lounge: (ex District 206) A recent addition to the proliferation of great female rock acts in this country is Wendy New who has been getting a lot of press and airplay around the country. Doors at 9pm; couvert: R10-00. Friday 20th: Mercury Live: (ex Jam) An evening of some of the best punk you will experience in this country. Fuzigish are back in town on their summer tour, with a bill that includes two local punk acts, Hog Hoggidy Hog and New World Inside. Doors at 9pm; couvert: R20-00. Mercury Lounge: (ex District 206) Tonight the lounge takes you on a trip thro' the Seventies with all the classic commercial classics, Disco grooves and Funk flipsides. DJ Charlie Brown hosts the night. 10pm til 4am. Free entrance all night. Saturday 21st: Mercury Live: (ex Jam) The incomparable Boo! Are back in the country for a visit and 'loyalty tour' (my term, not theirs) and as always they will be playing at this venue. Dorp will share the bill with Boo! tonight, and yes the rumours are correct, they too have cracked it overseas. A.K. Massive from Gauteng, will be the opening act for this incredible bill. Doors open at 9pm; couvert: R40-00. Mercury Lounge: (ex District 206) To compliment the zany tunes of Boo! we are firing all cylinders with Classic Eighties "All Night Long". Join Riaan and Moodswing for some old fave raves. 10pm til 4am. Your Hosts Sean & Kevin Mercury Live & Lounge 43 de Villiers Street Zonnebloem 8001 Tel: 021 465 2106 Fax: 083 118 227 5919 mailto:mercuryl@mweb.co.za Mercury Message! Will the contact person for the band All This For Nothing please contact Sean at The Mercury at the address above, as soon as possible. ---------------------- PEREZ, MARLOWE, JIMMY 12" Fri 20 Dec- Perez + Jimmy 12" + Marlowe @ Settlers - Gonubie Sat 21 Dec - Perez + Jimmy 12" + Marlowe @ Barnacles - Port Alfred Thur 26 Dec - Jimmy 12" + Marlowe @ Brass Monkey - Port Alfred Fri 27 Dec - Perez @ Al's - Knysna Fri 27 Dec - Jimmy 12" + Marlowe @ The Bone Yard - Jeffrey's Bay Sun 29 Dec - Perez + Jimmy 12" + Marlowe @ Flashbacks - Plettenburg Bay Thu 2 Jan - Perez @ O Bar - Hermanus Fri 3 Jan - Jimmy 12" + Marlowe @ Gecko Bar - Hermanus --------------------- PIET BOTHA Mon 16th of Dec Gansbaai Rockfees 20h30 Frans 082 550 5935 Tue 17th of Dec High Street Theatre Durbanville 20h00 Trudie 021 914 7030 Wed 18th of Dec Purple Turtle Green Market Square Cape Town 22h00 Paul Blom 082 928 8337 Thu 19th of Dec Rock Art Café Oudshoorn 20h00 Robert 0442791927 Fri 20th of Dec Zanzibar Knysna 22h00 Fanie 044 3820 386 082 8784171 Sat 21st of Dec Zanzibar Knysna 22h00 Fanie 044 3820 386 082 8784171 Mon 23rd of Dec Die Stal Oukraalsmond (Gansbaai/Pearly Beach) 22h00 Frans 082 550 5935 Thu 26 of Dec Struisbaai Fees 21h00 Ilse 021 88 666 42 083 411 0901 Mon 30th of Dec Potters Place Jeffrey's Bay 20h00 Helena 042 293 2500 Read http://www.pietbotha.com (a South African Rock Encyclopedia website http://www.rock.co.za) Listen http://www.samp3.com/artists.html Buy http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.cfm?bec=4321&searchfor=piet -------------------- ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE The No Cover Showband presents "Rock & Roll All Nite" at the Open Arms Pub, Voortrekker Road, Goodwood. Fridays 10pm to late, 20 & 27 December. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Van Halen, Fleetwood Mac, Joan Jett, Golden Earring, CCR, Jimi Hendrix, ZZ Top, Pink Floyd, Gary Moore, Rolling Stones and many more... -------------------- SEMISANE Wednesday 18 Dec - BUCCANEERS - East London Thursday 19 Dec - TOBY JOES - Port Elizabeth Friday 20 Dec - TIN ROOF - Knysna Saturday 21 Dec - FLASHBACKS - Plettenberg Bay --------------------- SONS OF TROUT 12 Dec - Oudtshoorn - Rockart Cafe 13 Dec - Jeffrey's Bay - Boneyards 14 Dec - Knysna - Tin Roof 15 Dec - Plett - "Dirty Vegas" 22 Dec - Kirstenbosch Gardens - Cape Town 31 Dec - Mossel Bay - Santos Beach Festival Read http://www.cd.co.za/legends/90s/sonsoftrout.html Listen http://www.samp3.com/safm.html Buy http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.cfm?bec=4321&searchfor=trout --------------------- 'THREE' TOUR (SA) - SUNWAYS Fri 29 November Equinox, Bethlehem. Sat 30 November CD Wherehouse, Rosebank Sat 7 December Rock Café, Witbank (with Jimmy 12") Fri 13 December Due East, Boksburg Wed 18 December Settlers, Gonubie Thur 19 December Buccaneers, East London Sat 21 December Brass Monkey, Port Alfred Tues 14 January The Bassline, Melville (unplugged) --------------------- SWAMP FUNK QUARTET Due to liquor license problems at the Wipeout in Muizenberg, the Swamp Funk Quartet/Usual gig on Friday 20th December is relocating to the Harbourside Tavern in Kalk Bay. This is above the Olympia Café, on Main Road across from the Kalk Bay harbour. We've booked out the entire restaurant area, which is newly-remodelled, for the evening. Two bars will be catering to your liquid refreshment needs. Ample secure parking is available in the lot next to the old Troubadour. Otherwise everything remains the same - tickets are available at R20 either beforehand through yours truly or at the door on the night. Festivities should kick off about 8.30. --------------------- VELVE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION TOUR Velve is a Cape Town based band made up of Lourens "Trucker" Lombaard (vocals & rhythm guitar), Charles Mulder (lead guitar & backing vocals), Wouter Burger (bass) and Wayne Katz (drums & sampling). Velve is a contemporary alternative outfit that presents their music with a subtle dark feel. Their songs vary quite considerably; from intensely pounding to laid back mellow, but they still manage to maintain a definite common thread, bonding the songs together to form an intricate unified whole. Velve will be doing a self-initiated East Coast tour starting in their hometown of Cape Town and progressing all the way up to Port Elizabeth. The tour has been dubbed the 'Immaculate Conception Tour'. It commences on 26 December 2002 and ends on 4 January 2003. On the tour Velve will be keeping a diary, which can be accessed via GALcape. It will be updated daily with pictures and stories relating to gigs and other interesting occurrences. E-mail them at mailto:velve@galmail.co.za Tour Dates Fri, 27 Dec 2002, Mosselbay - Tidals Sat, 28 Dec 2002, Plett - The Cave Sun, 29 Dec 2002, Knysna - Tin Roof Thurs, 2 Jan 2003, PE - Here Fri, 3 Jan 2003, PE - Cool Runnings Sat, 4 Jan 2003, Jeffrey's Bay - Boneyards ___________________________________________ --------------- SUBSCRIPTIONS --------------- To subscribe - please send an e-mail to: mailto:subscribe@sarockdigest.com?Subject=NewSubscriber Address changes - please send an e-mail to: mailto:subscribe@sarockdigest.com?Subject=AddressChange To unsubscribe - please send a blank e-mail to: mailto:unsubscribe@sarockdigest.com?Subject=unsubscribe BACK ISSUES http://www.sarockdigest.com/archives Online and keyword searchable PRESS RELEASES Please submit all press releases and gigs to Sugar at mailto:sugar@cd.co.za?subject=Gigs CONTRIBUTIONS Please submit all contributions, reviews, requests, searches and comments by filling in the form at: http://www.vagabond.za.net/contact EDITORS Brian Currin Stephen Segerman mailto:sugar@sarockdigest.com?subject=SARockDigest Postal Address: Brian Currin PO Box 521 Eppindust 7475 Cape Town South Africa MAIN CONTRIBUTORS Tertius Louw Daniel Neville Shiloh Noone John Samson Kurt Shoemaker <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "We you a merry christmas and a happy new year"