The best thing about working at a live music venue definitely is being able to watch live music. We all have come across the debate that Durban doesn't have enough places to showcase talent, and some even going as far as saying Durban has no talent but those people clearly have never seen Fruit and Veggies play at Live before.
My first memory of Fruit and Veggies was a few years back when I saw them playing at Splashy Fen. I was walking along the camp sites with a friend, this girl with green hair riding on the bonnet of a car came past, looked me in the eye and told me to come watch a band at 17H00 that night, that was Purity. I first saw Purity at GMT a few weeks prior to that. I had a few Black Labels in my system, saw this girl with red hair and decided I was gonna go dance with her. Her was someone so freely flowing in that room that it was impossible to miss her. She had the kinda energy about her that made people take notice. I never got her name and really didn't think I would ever see her again and so she was forgotten. My friend's and I referred to her as Red Hair. To this day, I haven't had as much fun as I did that night with a complete stranger. Seeing her with green hair was just the icing on the cake, I was definitely going to watch this band they spoke of. We would go to see Green Hair. We all made our way to the main tent, beers in hand and waited for this band to come on. There were a few people gathering around and I can't really say I remember much that happened, besides the fact that I was sold on these people on stage. It was an early set and people were still getting themselves kitted up for the night to come but they played a set that would have me scouring around, trying to find their stuff wherever possible. I remember being a little brave after a few Labels later that night and speaking to Purity, she seemed to remember GMT which made me feel a little better but also quite embarrassed.
You can't speak of F&V without mentioning Loopy. Now there is a strange character that is of the top shelf. I also remember Loopy from my first Splashy experience, she was walking around and I was with some new-found friends who explained who she was and what her orientation was too. I remember watching her play the bass and being certain that that was one person who probably had no confinements. I cannot imagine the world throwing any form of constraint on Loopy. It's as if the normal rules don't apply.
Having worked at Live for a few months, I've gotten to see all the band members in their various state of inebriation and I've seen them play some truly electrifying sets. To me, they are Durban's favourite. They play with an energy that doesn't belong in the straight edge world we like to return to in the morning. They play from a place that doesn't have any worries, from a place that has seen so many red stamped letters but couldn't care for crap because they're doing what they love. You see so many bands playing with this kind of invisible monkey on their back. They try too hard to be crowd pleasers. They try too hard to be big top bands and they miss the mark by a mile and end up alienating the crowd. You don't get that from F&V. I still get excited every time I see them on the bill because I know a raucous party is about to come. Their new additions have taken them even higher than they were before. The last set they played at Live, which was for Riot Fest, completely blew me. It was as if I was listening to them with new ears. I don't know if they have a new sound or if I really hadn't payed enough attention before, but what they did on that stage was something else. I was completely mesmerised. I knew what they were capable of but I really wasn't expecting that. They didn't have Cameron with his mystic guitar shaman scissoring skills but Hezron and James combined to make some completely mind numbing sounds that made me do my knowing my knowing smile.
I've seen Bloc Party live, I have seen my most favourite band in the entire universe and nothing could ever compare to that. I have seen a lot more acts since then and this is the first time I've been impressed by any performance. I know they have a lot more energy than what they put on display, they had a short time to play and had to get to another show, but for me, they really did bring it.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Old Friend.
Hello my friend. We haven't spoken in quite a while now.
I call you friend but really are we friends? Do we still see eye to eye or have you just been killed from memory completely? I wouldn't say you aren't here. You're here more than ever. You've made your presence know and are still struggling to get recognition. I know you want me to regard you. I know you want me to see you, feel you and believe in you. I do see you, I do feel you and I believe in you to the extent where I am almost afraid of you.
You're destined for greatness, we all know this. You know it too but you have trouble believing it. I don't think you should worry, you've had this in the bag since you came about. You know I've never loved another like I love you. I've been here and there and I've felt what people had to offer and they felt what I had but none of it compared to what we share. Sure, some would say it's a bit weird that Im admitting to all this but I know you. You get so overwhelmed sometimes by things that you forget that you always have someone in your corner. I haven't left you, not for a second and I wont ever be. When we're together, working for the same goal, we really are an unstoppable team. I've seen so much of you lately that it seems like you hadn't gone anywhere but Im also afraid that something is gonna come up that will drive us apart again. Your questioning spirit is looking for answers I cant give right now and I really hope you stay around and figure things out. I know it frightens you, even if you wont admit it because I can feel it. Right now I know you're constantly seeing things that excite and make you second guess but all of which makes you so anxious.
Forget everything you're hearing around you. Forget the worries, forget the stress and just do what you're good at, do you. Your greatness is coming at a speed that is rapidly picking up pace. Try something out and stick to it for a change, I know you can do it and I'll try stick it through with you, we can do this together my old friend.
I call you friend but really are we friends? Do we still see eye to eye or have you just been killed from memory completely? I wouldn't say you aren't here. You're here more than ever. You've made your presence know and are still struggling to get recognition. I know you want me to regard you. I know you want me to see you, feel you and believe in you. I do see you, I do feel you and I believe in you to the extent where I am almost afraid of you.
You're destined for greatness, we all know this. You know it too but you have trouble believing it. I don't think you should worry, you've had this in the bag since you came about. You know I've never loved another like I love you. I've been here and there and I've felt what people had to offer and they felt what I had but none of it compared to what we share. Sure, some would say it's a bit weird that Im admitting to all this but I know you. You get so overwhelmed sometimes by things that you forget that you always have someone in your corner. I haven't left you, not for a second and I wont ever be. When we're together, working for the same goal, we really are an unstoppable team. I've seen so much of you lately that it seems like you hadn't gone anywhere but Im also afraid that something is gonna come up that will drive us apart again. Your questioning spirit is looking for answers I cant give right now and I really hope you stay around and figure things out. I know it frightens you, even if you wont admit it because I can feel it. Right now I know you're constantly seeing things that excite and make you second guess but all of which makes you so anxious.
Forget everything you're hearing around you. Forget the worries, forget the stress and just do what you're good at, do you. Your greatness is coming at a speed that is rapidly picking up pace. Try something out and stick to it for a change, I know you can do it and I'll try stick it through with you, we can do this together my old friend.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Stifled Verbosity
Vaguely remembering cues and time shifts that weren't there before.
Thinking about drivels and memories poured onto the floor.
Wonderings going on, we're stapled to the wall.
Your power is lost, Im forgetting it all.
I've walked through streets that I once called home
Im glad I came back, I'm here to regain my throne.
Forget me not you sweet little liar, together we walked
and we fought through the fire.
I knew your name even before you were called.
I knew our time would end before we were old.
When all the clocks on the wall counted down to zero,
thats when I knew I never wanted to be called your hero.
You turned away and I looked over you,
mind constructions kept my eyes pointed on the view.
On the ground, I called out my pleas.
They were wasted efforts, all lost on you, taken by the breeze...
Thinking about drivels and memories poured onto the floor.
Wonderings going on, we're stapled to the wall.
Your power is lost, Im forgetting it all.
I've walked through streets that I once called home
Im glad I came back, I'm here to regain my throne.
Forget me not you sweet little liar, together we walked
and we fought through the fire.
I knew your name even before you were called.
I knew our time would end before we were old.
When all the clocks on the wall counted down to zero,
thats when I knew I never wanted to be called your hero.
You turned away and I looked over you,
mind constructions kept my eyes pointed on the view.
On the ground, I called out my pleas.
They were wasted efforts, all lost on you, taken by the breeze...
Leaf Skeleton - Bloc Party
The journey starts
as all around a battle rages on
Arjuna seeks
He throws his bow and conch up to the sky
Open your eyes, it's all around you
The pain that you're feeling
goes some way to believing hope
The light from inside us
it goes on and on and on
on and on and on
It's in his hands
The glow of flame, the purest water
After he dies, he will rise on wings
of true, the truest love
open your eyes, it starts all over
The pain that you're feeling
Goes some way to believing hope
the light from inside us
Goes some way to define us all
the pain that you're feeling
Goes some way to believing joy
Can you see the pattern?
Why cant you see the pattern?
It's all around us
as all around a battle rages on
Arjuna seeks
He throws his bow and conch up to the sky
Open your eyes, it's all around you
The pain that you're feeling
goes some way to believing hope
The light from inside us
it goes on and on and on
on and on and on
It's in his hands
The glow of flame, the purest water
After he dies, he will rise on wings
of true, the truest love
open your eyes, it starts all over
The pain that you're feeling
Goes some way to believing hope
the light from inside us
Goes some way to define us all
the pain that you're feeling
Goes some way to believing joy
Can you see the pattern?
Why cant you see the pattern?
It's all around us
In The City
I went to see Bloc Party over the weekend.
I don't think it's necessary to explain just how much I love them because I think I've covered it enough before but to me, they are music. I left Durban at a time where it wasn't my favourite place. I'd just come off a week that was full of people trying to kill the music scene and then spent two days that brought the song 'Leave Before The Lights Come On' to life for me. It was safe to say that I needed time away from it all. I left late on thursday evening after so much red tape that I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever make it to Johannesburg. I saw a man get beaten up by bus drivers for questioning the safety of their operation and I was surrounded by the faces of many nervous people who didn't want to end up as another statistic, myself included. I was standing next to a guy and we got speaking about how little these people regarded us and we weren't quite sure whether to go through with this journey or to turn around now and live to see another day. Sa Roadlink, the cheap bastards, had sent in a bus from Joburg and were now attempting to send it straight out again with the same crew. That is how people end up getting killed. Fatigue is a killer.
After having my dad consult with the people and them finally changing the people around, we set off on our 8 hour journey. I had only one thing in mind and that was seeing Bloc Party perform the next evening and nothing was going to stop me. I'd chosen a night time journey hoping I'd get some sleep but I barely slept. The crackfoxes that were operating the whole thing kept up a bombardment of the loudest, most vile music that anyone could imagine. I had a man sitting behind me who I'm sure shot his own head off after listening to the same song on loop for an hour straight at 3 in the morning. I sent Roadlink a few tweets of complaint but I doubt the got them, the snives..
I got to Joburg at about 6 in the morning and waited for my dad's friend to come pick me up. I was falling asleep on my feet and so I decided to head off to Wimpy for some coffee. I was tempted to order a Vanilla Latte with a shot of espresso on the side - it's funny how the little things come back to mind. I ended up settling for a cappuccino, I wasnt about to relive that right now. I got a call from my dad's mate, him telling me he couldn't quite make it to come pick me up and if i could make my way down to his place.
See Im not really that against making a bit of a solo mission, I did just travel to Joburg on my own, but I was a little apprehensive to go through this city I knew little about. I'd lived in joburg a few years back but that was even before I started school. I had been up there a few times since, last year being the latest time but I'd never had to travel through on my own. He told me to take the train down to the station close to his house and he would come pick me up. I hate taking trains. I hate how slow they are. I hate how they follow the same unscenic route. I hate the scary look of the bridges and the stations and the areas around the train tracks. I have nightmares about those things. I dont take trains in Durban so how the hell was I gonna do it here? Park Station looks a lot better than the Durban equivalent I must say. I finally found the right platform and got onto the right train after ease dropping on the lady's conversation on how she was going to get on the same train heading in the way I was. I sat there trying to look as much like a local as I could, trying to blend in so not to draw any stares but it felt like everyone just knew that I was a fish out of water. After travelling for what seemed to be hours and coming across a man with a hairy growth on his face that showed me where to get off, i arrived. Unfortunately, it soon came to light that I didnt know what my dad's friend looked like and he didnt know what I looked like and we ended up walking in opposite directions for hours trying to find each other, phoning each other just relayed our frustrations.
I wont get into much about my stay except to say I have never felt such wonderful hospitality before. These were by far the nicest people I've ever dealt with. My dad's friend used to be a multi millionaire after inventing the speeding ticket system that ran in joburg and was doing really wel for himself till he was schnaaied out if it all by family members and basically lost everything. I had a nap and then I had to set off early because he was unable to take me due to another meeting he had to attend and I went off in a taxi to the city center. Ah I cannot begin to describe just how lost I felt. I was just sitting there going over travel instructions and hoping to get off at the right place and as soon as I got in, my mind went blank. Luckily I met a lady who happened to be going in a similar direction to me and she helped me out and pointed me off in the right direction. I came across some roads I remember from when I was last up there with Brandon and I finally found the place I was looking for.
I was an hour early and there were already a few people dotted around the gates. I was standing behind a group of university student who were talking about all the shows they'd been to and the music they liked and I was just so envious of them. I wish we got half the stuff they did out there. I got in after a while, made my way to buy the most
expensive beer ever in the world and then went off to the stage. I met some really cool people and I wont get into what we spoke about but for people i'd never met before, they really had some great words worth taking notice to. I watched Shadowclub really destroy and make us nice and wet and then I went off to hunt down Corinne and her posse. Haha ah now there was a mix of people.. I cannot begin to express just how thankful I was, having them there really made it and Corinne alone made my whole experience so I've decided Im gonna name something after her. I went home with sore stomach muscles from all the laughing all of them made me do. Die Antwoord weren't even thaaaaat bad but when the time came, I was ready for Bloc Party to mash me up.
Oh my tits. When they came on, I had my Origin eyes set on max to the point where they had to be renamed to Bloc Party eyes and saved as because the file was too big. I didnt stop smiling from ear to ear through out the whole set. When they played 3X3, I feasted on the delights of heaven. At one point I was standing beside Greg Carlin and Darren Leader, enjoying my all time favourite band with members of my favourite South African band. I then was next to an indian Luis Suarez who was totally in love with Banquet and so impressed by me knowing every song. He would ask me what the next song was as they played the intro and went crazy each time I got it.
I've barely touched on an experience that really was quite life changing. You get people claiming that all the time but I must say I feel completely different after it. I have felt absolute happiness and it's safe to say that nothing really will compare to that. Nothing bothers me in the slightest. I was sitting in the car on the way back to Durban thinking and come what may, I was not affected. I went to be last night finally having dealt with the inevitable and I felt the same way as about everything, "I've seen Bloc Party live, your argument is invalid."
I don't think it's necessary to explain just how much I love them because I think I've covered it enough before but to me, they are music. I left Durban at a time where it wasn't my favourite place. I'd just come off a week that was full of people trying to kill the music scene and then spent two days that brought the song 'Leave Before The Lights Come On' to life for me. It was safe to say that I needed time away from it all. I left late on thursday evening after so much red tape that I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever make it to Johannesburg. I saw a man get beaten up by bus drivers for questioning the safety of their operation and I was surrounded by the faces of many nervous people who didn't want to end up as another statistic, myself included. I was standing next to a guy and we got speaking about how little these people regarded us and we weren't quite sure whether to go through with this journey or to turn around now and live to see another day. Sa Roadlink, the cheap bastards, had sent in a bus from Joburg and were now attempting to send it straight out again with the same crew. That is how people end up getting killed. Fatigue is a killer.
After having my dad consult with the people and them finally changing the people around, we set off on our 8 hour journey. I had only one thing in mind and that was seeing Bloc Party perform the next evening and nothing was going to stop me. I'd chosen a night time journey hoping I'd get some sleep but I barely slept. The crackfoxes that were operating the whole thing kept up a bombardment of the loudest, most vile music that anyone could imagine. I had a man sitting behind me who I'm sure shot his own head off after listening to the same song on loop for an hour straight at 3 in the morning. I sent Roadlink a few tweets of complaint but I doubt the got them, the snives..
I got to Joburg at about 6 in the morning and waited for my dad's friend to come pick me up. I was falling asleep on my feet and so I decided to head off to Wimpy for some coffee. I was tempted to order a Vanilla Latte with a shot of espresso on the side - it's funny how the little things come back to mind. I ended up settling for a cappuccino, I wasnt about to relive that right now. I got a call from my dad's mate, him telling me he couldn't quite make it to come pick me up and if i could make my way down to his place.
See Im not really that against making a bit of a solo mission, I did just travel to Joburg on my own, but I was a little apprehensive to go through this city I knew little about. I'd lived in joburg a few years back but that was even before I started school. I had been up there a few times since, last year being the latest time but I'd never had to travel through on my own. He told me to take the train down to the station close to his house and he would come pick me up. I hate taking trains. I hate how slow they are. I hate how they follow the same unscenic route. I hate the scary look of the bridges and the stations and the areas around the train tracks. I have nightmares about those things. I dont take trains in Durban so how the hell was I gonna do it here? Park Station looks a lot better than the Durban equivalent I must say. I finally found the right platform and got onto the right train after ease dropping on the lady's conversation on how she was going to get on the same train heading in the way I was. I sat there trying to look as much like a local as I could, trying to blend in so not to draw any stares but it felt like everyone just knew that I was a fish out of water. After travelling for what seemed to be hours and coming across a man with a hairy growth on his face that showed me where to get off, i arrived. Unfortunately, it soon came to light that I didnt know what my dad's friend looked like and he didnt know what I looked like and we ended up walking in opposite directions for hours trying to find each other, phoning each other just relayed our frustrations.
I wont get into much about my stay except to say I have never felt such wonderful hospitality before. These were by far the nicest people I've ever dealt with. My dad's friend used to be a multi millionaire after inventing the speeding ticket system that ran in joburg and was doing really wel for himself till he was schnaaied out if it all by family members and basically lost everything. I had a nap and then I had to set off early because he was unable to take me due to another meeting he had to attend and I went off in a taxi to the city center. Ah I cannot begin to describe just how lost I felt. I was just sitting there going over travel instructions and hoping to get off at the right place and as soon as I got in, my mind went blank. Luckily I met a lady who happened to be going in a similar direction to me and she helped me out and pointed me off in the right direction. I came across some roads I remember from when I was last up there with Brandon and I finally found the place I was looking for.
I was an hour early and there were already a few people dotted around the gates. I was standing behind a group of university student who were talking about all the shows they'd been to and the music they liked and I was just so envious of them. I wish we got half the stuff they did out there. I got in after a while, made my way to buy the most
expensive beer ever in the world and then went off to the stage. I met some really cool people and I wont get into what we spoke about but for people i'd never met before, they really had some great words worth taking notice to. I watched Shadowclub really destroy and make us nice and wet and then I went off to hunt down Corinne and her posse. Haha ah now there was a mix of people.. I cannot begin to express just how thankful I was, having them there really made it and Corinne alone made my whole experience so I've decided Im gonna name something after her. I went home with sore stomach muscles from all the laughing all of them made me do. Die Antwoord weren't even thaaaaat bad but when the time came, I was ready for Bloc Party to mash me up.
Oh my tits. When they came on, I had my Origin eyes set on max to the point where they had to be renamed to Bloc Party eyes and saved as because the file was too big. I didnt stop smiling from ear to ear through out the whole set. When they played 3X3, I feasted on the delights of heaven. At one point I was standing beside Greg Carlin and Darren Leader, enjoying my all time favourite band with members of my favourite South African band. I then was next to an indian Luis Suarez who was totally in love with Banquet and so impressed by me knowing every song. He would ask me what the next song was as they played the intro and went crazy each time I got it.
I've barely touched on an experience that really was quite life changing. You get people claiming that all the time but I must say I feel completely different after it. I have felt absolute happiness and it's safe to say that nothing really will compare to that. Nothing bothers me in the slightest. I was sitting in the car on the way back to Durban thinking and come what may, I was not affected. I went to be last night finally having dealt with the inevitable and I felt the same way as about everything, "I've seen Bloc Party live, your argument is invalid."
Coconut Shy
If you cant laugh at yourself then you're giving everyone around you the permission to do it for you. I'm watching Submarine for the millionth time or close to it and I still have a huge laugh when I see just how much Oliver tries.
Being in a relationship is no easy game and for it's success, someone has to die. It takes a lot to get to the point where neither person feels like they're at a loss. it takes time. The patience level needed to wait through the time period it takes is not something everyone is blessed with. I love how Oliver takes everything into thought and kinda reckons that he has to find the answers for scenarios he thought up himself. He is the typical fairy in the relationship. The one who slaves away under the cracking whip and jumps to Jordana's every wish. It takes compromise to make it work and he has bent over backwards to please someone who hasn't spared it all much second thought.
I love this movie, it's quite entertaining. I dont feel anything much in the spine. I really cant think of the last time I felt the fizz of excitement. i haven't felt the challenge needed to see things through. It's like sitting on a rubber dingy on the ocean and letting the waves kinda make you sway back and forth. You speak words that sound hollow in your ears, you compromise yourself just to keep things in the clear, you don't know when the time is near but you know the shore is looming fast. I've set foot on shore and the it looks a lot different to the sights I saw out there. No one wants to sit in the dark, the pressure is far too great.
Im not mad. Im thankful. "You were crushing my face?" "Yeah, in a romantic way."
Being in a relationship is no easy game and for it's success, someone has to die. It takes a lot to get to the point where neither person feels like they're at a loss. it takes time. The patience level needed to wait through the time period it takes is not something everyone is blessed with. I love how Oliver takes everything into thought and kinda reckons that he has to find the answers for scenarios he thought up himself. He is the typical fairy in the relationship. The one who slaves away under the cracking whip and jumps to Jordana's every wish. It takes compromise to make it work and he has bent over backwards to please someone who hasn't spared it all much second thought.
I love this movie, it's quite entertaining. I dont feel anything much in the spine. I really cant think of the last time I felt the fizz of excitement. i haven't felt the challenge needed to see things through. It's like sitting on a rubber dingy on the ocean and letting the waves kinda make you sway back and forth. You speak words that sound hollow in your ears, you compromise yourself just to keep things in the clear, you don't know when the time is near but you know the shore is looming fast. I've set foot on shore and the it looks a lot different to the sights I saw out there. No one wants to sit in the dark, the pressure is far too great.
Im not mad. Im thankful. "You were crushing my face?" "Yeah, in a romantic way."
Greyscale
Rainy days are greyscale, cold and wet nightmares. Dreary days that leave your mind with nothing but faintly etched memories. They take away your plans and leave regrets and frustrations in their wake. They are juggernauts.
I love rainy days. I love the lack of expectation, the kind of thing you can work with and use to create something beautiful. I love how there is no limit to what the mind can come up with when the boundries are wound up so tight against the chest of creativity. I love the way that the room fizzes with small clouds of thought that only need a little effort to unlock. Many people complain when faced with a day they seem to think cant be used but they fail to see all the things before them that can be cherished. I would just as happily walk around outside on a day like this than I would on any other day. I love the fact that you can cover yourself and go out, sheltered within and still let the faintest of cold kinda tickle you, playing across the nape of your neck like a seductive lover
Who knows the limits we may reach but we know the means to achieve them.
I love rainy days. I love the lack of expectation, the kind of thing you can work with and use to create something beautiful. I love how there is no limit to what the mind can come up with when the boundries are wound up so tight against the chest of creativity. I love the way that the room fizzes with small clouds of thought that only need a little effort to unlock. Many people complain when faced with a day they seem to think cant be used but they fail to see all the things before them that can be cherished. I would just as happily walk around outside on a day like this than I would on any other day. I love the fact that you can cover yourself and go out, sheltered within and still let the faintest of cold kinda tickle you, playing across the nape of your neck like a seductive lover
Who knows the limits we may reach but we know the means to achieve them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)