BLOW ME

Wow. Let me be the VERY FIRST person to make this public observation on the internet. The wind has been hectic. Like, for real. People have been forced to walk like drunks and roof sheets have been dislodged. National crisis in Cape Town, the city of virtually no recollection.

And speaking of being very pleasantly surprised, I finally relented and went to join Up Side Down Girl to watch a gig and have a drink last night. Her husband is in Kuduchild and I've been threatening to go and witness their reworked revamped style for some time now. Tarty Farty Tequila Party was also in attendance. In what world does that sentence NOT seem compulsory?

The evening's festivities started off with an intimate show by Witness To Wolves. A band who at their core comprise of duo Natalie and Matthew, they stripped their performance of the usual cello and percussion accompaniment and went for a raw, bare vocals and guitar delivery.
Natalie, as a singer and performer sits uncomfortably somewhere between Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Frazer, Jarboe and Patti Smith, as she wails, croons and captivates the audience with her sensual, gypsy like presence. Matthew quietly gets about his business, clearly passionate about his craft - a combination that weaves a textured mix of emotions and bastardised bohemian subtlety. They also completely surprised everyone by doing a particularly gorgeous cover of  'Change... In The House Of Flies', my favourite Deftones track.
Kuduchild - on the other hoof - snort and stampede their way through a thoroughly (and equally) enjoyable set. Their new and improved sound is just that, new and improved. A strong reliance on good solid songwriting and a canny awareness of dynamic has transformed the former Junkyard Parade into a seriously kick arse contender. Give them 6 months - and at this rate, they'll be right up there in the rarefied heights Cape Town reserves for its traditional rock favourites. Their hybrid of Zeppelin-esque stomp and deep rooted classic rock riffs is tempered - interestingly, by a vocal that can be favourably compared to Joe Strummer at times - and a clever interplay between guitarists Etienne and Nick, the latter clearly lost in a performance that immediately reminds one of a happy Frusciante. All this is tied together with renewed vigour, by Aiden, the band's equivalent of Animal, who takes evident delight in beating his kit to death in a series of primal, tribal and terrifically groovy beats. Watching these guys, as they are developing into one of the most focused, yet fun, bands to get down to, is a great reminder of what it means to enjoy music, either from the stage or from the audience.

And that, my friends, is my life. On a school night. Sucks, hey. And now I'm sitting here blasting the fuck out of Prodigy in the office, educating the colleague. Yes, the same one who every so often has to deal with my experiments in sonic torture...

If you're travelling to Synergy, please be careful, drive safely and have an amazing weekend. I intend doing bugger all. Read all about that next week.

And because I love each and every one of you. And because the image at the top may be a little vexing to some. And because I was discussing this lovely young lady earlier. And because I can, happy Fifty Shades Of Sasha Grey Irreverent Friday, everybody!

NGDG: New 'Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' out Feb 2013. Proof that life goes on. The Mayans were wrong. Obviously. And not just about scarlet fever and gunpowder. And in thinking that Someone cares if you disembowel a slave atop your greatest architectural achievement (that any kid with LEGO can master at age 4).

Spread The Love. Do Not Smack Your Bitch Up.