Pre motief 4
The Mysticcs
This good rebellion
Johnny feelgood
War in the waiting
My friends bread
Contents: June 2011, Edition #2 South African Music Award’s - What a disgrace!
5
Band Scout - Arc Reactor
Crash Car Burn - All there is to know 8
4
6
When Karma Sleeps - Scoop
PULL-OUT GIG GUIDE 12 16
Readers article - Ethan Storm
PLUSH 18
17
The Script South African tour
Equipment review - Crate GT212 & GT65 19
22
Interesting? F*ck yes!
Contact the NRRGG team anytime, day or night! gigguide@nivarecords.com - www.nivarecords.com Advertising: nowen@nivarecords.com or 072 536 0639 To find out where the NRRGG can be found, please send us an e-mail. No part of this publication may be reproduced or duplicated without written consent from the publisher.
Stick it to the MAN! Welcome to the 2nd edition of the NRRGG and thank you for choosing us again! In this issue I urge all readers to adopt an open mind of thinking regarding certain articles, we do not believe in “sugar coating” anything for the simple fact that making things sound good even when they aren't does not allow our industry to grow, it only allows us to misinform the public and musicians about what is really going on and what actually needs to change!
Last month we gave away 6 double tickets to see SAMA Award nominees CRASHCARBURN. Congratulations to all of our winners! Send us a mail with your name and age to gigguide@nivarecords.com to stand a chance of winning gig tickets, merch or CD’s! Winners will be randomly selected and will be mentioned in the following edition of the NRRGG.
On another note, from the month of June 2011, the NRRGG will not only be available on certain gig nights, but will be stocked by selected venues and stores in the greater Cape Town area, Stellenbosch and Somerset West. June also plays host to the upcoming “King of the stage - New band search” which will be focused on finding and developing newer bands and assist in giving them a head-start. The show will be hosted by Niva & Purple Turtle on 11 June. You can also assist these bands by attending the event, as all proceeds go straight to the performing bands in the form of marketing, equipment, management and recordings.
Thank you for choosing the NRRGG! Nick Owen Editor
Spectrum Print and Graphics You know that awesome feeling you get when you walk or stumble into a random store, and to your surprise, you are greeted with friendly smiles and you just know you have made some new friends? Well, believe it or not, these sort of stores still exist, and this month in the NRRGG we have chosen to award Spectrum Print and Graphics with our FREE advertising spot! For all your band/personal printing, we advise giving Spectrum a run for your money! The service is amazing, the team is always willing to operate to your expectations and the prices are highly competitive! Does your business deserve free advertising? Tell us why by sending a mail to gigguide@nivarecords.com
Cape Town’s only alternative monthly gig guide!
BANDS ONLY! Advertise your merch, shows, tours, gigs or CD’s in every edition of the NRRGG! To enquire about our discounted band advertising rates, contact the NRRGG by mailing gigguide@nivarecords.com
“It’s all about the bands!”
SAMA’s May 2011 The build up to the 17th Annual South African Music Awards was both exhilarating and powerful, with a record amount of applications from bands and artists from all genres wanting to showcase SA music! But on the weekend of the event, (which I did not attend), the professionalism of the organizing committee came across on TV as nothing less than an unorganized “prestigious” event!
When we say SA music, does it not mean unity and togetherness? To me it does, but I am ashamed to report to you that racism is in our music scene...its more than we see, read this post (one of many) I found on the internet: “TOO MANY WHITE GUYS PERFORMING *yawn*”
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS AND NOMINEES! Thoroughly deserved!
At first I wanted to touch on the usual...you know, where was it held, which big figures attended and of -course who won the awards on the night, but after doing some research for a couple of weeks for this story, I noticed that there is much more to the SAMA’s than just glitz and glamour. Firstly, if you did not attend the SAMA’s and want to find anything from ticketing prices, the amount of attendees at this years event, or even simply find an accurate description (without spelling errors) of who won the awards, I am disgusted to report that you will be searching for quite a while! The official SAMA website is one of the most in-practical sites I have seen for a while, and I cannot believe that our country’s leading music awards ceremony could have allowed such an unorganized approach before and after the event! So, this is about the point that I (out of desperation) logged onto Facebook, and joined the SAMA fan page...and to my surprise, (not really) there was inadequate information about the event and at this point I decided to just write about what I observed on TV. But no, there’s more!!! Take a scroll down the SAMA page and take a read on some of the posts made by South African artists and people...I have added just a few of the milder ones for you below: “I feel that the quality of the SAMA's were poor. The artists should be briefed on what to say in their speeches. The opening act was nothing but noise pollution. Monte Casino was beautiful, but I think moving the SAMA's from Sun City just made them lose their Exclusivity. I really would like the organizers to put their heads together, and prepare for next years awards right away.” Anonymous, Facebook “Postponing to produce quality was always an option ...I know they had sum difficulties with Sun City but they better make peace coz we are about to loose the only close-to-good (CLASSY) awards that we have in SA!” Anonymous, Facebook “Painful presenters, badly organized, timings poor, mediocrity seems to be the order of the day once again, each year the show just gets worse than the previous year. Who in the TV world would want to buy such an embarrassing show for their network. It really is a disgrace to South African Music” Anonymous, Facebook
Thank God i did not waste my time to go there, it was a very poor show. Anonymous, Facebook
Prime Circle
“Local rock outfit Prime Circle have no right leading the nominations for the South African Music Awards - this right belongs to people like Lira, Freshlyground, Rebecca Malope, and historically the late Brenda Fassie.” this statement was taken from www.timeslive.co.za
How’s this for a statement directed at a band who has sold over 40 000 copies since September 2010 from the album “Jekyll and Hyde”?! South Africa has become a leading birth place for amazing rock bands over the years, but I am afraid that with the mindsets of the people making the decisions, they are failing to see past the colour of people’s skin, and the music they feel inspired to create! “They are not representing our South African routes” says Andile Ndlovu. Does it really matter in the end? Has everybody forgotten about music being an individual expression? South Africa keeps going on about how we need to live as one nation and embrace each other’s different backgrounds, but if it is a Western influenced music style such as rock, the artists will suddenly be told they are not South African enough to win an award! It’s going to be a tough task to educate South Africans about rock music, but let’s just carry on with what we’re doing and never stop rocking! Nick Owen
Band Scout - Cape Town Uncontrollable head-banging? Getting the lazy Monday symptoms? I am afraid you have been infected by none other than Arc Reactor! The band has been around a good while with singles such as “The Witching Hour” and “No Reasoning” showing the local metal scene exactly what they are all about. It is definitely not the average metal band with monotonous sounding riffs, no...and since replacing bassist Wayne with Stereo-Gen bassist Clement, the band has seemed to find a steady footing being rated as high as number 5 on the “get signed to Road-Runner Records” website recently. Big ups to Arc Reactor, and we feel there is definitely more still to come! Catch the band next on June the 3rd at ROAR in Obz supported by When Karma Sleeps and Black Moscow.
PointBlanc Sound Solutions
Looking for representation?
Mail: info@nivarecords.com
Cape Town +27 83 774 3404 tyronmunnik@pointblanc.co.za
WHO ARE YOU GOING TO SUPPORT? Pre motief 4
“We started jamming mid-term 2010 and our presence in the community and local schools has increased substantially since we recorded our demo a few weeks ago. Our vocals are written in Afrikaans and genres include Rock, Pop and even some Alternative. I think our band needs a break, because we are dedicated and make good music and with it also create a great "vibe". We would love too expand our horizons by presenting our music to different age groups - we aim for success!.”
The Mysticcs is a 3-piece Blues Rock band based in Cape Town, South Africa and was formed in March 2011. In a short space of time, The Mysticcs have received a very positive response from a variety of audiences in and around Cape Town. Their influence of old-school Rock with a modern edge sets them apart from the rest. “We are hard working and passionate musicians that put our real-life experiences and emotion into our music. We strive to be successful and professional musicians!”
“We are a bunch of guys that got together to have fun and make the music that we love. We started War In The Waiting in late 2010 and really look forward to what the future holds War in the waiting for us.” “My Friends bread is young upcoming 4 piece band with an interesting combination of funk, punk and grunge rock mixed in with a crazy stage presence. My friends bread We have the potential to change the music scene in South Africa, we are hardworking and motivated and are willing to do whatever it takes to be recognised, and unlike most bands, we have the secondary skills to be selfsupporting (our members have sound engineering, business and graphic designing skills).”
The Mysticcs
“We are a 4-man English Punk Rock/Alternative band from Bellville, Cape Town aged between 15 and 17. We have onstage experience as well Johnny feelgood as studio experience. I believe that our band has the potential to go International one day, because we write our music based on a story of one of our members past, that we would like to share through our songs. We have about 15 songs at the moment and still writing. South Africa's music industry has a vacant spot for a English Punk Rock band, it is there waiting to be taken. I believe that we, Johnny Feelgood, can fill that spot.”
“We make punk rock music :)” This good rebellion
The 2011 King of the Stage is a way to showcase talent from bands that are not well known and very new in the music industry. As musicians, I am sure that we all understand just how difficult it is to break into our market and set off at making a success in our musical careers. This competition is focused on providing a platform for smaller bands to work from, with Niva investing in the bands in the form of bookings, recordings, videos, photography and management. We know that the industry is tough, but we would like to make it that slight bit easier for emerging artists. We’d like to give them a platform to grow from that really costs them nothing, and allows them to gain a lot. The show will be held at Purple Turtle on June the 11th and costs R40 with most of the door takings going straight to the competing bands in the form of prizes.
This year’s annual Wacky Wine weekend takes place from the 2nd to the 5th of June 2011 on the Breede River Valley Wine Route - also known as the world’s longest wine route. This year each day has a specific theme: Seriously Wine Thursday, Wine Up Friday, Full on Wacky Saturday and Wine Down Sunday. The famous Route 62 takes you past over 50 wineries offering wine tastings, educational presentations, helicopter flips, live music and art exhibitions. Robertson is just a 90 minute drive from Cape Town which makes it ideal for a day trip or a easy weekend getaway. By purchasing a R80 passport at the first wine farm you stop at, you get to taste the different wines from each of the participating farms for the entire weekend! Perfect for students on a tight drinking budget!
MONTHLY POLL:
NEXT MONTH’S POLL: Which is your favourite festival? - Oppikoppi - RAMfest - KKNK - Rock the River - Up the Creek - Splashy Fen - Rocking the Daisies Simply vote on facebook or mail gigguide@nivarecords.com
GOT COOL PICS? SEND IT TO US! GIGGUIDE@NIVARECORDS.COM
WHEN KARMA SLEEPS - SCOOP With a smash of penetrating female vocals, super energetic stage presence and catchy pop/punk riffs, we at the NRRGG decided to bring you a closer scoop on the band.
Catch WKS on the following dates! 3 June ROAR, 299 Lower Main, Observatory Supported by Arc Reactor 11 June ROAR, 299 Lower Main, Observatory Mob Fest 22 June Zula Bar, Long Street, Cape Town 25 June Purple Turtle, Long Street, Cape Town aKING
Where did the name originate from? It was a long process that took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to come up with. To explain what When Karma Sleeps means is a difficult one as we prefer that everyone have their own perception of what it means. But to us… its about everything being governed by KARMA. “Your perfect world”… but what happens when that element gets taken away? What would happen? Where would the world end up if the principle of good and bad karma didn’t exist!? What Happens…WHEN KARMA SLEEPS? What is the bands feelings on the state of our industry? We think the local music scene is picking up nicely and opening a lot more doors for the smaller bands that are starting up. However, we think people should be getting out there more supporting local Music, Going to more shows, spreading awareness. It would help!
Favorite quote? Statements? “DGB” – if you want to know, ask Megan at a show what it means. At what age did you start playing music/ singing/ composing? Well All of us were born with Music in our Blood. Megan used to sing in the school choir from a young age. KB and Greg were playing guitar together since the age of 16! Gerard and Matt also started playing instruments from very young.
If there was one artist/band WKS would love to share the stage with, who would that be? Why? That’s hard. There is never only one. But Killswitch Engage, AC-DC, Paramore, Foo Fighters…. Only to mention a few .
Do you have a place of peace? Langebaan is the band’s place of peace! Many of our songs were born there! When Karma Sleeps + Crash Car Burn @ Mercury Live, 26 May
Photographer: Chris Ladewig Models: Lisa Marie and Christina from 3D Model Management Photos supplied by 3D Model Management
Need A Ride?
3rd - Hog Hoggidy Hog music video launch 10th - LMG 50th issue party feat Taxi Violence, Peachy Keen and Sabretooth 11th - Rub-a-dub
Mercury Live and Lounge 43 De Villiers Street, Zonnebloem, Tel: 021 465 2106
15th - The Bone Collectors and guests 24th - Crimson House Blues, Sam Jam and Gavin Coetzee
3rd - Electric Garden 4th - Four a Penny and guests 5th - Michelle Pineda live 11th - NIVA Bandslam 12th - Akelian Circus 18th - Woodstock Mafia, Red Huxley, Black Market Riots 19th - Akelian Circus 25th - Bands to be announced 26th - Bands to be announced 1st – The O-Men, Dank, Slut (UK), InfEmy and Dynamo 2nd – Wolftown 3rd – Kool Out live 4th – Urban showcase 9th – The John Ellis Band 10th – Night of the Beat Bangaz 11th– Jack Mantis Band 15th – Sidecar Fire, Black Moscow and Versus the Wolf 16th – MXO 17th – Drum n Bass/Dubstep:
Zula Sound Bar 194 Long Street, Cape Town Tel: 021 424 2442
Hidden Cellar Cnr Bird & Herte, Stellenbosch Tel: 021 883 3512
The Nameless Pub Main Road, Somerset West Tel: 072 555 2356
Grand Daddy Rooftop Bar 38 Long Street, Cape Town Tel: 021 424 7247
3rd - Jesse Jordan Band 5th - Albert Frost Trio 11th - Piet Botha & The Lizard Kings 12th - The Boulevard Blues Band 17th - Gian Groen Band 19th - Gerald Clark 24th - 12th Avenue 26th - The Blues Broers
Bertie’s Mooring Harbour Island, Gordon’s Bay Tel: 021 856 3343
7th - Alive DnB Trio, Boombox Troopers and Bright Blue City
Aandklas 43A Bird Street, Stellenbosch Tel: 021 883 3545
www.nivarecords.com
JUNE 2011
1st - Ginsburg and Herman 8th - John Ellis 15th - Taleswapper and Guest
24th - Four a Penny and Guests
Gecko Bar New Harbour, Hermanus Tel: 028 312 4665
2nd - iKapa 4th - Bicycle Thief, Carla Conradie and All My Circus Friends 8th - Supernova Student nights presents the Mysticcs, Anton Syndrome and First Descent 11th - NIVA 2011 King of the Stage—new band search 15th - Half Price’s 10th birthday with Peachy Keen, Alive at Midnight and Sabretooth
6th - Monday night Jazz Jam with Ramon Alexander 10th - Van Coke Kartel acoustic with Andra 13th - Monday night Jazz Jam with Ramon Alexander 20th - Monday night Jazz Jam with Ramon Alexander 24th - PH Fat and guests
&Union 110 Bree Street, Cape Town Tel: 021422 2770
Purple Turtle Cnr Shortmarket and Long Str Tel: 021 424 0811
“The Lab” Volume 1 22nd – When Karma Sleeps 23rd – Diesel Vanilla and Gary Thomas 24th – Party People 25th – Captain Stu and Peachy Keen
Klein Libertas Theatre Du Toit Street, Stellenbosch Tel: 076 416 7230
15th - Bicycle Thieves, Like Knives and Bateleur 17th - Unplugged feat Van Coke Kartel, Coal and Stonecollar 18th - Captain Stu 21st - Evolver and Kill Disco 25th - Electropolis
4th - Soundwaves Music Festival 2 nd - 5th - Wacky Wine Weekend
Other
4th - aKing 11th - Ashtray Electric Album Launch 18th - Tumi & the Volume 25th - P.H.Fat
The Assembly 61 Harrington Street, District 6 Tel: 021 465 7286
3rd - Arc Reactor, When Karma Sleeps, Black Moscow and Anton Syndrome 4th - Carolinecoon, Series of Events, We are Misanthropy, The Mysticcs 10th - Woodstock Mafia, Still to Fall, Anton Syndrome
ROAR/Gandalfs 299 Lower Main Road, Observatory, Tel: 083 330 0700
3rd - 12th Avenue Acoustic
SEND US YOUR ARTICLES GIGGUIDE@NIVARECORDS.COM The best way to live in the Rock of today is to appreciate the Rock of yesterday. It took the world two decades since the invention of the electric guitar in 1931 to release the first Rock ‘n Roll album, with Rocket 88 by Ike Turner. Rock ‘n Roll got its name the same year, when Alan Freed started his radio show Moondog Rock ‘n Roll Party – broadcasting black music to white teenagers, giving them a taste of the blues and how a man can speak through his guitar. From there, the hysteria that is now Rock ‘n Roll began. From the 50’s with Chuck Berry’s best known Johnny B. Goode, and his invention of the pentatonic double-stop, still used by guitarists today; we evolved through all forms of rock. Whether it be rockabilly bands (a term coined at the time for white rock ‘n roll bands) like the Tennessee Two, introducing the world to Johnny Cash, or mania’s that were Elvis Presley or the Beetles, each decade distinguished from the next. The 70’s with the likes of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, The Clash, Sex Pistols and all the legends we praise today, spurred the birth of hardcore punk, and the electricity of burning guitars, demolished stage rigs (courtesy of the Gods of rock), flower power, moshpits and stage dives, but more importantly – everything that is Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n Roll. Before man knew it, we witnessed the birth of Alternative rock and Metal and all their subgenres. Today, we relish in the presence of our idols, whether it be Axel Rose or Slash, Robert Plant or Jimmy Page, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobaine or Angus Young. But let’s step back for a moment and focus on creating the legacy of today. Will we spend our days trying to replicate the success of our idols, or will we take the time to create the successes of tomorrow. In 40 years from now, who will people look back at and see under the same light we see the greats? The reality is that it could be you. All it takes is the drive to do what hasn’t been done. Fuck the radio, fuck the critics and fuck the people telling you what music to make, or what music will sell. Don’t sell your soul to the commercial devils. Nothing beats the shockwave of a band that blows your mind, stringing together chords and melodies, drum fills and guitar licks, bass flares and vocal runs that you just can’t comprehend. It’s that that defines true Rock ‘n Roll. Because Rock ‘n Roll isn’t a genre, it’s a feeling. However you feel it, is how you should rock it. It’s the combination of everything that’s ever made you move, turned you on or pissed you off, made you jump or hit the floor. The first time you made love, the first time you got your ass kicked, your first beer or last night out is what you hear every time you feel Rock ‘n Roll. So let’s stick together and do the forefathers of rock proud - never rest, never compromise your music, and never stop rocking. Article sent to us by Ethan Storm. If you are interested in advertising in this magazine at unbelievable introductory rates, please contact us at gigguide@nivarecords.com
Cape Town wonder-kids Plush released their fourth studio album on the 2nd of May 2011 and we caught them at the album launch at The Assembly, accompanied by Stone-Age Citizens.
Track listing: 1. Dancing in a storm 2. I am Frank 3. What he fancies 4. Out of body 5. 1999 6. Carousel 7. Always awake 8. Alive and well 9. Conundrum 10. Belong 11. You-Boat Rory Eliot (vocals and rhythm guitar), Emelio Gassibe (bass and vocals) and Carl Wegelin (lead guitar and vocals) teamed up with SAMA winning producer Brian O’Shea to produce yet another collector’s item for South African music supporters. The band began 1996 and have since grown in leaps and bounds, winning over audiences not only at home, but worldwide. This is one hardworking band and the fruits of their labour shows off not only in their recordings, but also in their live performances. Rhythm guitarist Rory Eliot spent a year in the UK completing his Masters Degree in Songwriting from Bath Spa University. With the bands musical education, they are able to add a dimension above most other local pop rock bands in Cape Town at the moment. The band will be spending part of this year touring in the UK, Europe and the Middle East. Do yourself a favour and BUY THE ALBUM! You won’t be disappointed!
THE SCRIPT TOURING SA! Once again, Big Concerts has been at work with another amazing act, this time though they have paired up with 94.7 Highveld Stereo and MK bring you The Script. Coming straight from the land of clovers and the magic pot of gold, this Indie Rock band will be hitting SA shores for the first time at the end of June. The lads from Dublin have already made waves in SA with their singles “The man who can’t be moved”, “Nothing” and “For the first time” which are all currently playlisted on radio stations around the country. Members Danny O’Donoghue and Mark Sheenan were first a part of Mytown, a boyband that achieved moderate success in the UK and Ireland in the late 90’s. But, In 2001 The band’s latest album is titled Science & Faith the two broke away from their band, added AND IS AMAZING TO SAY THE VERY LEAST! Go to any Glen Power to the lineup and The Script was good music store, and add it to your collection! born, probably a well calculated decision as the bands debut self-titled WHEN AND WHERE: album sold over 2 million copies worldwide! Not too 24 June 2011 bad, hey? This from a band that was personally invited The Coca Cola Dome, by Sir Paul McCartney to Johannesburg open for him on his recent UK tour and have also been 26 June 2011 invited to open for U2 for a Grand West Arena, Cape couple of their massive UK stadium concerts. At the Town end of last year, tickets for 7 shows sold out in record Tickets at time, with over 60 000 www.computicket.co.za tickets sold in less than 40 minutes! Enough said?
18
212 E GT CRAT
Equipment Review:
CRATE GT65 & GT21
As this is the first time I’m writing a review for this magazine I feel it is my duty to let you know a little about how I view the magical world of guitar. I’m an old school rock guitarist and electronic engineer, so needless to say I’ve played on various gear and I understand these beautiful creations inside and out. With that in mind, I’m constantly looking for that perfect, sweet sound with such tone and attitude that it will make your ears bleed maple syrup. Giving you these reviews I may sometimes be a bit harsh, but I simply like giving it to you the way I see it, I’m not here to discredit any designer or even more so butter anyone’s ass. I also try my best not to fall into the whole closed minded trap with the petty war between valve and solid state. Let’s face it people it’s not the start of amp designing anymore, mindsets have changed. Solid state has come a long way since they brought out the first transistors and went on to make guitarists puke their lungs out and over the years, sad to say, valve just ain’t quite valve anymore. It’s all fair game now and by saying that I mean I’m kind of waiting for the designers to stop going after diversity and volume and bring back tone, the tone we heard in the albums made by the guitar gods! On to the Crate! Personally I feel Crate has been an amp manufacturer that has been highly underestimated, they produce some of the best sounding amps on the market directed at everyday musicians. The GT range features 3 channels, each with individual amounts of gain. Channel 1 being the clean channel, which has a very sweet sound that flows to your ears like a surfer riding the perfect barrel, but I do feel it lacks the attack you want to hear the moment the string is plucked, yes that’s the surfer hitting a rock and you laughing till you cry. Channel 2 is a low gain overdrive channel, this by far being the best solid state overdrive I’ve ever heard, instead of screaming at you like a banshee, this channel has a tendency to purr at you like a white Bengal tiger! I believe this is due to the fact that they found a way to incorporate some of the characteristics of an output
transformer featured in valve amps into the signal path. It does however lack two things that I’m not very fond of, firstly it does still have a bit of a harsh clipping to it, not that bad, but it is there. Secondly this channel for the hell of it will just not clean up to a point where you can play nice blues rhythms with it, I’ve had the gain dial all the way counter clockwise and still it breaks up, seems the tiger refuses to ever chill out. Channel 3, being the high gain channel had me on my knees screaming, “WWWHHYYYY?!?!?!” they completely screwed up this channel. It is so high gain that it destroys any of the guitar’s natural harmonics and on top of that it’s super harsh, back to that banshee, this thing makes your ears bleed from high pitch harmonics, now this would be fine if the use of a normal presence knob was available, yet some smart ass decided that in the channel that this is most needed in, they won’t put something to roll off the high frequencies, no they’ll put a knob that at one end enhances mids and on the other end enhances lows and highs. I can see some inexperienced metalheads listening to this and going, “Ah duuuude that’s SO hardcore!” no bro it’s not, it’s ugly! There you have it 3 channels to use as you please, 2 of them to make you sound awesome and an extra one for scaring those pesky kids off your lawn. Something I simply have to add in is the spring reverb built into this amp, it is amazing, I’ve heard quite a few different spring reverb tanks and mostly they’re just way too much, leaving your signal bouncing off the walls so to speak, this one just adds the perfect amount of trail to your sound without being over powering.
65 E GT CRAT
On to the practicality of the amp, I think these amps have been really well engineered, they are well rounded off, easy to carry around and perfectly balanced. It features a super tough tolex finish which lasts forever. These amps can be thrown around, kicked, chewed by a horse and yet they just don’t break or show much wear and tear. Only place they did make a small engineering error was to not fully enclose the circuitry. It sits in a metal “tray” inside the amp, thus leaving the top open. Therefore it isn’t fully protected against noise, so don’t try to phone your dad off stage to say hi, you’re going to get your ear blasted with cell phone signals. Overall this amp is a brilliant buy, it has a great sound that will help you rock the masses. It is perfectly suitable for home, studio and stage use, being big enough with a massive volume output that will literally have you rattling the windows of a school hall, yes I’ve done that with this amp, and also go down to low volume levels without sacrificing too much tone, although I hate the sound and feel any amp produces when not played at significant volume levels. I guess I just need to feel my guitar trying to push me out of the room before I can start rocking out. Also this amp will last you a very long time, I believe I have only heard of one occasion where a Crate GT gave someone problems, but who knows how much beer he drowned it in before it finally gave up. I have seen one of these last five years without the slightest inclination of trouble or any maintenance whatsoever. This amp is truly brilliant for almost any style of music, particularly rock and punk. The only place I feel anyone could be disappointed with this amp is if they’re looking for extreme attack and that slow transition from compression into distortion, yes blues players, this means you, I’m also included in this category and I can tell you it’s not that bad, after playing around with the settings you can get a fair blues like sound, using the rhythm channel, pushing mids and dropping out some lows may give you what you’re looking for. This amp has actually been recently replaced by the Flexwave range by Crate, which I am yet to hear, but I would recommend running to any retailer you still find the GT in and buying it, heck it is that affordable, it would make a great addition to any guitarist’s range of amps, specifically for recording with the rhythm channel. In all honesty everyone, look into Crate products, you will not be disappointed!
Written by: Ben Dixon
Advertising queries: gigguide@nivarecords.com
Last weekend marked the 12th anniversary of the super popular Food and Wine show held at the Cape To w n Con ven tion C ent re. Armed with my bottle of Milk Thistle (tip top for the protection of the liver...), I set off on Saturday for the much anticipated day of eating, drinking and general over indulgence. At a R90 entrance fee, I would have expected a little bit more meat around the bones so to speak. To add to the hunger, an additional R20 had to be forked out for the tasting glass – this takes me back to my R20drink-as-much-as-you-can student years – but sadly very few tastings were offered. There was a not so amazing bag of goodies that was handed to me when I arrived, including One wet wipe (which could have come in handy at the tasting section), some boiled rice (just incase I wanted to roll my own sushi) and some 8-hour night cream...(wtf!) I did however get to watch some rather big names such as Jenny Morris, Jeremy Mansfield and Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout flaunt their cooking skills, while all the well-known (and not so well-known) wine-farms huddled together in the rather overcrowded wine tasting area. That being said, it was great to see so many people enjoying food and experimenting with new flavours, it was exciting to see some of BBC Food’s chef’s in the flesh, and I was impressed by the emphasis given to buying only sustainable fish, and cooking with ethically grown and sourced produce. Written by Irma Esterhuizen
JULY SPECIALS! Band banners from R200.00 Vinyl stickers from R250.00/m square Promo t-shirts (please enquire) 400 black+white A5 flyers R235.00 10 A3 black+white posters R75.00 10 A3 full colour posters R135.00 Photo shoots from R250.00 Live recordings from R550.00 Live recording + HD video from R1500.00 Studio sessions (please enquire) Backline rental (set up excl.) from R250.00 P.A rental (set up incl.) from R850.00
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What seperates a good band from a great band will always be, without doubt, the way in which the songs are written. It is obviously important to be able to play shredding guitar and be a prodigy on the drums, but melody goes a long, long way! If we take local punk rockers, Crash Car Burn, their songs are strong, with melodies and chorus’ that stick in your pip, forcing you to take another listen! With the band’s huge success this far, their singles such as “Serenade”, “Get away”, “Long live tonight” amongst many others, still sit comfortably on most of the good SA music charts. The band consists of exTweak brothers Garth and Brendan Barnes, with Fabian and Ettiene holding a tight ship on guitar and bass. Without doubt being the best 2 shows I have had the privilege of seeing in 2011, local punk legends CrashCarBurn lived up to everything good that has ever been said about the band! The first show at Mercury Live showcased the band fresh from the airport, tired and having not yet checked into their hotel in Stellenbosch. Did this slow them down or influence their stage performance and appreciation of the crowd you may be asking yourself??? Hell no!!! The band set the Thursday night crowd alight with the most energetic stage performance I’ve seen in 2011! With the fans wanting more as the show progressed, CrashCarBurn gave them exactly that by playing well know tracks like “Get Away”, “Long Live Tonight” and an amazing ballad of covers consisting of songs by “Metallica”, Bon Jovi” and “AC-DC”! At the point of AC-DC, the entire crowd had their hands in the air, “giving it horns”, and screaming THUNDERSTRUCK!!! I payed close attention to Garth Barnes (Frontman) at this point and noticed a huge smile on his face, which told every person in the crowd that he was having more fun than anybody there. Bass player Ettiene definitely had his daily dose of Red-Bull with him often coming within inches of Garth’s head with the neck of his bass, and really being unable to stay in one position for more than a second. The second night was hosted in Stellenbosch, at Klein Libertas Theatre, and if I told you that there wasn't any technical difficulties...i would be lying! Haha, about 20 minutes before the show, The Klein Libertas stage, shining in all of its glory, was turned to total darkness with the in house lighting console deciding to give us all a heart attack. Luckily for us, good old Henk saved the day by doing what he does best...just in time for the show to begin! CrashCarBurn hit the stage just after 11pm, with the crowd already being entertained by Johannesburg pop wonder band “Dance, You’re on Fire!” who were also on tour at this time, and let me add, they are also an amazing band! But back to CrashCarBurn...PRICELESS!!! How many bands do you know that can top a stellar performance by giving us a “better than stellar” performance??? I know a few, but the point is that they are few and far between and CCB are definitely one of them! The stage at Klein Libertas is very personal, and even though
the lighting and atmosphere is not the same if compared to a venue like Mercury, this show definitely topped Mercury in performance, interaction and enjoyment by fans (but mostly the band)… CCB ended their set with the most powerful song in their wallets...SERENADE! This made every single person (including myself) move around as if we were on an overdose of Rittalin…(I got half my energy drink in a random dudes face). Seeing the guys off at the airport Saturday morning, I really felt as if I had just added a few amazing friends to my life, wishing them well for the flight to Polokwane for the next gig at Mayfest. I realized on the drive back to Somerset West that this is the type of group that every band, regardless of genre, age or location, should aspire to be like - humble, friendly, appreciative and just plain fucking awesome. I would definitely pay a lot more than R60 to see CrashCarBurn anytime in the future, and if you missed the shows, I can almost guarantee that next time will be harder, faster and totally awesome! Nick Owen
For those of you who don't know, there is very much a deeper meaning to CrashCarBurn...no, it isn't drugs, sex and the usual “acting like a rock-star”! The name was described by the band as the following, and this is how they seem to live their lives: “Imagine you’ve been living your life without a care in the world, happily going about your ways with little concern for the people around you. Then, one day, you’re involved in a massive car crash. Who knows how, but you manage to drag yourself from the flames. Its a miracle you survived! Either you pick yourself up and simply carry on the same way you did before, or you realise that you might not be here tomorrow, and start making some changes towards becoming a better person. This band has been that car wreck for us. We hope it will be for others too.” Crash Car Burn
Interesting? F*UCK YES! Send us your interesting facts to gigguide@nivarecords.com Jaco "Snakehead" Venter from aKING reportedly busted his arm during the shoot of the "Catch Alight" music video on 19 May 2011. There is a You-Tube video showing the band rushing Jaco to the Cape Town Medi-Clinic! Mick Jagger has confirmed that he's formed a new rock group called Super Heavy.
Kate Perry’s on tour demands have been revealed to include her chauffeurs being banned from talking to or staring at her.
The Rolling Stones frontman who we all love and know revealed he has been rehearsing in Los Angeles with a star-studded (fairly old) line-up, which includes Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, Joss Stone and Damian Marley.
Thesmokinggun.com obtained a list of her dressing room demands whilst she was on the US leg of her California Dreams tour. Drivers taking Perry to her gigs are not allowed to "start a conversation with the client," her guests or her fans. They are also told not to "stare at the back seat through the rear view mirror." Pete Doherty has been sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine.
Old Mick still rocking!
The Libertines man appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court in his hometown of London on 20th May 2011 to hear his sentence. The verdict came after a police investigation into the death of his filmmaker friend Robin Whitehead in 2010. Judge David Radford, sentencing Doherty said:
Cool Mick back in the day.
Who sold more records, Elvis Presley or The Beatles? Answer: Worldwide, EMI stated the Beatles have sold 1.3 Billion up until 2005!!!!
“From what I have heard and what I have read there is no doubt that you are a talented and successful musician. However, you have an appalling record of committed offences of the kind for which you shall fall and be sentenced today.”
Crash Car Burn @ Mercury Live, 26 May 2011 Awesome gig? Send your pics to gigguide@nivarecords.com
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