Featured Events
Event Review: Jozifest 2012 – The Perfect Music Medley
Last modified on 2012-02-10 11:18:21 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
The great thing about festivals like Jozifest is the atmosphere. I am greeted by vendors frying fresh meat and exchanging ice cold coolers with money and smiles. Everybody here has crazy energy; there are groups of hippies surrounding a guitar, singing to pass the time and hundreds of young couples walking around.
It was evident that this event has enjoyed maximum love and effort in the making. The array of artists and the execution of the performances was superb and of the highest quality. Newtown was transformed into a music toy shop, where every kind of toy is stocked and music lovers play with their ears as they listen to all genres.
Exhibitions included art, design and video stalls where I could eye feast inbetween the brilliant performances while sipping a tasty drink. Jozifest bragged a host of eleven international acts and forty of South Africa’s most loved and admired artists. A festival like this runs from the early morning right through into midnight, so the need to come prepared with a jacket and enough pocket money should be right at the top of your list. That being said, I definitely would have felt a lot safer if there was better security presence as the sun goes down in such a large open space.
Home-grown artists like Fokofpolisiekar, Foto Na Dans, and Taxi Violence brought the sun down in a typical, arm-hair raising fashion that is now synomous with the proudly South African Afrikaans Rock-Out movement. We love it.
Some of my favourite performances were from gem artists, by the likes of 340ml as well the singing sensation that is Tasha Baxter. As usual, 340ml lit up the stage with an upbeat tempo of jazz fused with hip-hop/ soul; and Tasha shone like the star she is. She lifted the lid off of my carefully enclosed inhibitions with her electrifying voice and stage presence. With the ease created by a performance like hers, it is hard not to slip into a mode where you feel like a kid again, surrounded by vibrant people who are there to totally lose themselves in the music, for just for the pure love of it.
After 21h00pm, DJ’s took over the stage, and replaced band equipment with decks and kept it bumping until just after midnight.
A better venue could not have been chosen for this awesome party, JoziFest and Newtown stand for and reflect the symbolism of the same things: the Arts in every form imaginable. It’s a young, vibrant area that played the perfect host. It was cool to see the lovers of jazz enjoy and dance along with the lovers of electro house etc. It just reiterates the power of music and its ability to bring people together.
I would definitely go again, if you haven’t yet, you need to check out the next one! The best way to enjoy it would be with a group of friends, enough cash to get you going (it really is money well spent) and a happy positive attitude.
A true musical medley of excitement it was. A mixture of live and electronic music proves to be a winning formula for this festival. Nice one.
REVIEW: Star Khulu
Event Review: Love & Light Day Party 2012
Last modified on 2012-01-16 10:50:04 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
After a long wait for summer and the kind of heat that goes oh so well with shaking your ass and stomping your feet, Love & Light happened this past Saturday and reminded Capetonians why we love to party outdoors so much.
We got there just around twelve and almost immediately felt the sting bite heat from the Paarl sun nip at our skin, at this point we were eager to get a drink and way too eager to get it popping. This seemed to be the general sentiment amongst the crowd, getting in and getting it going just as soon as you arrive.
Here was a festival treat in the form of a twelve hour long sunshine and outdoor electronic experience, wrapped under a red and white bedouin tent complete with merciful mist sprinklers. The pinkish haze that filled the dance floor left a sexy and safe feeling hanging in the air that almost felt like it swallowed you once you were inside.
Shorts and bikini donned non stop moving bodies to The Fog Show‘s live Violin infused set created a dramatic, intense and notably exciting start to our dusty dance floor thrill.
Later on, half way into the day (that was a myriad of hellos and hugs that felt way too hot) we made a little trip to the dam, walking over the brightly ribbon decorated bridge. This scene dropped against a brilliant up-close view of the mountain was just perfect, we dipped our bodies in nature’s pool, ordered Mojito’s from the pool-bar while still being treated to tunes by Gandalf thanks to the cleverly placed speakers.
After chilling on a blow up shark for a while and pouring endless cold ones down the throat we made our way back to the dance floor for the much anticipated Neelix set. Call it the heat, the chilled vibe we had just moved away from or just plain over expectation, but Neelix’s set just left something feeling a miss and not quite on the button. It could be the Techy sound that was prominent in his mix or the shear difference from the music that was playing before he went on. Alas we jammed any way, full throttle mind you.
Connecto followed next and as anyone who goes to theses parties knows, he never disappoints. We stomped, wiggled and acted just down right crazy. Symphonix (Live) delivered a traditional prog trance set suitably noted as the highlight of the day. He brought the crowd energy right up through the on set of dusk with his DJ set carrying everyone into the beckoning night.
A full day of gorgeous people, laughter, happy smiling faces and shrieks of delight was my reflection of this one day party. Something… I have been calling way too much fun since waking up yesterday morning. Needless to say, I definitely look forward to the next one!
Event Review: Rock The River NYE 2011/2012
Last modified on 2012-01-03 10:46:45 GMT. 1 comment. Top.
Saturday
One thing about Rock the River is that it certainly didn’t discriminate. While troops were predominantly sporting tattoos, piercings, bizarre hairdos and black clothes… floral and 80’s get-up could also be spotted amongst the crowds; this was a relief, because my take on being hard core (the small henna tattoo on my back) had faded to nothing more than an orange smudge.
After setting up camp we sat lethargically in the dust. Entertainment certainly wasn’t lacking. If you ever got bored of watching the sumo wrestling, fools trying to conquer the thrashing electric bull (panty flashes anyone?) or lunatics letting themselves be strapped to the inside of a giant inflated ball and pushed down a hill, you could always stare at passers-by. I witnessed everything from Mohawks to latex bodysuits.
Soon enough though, the comedians stole the scene – I especially liked Peter Sserwanga (‘Buying salad at McDonalds is like going to Mavericks for a hug’) as well as a chick called Angel (‘With a name like mine, I could have either been a stripper or a comedian’).
Visiting the Metal Stage reminded me of my Wynberg Sports Club days, when I used to smother my cuticles in dark polish (good times, good times). Instrumental talent appreciated and all, screaming goblins don’t do well for my disposition. We move on.
The surface of the ‘river’ – more like murky puddle – vibrated as the main stage kick-started with the jarring sound of Junkyard Lipstick. Turns out angry ladies can do punk, and well at that. Nicely.
I let ‘Dustland Express’ calm my nerves with a little old school reggae mixed in with his Electro. An appropriate name, as around his ‘stage’ – a monstrously large Red Bull truck – dust was being kicked up galore by some of the less scary-looking punters.
Evening ascending, we headed back to the main stage where one could now find lighter flavours of rock. ‘My Flawless Ending’ offered more than eye candy and ironic advice (‘Don’t watch TV kids’); their sound is catchy and playful. I wasn’t the only one rocking air guitar as a man in a cow suit stage dived.
Sticky from Vodka-infused cola, the rest of the evening was a blur – but I do seem to remember spending a lot of time at the Electro Stage, hugging people, passing out and being woken at midnight by a nearby car blasting 5fm’s countdown.
Happy New Year freaks.
Sunday
Rising horrifically early due to the harsh fact of HOT, we rubbed our eyes clean of 2011 and sought the cool miracle that was the ‘Chesterfield’ tent. Lounging on velvet couches we sipped coffee. Throngs of youth suffering cigarette withdrawals waited on the morning’s sales.
Later we enjoyed a brief trip to Blouberg to top up on resources (plus an eventful crusade to find an Atlantis ‘smokkie’), returning just in time to hear a Goth playing Cranberry covers. The evening kicked off with some melodic riffs from the pretty boys of Bicycle Thief, followed by The Sleepers with some darker tunes.
Back at the Metal Stage, the screaming continues. I try to join the head bangers, but I am too terrified of puncturing my skull on a nearby piece of stud jewellery. Seeking sanctuary at the Electro Tent, we stomped more sand as I detected the Star Wars theme tune in the dub stepping sounds of ‘InFemy’. Has Dub step become nerdy?
‘Reburn’ rocked the Main Stage 10ish, attracting thick crowds with their smutty tunes. After that ‘Fokofpolisiekar’ got everybody singing along to their Afrikaans melodies, serious anthem rock delivered with much energy. And so ended Rock the River.
All in all, I found the festival amusing, possessing qualities of raw with an awesome emphasis on local talent. A vibrant and layered experience shook me silly and took my new year experience into a music pallet frenzy. Now to get my brain back to normality and figure out this 2012 thing… Thank you Rock the River!
REVIEW: Rachel Briant
Images: Grant McPherson
Review: Deadmau5 at the CTICC in Cape Town
Last modified on 2011-12-02 09:43:05 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
With big sold out concerts by major international artists I often wonder what the expectation of the people going would be.
If you are simply a Deadmau5 fan, who downloads his tracks on your smart phone then play it to yourself on your daily train ride, you would have just expected the dude to show up, play your favourite tunes and hope that the sound was loud enough.
If you considered yourself a fanatic, you would have made your own custom Mau5head and worn it from when you were standing in the ticket line. Then once inside down as many drinks as you could and moved to the front to get the best spot possible.
The two above characters had the best time ever, because they were determined to. The supporting DJ’s Tommy Gun, Chris Jack, Roger Goode and Louis made it very clear with their beats why they were the ones selected to warm up the show.
If you are an aspiring DJ/Producer you would go walking in with a curious eye and ear, ready to scrutinize every wide aspect of the venue, from rig and stage set-up to the quality of the sound.
Did the Cape Town leg of the tour live up to everyone’s expectations? Well yes and no. Yes, because for all of us getting to see crazy-ass Deadmau5 play his high energy tunes live along with some of the best visuals ever, simply blew our minds.
Never mind the very emotional raver I stood next to who started yelling in a trembled tone… “It’s about to explode”… then dropped to his knees gripping the space between his eyes, nursing some very real tears. Or, the chick who got up on someone’s shoulders and flashed her boobies for all of Cape Town to cheer at on the big screen. Good, yes? Seriously though, these are good signs of a party being had! Say what you wanna.
Then for the more refined, experienced raver, there were a few things that were left a miss. For one – the sound was just not up to full booming scratch, with the size of the CTICC arena leaving too much room for reverb. No, sadly the sound didn’t carry that well, unless like the fanatics you were already nestled in the center of the dance floor since eight pm. No raver lights for the dance floor and generally, just a lack of vibe and energy created by being in the venue itself. Kind of like a, you get what you paid for offering. Hey, alrighty.
Well, if you went you can say you were there and saw his head, heard his voice and made the memory for yourself and with your friends. And if you weren’t well I can surely say you missed out on a world class performer who delivered a quality set of tunes and despite the circumstance of the set-up still managed to get boys and girls screaming alike.
WORDS: Mary Honeychild
Review: Partying it up at Synergy Live – Red Bull Studio Live Stage
Last modified on 2011-12-01 09:13:17 GMT. 1 comment. Top.
Red Bull Studio Live Stage
At last Synergy Live was upon us: a weekend of marvelous music located under a mountain range so epic it could have been a cardboard cut-out in a 40’s Broadway show. This was the second Synergy I had ever been to, and we wasted time at Rafiki’s before taking to the road post crazy-Friday-afternoon-rush-hour madness.
Arriving at our desired location, we scoffed as our test-car Mini took on those parking lot bumps like they were nothing more than mole hills, before joining the masses through the fenced pathway (do I see electrical lines?!).Weaving our way past rows upon rows of vineyard until we reached the open fields of the festival.
Fast tracking some tedious details involving a tent and a lumpy yellowing piece of sponge posing as a mattress, we set out over the humps and bumps of the walkway, ducking under the Synergy Arch in search of an Electronica fix. Greeting friends at the back of the dance floor, swathed in white sunlight and feeling the vodka take to my bloodstream, I found myself twitching to glitch beats that seemed to hint vaguely at the reggae genre. Later Jam Jarr, a local act of which I am mightily fond, inflicted our ears with a couple of bad-ass rap lyrics embedded in some glitchy… um, Glitch.
One thing can be said of the Red Bull Sound system: it’s loud. So damn loud, it needed no tent to help reverberate those heavy beats across the crowd. It also made the soil rumble so much so, it seemed as if Mother Nature herself had joined us for the party.
‘Electronic’ being one of the most mysteriously vague terms known to man, I cannot precisely relate to you the extent of my love for those gloriously strange sound effects that seem to speak in a language only a chosen few DJ’s can truly understand. ‘Bleep’ ‘blah’ and ‘kah-zoop’ are the closest to a translation I can muster. But boy are they fun.
Seems every DJ these days claims to be Dubstep maestro: whether this is because this is true to their roots or a jump on the bandwagon that is the commercial stream of the minute, one can’t be too sure. I’m just thanking J.H.Christus for the gift that is ‘samples’ – anything from ‘the bare necessities’ Disney tune to a Christmas jingle keeps a sassy sister like me happily humming.
A swipe of a wet-wipe or two later (the camping version of ‘shower’) we found ourselves yet again caught between a 4-foot high Jagermeister bottle and carnival rides blinking with lights and screams. This will be the Red Bull dance arena, and its sure was busy with moving bodies; electro-addicts getting their fix as computerised laser shapes fluttered and blinked across numerous screens behind our God, the dandy DJ daddy. A multi-coloured canopy danced above our heads, pulling viciously on its strings, reflecting the unrest only the likes of Nastie Ed could instil. His sick industrial beats took my robot moves to the next level.
It seemed we did a lot of walking that weekend. The car to the tent, laden like donkeys– 1 mile. The tent to the food stalls for a veggie hot dog with greasy onions – 1 mile. The food-stall area to the Red Bull tent for a bit of boisterous bopping – 1 mile. From the smaller stages to the main stage to eye up the big wigs bands– 1 mile.
Saturday saw Swedish F.O.O.L add some South American undertones to the mix, as well as sounds reminiscent of the rave era. We also managed to catch a good old chuckle about the likes of ‘creepy-crawlies’ at the comedy tent before the sunstroke/drunken monkey syndrome took over the reins of all reason.
Sleep was strictly for the passed-out. Floodlights shining down on us from above like some kind of pre-Nazi boot camp, there was never total darkness in the camp site. Plus, we were fortunate enough to overhear snippets of intelligent conversation (‘I masturbate a lot!’ and ‘how many ANC member s does it take to change a light bulb’ were real favourites).
Come Sunday, we watched in horror as the wind pulled tents loose of their over-garments, causing us to jump in our car and drive back to civilisation like the stodgy old couple we’ve become. Synergy is certainly for the more hardcore among us.
WORDS: Rachel Briant
Images: Grant Macpherson
For The Other Half of the Review of the LMG Stage by Eliza Day – Click Here
Event Review: Rocking the Daisies, A Whole New World
Last modified on 2011-10-13 14:39:26 GMT. 2 comments. Top.
Rocking the Daisies, a manifested makeshift lifestyle that breathes like a whole new world.
With gravel in my shoes, a fully packed weekend bag and a folded, pop-up tent I made my way to the camp site where I hoisted what would be my home for the week-end. Not much of a camper girl myself, I felt immensely proud at my ability to adapt to being a field daisy for the next three days. For real.
Quirky brightly coloured flower display fixtures on the entrance, five floors, sale stands of all sorts of comfort amenities, brand activations with some of the slickest freebie hubs and rocking one of the pimpest food courts seen in the middle of nowhere; all of this made the wine farm in Darling a type of village all on its own. Or even better- should I be calling it Carling? Nice one SAB.
The space had transformed now into a little town all about festivity that boasted a reception of a little more than ten thousand willing and eager music fans, countless journalists and photographers, the aspiring artists and the ‘i-came-cos-all-my-friends-did-fan’.
Party people, music lovers, attention seekers and eager getaway fiends filled up every nook and cranny of the escape created to remind us that there is possibly a little more to what we call life than just our jobs and peak-time traffic.
The Friday night line up at the Red Bull Live Stage tent flirted some of the most deep, sexy and grooving electronic music in SA.
C.9ine’s live act and electric guitar playing guitarist/vocalist whipped up a whole other flavour of dance floor frenzy that many acts promise to have, but these guys really did. With their signature style of Afro Deep House, they took us across the world with rhythms from throughout Africa, South America and Brazil. The result: wildly swinging arms and happy, mad swaying hips.
James Copeland’s split DJ personality brought out the funk and new world swing dance sensation that flowed perfectly after C.9ine and
carried us into the jazzy, throbbing beats of Joburg’s Kid Fonque that kept us delighted and superbly entertained when a saxophonist jumped up on stage and started playing along to his mix, once again proving how live music combined in DJ sets really sets apart your set when done correctly.
Monique Pascall, the queen of Underground Techno in SA was placed so perfectly to play at eleven pm, taking our broken in ears and non-stop moving bodies into a ready and needed, slightly darker, deeper and oh so grooving tempo and feel that only real Techno can bring. Her ability to read her crowd and fantastic track selection took all the ‘ravers’ (yes, and that includes me) to levels of awesome yes please we are happy you came and finally playing!
On Saturday afternoon The Mainstay Beach Bar down at the water complete with white, fluffy beach sand drew many sun-kissed half naked bodies to its shore. Mike Kennedy brought us some sexy minimal tunes to fill out the vibe. Dipping us into a zone of Cape Town sea side partying that’s reminiscent of just exactly how we get down.
I was compelled to stroll over in the absolute body lazy heat to the main stage that was sponsored by Ray-Ban sunglasses. Here I found that they were happily handing out free sunnies to crowd monkeys who were willing, wasted and eager enough for a great story when they got home to get up on stage and make fun-party-fools of themselves. Yep, we love those!
Tumi and the Volume were up at just after five and we chilled up in the Fish Eagle bar area – another random ‘VIP’ section that had an awesome shaded view of the main stage. The white shirted Tumi stood in the blazing heat, sang, rapped and slow moved his arms while his band played. A good delivery is what he brought forth despite the sun soaking he took while so clearly doing his best to remain focused on his performance.
The sun set not long after and we took the trek back to our campsites to rejuvenate and freshen up for the Saturday night festivities.
Audiophile 021 up at the hour of seven pm too the flow of the Red Bull Live Stage into the long awaited and very necessary Bass procession. Working that awesome sound rig to the start of max potential with his brand of Glitch, bit-driven Dubstep and heavily drum and synth laden Techno. Delicious.
SFR vs Hyphen, yet another good idea DJ combo when up on the decks, followed after with sounds and riddims of Drum and Bass, Dubstep, Glitch, Electro and Crack House, ripping through the tent and stomachs’ of all them happy Bass Fiends. Belly full.
P.H.fat spun up next and for the proceeding forty five minutes brought out the full force impact of their version of once again Bass heavy and certifiably sexy funky Electro Rap. With high energy and crowd pumping antics they managed to boost the excitement levels of even some of the newer Saturday arrivals.
Cape Town’s ‘Friday Night at Fiction’ Killer Robot Legends were up at eleven pm banging some of the tunes that brought together the bass (dare I say foundation setting) music appreciating young people that have been following their party nights in the city for some five years. They built the sound levels up all in the rightful slot just before Detroit Techno pioneer Kevin Saunderson.
I take a deep breath here and pause for a second… when remembering what the start of this man’s set was like. Kevin (The Elevator) Saunderson came in hard, deep, aggressive yet smooth with his first track slightly lifted from the Killer Robot experience we’d just had. Hot, sweaty, happy and after the entire awesome ear pleasing of the evening it was only getting better!
Taking us through a series of classic tracks, he did what only he seems to know how to do. Elevate. Oh yes, bumping, jumping, sucking lollies and sharing water bottles and drinks with my fellow ravers and gleeful friends, we only got higher! So surely and clearly in the midst of a legend he did not disappoint or live down the hype so often created by a big name coming to play a set in your home town. Kevin Saunderson destroyed!
Anthea Scholtz was up next and had the substantial responsibility of holding down the Techno fort after the beat rocking by Kevin. She did this with ease and grace, continuing the ecstatic flow of beautiful music going and we loved her for it.
Digital Rockit played the closing set as trio of musketeers in all black get-up and LED ring masked faces making it the perfect trippy end to a memorable night. So gloriously awesome in its show stopping appeal.
The tunes got shut off at around five am and the tent lights went on, the rest of the venue in complete darkness. Those of us who were still kicking a buzz walked almost as if by instinct to the water at the Beach bar area. A few hippies were beating djembe drums and creating enough musical energy to draw the last of the still awake party people to where they were. In the true spirit of spontaneity a few of us started singing along to the rhythm of the drums, creating our own music and enjoying ourselves tremendously.
It was very clear at that point that the true spirit of the festival lies within the people. An experience to experience and a special kind of week-end, hard to place within a definitive description. You have to be there to know just what we were all so happy about!
REVIEW: Mary Honeychild
Read the Exclusive Interview with Detroit Techno Pioneer – Kevin Saunderson
For a Full Rounded Review of The Ray-Ban Main Stage – Check out what Eliza Day experienced – Here
Event Review: The Assembly – The Frown, The Wild Eyes, Ulterior (UK)
Last modified on 2011-10-04 08:13:27 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Event Review: The Assembly - The Frown, The Wild Eyes, Ulterior (UK)
1 October 2011
“… I suspect it’s more to do with people not really being interested in music, much as they’d like to stress the point with A-symmetrical hairstyles and tepid knowledge of whatever is chic on the Euro Charts.”
Piling into a car with my pal Yusif, sulkily clad in my fur coat and Eve Rakow from Joburg band The Frown literally all taped up in Latex, was quite the loveliest start to a night that I only wish more people in this town had been a part of.
Hurtling towards The Assembly listening to the hellish fire of The Birthday Party in anticipation of a pretty exciting line up that included UK band Ulterior, only to be greeted by a hollow venue was more than just a pity. I suppose a slightly hefty entrance fee may have put the usual crowd off but I suspect it’s more to do with people not really being interested in music, much as they’d like to stress the point with A-symmetrical hairstyles and tepid knowledge of whatever is chic on the Euro Charts.
Eve Rakow aka The Frown is nothing if she’s not the ultimate party girl. Wriggling in clinging black liquorice, lacquered onto her body she shrugged off the news that her DJ was irreparably AWOL: she elected Yusif of The Great Apes to pull out all the stops with her Mac on stage. Despite the apologetically small crowd, Eve debuted a strong and sassy feminine performance to Cape Town with her glittery Mac Made music and husky vocals.
The Wild Eyes are almost too much fun and their popalicious, sexy sonics drew in the dancers amongst us and suddenly The Assembly was ringing with vibe. A tiger clad Nikhil Singh, manical bass player Gareth Dawson and dance-ability driven drumming from Len Cockcraft together with a creative gear set-up kept this band as one of the most interesting things I’ve ever come across. Watching The Wild Eyes is like biting into a black Fizz pop. Yum.
Ulterior were just about the sweetest things I’d ever seen; all shades and step hair cuts. Sound wise I enjoyed the dark tones and edgy ambiance of the music they made. Dark cerebral mix of electronic and synthetic dance with a raw driving instrumental power that had all of us zombies slinking and slumping our shoulders through the smoke filled Assembly. Considering they’d recently played with The Sisters Of Mercy they are certainly a band turning up to when they grace your musically starved city. Ahem.
REVIEW: Eliza Dey
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Event Review: The Equinox Experience – ‘Life Festival’
Last modified on 2011-10-03 08:57:07 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
The Equinox Experience – ‘Life Festival’
Following road signs passing a South African Philadelphia, we enter this rabbit hole in lieu of a dust road. I quickly glimpse our playground – a hobitton bridge leading over a small snaking river to a dance floor set deep in an oasis of tall trees. As soon as I hear that hollow thud of a beat I start to reminisce: the season is here again, and tis a reason indeed to be jolly. Cape Town is known to have one of the hottest outdoor trance scenes in the world, and I am here at Equinox’s second ever party, coyly dubbed ‘Life Festival’.
Night quickly follows a muggy dusk and an intimate crowd – of no more than a thousand – begin to stretch their limbs awake under the laser-slashed branches. It’s interesting to see the space-cakes that a smaller, less commercial trance party pulls out of the urban woodwork. I find myself surrounded by a refreshing mix of dreads, colours, plastic flowers and bright scarves. Up first, competition winner Psy-Anomic Greyling throws the quickly swelling crowd some sick psychedelic beats.
It feels good to be in the dirty lumo light again, leaving behind all that junk that makes us pour sweat and stress tears. I lose me in the monotonous rhythm – sensory bombarded from the monster rig, vibrations making my hair hop. Choppy dum-doef ‘weooowah’ with a side dish of industrial glitch. Nice.
I see a bald man with a lumo bindi all swathed in orange, and am reminded of buddha. Here, no one will look at you funny if you act weird. In fact, behaving strangely is compulsory: Us a mob of youth facing forward in a march that never goes anywhere, DJ being God of this arena. Just a sprinkle of UV dust and a working girl begins a contortionist, body tingling with the glee of a heavy beat.
Donned in a Funky Ice hoody, I soak up the night as it swells and throttles, bringing unusual ingredients of uplifting house, dub-step and even a sample straight from ‘Swan Lake’! I ponder to myself; ‘Is this is just a once-off or a hint at a new era of outdoor party?’ Last season the scene was dominated by a hybrid of manic, dark trance, but it seems the newer generations are keen on a bit more techno-dabbling. Good stuff, I sure don’t mind it.
A raindrop or two lands on my nose as Super Evil takes the metaphoric DJ reins. Some hard and fast beats turn the crowd in its head and I decide it’s time for bed. Waking to find the beat still solid I mourn the loss of a traditional fluffy morning set. But I get my hippy-fix along with a small group of yogis stretching tantric on the grass. Weak sunlight says hello.
Back on the dance-floor, smiles all around, as cigarette drags are haggled and dust creeps up nostrils. We leave those pixies in a pool of solid, clean bass-lines. Time to get back to reality… and take home the sweet-psy memories of what it means to be swept up in festival culture, before getting swallowed up by what I considered the normal world.
If you consider yourself one for the distinguished party – you will love EQUINOX.
REVIEW: Rachel Briant
Event Review: Earthdance Cape Town 2011
Last modified on 2011-09-26 13:33:45 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Event Review: Earthdance Cape Town 2011
On a slow ease down from one of the greatest week-ends in my party memory. Yes, Earthdance, Please and thank you very much indeed!
We arrived mid-afternoon on Saturday amped with much anticipation for a festival that was promised for weeks to get our spirits and bones grooving. Making our way to the Origin floor, walking through the quirky art-deco displays, bars and sale stalls, all suitably and well draped in the glorious Western Cape sunshine. We found ourselves dipped, delved into an atmosphere of what what felt like a fusion embrace of a music enjoyment experience.
Connecto was delivering his brand of classic Progressive Trance to a very packed, happy, pleased and ear satisfied foot stomping crowd. Ah yeah, traditional in a festival spirit in Cape Town, one has to and does appreciate this… I loved this vibe.
So, after absorbing some of that crazy Trance energy we potted over to the Red Bull Live Stage where Mr Sakitumi took the loaded excitement off my chest with his Live Hiptronica display and made some sexy nasty fireworks with it. Boom! And only to add even more street flare to The Red Bull urban appeal, two of SA’s most talented graffiti artists were spray painting a Mr 10/6 piece on the side wall of the stage while we were jamming. Nice.
Handy ol’ water bottle in hand we head bopped, jiggled and what I like to call… ‘foot-punched’ the dusty uneven dance floor to Sakitumi’s unique and perfectly awesome hypnotic beats. Slowly and steadily some of the craziest-ass-bass started building and bumping, trembling up from the ground into our toes. This took my jumping and grooving experience into elevated levels of ‘I’m-so-glad-I-found-myself-on-this-floorness’. Yes.
Oh but no.. It didn’t quite stop there. Jam Jarr ripped it up even further with their personalized version of Glitch-Rap,beats, baka busting and of course more (need I say it) BASS! The Mcee Paul Bakkaman Stubbs delivered a quintessential form of what a man spitting on a mic should sound like.
Not too little, not too much, but just enough to compliment the gangster in the track and get us all worked up. The bouncing, bopping, jam packed crowd (of who I’m sure by now are all fans) saluted in a similar fashion as I did; by non-stop movement and a little bit of that ‘I’m having a good time party howling’.
Straight after the Jam Jarr frenzy, Hyphen and SFR carried the high energy atmosphere into levels of Drum&Bass VS Dubstep euphoria. Bass fiend happiness rating? Only sky high!
The Solar stage, somewhat alternative to the other two floors had Swing- Electro pumping Mr James Copeland at ten pm; who gave the the sun-powered stage and rig set up a good run for its money. To a slightly slower tempo and deeper grooving electro style, here you could find yourself jiving, feeling light and carefree to twenties jazz tunes revamped into a more funkafized and superbly hot modern sound that is totally danceable.
Earthdance 2011 definitely brought together the perfect make-up elements of a successful music festival in South Africa. It had just enough variety to satisfy nearly every non-mainstream electronic and alternative music craving – with enough focus to bring all those true music appreciators together in one place. Sunshine, nature, young people, positive vibes, circus freaks in costumes and stilts along with some undeniably good music made all the efforts of this year’s Earthdance, a version to be treasured and remembered.
REVIEW: Mary Honeychild
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Review: Organik Gaian Dream By Sarah Robyn
Last modified on 2011-09-20 10:41:10 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Sarah Robyn went on her very first escapade to the land of the Outdoor Psy-Experience last week-end. She took a camera, an open mind and a notepad along in her back pocket. What came out of the experience for her was a week-end of memories and a new appreciation for feeling her toes in the dirt…
You may call me somewhat of an inexperienced “trancer.” Given, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this weekend. From the minute we had reached the bumpy road entrance, I had entered a new world. Tucked secretly away, in the grassy hills- Gaian Dream stole my heart and mind.
Before the music even began, I was met by friendly strangers, barefooted and smiling. I heard the sounds of jingly bells adorning the ankles of passersby. Tents were decorated with hand painted luminous images. The Dance floor and stage, covered in daisies and enclosed by trees, drew you into this magic that was Gaian Dream.
The music opened with Humerous on the stage. His set got it going lightly with a little progressive trance. This got us ready for what was to come. A few earth children had already headed for the dance floor. As the hours passed, the beats continued to build and the volume grew. By the time the moon had risen, Shockwave had taken the stage; the Dance floor muddy and filled with stomping feet.
Rubix Qube and Cybernetix stole the show with psy-trance at its very best. They were able to grab the, now jam-packed, crowd unlike any of the previous DJ’s could. We screeched and waved as the build ups intensified. The break would arrive, leaving us with as little as a second of silence. Anticipation and elation was met with hands rising to the moon. As the rapid beat returned in a massive drop, we would leap and laugh and wave our arms around.
Before I knew it, it was 4:30 am. I was being shamefully out-danced by a quirky, shirtless man with braids in his hair. Now I’m not proud to say this, but I’ll admit. He may have been at least forty years (or so, whose counting?) older than me. Nevertheless I quickly retreated to my tent in embarrassment of my pathetic twenty-year old self.
The sun rose to the exhilaration of Bretheren. Still- the Dance floor filled with smiling faces. For every coffee/snack/nap break I took, most of these people had remained stomping away, laughing, climbing trees and passing out delicious treats.
By nine-thirty I had indulged in a little sleep and returned to the dance floor- now as muddy and happy as ever. The sun-soaked grass now warmed my grubby feet. Plusminus had just begun their set. This music, which would usually be a challenge for me to hear (at this relatively early hour) now delighted my ears and got my body grooving once more. The crowd still psychedelic and excited passed around the “stomping stick.” Wrapped with ribbons and flowers, the stick would rise for every break, and beckon for every beat.
Gaian dream is no party for the faint hearted. You’ve got to be ready to get a little dirty and dance the night away. But trust me, if you’re open-minded you may just find yourself converted. It proved to be a magical world where one can lose your inhibitions. Where you can love, laugh and delight in the beauty of the earth. Feel the grass beneath your feet, mud between your toes and not have one single care in the world.
REVIEW: Sarah Robyn Farrell
Review: Dansville at Buckleys By CPT Hippie Girl
Last modified on 2011-09-05 10:00:03 GMT. 1 comment. Top.
‘Dansville 29’ at Buckleys, Durbanville Nitty, gritty … and with a touch of Afrikaans.
Last Friday, we make our way along a busy Edward Street, passing a Hooters, some wine bars and dance floors blaring pop, to a certain Buckleys Pool Bar. I had been seduced weeks previously by a sticker.
We jump the queue, only to come face to face with a bouncer who isn’t impressed by my proclamation of ‘I’m on the guest list’- and it hits me: we’re not in Kansas anymore. An aeroplane banks overhead, a twinkle amongst clouds burnt dirty orange by the many city lights.
See Why productions have done it again – throwing their 29th dirty Dansville electronic party – and I’m here, amongst the somewhat daunting CY number plates to ‘see, why’ do these people party? Or more specifically ‘how’ do the Northern Suburbs kids make the most of man’s two-day freedom pass that is weekend?
Pushing past a couple of jocks, we step inside and find ourselves in a smoky room of pool tables: a metal chandelier above our heads breaks all stereotypes as it’s spider arms stretch and curl every direction. A rocker sinks a ball while a group of trendy-looking punks look on.
The clothes favoured this side of the Boerwors Curtain seem to be varying shades of… black. All I know is, you could cut the atmosphere of badass in here with a blunt rusty spear.
On the dance floor things are busy getting twisted.
‘Here the DJ is not put on a pedestal,’ Fabien De Fontenay, Dansville organiser, explains, as around us greasy bikers and preppies alike go wild for George Daniel’s solid sounds.
Flashing lights push tentacles of colour through gulfs of machine-generated smoke as hard house becomes dubstep becomes dark trance – anything you can Head Bang to really (a sport this crowd certainly seem to enjoy)
I touch a chipped fondly as a Prodigy song sends me back to that UK concert of 2008.
I begin to notice a goth/jock crossover, but a head of dreads and some bottle-blond plastics distort my third attempt at generalising. I come to expect anything from moustaches to spike-collars.
And suddenly Kansas seems a helluva boring… (smirk)
Do you think you’re badass enough to risk the raw static of the drum and bass, electro and dubstep culture of the Northern Suburbs?
Look out for ‘Dansville 30’ on Facebook
Or check out SeeWhy productions Page
They also organise a monthly party of a similar kind called ‘Ridd’ems’ at Blizzards, Durbanville
WORDS: Rachel Briant
Review: OZORA – Commercial Festival but good for Everyone
Last modified on 2011-08-16 12:24:55 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
OZORA – Commercial festival but good for everyone.
Tertia, Renée and a few other South Africans made the trip of a lifetime to Hungary last week-end in order to experience the so-far Biggest Psy-Trance Festival in the world! Here is Tertia’s journey with her friends throughout the festival. Find out how and why she will never forget RAJA RAM and just how an event of this magnitude brings home every Psy-Hippie’s fantasies come true…
Arriving at OZORA, the first thought that trickled through my mind as I looked out of the car window – after seeing the ‘WELCOME TO PARADISE’ sign over the entrance – was “this is set to be big!”
Nothing proved me wrong, as I drove into the site; a forest of tents slowly emerged with a queue at the door estimated to be three to four hours long all waiting in anticipation for a party. Think of twenty thousand pre-sale tickets and buses filled with French, Israeli, German, Austrian, Hungarian and even more thousands of punters from all over the world arriving on the two days before the opening ceremony and you’ll have an idea of what was before us.
From the start the excitement was palpable – the shops were open and ready for business. Restaurants were fully stocked giving off aromas of great cooked food, showers were curtained, matched up with clean toilets while alongside these great home comforts other numerous activities were in full swing. One couldn’t quite shake the feeling of being in a huge shopping mall for hippies.
The décor in keeping with the OZORA theme was simple but effective, integrating superbly, catching the balance between man and nature. The dance floor was beautiful and airy and I recognised the signature the style of South Africa’s very own Carin Dickson. Behind the dance floor, high up on the hill, a mystical forest of large illuminated crystals shining in the night, creating an otherworldly ambiance, coincided perfectly with this years theme, ‘Alternative Universes’.
The event kicked off with the now legendary OZRIC TENTACLE, playing trippy sounds leading up to a full power first night. LOGIC BOMB, BOOM SHANKAR, SENSIFEEL and the rest, took us on a day journey with UNION JACK and SENSIENT taking us into the second night. It was hard and dark, chaotic at times, messy and somewhat scary as nights often are!
GINO and the freshly returned HUX FLUX played killer sunrise sets, which left PROTOCULTURE with a big job to do. He started of slowly, missing some kick, but finishing on a high note with the all time favourite Avalon which left the dance floor smiling and wanting more.
The one act however that will live forever in my memory was RAJA RAM versus SIMON POSTFORD. What a duo; playful and sharp with Raja bringing tears to my eyes with his haunting flute melodies and shifting of gears. They then handed over the decks to MAN WITH NO NAME who made us dance like no one was watching. By far the biggest ,best and most energetically pleasing dance floor I have ever seen!
A hard and full on last night ensued with PLEIADIANS and KRAAK preparing the ground for the stalwarts of the psy-scene, TRISTAN, DIMITRI and TRANSWAVE; always a pleasure to hear them and dance to them.
I was very happy to see our money being used to improve the festival site with a beautiful new chill out space under a brand new thatch roof, positioned up on the hill. We sat there chilling, catching the breeze which turned out to be a much needed relief on hot days whilst in between there were long walks to the different areas.
Delicious local food, friendly staff and security made the experience that much more enjoyable. This festival is undoubtedly a well oiled machine that runs fluidly, not surprising as it is already into its 11th year. Even though progress has been made in attracting greater numbers, I found a general lack of ecological awareness and was surprised to see almost no attempt at going green.
Also, considering the masses of people dancing under the sun, the shade on the dance floor was insufficient, leaning more towards decoration than functional.
However, even as the freak-show continues and the public becomes younger , O.Z.O.R.A 2011 was still unforgettable and has not lost its reputation as the biggest and most popular festival on the calendar, an absolute MUST for die hard trance heads and rookies alike!
In the words of the great RAJA RAM… ‘What a Festival!’
WORDS: Tertia Bright Angel
IMAGES: Renée De Wet
Review: iKhaya Festival @ Zula Bar By CPT Hippie Girl
Last modified on 2011-08-16 13:15:34 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
CPT Hippie Girl @ iKhaya Fest this past week-end and her take on the Fusion Style Party set-up
“All I know is I dig the new Zula and will be back. It’s a perfect winter haven for us suffering outdoor party withdrawals.”
The sheer size of the new Zula is enough to impress – it’s almost as if you could get lost inside if you wanted, especially with the dim lights and spinning rays of blue and red.
We arrive there at around 10pm, skipping a daunting queue to mutter our names at the door and accept numerous armbands as if by magic. (My, I could get used to this!)
The Trance vibe is going on in the first room downstairs, but at this point it’s sounding more minimal than anything else, so I spot a familiar character and we strain our voices to discuss the general decline of the trance scene, savouring words like ‘commercialised’. But after a while it’s difficult to keep up any kind of conversation. In here, the music clearly rules.
A general scout seems in order – a desire to explore the many burrows of this musical playground- so we tackle the stairs, follow a left curve and find ourselves in the Alternative music room, just in time to catch the end of Alice Phoebe Lou’s live acoustic set. A beanie balances atop the young blonde’s head, her lyrics confessing a provocative wisdom way beyond her years.
Next up in the Alternative arena is my favourite local female DJ Honey B, with her pert bob and Balkan demeanour. Not to mention the beats: a combination of swing and other quirky unexpected sounds.
Trust me to favour the Alternative dance floor! Folk surrounding me seem dressed like they’re not trying, but you can tell that they are, if you know what I mean.
Maybe it’s the intimacy and fresh air that draws the crowd, or maybe it’s the low ceiling that gives the illusion of a crowd at all.
From where we are sitting we have a nice view of the Red Bull truck parked out front, blaring drum-and-bass, their many screens showing extreme sports footage. I shudder as I catch another glimpse of the growing queue along the pavement outside.
The time at this point feels just about right to check out the Electronic dance floor, which proves to be a cavernous space directly opposite. We dive in and are greeted by the cartoon-y intro tune for Mr Sakitumi and The Grrrl.
Some couches in a corner look inviting – I see people appreciating the moody lighting of their relaxation time, feet propped on low table – but we push on, loyal to the act of ‘party’.
In here I begin to notice an interesting mix of a crowd: I see girls in Claremont-style dresses, others rocking cowboy shirts… the inevitable hoody-boys, as well as some good old pretentious town-y folk. I even catch a glimpse of a bizarre (dare I say) crochet coat.
The tequila shot promo girls fluster past, g-strings swinging from their arm. We gently decline and make our way to the front of the crowd.
An Asian guy on stage is messing around on a guitar, but the sounds I am hearing are weird, alien and squishy. ‘Weahhh! Weahh! Weahh!’
In my vocabulary the phrase ‘twilight zone’ is synonymous with ‘Trance’, so as the hour hits midnight we head downstairs again.
Pushing self-righteously through the crowd towards the infamous ‘front left’ spot, I notice it’s my ex-boyfriend playing in the DJ box. As per usual Bruce offers up some good old-school trance beats: sounds I dig, but what some pedantics would call ‘too fluffy’.
A sense of calm familiarity as I bask once again in UV light, smiling as I note the beginning signs of trance madness amongst the crowd.
Ok so iKhaya festival comes short when you compare it to outdoor parties, (who can compete with the soil beneath our toes and the sunshine touching our heads?) but it has opened up a whole different kind of indoor party, one that does not feel cramped but can rather be enjoyed through continuous venue exploration and a vast variety of sounds for even the most sophisticated palette to sample from.
All I know is I dig the new Zula and will be back. It’s a perfect winter haven for us suffering outdoor party withdrawals.
WORDS: Rachel Briant
IMAGES: Roland Metcalfe
