PRG Rock Band Rocks out in Cape Town

Philippe Andro

The PRG Rock Band made waves earlier this year when they performed in Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront Band Slam competition. Having taken place on the 27th of March, the competition boasted a talented selection of high school bands from all around Cape Town who joined to compete with their varied repertoires. The PRG Rock Band performed a repertoire of Pop and Rock classics, that made for a sunset performance that would live long in the memory.

The PRG Rock Band consists of seven talented members. On the guitar, we have the exceptional players of Eben Halford and James Jansen — two guitarists who know the neck of their guitar like the back of their hands.

Furthermore, on the bass, we have the beat-loving players of James Palteglou and Daniel van Heerden. On the drums, we have the adaptable Nicholas Jacobs, a drummer of talent and precision. On the trumpet, we have the passionate Kayden Philips. And finally, the band’s lead vocalist is the calm and smooth-sounding Philippe Andro. They opened up their repertoire with their funky-rework of the unforgettable Bee Gees song, “Stayin Alive”. They followed this up with a catchy jazz performance of Crazy by Gnarls Barkley. Next, most famously featured in the hit film classic Pulp Fiction, they performed the memorable Misirlou. Subsequently, they performed the rock-infused Jump by Van Halen and the funky Superstition by Stevie Wonder. They concluded their performance with another original reworking of the iconic Come Together by The Beetles, and finally with the now iconic and memorable Uptown Funk by superstar Bruno Mars.

Their evening came to a close, with the applause and cheers of the listeners and judges in the audience still ringing in their ears, Paul Roos was congratulated for their exceptional song arrangements, artistic ability and originality. The PRG Rock Band narrowly missed out on heading to highly-contested finals, but they expressed the excellence, respect and humility that Paul Roos Gymnasium strives to exude. The entire event was a magnificent exhibition of music and culture, and Paul Roos Gymnasium still stood tall among a group of the most musically brilliant high schools that Cape Town has to offer.