Gig guide (Fri 9 Nov - Thurs 15 Nov)

Compliments of Zane Henry

Friday 9 November

· Acid Blues plays Carnival Court every Friday. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-423-9003.

· The Rus Nerwich Quartet plays Neighbourhood, Long Street. Time: 10:30pm.

· Southern Gypsy Queen launch their new album at Die Boer, Durbanville. Time: 8pm.

· Bed on Bricks, Jac Sharp and Stolen Souvenir play Zula Sound Bar. Time: 9pm. Toll: R40. Tel: 021-424-2442.

· NOFX, Hog Hoggidy Hog and Fuzigish play the Old Biscuit Mill, Woodstock. Time: Doors open 6:30pm. Toll: R295. Tel: 086- 112-1333.

· NOFX After Party at the Independent Armchair Theatre. Toll: Free if you were at the concert, R20 if you weren't. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· Lukraaketaar plays the Kunskafee, Durbanville. Time: 9:30pm. Toll: R50. Tel: 021-979-3131.

· Lara Frances plays Seaside Blues, Melkbosstrand. Time: 8:30pm. Toll: R40. Tel: 021-553-2615.

· Ghapi plays Dorpstraat Theatre, Stellenbosch. Time: 8pm. Toll: R70. Tel: 021-886-6107.

· Die Burger and Jip's Rockspaaider Kompetisie runs at Mercury. Ashtray Electric is the featured band. All ages. Time: 8pm. Toll: R10. Tel: 021-465-2106.

· Rock Evolution runs at Theatre @ the Pavilion. Time: 8pm. Toll: R90. Tel: 021-419-7661.

· Emily Bruce Quartet plays Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· The Parlotones play Nameless Pub, Somerset West. Time: 8pm. Toll: R50. Tel: 021-850-0413.

Saturday 10 November

· Jesse Jordan plays Black Bull, Stellenbosch. Toll: R20.

· Jo Ellis Band plays the Kunskafee, Stellenbosch. Tel: 021-979-3131.

· Emile Minnie plays Dorpstraat Theatre, Stellenbosch. Time: 8pm. Toll: R70. Tel: 021-886-6107.

· Rock Evolution runs at Theatre @ the Pavilion. Time: 8pm. Toll: R90. Tel: 021-419-7661.

· Buddy Wells Trio plays Sundance Café, Mouille Point. Time: 12am.

· Mama Know Nothing plays Independent Armchair Theatre. Time: 9pm. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· Emily Bruce Quartet plays Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Southern Gypsy Queen launch their new album at Die Boer, Durbanville. Time: 8pm.

· Table Mountain Blues Summit runs at Tafelberg Tavern. Features Boulevard Blues Band, The Lonesharks, Dave Ferguson, Delta Blue, Acid Blues and Dan Patlansky. Time: Doors open at 4pm. Toll: R160. Tel: 083-915-8000.

· I, Villain, Point Blank and No Better Ego Trip play ROAR. Toll: R20.

· Fong Kong Bantu Sound System plays Zula Sound Bar. Toll: R20. Tel: 021-424-2442.

Sunday 11 November

· The Loansharks play Joburg Café. Toll: Free.

· Bruce Muirhead Trio plays Sundance Café, Mouille Point. Time: 12am.

· Tucan Tucan and the Glenn Robertson Jazz Band play Groote Schuur High School, Newlands. Time: 6:30pm. Toll: R30. Tel: 072-601-2848.

· Amanda Tiffin Band plays Winchester Mansions. Time: 11am. Toll: R165 including brunch. Tel: 021-434-2351.

· Jay Brannan plays the Labia. Brannan played Ceth in the film Shortbus. Time: 8:30pm. Toll: R60. Tel: 021-424-5927.
Derick Hutton plays The Steenberg Estate. Tel: 021-713-2222.
Hilton Schilder Quartet plays Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471. |
Flat Stanley, The Rudimentals and Blue African Skies play Ignite, Camps Bay in support of African Tails. Time: 7pm. Toll: R100-R170. Tel: 083-915-8000.
John Russell, Erin Clark and Basil Moses play Fogey's Railway House, Muizenberg. Time: 1:00pm.Tel: 021-788-3252.

Monday 12 November

· Beverly Rinquest plays Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Fly Paper Jet performs their Travelling Salesmen at Baran's Theatre Restaurant. Time: 8:30pm. Toll: R60-R140. Tel: 021-426-4466.

· Alvin Dyers Trio plays Swingers, Wetton.

Tuesday 13 November

· Simon van Gend Band plays Obz Café. Toll: R25. Tel: 021-448-5555.

· Monique Hellenberg plays Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Marianne Holm plays Dorpstraat Theatre, Stellenbosch. Time: 8pm. Toll: R80. Tel: 021-886-6107.

· Restless Natives play Asoka.

· Open Mic Night at Mercury. Toll: R20-R10. Tel: 021-465-2106.

· Acoustic Sessions at Zula Sound Bar. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-424-2442.

Wednesday 14 November

· Verismo plays Zula Sound Bar. Toll: R20. Tel: 021-424-2442.

· Ashtray Electric plays Independent Armchair Theatre's Student Night. Time: 9pm. Toll: Free. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· The Reminders play Carnival Court every Wednesday. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-423-9003.

· James Scholfield plays Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Clark van der Hoven plays Dorpstraat Theatre, Stellenbosch. Time: 8pm. Toll: R40. Tel: 021-886-6107.

Thursday 15 November

· Luna plays Dorpstraat Theatre, Stellenbosch. Time: 8:30pm. Toll: R55. Tel: 021-886-6107.

· Duke Ngcukana Quartet plays Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

· Mike Rossi plays Independent Armchair Theatre. Time: 9pm. Tel: 084-318-5959.

· Offshore featuring Buddy Wells play Zula Sound Bar. Toll: R20. Tel: 021-424-2442.

· Jesse Jordan Band plays Vacca Matta, Durbanville.

· Rock Evolution runs at Theatre @ the Pavilion. Time: 8pm. Toll: R90. Tel: 021-419-7661.

· Chad Saaiman and Lloyd Jansen of Soul play the Soul Sessions every Thursday at Barmooda, Observatory. Time: 10:30pm. Toll: R30. Tel: 073-185-2070.

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

lyrical wishes

Dear God

I'd love to listen to

• A duet with Zolani and Thandiswa

• Chris Chameleon versus Inge Beckman in psychedelic vocal gymnastics

• Black Betty and the Diesel Whores in the same gig
  

• a stripped-down, acoustic ditty with Sanni Fox and Joshua Grierson (voice.guitar.heaven.)

• another ditty by Sanni Fox and George Van Der Spuy. just voices.

in the meantime, i'm really liking the spring birdsong at 5am. thanks.

Amen
Jezebel

Gig Guide (Fri 02 Nov - Thurs 08 Nov 2007)

Compliments of Zane Henry

Friday 2 November

• Fokofpolsiekar plays Mercury. Time: 8pm. Tel: 021-465-2106.

• Koos Kombuis and Ian James Watson play Independent Armchair Theatre. Time: 9pm. Tel: 084-318-5959.

• Acid Blues plays Carnival Court every Friday. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-423-9003.

• Mpho and Uvimba play the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

• Freshlyground plays Grandwest's Main Arena. Toll: R125 – R150. Tel: Computicket.

• The Rus Nerwich Quartet plays Neighbourhood, Long Street. Time: 10:30pm.

Saturday 3 November

• Adamu plays Zula Sound Bar. Tel: 021-424-2442.

• Writers Block and Humanizer play the Write4Gold after-party at Independent Armchair Theatre. Time: 9pm. Tel: 084-318-5959.

• I, Villain and The Uninvited play Cornerbar. Toll: R20.

• The Kyle Shepherd Trio plays Sundance Café, Mouille Point. Time: 12am.

• Mpho and Uvimba play the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

• Flat Stanley, Ezra and the Kronendal Music Academy play the Sunset Concert and Fireworks at Kronendal Primary School, Hout Bay. Time: 4pm. Toll: R30-R60. Tel: 021-790-2060.

Sunday 4 November

• Goldfish plays Ignite, Camps Bay. Time: 6pm. Tel: 021-438-7717.

• Joe Schaffers & friends play The Steenberg Estate. Tel: 021-713-2222.

• Andrew Ford Trio plays the Green Dolphin. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-421-7471.

• The Bruce Murihead Trio plays Sundance Café, Mouille Point. Time: 12am.

• LMR Trio plays The Forge, Kalk Bay. Time: 7pm.

• Dirk Blaisse and the Franschhoek Band play Winchester Mansions. Time: 11am. Toll: R165 including brunch. Tel: 021-434-2351.

Monday 5 November

• Julia Jakobsen, The Little Kings and Alan Funk play The Waiting Room. Time: 8:30pm. Toll: R20. Tel: 021-423-7635.

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

Tuesday 6 November

• The Buckfever Underground and Madosini play Independent Armchair Theatre. Time: 9pm. Tel: 084-318-5959.

• Fight With Fire plays Obz Café. Toll: R25. Tel: 021-448-5555.

Wednesday 7 November

• The Jack Mantis Band plays Zula Sound Bar. Toll: R30. Tel: 021-424-2442.

• Point Blank plays Independent Armchair Theatre's Student Night. Toll: Free. Tel: 084-318-5959.

• Luna plays Ou Mealteater, Paarl. Time: 8pm. Toll: R50. Tel: 083-564-0056.

• The Reminders play Carnival Court every Wednesday. Toll: Free. Tel: 021-423-9003.

• Zenith and V.O.L play Mercury. Toll: R20. Tel: 021-465-2106.

Thursday 8 November

• Jason Reolon Trio and Buddy Wells play Independent Armchair Theatre's Armchair Headest sessions. Tel: 084-318-5959.

• Chad Saaiman and Lloyd Jansen of Soul play the Soul Sessions every Thursday at Barmooda, Observatory. Time: 10:30pm. Toll: R30. Tel: 073-185-2070.

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

back . to . black

One warm spring night
On the first of November
Three bad betties put a wrong thing right

I should have known. With a year or so in hiding behind them, the queens of country stole our hearts in cowboy boots, sneakers and tentative smiles.

They’ve been up to no good in their downtime, it seems. “Black Betty,” the lead lady confided quietly last night, “had a baby”. This baby’s no new band member, though - it’s the music. Tey’ve christened the new addition “Mama Know Nothing” with typical country candour because they’re finding things out for themselves. They gave us a taste of a few brand new songs stripped down and stringed up before the boys came on stage with beats and bass. Never mind hors d’oeuvres. This is a musical mouthful.

The most powerful part of their music is not Sannie's astronomical voice that fills the room with shivers and fills your heart with hope. It’s the lead melodies and its seamless support. They’re strong and assured, and they ramble along country lanes, trip into dark pathways of the soul and tumble out of them into the sun again as effortlessly as a wandering breeze, or as suddenly as a storm, always filled with a robust lust for truth, however hard it kicks. It’s from this central point that they’ll expand. And with the indelible authority of Sonny's charisma, humour and hard wisdoms cutting into the air, there’s no going back. Unless it’s back. To black.

Galina’s fine fiddling dances between making your eyes spill and your feet tap and your heart swell. It’s violin without violence that embodies mood and emotion, and gives the songs a deeper dimension. Hagar’s electric baby croons and coos and sometimes slams with a tempered, integrated treatment that knows the difference between oohs, aahs and oomph. Together, the three sets of strings do delicious things, and their new, enthusiastic, articulate drummer, Ishai, is the cherry on the top, while Fez holds the bass line with a sublime smile and a bowler's hat. If Black Betty makes you feel motherless and godless at once once in a while, you’re not alone. If it makes you feel happy and hungry at the same time, welcome. Open wide, child. There are many mouths to feed in this family, though man shall not live by bread alone. ..

...but by every word. Their lyrics are lovely. Desultory and dramatically understated. Dark, with a smile. dangerous without apology. And incendiary. Listen to “Cuckoo Child” and “Country Woman” and tell me how old you think the lyricist is. For that matter, tell me who you think the lyricist is. then ask Black Betty. If both answers surprise you, you’re not half paying attention.

It’s clear they’re having a good time experimenting with rhythm. At times these forays into neighbouring territories of rock or blues are a little loose, tangential. The deviation can, at times, distract the critical ear from a yet-indefinable Something that is their elusive, emerging signature sound. But forsooth. It’s all part of the frantic fun of growing (up), and finding out, and the girls know that, and they allow themselves that, and I love them for that. For now, the bits of blues and tots of gospel in-between are crowd-pleasers that will, in time, undoubtedly mature and integrate into the full fabric of their music as their audience matures musically with them. “Mama know nothing” is a beautiful baby. Birthed by babes.

Damn you, country women. I want my heart back.

both pics property of Black Betty

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