GIG GUIDE (Fri 26 Sept - Thurs 4 Oct )

Compliments of Zane Henry

Friday 28 Sept

International DJ Gilles Petersen plays the Bang Bang Club. Toll: R150 presold-R200 door. Tel: 011-728-8417.

8-piece funk group Alan Funk plays with hip-hop practitioner Ewok at the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

The Rocking the Daisies Festival kicks off today and runs till Sunday at Cloof Wine Estate, Darling. Line-up includes Flat Stanley, Tidal Waves, Love Jones and Bed on Bricks.

The annual Goth Industrial Gathering runs at Mercury Live. Battery 9, Psyche, Ankst and Winter Soul perform. Toll: R50. Pre-book at www.subterania.co.za

Cliffie Moses' 4–Sounds play the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

Evergreens The Brills play The Labia On Orange. Toll: R75. Tel: 021-424-5927.

Acid Blues play funky blues-rock at Carnival Court. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-423-9003.

Saturday 29 Sept

Punk-rockers Duck and Dive play Zula Sound Bar. Tel: 021-424-2442.

Kabel Tour, The New Black, ETC Crew and DJs AudioPhile021 and Binary play the Cape Audio College Party at the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

Luna and Gerald Clark play Seaside Blues Café, Melkbosstrand. Toll: R70. Tel: 021-553-2615.

Battery 9, Psyche, Ankst, Winter Soul, Noctivian, Mind Assault, Day Turns Night and Vendetta celebrate the launch of new record and distribution label Empyrean at Klein Libertas Theatre. Toll: R50. Tel: 021-883-3607.

Australian gospel rock band Planetshakers play The Lighthouse, Parow. Toll: R80-R90. Website: www.itickets.co.za

Sunday 30 Sept

Tristan Waterkeyn and Anika play the Independent Armchair Theatre. Gig includes Africa Burns (Burning Man) screenings and slide show. Tel: 084-318-5959.

The Lisa Bauer Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

Acoustic trio Palms Up plays Kirtsenbosch's Silvertree Restaurant. Toll R90 including a drink and starter course of soup. Tel: 021- 762-9585.

Evergreens The Brills play The Labia On Orange. Toll: R75. Tel: 021-424-5927.

Monday 1 Oct (eesh. Month start, on a Monday!)

The Alan Cameron Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

Tuesday 2 Oct

The Buckfever Underground launch their new album at the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

The Richard Caesar Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

Wednesday 3 Oct

Verismo plays the Independent Armchair Theatre. Toll: Free. Tel: 084-318-5959.

Taxi Violence and Blood Money play Stones, Tableview. Toll: Free.

Damn Right and 16 Stitch play Stones, Tygervalley.

The Jason Reolon Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

The Reminders play jazz standards at Carnival Court every Wednesday. Toll: free. Tel: Tel: 021-423-9003.

The Rus Nerwich Trio plays Joburg Bar every Wednesday. Toll: Free. Tel: 083-962-8065.

Thursday 4 Oct

Damn Right and LA Cobra play The Hidden Cellar, Stellenbosch. Toll: R20. Tel: 021-881-3428.

The Dave Ledbetter Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

Bed on Bricks plays Bohemia, Stellenbosch. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-882-8375.

Luna plays Zula Sound Bar. Toll: R30. Tel: 021-424-2442.

Son of a Thousand Blues plays Tanz Café.

To be featured in the Gig Guide, e-mail zane.henry@inl.co.za by noon on Tuesday for publication on Friday

dig the daisies

Welcome to your end of winter warm-up. hic. Rocking The Daisies might be the best thing since wood fires got boring. Let's have a lookie, then. Remember - it's daisies, not dassies.

The environmentally conscious organisers of this camping and live music weekend have ordered us not to bring glass bottles. So decant, ducklings, decant! It's about time we all hived off out of the shitty to have a beeeg party in the open. Bring your bikinis, boardshorts(no speedos allowed. sorry), your coats (spring is schizophrenic) leave your overworked, underpaid brain at the office (coffee shop, bar, chilly beach, lounge), open your heart and your ears, and prepare to be sunburnt and spoilt. Some of the yummiest in Syeeow Theffrican sound will be wiggling their whatnots for you. Although I like to think it's for me. hic.

The line-up is a bit of a Tidal Wave on Friday. Waddy's esteemed Associates will give you good Reason to Love Jones to the Max Normal while Goldfish gets a bit Rory at Mr elliot. Warning : put your Bed On Bricks (erm, bed? people camp with beds?).

Saturday gets Dirtier, with 3 Bored White Guys lifting Skirts on the Spring celebrations, supported by the eversmiling Beams (known for their South Paw) who will be swigging whiskey somewhere down 12th Avenue (might need your GPS to find it) . If you're a Shy Guevara, don't worry, Rastamie And The Warriors will prepare you for Comedy Hour. If you're a sentimental sod, you too will be catered for when the Rudimentals politely play a Cassette for the New Academic's Big Idea. if that's not enough, Taxi Violence will slaughter you all. Better be Jacsharp, or you'll lose your Nungarin.

Me, I lost it a while ago.

Sunday, day of repentance and reparation. Start on your knees (or is it on your back, wondering where the hell in heaven you are? And why your head hurts. And who that chick lying next to you is. and if it's a chick!) with the Restless Natives who wisely share the Boulevard with a 7th Son. If you're black n Blue, or you got a Flat, Stanley, stick around (erm, what choice do you have, really?) for a(nother) Comedy Hour. sjoe!

In between, there's a special tent of White, China, and a Lapse of Toby2shoes, because - hey DJ - some of us must dance all the time.

Like I said. Spoilt.

p.s. (and btw and fyi) if you kak in the bos, bury it properly. (and take your trash home with you, too, or we wont' be able to come here next year:

hic

(photo borrowed from here)

GIG guide (Fri 21 Sept - Wed 26 Sept)

Compliments of Zane Henry

Friday 21 September

· Local punks Half-Price, LP Show play with Jozi insurgents Swivelfoot at the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· Dark-rockers The Sleepers and I, Villain host a slumber party at ROAR. Prizes for the best dressed.

· Bed On Bricks play Dorpstraat Theatre, Stellenbosch. Toll: R50. Tel: 021-886-6107.

· Brazilian electro-percussive band Napalma plays with 3 Rand Coin at Roots, Observatory. Toll: R20. Tel: 021-448-7656.

· Celtic-rockers Shenanigans plays Fogey's Railway House, Muizenberg. Toll: R20. Tel: 021-788-3252.

· Afro jazz group Mpho and Uvimba play the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Acid Blues play blues/funk/rock at Carnival Court every Wednesday. Tel: 021-423-9003.

Saturday 22 September

· Taxi Violence, 12^th Avenue, Brasse Vannie Kaap, Bed On Bricks and others play the Whale Festival, Hermanus. Toll: R40. Tel: 028-313-0928.

· Flat Stanley plays Dorpstraat Theatre. Tel: 021-886-6107.

· Celtic-rockers Shenanigans plays False Bay Yacht Club, Simonstown. Tel: 021-786-1703.

· Tucan Tucan play a free gig at the V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre. Support the Sunflower Foundation by buying a bandana.

· Veteran rocker Robin Auld plays a solo show at the Kunskafee, Durbanville. This guy is the shizzle. Tel: 021-979-3131.

· The Hippie Annihilation Project Clothing Launch features performances by The Spindle Sect, Throatball, Point Blank, Corne and Twakkie DJ Simian and DJ Sideshow at the Independent Armchair Theatre. Toll: R50. Tel: 021-447-1514.

· Afro jazz group Mpho and Uvimba play the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

Sunday 23 September

· Bed On Bricks and Watershed play the Hermanus Whale Festival.

· Sammy Hartman plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Tina Schouw, Ernestine Deane and Malika Ndlovu combine their vocal and poetic talent in Womantide at Kirstenbosch's Silvertree Restaurant. Toll: R90 including a drink and soup starter. Tel: 021-762-9585.

· Camillo Lombaard and Willie van Zyl play the Winchester Mansions at 11am. Toll: R165 including a brunch buffet, a glass of bubbly and a newspaper. Tel: 021-434-2351.

Monday 24 September (public holiday)

· The Jason Reolon Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Hardcore merchants Yes Sir! Mr Machine plays Mercury Live. Toll: R10. Tel: 021-465-2106.

· Driemanskap, Zama Batyi and Jazzart Dance Theatre pay tribute to jazz veteran Lois Moholo-Moholo. Toll: R50. Tel: 021-421-7695.

Tuesday 25 September

· Native Dialect plays the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· Emma Du Preez, Josh Grierson and Louise Day play the Waiting Room as part of its City Folk sessions. Toll: R 20. Tel: 021-423-7635.

· The Dave Ledbetter Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

Wednesday 26 September

· Verismo plays the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· The Vontaines play Mercury Live. Toll: R20. Tel: 021-465-2106.

· Valiant, Ollie and the Mystic Boereorkes play the Dorpstraat Theatre, Stellenbosch. Toll: R90. Tel: 021-886-6107.

· The Danish Connection plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· The Reminders play Carnival Court. Tel: 021-423-9003.

· The Rus Nerwich Trio plays Joburg every Wednesday night. Toll: Free. Tel: 083-962-8065.

Thursday 27 September

· Akoustik'not featuring Mark Fransman plays the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· Valiant, Ollie and the Mystic Boereorkes play the Dorpstraat Theatre, Stellenbosch. Toll: R90. Tel: 021-886-6107.

· Bed On Bricks and Tidal Waves play Roots, Observatory. Tel: 021-448-7656.

· The Natasha Roth Quartet plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Big Idea plays Zula Sound Bar. Tel: 021-424-2442.

To be featured in the Gig Guide, e-mail zane.henry@inl.co.za by noon on Tuesday for publication on Friday

Babu jam

(photo from Babu's Face)

No, it's not a new something new to put on your sarmie. It's what happens when you put (from left) Rownan, Reza, Shane and Kesivan together in a room with some of their favourite toys.

Babu produces fine Jazz Fusion with an essence of the east thanks to a tickly fingered tabla player and the intricacies of classical indian compositions trickling in. Last night they seasoned their play with a smooth dollop of Buddy Wells, who is as tall as he is talented. What a treat.

Every time they play, you're guaranteed a fine articulation of excellent musical composition, and a sure build-up to a climactic crescendo which hits whenever and wherever it wants to. When the sound takes over like this, human beings seem to disappear into the music. The four (*um, 5 this night) let rip so well together, it couldn't be discordant if we paid them. (hang on, we do pay them, don't we? but do we pay them enough?)

It's evident that they love what they do, and that they're well matched as excellent, experimental musicians whose humility precedes them and whose passion for brilliant noise commands them.

BABU tastes good.
Take a bite.

Find The Party - Desmond And The Tutus

(yissis! This was written December 2006! - Nine months ago...enough time to birth a baby, né? Forgive, kittens, twas hiding somewhere in my harddrive archive – can you say that five times fast?! Harddrivearchivehardivearcdrivedarkhivearkdive eeuyaargh!)

*Ahem.*

Kiss on the cheek

(dec 2006)

Last night was a typical Cape Town Summer’s night out. You don’t always find the (right) party by default; it’s usually somebody else’s fault. In this case, many people contributed to my fun. I left the stiff-collared middle-of-the-road (but jamming) yuppy jol at armchair (hey, it takes all types to float a business in this industry, gil’s just doing his job for live music) and found a flood of summery seventeen year olds making the (former) Cool Runnings very happy about their deal with Cobra. There were hoards of homies buzzing about while the fire dancers tickled our short attentions spans with flashes of flame and local fame. Cape Town is living up to its reputation for beautiful women and pretty boys. I didn’t quite know where to look, actually, it was eye-candy-cum-kindergarten - Hip chicks with slim hips, the token would-be beauties with everything hanging out. Sjoe! Like any media mind-washed mêdem, my eyes settled on a tiny creature flaunting it all, sporting little more than a strip of fabric across her punani and a cropped leather jacket over the fresh, desperate skin exposing her honour. She looked lost. I wanted to take her my arms in and give her some undies to put on under her loincloth, and teach her that a woman’s weapons is not her wang – uh - whatsit. But anyway.. Freedom means finding your own boundaries, innit?

So that got old, and I ebbed off to Mercury, which is possibly older than all of us, and seedier. I enjoyed Eat This, Horse (despite their bad hair) and then I really enjoyed Desmond and the Tutus(despite their bad name). Sparing me the crackers and overfull tummy, the tutus brought Christmas to me. They did a dandy job of impersonating kissmiss trees. They came on stage dressed in skinny jeans and stripy tops (~sigh~) and long Hanson hair. (were the Hansons boys or girls? I was never totally convinced either way). The white, twinkling Christmas lights wrapped around their necks sold me completely - I’m sucker for sparkly things and party animals. With the stage lights off, they bopped around beautifully like illuminated robots, their knees knocking together in all the right places, and their heads nodding about in concurrence.

No idle promises from these boys –their noise is easy to enjoy, and they know how to dance, I guess, because they do it their way. It’s happy, it’s hairy, it’s happening.

Oh. And they rival Taxi Violence and The Sleepers with their flyer art…!

GIG GUIDE (Fri 14 - Thurs 20 Sept)

Compliments of Zane Henry

Friday 14 September

· Valiant Swart, Ollie and the Mystic Boereorkes play Die Boer, Durbanville. Tel: 021-979-1911.

· Goldfish, Shaun Duvet and Fredde From the Brow play the Bang Bang Club.

· Damn Right plays Evol.

· New Loud Rockets shoot their live video at Independent Armchair Theatre. Ashtray Electric support. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· The Soi Soi Gqueza Quartet plays the Green Dolphin. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Jack Hammer plays the Botrivier Hotel. Tel: 028-284-9640.

· Nataniel plays the Endler Hall, Stellenbosch. Tel: 083-915-8000.

· Acid Blues plays Carnival Court. Tel: 021-423-9003.

Saturday 15 Sept

· The Shy Guevaras launch their debut album at Mercury Live. Tel: 021-465-2106.

· Taxi Violence and Just Sarah play Zula Sound Bar. Tel: 021-424-2442.

· Magna Carta plays the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· Gian Groen plays the Dorpstraat Theatre. Tel: 021-886-6107.

· Southern Gypsey Queen plays Bloemendal Wine Estate, Durbanville.

· The Soi Soi Gqueza Quartet plays the Green Dolphin. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Jack Hammer plays Flaming Fox, Tableview. Tel: 021-556-1793.

· Nataniel plays Durbanville High School Auditorium. Tel: 082-565-1401.

· Sonny Horror and the Samurai Sex Cult, The Doppler Effect and Baitball play ROAR.

Sunday 16 September

· Sammy Hartman plays the Green Dolphin. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· The Hlulani Band plays the Winchester Mansions. Tel: 021-434-2351.

· Jack Hammer plays the Lord Nelson Hotel, Simonstown. Tel: 021-786-1386.

· The Lone Sharks play Kirstenbosch's Silvertree Restaurant. Tel: 021-762-9585.

Monday 17 September

· The Jason Reolon Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Tel: 021-421-7471.

Tuesday 18 September

· Cabins In The Forest plays the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· The Richard Ceasar Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Tel: 021-421-7471.

Wednesday 19 September

· The Reminders play Carnival Court. Tel: 021-423-9003.

· Verismo plays the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· Pariah Born and Feedback play Mercury Live. Tel: 021-465-2106.

· The Rus Nerwich Trio plays Joburg. Tel: 083-962-8065.

· The Andrew Lilley Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Tel: 021-421-7471.

Thursday 20 September

· Ilatha Lelanga plays Zula Sound Bar. Tel: 021-424-2442.

· Babu plays the Independent Armchair Theatre. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· The Duke Ngcukana Quartet plays the Green Dolphin. Tel: 021-421-7471.

To be featured in the Gig Guide, e-mail zane.henry@inl.co.za by noon on Tuesday for publication on Friday

julia is bare

So. It’s not everyday that you come across people who know - let alone like - Ani Difranco. I’m one of them (at the right time of month) and Jules is another.

This is not a comparison, though. (Julia’s much prettier than Ani, and it seems, a lot more grounded; not that we’re dissing our queen of cunt’s sky-high rants, we do need them once in a while) Julia has a voice like soft steel and she uses it to melt minds. But, nicely. And I point that out because nice is also a four letter word, like Rock, and Roll. And fuck. And soul. (yes, well, for the fine minded, consider perhaps that I meant funk? Not. Or, not today. I’ve got a headache.) She classifies her sound as indie / pop / rock / acoustic - depending on which site you find first - and she pops the cherry with a prussian pink belting of blues and burnt emo. In other words, she cuts, but you won’t bleed.

There are times and tones when Julia’s singing style echoes the musical maters that have influenced her with uncanny strains of Joni Mitchel, Laura Veirs and Dolores O’Riordan in and out of her outbreaths. But as she’s no hotel singer, imitation is a poor estimation of her claim to fame for laced between these flashes of historic sonic insight are bars and bars of untainted and original promise, and that’s wots got me all gushy. {yes, Zane, the taxi girl doesn’t only froth.} The promise is that she is as talented a songwriter as she is a songstress. She’s very recently formed a band with Josh (lead guitar), Gawie (bass) and Jaydine (drums), and I think we’d better all watch out. Coz maybe, baby, I won’t be able to complain of a lack of vivid women on the scene for much longer. I hope so. Complaining is so last series.

So word up to the BareSoled and bareSouled beauty. I’m sold. (Miles might be too…)

Jules (and The Fools) surface more or less unannounced, so watch this myspace.

P.S. don’t know who Ani is? Sies!

(pic nabbed from here)