So I was calling it writer's block but now I don't know what to call it. Uninspired? Following the wrong  calling? Bored? I have no idea so instead I give you all an apology.

It has been over a month since I posted anything, which would make me, pretty much, the worst blogger in history...and I still have nothing amazing to give you.

Yes, I went away, to an Arts Festival, so you'd think I would have amazing stories and gorgeous pieces of writing to share with you, but I don't. I don't know if it's because I am so over-whelmed by the creative processes I witnessed the whole of last week or if I really do have this phenomenon known as writer's block.
However, with all this whining and griping, I do have a promise. Fingers crossed there are some big things happening in the near future which means, I, as well as you guys, will have some spectacular reading very soon, one way or another. I promise!

Thanks for hanging around so patiently=)
Until then, see you on the floor!

since i have no party news to report being in hibernation and all (2 more days!!!)
i thought I would tell you guys about this little think that MK channel 324 have started showing.
It's basically an EPK on various bands and events that happen.
example they have the amazing 2011 Tomorrowland video up and recently they have started showing bands like a one-on-one interview vibe with Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins. They do local acts too.

I think it's great that they are representing alternative ideas of music and events. The slots are about 15 minutes so it's just short enough to be able to watch the whole thing and just long enough that it gives you alot of information.

here's the link for the Tomorrowland video to make you smile on a Sunday night=)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ8GXgfQjKU&feature=fvst

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd-KMfpCvjU

This song gets my toes wiggling every time!
Hailing from Pretoria these local boys are doing so good
Raboobie means Spiderman in Xhosa and this 'vigilante' song is awesome!

enjoy your Monday friends

no exciting news to report i'm afraid...i'm in hibernation

but my golly did any of you catch Broken Toys set on 5fm last night? I was in bed with a bug and was jamming as hard as one can in the horizontal sickly position.
Seriously, every time he plays my respect for him just rises.

On another, completely unrelated note:
I'm sure most of you have watched 'The Boat That Rocked' yes? ok well if you haven't, get out of your cave and watch it.
for this who have watch it again...with your eyes closed. that soundtrack is what i grew up listening to and it's pure gold.
oooooorrrrr you could just buy the soundtrack and watch the movie and have the best of both worlds. whatever you do, LISTEN.

Loves=)

also here is a little local loving.
these boys are from Jo'burg but they tour to CT quite often and have a pretty good following down here.
this is their newest single 'Tattoo' and i quite enjoy it=)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RD8vW25W0Y&feature=g-logo

a surprisingly good study song...just remember you have your head phones in and singing aloud in the library is not a good idea!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPtSKimbjOU

hi lovlies

hibernation is disrupting reviews and such but here's a little something i worked on in my media seminar and is looking good for a follow up article to be published so keep your eyes peeled!!!
happy reading=)

Old is the new new

Entering a club in Cape Town is like entering your home. You immediately feel a sense of comfort knowing what to expect in the music, the people and the vibe. Until that one night you walk in to a venue and instead of hearing the thumping bass line of electro at The Assembly, or screamo-metal at Mercury and Gandalfs, you hear the likes of PRINCE’S, ‘Purple Rain’ pouring out the speakers, or the psychedelic sounds of trance. Or you drive past Fiction on a Sunday night and see, instead of the usual drum ‘n bass hipster kids, there loiters instead, a group of 1920’s flapper girls and mobster-looking guys enjoying the sounds of Swing music filtering onto the balcony. What is this new phenomenon that is sweeping through the club scene of Cape Town? This is the changing of music stereotypes in clubs…and it’s fantastic.

Cape Town is certainly not short on the club-scene supply. It can be said that there is easily something happening every night at some or other venue around the city. From the oldies that have stuck around like Monday nights at Shack and Mercury and Thursdays at Fiction, to the usual festivities that occur on the weekend, and more recently Tuesday and Wednesdays claiming some fun in the form of events at Fiction, Assembly and Trinity, there is never a shortage if you want to satisfy a party craving.

People gather en masse at these various events because they know what to expect and they are happy with it. So why has there suddenly been an influx of ‘new’ music in the clubs on certain nights? Well, definitely not new music, as it is often something you would find in your parents music collection, or in the various remixed trance from a few years back. So this change can’t be successful right…well wrong, Cape Townians are notoriously cliquey but at the same time they thrive on new and innovative ideas so this is, in essence, a brilliant idea. The masses feed off being chic and trying new things, regardless of what it is, just so that they can say they tried it, so of course an idea that is so wildly different to what they are used it would go down well. Parties need to satisfy the need of the person before the person even realises the need is there. New music at the same, comfortable, known venue, it feeds all the right senses of the self-proclaimed ‘cool kids’ of Cape Town and it has therefore enjoyed huge success in the previous few months.

A perfect example of this new idea is the After Hours parties that have taken over The Assembly one Saturday a month. As Phil Kramer, the co-founder of this idea says,

“I felt like you couldn't go anywhere in Cape Town to hear people play rock, pop, old R 'n B records or whatever anymore. Certainly not on a good soundsystem…Lots of people tell me that it's their favorite thing at the moment.”

You walk up the stairs of The Assembly and instead of electro or the live music that is showcased on some Saturdays you are can expect to hear golden oldies…and the venue is busy. “I think people were hungry for something like After Hours when it launched,” says Kramer. Attendance has been on the rise every month since its inception and there are always rave reviews about the good times after the event finishes and the sore heads pass.

Therein lies the answer as to whether this event is successful but it also shows the idea of cliché Cape Town. It’s an idea that is liked for now but who knows how long it will last. New ideas rely on clubs that will take a chance on music and ideas that are not part of the club culture and, especially, in a city like Cape Town the industry thrives on such ideas. New is good in Cape Town, but different is even better.

Whilst the idea of these new ventures with different music genre’s in the Cape Town club scene is being happily received at the moment, there is always the question of how long it will last. Although it is indeed a positive thing, there is always the worry of whether it ha the following to go all the way. The reason for this concern can be placed upon the fickle character’s that frequent the venues or it can be placed upon the organizers, but regardless of who is, or isn’t allowing for the change to stay for a good long time for the moment, it is a positive aspect to the club scene of Cape Town. The real question now, with the introduction of this new and welcomed idea is why has it taken so long? Why have the venue owners and events organizers not seen this niche market before and followed through? What has been marketed over the past few years in and around Cape Town is safe but, as Kramer says, “being able to see what people want, which they aren’t getting, that you can provide with a high level of quality is important.” Yes it is, and having people who are willing to listen to the wants of the Cape Town party seen are saluted for their efforts and success.

ttp://soundcloud.com/jamescopeland/james-copeland-5fm-ultimix-17

that little baby there will have you dancing for daaaaaays.

hope some of you are going to check out the swing party at Fiction tomorrow night! it's always and fun night out.

to get you in the mood listen to the very talented James Copeland and have a dance around your room.

Happy weekend lovelies!

today's music wonderment comes from data romance.
I only heard about them a few days back and I'm already loving it.

give it a listen=)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ-x5dlNAd8

Because I have been so slack the last few days today you not only get a lovely story about some Cold Turkey but you also get magic for your ears x2!!!

song number 1: seriously can't stop listening to this...love, love, love these boys...The Black Keys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yCIDkFI7ew&feature=share

And song number 2: she's got the most incredible voice...the song may be a bit depro but it's Tuesday so just go with it=) I give you...Lana Del Rey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE6wxDqdOV0&ob=av2e

i have a serious love/hate relationship with Fez...well what was formerly known as Fez and is now The Sideshow but everybody still calls it Fez...confusing I know.

When they shut there doors last year there was a sad sigh all over Cape Town as people realized the circus antics of Friday nights were over...but people moved on and found new places. Until, suddenly whispers started doing the rounds a few weeks back that Fez was in fact returning...same venue, same music, same everything...except the name. from the guys who launched Dragon Room it was bound to be a good night...but there was no advertising really, thank goodness i think now!!!!
arriving at 11:30pm and the queue is snaking around the corner is never a welcoming sight. what's even worse is the fact that the snaking line is for guest list...the empty line is for paying...it still baffles me...it's a trend i just don't understand in Cape Town.
once inside you realize that everything is exactly the same, kinda disappointing if you ask me...the decor, drinks, set-up, underage/underdressed ones traipsing (read stumbling) around, etc, etc...don't get me wrong it's a fun place but like i said love/hate.

onto the music!
Riot Squad got the crowd warmed up as the clock struck midnight...i'm more a fan of their heavy electro mixes but what they played suited the fez vibe perfectly. after that it was the always entertaining Haezer, he payed his wares and did his obligatory stage dive and then Niskerone followed...because, well who else would you put after Haezer but Niskerone...duh.

I bailed after the epicness of his set so i missed the last dj (embarrassingly i don't even know who it was:/)
fun night but I give it 2 months and the novelty will wear off and it'll just be another too big, empty club on the Cape Town party circuit.

So ye, go check it out, it's worth getting a little dressed up and spending too much money on over-priced drinks and entrance (unless you're like the rest of Cape Town and have a guest list) every now and then=)

I have been shocking with the every day music post but to make up for it I have a musical wonder for you to listen to AND two lovely stories about a side show and some Cold Turkey...yay=)

first up:
to get your ears warmed up for the long week ahead I give you a local band that are making serious waves on the scene...each member has previous band experience and together they really work as a wondrous mash up of extreme talent: I give you Juke Royal.



http://www.facebook.com/jukeroyal/app_2405167945

todays musical delight comes from none other then the god of SA music HAEZER

this is because tonight he will be playing at the relaunch of 'the side show' at Fez and because he's pure freaking talent!!!!

enjoy=)

http://www.facebook.com/HaezerElectro/app_178091127385

It's drawing to that 'fun' time of year again when the only going out I shall be doing is visiting the library everyday and forming solid friendships with powerpoint, academic journals, pen and paper...exams are drawing nearer and fun is hiding away.

SO...in order to keep my lovelies happy and myself sane I have devised a brilliant plan.
I have this issue that i'm terrified people are never going to hear good music, even if it smacked them through the face. trust me there is alot of good music just in Cape Town.
so while my torture period commences you, at least, shall be happy as i give you on new music, band, dj, song, singing in the shower, etc, etc something or other every day=)

for the very first episode i give you a duo who are so good...I'll admit it took me a few tries to get into it until it slammed into me...these guys are pure brilliance. local boys Luc Vermeer and Sebastian Zanasi form the brilliant Christian Tiger School.
they are on fb, twitter and soundcloud but here's a little something something to wet the appetite.
their energy on stage is unrivaled and they pour it into their music in a very obvious way.

happy listening=)
http://soundcloud.com/christian-tiger-school

sigh having technology issues:/ post up soon!

I don't like crowds...especially at parties. I'm not a fan of being squished but i also like being right where the action is...this poses a problem for me more then one would think.

With this knowledge in mind imagine my dismay when we arrived at the Jungala gate in the wee hours of Saturday morning and were told over 2000 people had entered the venue already...absolute and utter terror coursed through my veins...that is ALOT of people.
I get it was a 3 day and we were a day late but seriously...wtf happened to the days when the crowd was huge at like 400!!!

It was freezing...and when i say freezing i'm talking about shivering polar bears and icicle eyelashes...that kind of cold. once we had parked, mixed a warm-up drink, ditched the shoes (they were cold in the shoes anyway so why not be comfortable and cold!) and meandered our way through the calf deep mud it was nearing 1am. As we carefully picked our way through the dark my mini friend made her first rookie error...she walked in front. Not only did she hit the green slime mud first she literally disappeared down the hill for a while...I helped her up once i had stopped laughing...you would have too had you been there. she isn't known as my pixie party partner for nothing...she's mini!!!! (sorry Kirsts)

reaching the dance floor we could now see where the 2000 other people were:0 it took me almost 15 minutes just to figure out where the front of the floor was (i had to follow the lumo caps)
Jungala is a pretty new party to the season but sadly it is also one of that definitely does not believe in the over 18 rule or limiting tickets. the one thing it has going for it...siiiick line-up.
once we realized how incredibly terrible the next 3 hours were going to be (until the kid passed out, the dance floor cleared a little and the music managed to maintain a beat for more then 4 seconds) so we did what any 'sane' old-time partier would do...we climbed into the back of the bakkie, huddled under thermal sleeping bags and had an hour power nap.

you know when you wake up with a jolt because you either got a fright or had the moment of terror when you thought you were missing something important??? that happened to me at 5:30am that Sunday. absolute fear told me that i was missing a killer set by the gorgeous Tune Raider...sadly I'll never know because by the time I had organized a breakfast drink, roused the troops, used the just cleaned bathrooms and got to the floor it was 6:30am...never fear though because Up-Psy-Down did an awesome job of turning my frown upside down! we ran back to the car after a quick warm-up stomp and got ready for the day. Mega-mix, sunglasses and less winter clothing. with perfect timing we hit the floor as Mad Piper started the set of the party for me. front right was manageable (it got disgustingly full and messy later in the day), faces were smiling, the sun was shining, bass thumping and many friendly faces were beginning to arrive. by this time the energy was reaching fever pitch. people started checking watches, inching closer to the front and whispering excitedly amongst themselves. there is only one man who could cause such reactions at 9am on a chilly Sunday...as he dropped the first beat everybody knew...ORCA was here to rip the forest apart. what followed was 2 hours of insane times. admittedly (and maybe this is just me) his build was waaaaay too long in almost every song and his drop wasn't that bone-crunching, heart thumping bass that tells you to shut up and stomp, negatives aside, you know the set is good when Sad Movie starts up and literally every person jumps up and down at the same time [you know the mini earthquake you all felt...that was us in Gouda;)]
After Orca, Blazed carried on the international awesomness and ensured that the energy never died.
I've only ever seen Silo play at night and was slightly skeptical about 1)his 12:30 time slot and 2) the fact that he was play between an international and local favorite Headroom, but maaaaaaan he did so good. Big ups, it was a killer set.
I'll admit, I adore Headroom, along with everybody else in Cape Town, but I left half way through his set...well actually my legs just stopped working and i figured that was my body telling me it wanted a shower, warmth food and a bed.

The venue was gorgeous, we were on an island bi#*@'s! and although there were a million too many people there the floor could pretty comfortably hold a large amount of dancing humans.
This is pretty much the last major party of the season as exams loom, it gets ever colder and well since when have there ever been parties in June before:/

I do hope everybody had fun, it was a good ender=)

harrow friendlies...
we have hit the mother of all work load weeks again so no posts until Friday...but I got a goodie for you in the form of Jungala fun and some more Fiction fun news.

Hang around you won't be disappointed promise=)

so i normally like to know what the night has in store for me but when i decide an hour or 2 before heading out where i'm going and with who generally i have no clue what i'm getting myself into!!!

thursday was the first time i have been out in a while (well almost a week which is surprisingly long for me!) anyhoo i ended up at Fiction with people i hardly get to see and it was fantastic=)

Fiction is always fun, people may complain that there is nothing different about the 'new Fiction' and in truth there really isn't (more on that just now) but one thing that has changed is the level of music they are churning out. having been open for little more then a month or so they have already succeeded in brining in 2 huge international acts. namely zombie nation last week and this week the sounds of Drumsound and Bassline Smith from the UK.

arrived there to the sounds of the ever popular Niskerone ripping the dancefloor to shreds and was also pleasantly surprised that it was not too full (something that never happens in Cape Town) once Niskerone finished up his hour and a half of magic the international was up and boy did they do good...even on the same sound system their was just so slick. each track melted into each other and the bass was insane. after an epic 2 hour set one had to wonder how on earth the next dj up must be feeling...but when you are SFR you really have nothing to e nervous about. for such a small man he really has a lot of energy! he just got up there and did what he does best...kept the party going.

so they have managed to get some amazing parties going at the 'new Fiction' but there are still issues...i'm sure there are valid reasons for this but really not serving beers like Amstel, Windhoek, Heineken...or Spiced Gold, or Captain Morgan...it's just weird.
Lastly, packing a million more people then the club can hld into the venue...not cool. when you can't even open the doors onto the balcony because there are so many humans pressed against it then you know there is a problem!

anyways, it was a good night and hopefully the new head honcho's keep the good music flowing=)
tonight is untamed youth with an amazing line-up that includes Haezer (always good) slightly more expensive at R50 but tomorrow is a holiday so your wallets will have time to recover!

happy reading
see you on the floor=)

it's taken me a few days to decide whether i was going to write this or not. reasons being i don't feel words can accurately describe the pain, beauty or amazing aspect of it as well as the fact that it's incredibly personal.

this isn't a review, or a critique, or anything to do with music actually. it's a reminder of a life.

on thursday the news of a shark attack having occurred filtered through the various social networks and gossip lines. the story was unclear and the media did very little to extinguish the false stories. later in the day it emerged that the victim was somebody known. the first thing one thinks when discovering news like this is 'that can't be right, you're not meant to know the victim of these things...the things don't happen to me...' well apparently they do...and it's one of the hardest things that can happen to you as a person.

the story remained unclear for a while as the media continued to blunder its way through false reports, wrong facts and a general mistreatment of the incident. it was only on friday morning that the story became entirely clear. David Lilienfeld had been attacked by a shark somewhere between 4-5 meters long while surfing with Gustav in Koggel Bay.

now all of this was reported on the news so we'll skip to the part that needs to be shared, his memorial paddle out on Saturday.

Driving into Camps Bay from Hout Bay i was met by the mist rolling in off the sea and shrouding everything in a strange, muffled, 'Pirates of the Carribean-esque' vibe. it was pretty freaky actually. as i drove along the beach front looking for parking i was met with the most incredible sight. hundreds upon hundreds of people gathered on the grass across from Cafe Caprice....and i do mean hundreds. people are saying there were close to 500 people there, and i definitely believe it. once parked and down on the beach i realized how incredibly quiet it was, the sombre mood was broken by a heart-wrenching sob or a whisper of condolence from one friend to another. i can honestly say this is one of the most painful things i have ever had to endure, there was so much sadness but also a feeling of camaraderie and love that i am so glad to have been a part of and to have been privileged enough to feel.

as everybody gathered on the beach in their wetsuits with their boards i got a sense of just how many people there were, and it was strange, those who weren't meant to be there (tourists, the ice-cream men) steered clear. it's like they knew this was a private matter...massive respect.
paddling out into the freezing water with the others there was no sense of urgency to get in and out (although it was freezing) it was like the love and unity that was being experienced was warming everybody up.
respects were paid, flowers were thrown and letters to David were burned in the middle of the circle.
i dont want to go into detail because i am afraid my words will never to justice to the absolute beauty that was there.

i realize this is not a full coverage of what happened on saturday but i also feel that it is enough for you to realize what an amazing person David was, how many lives he touched and how beautiful and perfect his send off really was.

what happened to him isn't right, but we said good-bye right.
love to his family and friends in this tough time, always remember the amazing person he was.
RIP David

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CfYZTvrMoU&feature=youtu.be

so...did you all have a jam-packed weekend?
I only made one of the mentioned events in my previous post but it was still fun=) if a little disappointing in comparison to the first event like this that was held a while back.

Converse...this little idea that you have made big through free tickets (every body loves free things) is rather brilliant...just one leeeeetle problem, there should have been at least 1000 more tickets. you know Cape Townians...when do they ever do what they say they are going to do. there were far too few people at the event this time around and one can blame the freezing winds or the fact that there were so many other events on that night but it needs to be taken into account...coz it kinda killed the vibe.

The venue itself was great, nice and big and open and the sounds from the three stages didn't mingle with each other and it was literally like walking into different worlds when you hit the various stages. I must admit, the line-up left much to be desired. there was absolutely no consistency. the chilled sounds of Beatenberg and Holiday Murray were great but it didn't really fit in with the whole night. don't get me wrong i love them but it was just weird. honestly the only set of the night worth mentioning is the magician that is Toby2Shoes...seriously that man can make anything work...people were jamming so hard and it was the first time all night there was some kind of energy to the crowd, pity it was right at the end.

aside from the weird vibes the entire set-up was slick...fun lamp mazes, a very kitsch bed that you could get your picture taken on, the bull riding from the last event and THE BEST THING...sumo wrestling....i noticed this bit as a 'midget' (possibly just a short human/child) was jack russel humping a tall mans face while both were dressed in sumo suits...absolutely incredible! the bar was reasonably priced and the staff knew what they were doing which was a nice change from most events!

all in all it was a great event but, honestly, had there been a charge on the tickets and had i paid for it i would have been extremely disappointed.

that's all for now, happy reading and see you on the floor=)

so much happening this weekend:
Cape Town has an astonishing talent for cramming major parties into one weekend and then being dry and dull the following...well maybe dry never dull=)

if you're stumped for ideas, take a look at this: THIS IS JUST FRIDAY!!!

*CONVERSE: TAKE IT OUTSIDE - for those of you that were at the block party a few months back you know how much fun this Converse concept is! A free ticket that you obtain off the event page on FB (sold out at the moment but apparently getting more so keep an eye open) there is a large variety of music including Mao, Toby2shoes, Holiday Murray, Beatenberg...the list goes on and on. If you get a ticket definitely head that way on Friday!

*ZOMBIE NATION is attacking Fiction this Friday too...seriously go check it out...the event is up on FB, tickets are pricey but well worth it...for a taster or if you're scratching your head going 'WHO?' click the link below and then thank me=)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSJQLCImV18&ob=av2

*TASTE OF CAPE TOWN is also on from Thursday to Sunday...it's the one time of year everybody gets guilty free eating from the expensive restaurants;)

*DIRTY BOUNCE...one of the best concepts I have heard of in a long time!!! Take 3 amazing bands, Nomadic Orchestra, Mr. Cat and the Jackal and The Bone Collectors...put them on stage separately and they're freaking amazing right??? right:) now put them on stage all together and you get an ear-shattering, mind-blowing experience of talent and amazingness! Do yourselves a favour and stop in at Mercury on Friday night to check this out. 3 separate shows by 3 amazing bands and then a collaboration by all 3 of there various songs...now that is value for money!

*Assembly has DCTHQ as usual but the line-up this week is something special!
SFR, Bruce Willis?? Mix N Blend, George Daniel, Totem vs ALXR and Phaze will all be making an appearance...sheesh!!!


If none of this pleases you head on out to Village at (in my opinion) the best venue of the season Flenterskloof Farm in Franschoek. It's a weekend event with some amazing dj's and lets be honest...always one of the best parties of the season.

Ok I think I've overloaded your senses with enough awesomeness!

Happy partying, see you on the dancefloor=)

WARNING: this post is a complete rant and totally opinionated so don’t read it if you’re sensitive to such issues. No clubs/venues have been named.

Is it just me or are there serious bouncer/ego issues in Cape Town at the moment???

I realise there are a lot of problems surrounding certain bouncing companies at the moment but does that mean that the ‘new’ bouncers (i.e.: the old ones in plain clothes) have the right to be completely rude and inappropriate?

Three times in the last 2 weeks of being out and about I have been subjected to verbal harassment, inappropriate comments and more recently a complete fuck up at the door.

Ok, ok from the beginning:

Entering a club last week I was grabbed by the bouncer and sniffed. I know some may giggle at this and now I find it a little amusing but at the time I was completely horrified as this bouncer made comments about my perfume, attire and general person. I’m sorry I did not come to the venue to be picked up by a large man in a leather jacket and gold chain…not really on my ‘to-do’ list for the night!

A few days later I went back to the same club and the same bouncer was at the door. Thinking he would, at the very least, recognize me and say hi (for all my sins) I was subjected to a tirade of verbal abuse because of my paper driver’s licence.

I realise that paper is no longer accepted, authorized or not, because it is so easy to forge but is it really my fault that 1) my wallet was stolen and this is my only form of identification at the moment and 2) the gaggle of giggling girls in front of me were bounced…no.

I recoiled from this bouncer screaming in my face as he tried to belittle me in front of the crowd (line) and calmly asked if he had taken the time to even look at my birth-date or if reading was not in his job description…not my most mature moment in my 23 years on this planet…but seriously what an idiot.

Yes he was doing his job, yes it was paper and I was in the wrong but then he shouldn’t have let the 17-year old girl behind me in…two sides of the coin my friend.

Lastly, and this is the incident that has sparked this rant of outrage occurred on Friday.

Correct me if I’m wrong but generally you pre-buy a ticket to skip the long-ass queue of those who weren’t so bright…right?  So very wrong it would seem in this case.

So you get to the club and the pre-bought ticket line is merged with the VIP line as well as the guest list line…still generally ok…not that night. The line was incredibly long, there was a FLIPFILE for all the guest list names and even the artists were queuing at one point. Now all this may have been generally accepted with slight grumblings right…not when the cash/paying line was being let in first!!!!

You pre-buy a ticket for a set amount of money so you then get to the venue (where they already have your money) and then you wait in a line because they are taking more money from those paying cash…that is pure greed.

I had a friend who paid cash and got in an hour before another friend who had a ticket…this is after they slammed the gates shut and those who were inside did not have the option of going out…the venue was not even close to full.

It caused huge problems, with the bouncers swearing at every person who came near them, punches were thrown at bounces and innocent passer-by’s and I swear one guy nearly had an epileptic fit induced from pure hysteria at trying to get in (he had a ticket)…It’s not a great way to start a night and it certainly isn’t a good reputation for a venue to be gaining.

I’m not saying it was entirely the venues fault as it was a semi-private event but really…the greed is too much.

First rule venues: stay loyal to those who are loyal to you.

There is something about events at Zula that brings a smile to every body faces. Maybe it’s the new venue still holding some appeal or perhaps it is just the fact that almost every event there is sure to be a night of fun and happiness.

Friday night was no exception. The line-up can only be described as pure awesomeness. Dj’s battling each other, mash-ups that just shouldn’t work but sound too appealing to miss and the added theme of ‘fright night’ being Friday the 13^th and all the hype attached to that in itself.

I was excited. Aside from it being the best friends birthday and, therefore a guaranteed night of debaucherous fun, the line-up and hype made it that much better. Aside from a few minor issues (explored in the next post) it really was a fantastically organised and fun event.

Onto the important bit: THE MUSIC!

I arrived as Mao vs. Das Kapital were warming up…and by warming up I mean the vibe and the mass of sweating bodies already on the upstairs dance floor. If any of you have seen these artists separately you’ll know how fantastic they are but together they were a warm, heaving explosion of crazy bass and happy commercial mixes from Das Kapital mixed in with Mao’s noise that no two men should be able to create…and it worked perfectly.

After getting the dancing shoes moving our group of happy friendlies moved downstairs where Bruce and Mark had just started what was, in my opinion, the battle set of the night. Bruce is the sunrise God of the trance scene and Mark has made a name for himself playing the early set at parties that keeps the feet stomping. Together they’re lucky there wasn’t a hole in the concrete floor. Mixing together like they were joined at the hip they literally had sweat dripping off the roof. (I’m not even joking I’m sure I felt a few drops on my head at one point!)

A seemingly tough act to follow…so the organizers time-slotted the one DJ that can play by himself and make the crowd that much happier…good old Broken Toy. He never disappoints…ever. Starting with his well-know tune Talk Talk he carried everyone through an hour of smiling faces, bouncing bodies and very sore feet the next day. Following James came the smooth act of Shift, playing a set that showed his years of experience. Although the set was good the anticipation of seeing the amazingness of Xatrix vs. Rubix Qube was palpable…for those of you that caught this act at Masqued Ball you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about…sheesh it was insane. It was like a brand new crowd had arrived and there was a whole new energy.

Moving upstairs after that amazing set for what we thought would be a change of pace we walked straight into the heaving mass of sweat that Niskerone had created in a way only he can. At some point in the night a surprising amount of hay made it’s appearance on the upstairs dance floor (I honestly have no clue where it came from) and as he closed the set with The Prodigy’s killer tune Breath mixed as only Niskerone can there was hay raining from the roof as it was thrown around…it was like being caught in an itch snow storm of hay hysteria…and so fantastic=)

Bruce Willis?? Vs. Lg Fritz closed the evening off in true style and so it was with very itchy, sweaty bodies, ridiculously sore feet and cheeks sore from smiling that 4am rolled around, he club closed and we dragged ourselves home.

Although I missed acts like George Daniel vs. Dublusion and Riot Squad vs. Pascal and Pierce as well as the always amazing Jester vs. Frozen Ghost because of the two separate stages I’m told that it was just as amazing.

Once again, an awesome night and if you haven’t been to a Zula event…seriously…get your act together ad head on over as soon as possible!

i'm back!!!!!

and boy, considering I have been retardedly slack this one is going to be a goodie=)

I was going to take you all down the rabbit hole to a wonderful land of mystery called the The Flamjangled Tea Party but that was a few weeks back, things are hazy and quite honestly there are truly no words to describe how incredibly amazing this event is. Do yourselves a favor and go next year, if you have a bad time I will personally pay you back the ticket money. I still wake up most mornings and wish I was back there.

Next, hmmmmm oooooo Labyrinth is back with a vengeance. they held 2 HUGE events, 1 for Public Holiday last month and the other as a fringe event to the CTEMF (more on that just now) both were fantastic but it still blows my mind that the guest list queue into trinity is longer then the paying queue. seriously...what...is...the...point??????? 

This CTEMF weekend was amazing!!! It's a brilliant concept and I really hope it continues to grow as a festival over the years (just maybe not on the same weekend as Jazz Fest!!!)

Basically it's a weekend festival that was held on the roof top at the Waterfront and it is dedicated entirely to electro...some of you may be shaking your head at this but, in all honesty, it's definitely the most popular genre around Cape Town and the festival attendance over the 3 days proves this.

Side notes:

* the toilets were amazing! i know this doesn't seem like an important thing but trust me...3 days...portaloos...girls worry!!!! these were perfect.

*the bar...EVERY time a drink was ordered (same round) the prices changed, and I'm not talking a few rands here and there i'm talking anything between R2 and R20!!!!

other then that it was incredibly well organized and definitely one of the most beautiful venues for a festival. sea on one side, mountain on the other, the weather was gorgeous and some of SA's top electro acts made an appearance. always great to see the Goldfish boys doing their thing...they do it so freaking well!!!! also a mention must go to Sibot and El Gordo...after their performances it is easy to see why they are paving the way for SA electro over-seas and why they are such hot property back here.

other things that have been happening...Fiction is back FINALLY!!!!! and it's good=) it's like welcoming home a close family member thats been overseas for too long.

however, maaaaaan hat did they do for 6 month!!?? yes it's bigger and smells better but there are random nails sticking out of some places, doors that don't lock in the girls bathrooms, nothing to dry hands on (again a big deal for girls) and a damn sneaky step and the bottom that is higher then the others and makes walking to the bathroom and back an incredibly unpleasant experience. add that to the missing inches of the stair railing and a comedy of errors is on the way!!!! it is good to have it back though=)

they've had 3 events there so far...the return of It Came From the Jungle...always for a bit of floor-shaking D 'n B. 

next was the FANTASTIC swing party on Easter Sunday. these events surprise me every time....from how dressed up and themed everybody gets, to the brilliant dj's and of course the dancing. who knew Cape Town kids had such class;) 

then the return of untamed youth happened....ohhhhh boy. aside from the ridiculous amounts of heels, boobs and vests running around (those who need to get that will) it was good. about 100 people too full but that's never gonna change is it.

that's about all i can think of at the moment. again, so sorry for the delays but i do hope this has made up for the loooong wait!

Happy reading=)

here is a little taster of some stuff i have been working on...and why i haven't been blogging...i'm soooo sorry aboutt hat kids.
anyhoo i wrote this for my media seminar at UCT. happy reading!

James A. Copeland is a diminutive, 28-year-old Cape Town born and bred wunderkind. He may appear unassuming and quiet but put him on a stage behind a set of turntables and he becomes a force to be reckoned with.

Continuing to make waves in the highly competitive trance scene of Cape Town under his alias, Broken Toy, he has recently added an extra psy-trance notch on his belt in the form of Super Evil and has broken into the newly revived swing music genre as James. A. Copeland the ‘ 1930’s, Havana born mysterious operator of the Swing & Big Band Operation.”

At the age of 24 James was signed to Alchemy Records and released his debut album filled with nine tracks that ensured he fast became a regular on stage at all major trance festivals. Four years down the line and he is now headlining many of these festivals as well as the off-season indoor parties. Asked how he feels about this, he gives the humble response of ‘just enjoying playing music that people enjoy listening to.”

Now that Broken Toy is an established entity he has shifted his attention to other projects. One of these is the insane pairing of James and Adriano Rodrigues, a fellow Paarl boy who can create sounds on an electric guitar that most would deem impossible. With Adrian on electric guitar and James on the decks they create a sound that can only be described as psy-rock…and that’s exactly what James was going for. The feeling they get when the bass drop of “we want your soul’ kicks in and every person on the dance floor shouts those lyrics at exactly the same time is what they want to create with every one of their songs. A feeling of unity and happiness all rolled into one kick-ass set that leaves people panting for more.

After all the fun that is created by his trance genre sets the idea of a swing music persona is mind-boggling. And yet that is exactly what he has created with James A. Copeland, the Cuban DJ shrouded in the mystery of his bands disappearance and his rise to fame…well that’s his story and he’s sticking to it.

Swing music has only recently made a comeback, especially on the Cape Town scene of eclectic music taste and people are devouring his tunes faster then he can produce them. With mentors like Swing Gods Fletcher and Toby2Shoes, James hopes to become as much of a favourite on the Swing scene as he is on the trance scene and with his live set at the Flamjangled Tea Party, “one of his favourite festivals” he feels that people are receiving him warmly and are happy to distinguish his various persona’s and genre types. Not much is known of his swing DJ guise and it seems that is how he intends on keeping it. He wants to create an air of illusion around a scene that is fast becoming a firm favourite in the party plans of Cape Town youth and adults alike. Much of what was asked during the interview was vague and non-descript…exactly how he wants it, for now.

Although he claims not to have any concrete plans for new projects in the near future, James has shown that a lot can be done in four years and we should definitely watch this space. From being the trance icon of Broken Toy, to the one part evil of Super Evil to the Cuban refugee of James A. Copeland, he has shown that there is much to be done and well received in Cape Town and he definitely plans on using that as much as he can for as long as he can

i'm alive people i promise!!!!!
just so busy, it sucks. wish i could just write and write and write but unfortunately I have to get my degree to be taken seriously!

I had a wonderful review planned for Flamjangled but it seems a bit late now. however, should i get a free second soon i'll post it because everybody should be allowed to experiance the magic that i did last weekend!

tomorrow i shall have tantalizing thoughts on Labyrinth, Assembly and Groovy Troopers (the reason i'm struggling with my degree at the moment!!)

in the mean time listen to music, have a little dance and a smile and await some happy reading=)

kids I'm sorry, I have so much work and, therefore I can't fulfill your reading pleasure tonight with lovely reviews and fun from Flamjangle and Labyrinth.

I promise they will be up in the very new future.

hugs=)

I have 2 lovely reviews/articles/fun times for you guys today but first I have abit of a rant.
when on earth did the guest list line at clubs/parties become longer then the line to pay to get in.
I don't understand it...these used to be a thing of privilege. you walked right to the front of the queue, got your entrance and had a good time. now you stand in a line for anything up to 45 minutes and often the door people are rude and act like they're doing you a favour by checking for your name on the list.

I just don't understand t.

Anyway that's it, fun stuff of happiness coming later today=) have a wonderful time!

everybody do yourself a favour and go watch Ismael Lo at the City Hall tonight! R75 gets you through the door to experience music royalty! I will be working so need somebody there to tell me how fantastic it was=) =(

It happened a week ago and only now am i piecing together the craziness that was RAMfest. 

After much moaning and groaning about the fact that it had gone from a 3-day festival of epicness to a 1-day, overly-priced festival there were still a large number of people who were not only excited for the event but who also paid the exorbitant price without batting an eyelash.

I must be honest I adore music with my entire being but had I not won a ticket (thanks Rolling Stone SA) there is no way in hell I would have handed over R350!!!

yeeessss there were 4 internationals and yeeeeessss there were many other local acts...but seriously that price is reeeediculous...and yet there were many people who most definitely did not win tickets.

enough grumbling, onto the important stuff. THE MUSIC. There was literally something for everybody that day...arriving in the 7th circle of hell heat I managed to catch the last 10 minutes of Das Kapital...fairly new to the electro scene (although one forgets this because he plays everywhere and he's brilliant) he had the crowd jamming hard even though it was pushing 35 degrees and it was the hottest hour of the day. once the sun had decided to chill just a little I ventured back to the electro stage for PH Phat's bouncing set filled with dirty bass and enough swearing to make a sailor blush! Sadly, due to unforeseen circumstances I missed one of the oldest, craziest punk madness around, the Hogs but rumour has it they, as usual, pulled off an incredible set.

As the sun continued to make it's cooling descent the excitement reached fever pitch, for in just 2 hours the international acts everybody had shelled their money out for would begin. but first, Hyphen and SFR decided to rip the electro floor apart as a pre warm-up act for Netsky...having played together for quite sometime now they are showing the Cape Town party scene how to mix and blend two fairly distinct sounds and make them work in perfect harmony. Because the main stage was running a good 30 minutes late I was able to catch the first half of drum 'n bass golden boy Niskerone's set...he has waaaaaay too much energy:0 but man, he's good. keeping an eye on the clock i hurried over to the main stage as Los Angeles natives AWOLNATION took to the stage. It always astounds me how slick these international bands are, it's almost as if their minds are linked to each other and they just know what they need to do next. I feel as though the AWOLNATION boys were tuned into my mind because I was getting antsy about missing Netsky's set because i wanted to hear the ever-popular 'Sail' the familiar intro began and the crowd went wild. having done a little jig i hurried back to the electro stage (really who needs gym when you have festivals) and who was just beginning the set of a life-time, Belgium wunderkind Netsky and magical MC Darrison. so began the craziest, mad-dancing 2 hours of my life. MC Darrison interacted with the crowd and kept them full of energy and Netsky put his head down and dropped some of the sickest beats ever witness on Cape Town soil. After that, a much needed dinner-break commenced with In Flames as background music. Haezer commandeered the electro stage for the non-metal heads and showed his international learning as well as his lilo boat crowd surfing talents.

once the excitement of 2 stages running simultaneously calmed down the whispers started. "what would Infected Mushroom do?" "Would it be 2 guys standing behind a turntable throwing out already heard beats?" the answer is a resounding NO! what did occur at 10:00pm on Sunday night was out of this world. 5 grown men climbed onto stage and entranced (excuse the pun) thousands of people for a solid two and a half hours. Just a little idea of hat went down they covered a Foo Fighters song (I'm sure you've heard of it...a little hit called Pretender)...wait covering is the wrong word...they transformed said song into a psy-trance song of wonderment. 

and so ended 12 hours of extreme heat, crazy dancing and an incredibly well run, slick production. reasonably priced beer, enough fresh water provided and for once more then enough toilets...yes there were a few hiccoughs and yes there were some very poor people on Monday morning but after a full day of exceptional music none of that really seems to matter...does it=)

Before anybody draws up pre-conceived ideas of 'just another music blog' yawn, sigh, move on...have a little read about what I'm about.
First blog, so guess I'll let you get to know me. When i was 12 I read my first copy of Rolling Stone USA and decided I was going to be a journalist and write about festivals all over the world...ambitious I know but right now I am finishing my undergrad degree in above dream and doing 'research' by attending as many festivals and parties as I can=)

This blog will not only have reviews of parties I attend (because everybody does that) it will also have random little musical happenings and going ons. example number 1: the other day i was at the Waterfront and there were about 30 children ranging from the ages of about 6 to 10 sitting on the floor in two long lines and singing a traditional xhosa song to pass the time...this may sound like nothing but after standing for 10 minutes watching this I realized that every single person who walked past this spectacle smiled and stopped, even for just 2 minutes. It's that power of music that I want to share on this page. The magic that can brings hundreds of thousands together to just stand and smile.