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Giant metal Early Friday madness squid invasion Refilwe Modisi
AFTER narrowly escaping the ravenous vultures circling overhead, we made our way into the questionable safety of the Arts Block. The search for an empty venue uncovered room after room of studiously working Humanities students (on a sunny day during meridian – a definite conspiracy). Deeply puzzled, we later stumbled upon an empty lecture theatre and it was here that I settled down with three members of The New Black, finally safe from those damn vultures. I asked the guys whether there was any meaning behind The New Black as a band name. They pointed out that it bears no hidden political message; the guys simply aim to deliver a fresh sound and easy entry into the SA metal scene. With broad grins, they described their sound as ‘post-apartheid, pregiant squid invasion metal’. Their sound is innovative and energetic, combining elements of punk and metal. They have been influenced by the likes of Thrice, Trivium and Alexisonfire. This is evident in lead guitarist Tyrone’s scorching solos and harmonies. When not tearing up the night,
the guys enjoy poker, messing around on dating sites and admiring Tyrone’s mastery of Guitar Hero. Singer Geoff mentioned that it’s a shame that The New Black wasn’t invited to the Olympics, as the guys promised to bring home gold in underwater basket-weaving: They claim to be able to complete the daunting triple weave in less than 30 seconds.
‘...they describe their sound as post-apartheid, pre-giant squid invasion metal...’ What better way to add some scuff to your All Stars than a nice little mosh? Drummer Kyle has promised a free viewing of his buttocks for anyone who performs a handstand at their gigs. If past performances are anything to go by, bassist Brett would be keen to follow suit.
really make a person look stupid. One states that they are comfortable, while the others say that people who wear Crocs look stupid; then the conversation jumps to men who wear pink shirts. Others meeting for the first time are brought together by common ground which they have just come to realise they share. No one holds back. At Early Friday it’s a noholds-barred, open floor where anything goes. The combination of Early
Friday and The Waiting Room produces the ultimate relaxed early Friday night out. It is open to everyone to come and enjoy. It serves as a starter pack of sorts: A starter pack to your Friday and to your whole weekend. It’s an opportunity to become acquainted with many people and perhaps making friends for life. If you want a chilled evening with a close group of friends, Early Friday is the place to have it.
Worth the hype? Calvin Scholtz
‘I WILL not watch the Hansie movie,’ says former Protea fastbowler, Fanie de Villiers. ‘It opens up too many old wounds.’ Tomorrow sees the release of possibly the next big South African movie, from the same group of filmmakers who produced Faith Like Potatoes. That film had a strong religious theme, and despite Hansie being about a star cricketer who cheated at the game he loved so much, it’s clear that the plot focuses more on his ‘journey to redemption’ than his fall from grace. The events surrounding Hansie Cronjé’s premature exit from international cricket, as well as his very public humiliation are well known to most South Africans. What we do not know is what happened afterwards, inside the Cronjé family, and who better to tell us the story than Hansie’s brother, Frans, who is an executive producer. Actor Frank Rautenbach, who played the farmer Angus Buchan in Faith Like Potatoes, takes up the mammoth task of portraying one of South Africa’s favourite sons who became, almost overnight, a national disgrace. While the facial resemblance is not all that great, Rautenbach appears to have made up for it in his mannerisms and the charisma that made Hansie charming enough to convince at least a small number of his teammates to trade patriotism for greed. However, whether people will
Photo courtesy of tvscoop.tv
Matthew Milne witnesses The New Black brave vultures and swordfights
EARLY Friday is the name synonymous with UCT students and the way in which they spend their Friday evenings. As the name suggests, it all goes down on Friday evenings between 5 pm and 9 pm. The occasion that is Early Friday serves a two-fold purpose. It acts as a fundraiser for fourth-year Fine Art students from UCT’s Michaelis School of Fine Arts. Between 10 and 15% of the evening’s bar revenue is used to publish a catalogue of artworks which accompanies the fourthyear graduate exhibition held in December of every year. It also serves as a forum for people from all sectors of the art community to come together and interact. The venue is hosted by The Waiting Room, a secret gardenesque place of sorts, which can be found right next to Royale Eatery, smack in the middle of the excitement and buzz that is Long Street. The comparison to the secret garden is not as far-fetched as one might think: The Waiting Room has an unmarked door which blends in with the wall of the building in which it is situated. Upon discovering the entrance, a visitor is greeted by a long narrow passage with a staircase leading up to the venue. And it is here that one can get a feel for the place based on the blaring music coming from upstairs. Take notice of the retro, loungy décor of the place. It is littered with chairs and cushions for comfort. From the balcony one can witness the transition from day to night over Table Mountain, Devil’s Peak and Lion’s Head. One patron was overheard declaring, ‘I want to live here.’ The atmosphere is a relaxed one, with conversation flowing freely. One group is arguing about Crocs and whether or not they
Hansie - ‘The Devil made me do it’ want to sit through what even the blurbs describe as a ‘cathartic’ experience, remains to be seen. Or perhaps, as old ‘Vinnige Fanie’ has implied, we’re still much too close to this issue to view it with any objectivity. Hansie opens on Wednesday 24 September. On the international front, there is once again a rumble coming from a galaxy far, far away. Legions of Jedi knights wielding light sabers are once again set to burst into theatres everywhere, but in a way that you’ve never seen before. Star Wars - The Clone Wars is the first fully-animated film in the franchise, and is actually a spin-off of a TV series set to air on Cartoon Network at some stage. While it will possibly appeal to kids more than Star Wars purists, the animation doesn’t look
half-bad, and the plot does cover a largely unexplored period of the saga’s history. The film will pick up where Episode II - Attack of the Clones ended, and follows the heroes in their various battles with the evil Separatists, led by Count Dooku and General Grievous. However, be warned that only a couple of the original actors return to lend their voices to this film, among them Samuel L Jackson (Mace Windu). No doubt the film will find an audience, but the question will be whether fans leave the cinema feeling like they’ve revisited a universe which has enchanted so many people over time, or like they’ve been duped by good old commercialism. Star Wars - The Clone Wars opens on Friday 26 September.