The rumour is true. I know this…because I started it.

YOURBANDSOUTHAFRICA is no longer.

Between Steve, Clauds and I we have decided to call it quits. “Why?” you may ask, “Why stop now at the pinicle of your reviewing career and at a time when SA music is better than it has ever been?” may run through your thoughts. Well…in true Steve Stevens style, like true champions, we decided to quit while we’re ahead. It doesn’t feel as good as people say. It’s kind of sad really.

So now is the time for all the thank you’s, we’ll miss you’s, it’s been great’s and all that jazz. In all honesty…it has. It’s been the most awesome time really. We have made so many friends and enemies it’s hard to keep up! From the music that made our ears bleed to the incredible, and usually unknown, bands that give us full hope that SA music is going to be a global phenominon. We are so honored to have been a part of something so much bigger than what we thought we were getting ourselves into, and greatful that you have all let us be honest about our experiences and been so receptive to all our crazy ideas and antics.

What will we take with us? Everything from the makeshift MySpace site in the “old” YOURBANDSUCKSASS days with our Wall of Shame, Suckass bands, Worst song ever to the YOURBANDSOUTHAFRICA days of Kickass band, Dirty band boys and girls, Send a rand to save a band, the revealing of the true Steve Stevens. We were treated like royalty which was kinda weird while on other occassions our opinions were insulted…sometimes to the point of threats to shut down our site. We had a kickass birthday party; reviewed over 100 bands in less than a year; hung out back stage; got free tickets to gigs; free CDs; got to write for some top SA music sites and see our names in “neon”. Wow…so many more things…you just need to take a look through the reviews – they are all there – every gig…

Whats happening now?

You will still be seing the odd review here and there, so keep an eye out. We will still be hanging out at gigs – it is still a true passion. We are all on Facebook, so please friend request us as we want to keep in contact with everyone who shares in our love for the SA music scene. Individually:

STEVE STEVENS is going to bum around in the appartment he bought after winning a lucky game of poker at Monte Casino and is going to drink beer and get fat and…He doesn’t really exist, so we’ll leave it at that.

CLAUDIA COUTSIDES is going to be travelling to the UK – their music scene has NO idea of what they are in for.

KERRY-ANNE FALLER (me)…I am busy working and also managing a band called Finding Noah (a YBSA recommendation – it had to be done!).

We have full confidence that all our kick ass bands are going to do just that…kick some serious ass! You know who you are!

Now for some big THANK YOUs that really have to be done…these people are all really cool in our books!

The bands. All of you.The good ones, the bad ones, the questionable ones…we love you all – it was because of you guys and for all you guys that we did this.
The band members of the kick ass bands – continue writing, loving, inspiring…it’s a hard industry with little support and money but it can be done!
The band members of the suck ass bands – support the scene…quit your band (that’s a comment from Steve)
Candice and Deane…BIG THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! For the good times. For the drinks. For dealing with our silliness…none of this could have been marginally possible without you guys.
The managers…Tash, Cher, Morgan – you are doing some amazing stuff, thank you for including us in everything.
“Our” bands, Evolver and Voodoo Child – thank you for making us feel like part of what you are doing.
The Parlotones for keeping us endlessly entertained with their awesome interviews. Glen, for always being willing to help out in any way.
Gareth (Gravity Wins Again) for being such a big fan with such a big heart and for keeping such a big secret. You are going to do so well.
Klement (Vile Minds) for hooking us up with the cool friend request program…we salute you in the name of spam.
Stay Astray…thanks for playing at our party.
The Privates…for never complaining about being on our Wall of Shame from Day 1.
Bel…our Durban/International reviewer – your writing put ours to shame.
Erin…for being Steve’s girlfriend. Ha ha.
Richard (Music Industry Online) – we’re still available for concerts…we’ll keep in touch. YBSA loves www.mio.co.za
Lesedi (Next Movement) for seeing the potential – sorry it all happened too late…we will keep you updated – things can only get bigger from here! (www.nextmovement.co.za)
There are so many people to thank, and I know it sounds lame, but EVERYONE who had a part to play – especially the band members who were always our most loyal fans.
I really hope I havent missed anyone. Oh man. Steve wouldn’t care, but we do.

So that’s it.
That was YBSA.
See you around…

Regards,
Steve

P.S. Check out the last review. It’s of the myepic EP posted in the YOURBANDSOUTHAFRICA group.

Yes…the rumors are true…YBSA is (almost) no more. We couldn’t let go without one last review though – one with a great story behind it…well I thought so anyway.

MYEPIC left a short comment on our MySpace page suggesting (suggestively) that there was an album with Steve Stevens’ name on it that we could collect at Woodstock.

Being totally against camping, festivals were a strict YBSA no no. But after an offer like that, how could we decline? We made reservations at a B&B and made our way down to Harrismith! Yip…all thanks to MYEPIC.

Not only was Woodstock 9 one of my most memorable experiences, but the MYEPIC set was ranked high…really high. It was the best I had seen them and was really impressed with their then new bassist.

This review isn’t meant to be for the gig, but that is how we managed to get our hands on to one of my top albums of 2007.

We put “Happiness Hurts” into the CD player in the car at our first given opportunity, still on a high from the set we’d seen earlier that day. From then, and right the way back to Joburg the next day we listened to it over and over and over and over…and kinda couldn’t get enough of it.

Now…a few months down the line, I am still totally hooked! It is not often that a recorded album can catch the vibe of a live act while still having a clear, solid recording that rocks the pants off anyone who listens to it (figuratively). This is the type of album, that if you don’t get a chance to see the band live, you can still get the full MYEPIC experience…it’s just that live shows are cool. Really cool.

Other reasons as to why I like the album:
Each song is unique.
It is really good hard core rock n roll.
It makes me happy (always very important).
Damn proud that it is South African.
It portrays the bands style.
I can’t seem to get tired of it.
And yes yes…the band has good looking guys…some things just have to be said.

So would I recommend you buy the album? Definitely. Am I bummed that they are playing right now at Carfax and I am missing them? Damn straight. Am I more bummed that I am going to miss them (maybe) at The Bo on Wednesday the 30th of April? *sigh*.

So…there you have it. My last review as myself and my alter ego. I couldn’t have ended it better than that.

Reviewed by Kez (aka…for the last time…Steve Stevens)

The reason we ended up wading through thick mud, ruining our shoes and spending a lot of time trying to find shelter from the rain, was a great one: WOODSTOCK 9. On arrival in Harrismith we were welcomed by the “half way to Durban” stop Wimpy, some Llamas as well as a torrential rainstorm.

Wisely, we had booked into a B&B in the middle of town, which had a Victorian bath, a comfy bed and an Ouma that found it priority to lock us out (twice) and wake us up early (twice). But it was dry, warm and not a tent, which we decided was a prerequisite for this weekend.

Our first words on arriving at the venue are best not repeated, but we were there for all the great bands, and we’d been through worse…I think.

By this time, the rain had slightly mellowed into a drizzle and most people started leaving their tents. The main stage was the only one that wasn’t covered, but this didn’t stop a small crowd that stood around to watch JOSIE FIELD’s set. I have always liked her music and she really played a great gig. A bigger stage suits her. She doesn’t look nearly as depressed as she does sitting on a chair at Tanz, and this made it all really enjoyable.

HARRIS TWEED played on one of the covered stages, which was a good thing because it was around then when the rain started belting down again. Only Cheri and Darryl played which I found odd, as the rest of the band would have brought up the tempo a bit to fit in with this type of event. There is never any doubt about Harris Tweed not being able to play a great set and that Cheri’s voice would be a highlight – this gig was no exception. They (apparently) had a few sound difficulties, and we weren’t sure why they would have expected such fancy equipment to work in a tent, on a field, in the rain, in the Free State, but this didn’t stop them from giving it their all and the crowd was loving it.

The only reason we endured the rain for one of TASHA BAXTER’s songs, was because a friend of mine was part of the band and we wanted to show him our support. What we heard consisted of the same old, average, radio friendly pop songs, which she sang to a handful of people holding umbrellas.

Around this part of the day, the only person who wasn’t distracted by the weather was a man dressed as Borat in ‘the’ green costume running around with “Re-Play” written across his butt. Great advertising strategy guys!

FEVERTREE got us out from under the Samsung promotions marquee, which we were hiding in because it was dry and there were chairs. After handing out a few broachers we made a quick run for it to the stage. Fevertree haven’t been much of a favourite of late, but with a few gigs under the new band member’s belts, they were really impressive. By their last song, “Friday I’m in Love”, they had attracted quite a huge crowd, which is great for a band that I see going places. Again.

Finally the rain had stopped, the sun was close to setting, there was a huge rainbow throughout the sky, and FARRYL PURKISS was on stage. Things couldn’t get much better. He hails from Durban and tours the world, so it was great to see him playing again. Not just a pretty face (sorry, but it is), he is also very talented. He’s South Africa’s answer to Jack Johnson and performs like any man with an acoustic guitar singing solo on stage should.

I don’t remember much about THE HELLPHONES set, but I do have photos to prove I was there. I don’t remember them being bad, and I think this was the band that had good stage presence. I also think this was the first time during the weekend that we bumped into fellow band supporter Juan, from the now no more Stay Astray. (I told you I’d get your name into the review). He’s a party animal…always great to be around.

Friday’s highlight was definitely EVOLVER. More and more people just kept coming to the main stage throughout the set and by the last song, they had attracted a huge crowd. These guys know how to party, how to drink Tequila and how to perform their hearts out – making them one of the most talked about acts of the festival. They will be playing throughout South Africa over the next few weeks, so make sure you get to see them while you have the chance. These guys are headed right down the road to Rock n Roll stardom.

We could hear PRIME CIRCLE playing in the background while we were trying out our cool new Wellingtons in the mud and puddles. A Prime Circle gig is a Prime Circle gig, and I doubt they brought anything new or interesting along to this set. As predicted, their remake of “As long as I’m here” got the crowd singing along – and a big crowd it was.

SATURDAY was great. The sun was shining and there was so much more on the go. There were people with a death wish doing some crazy things on motorbikes and generally everyone was a lot happier that they didn’t wake up in a leaking tent.

On a mission to find Fire Through The Window, we ended up watching the band GENTLY SCAR’D. We caught their last few songs and they weren’t bad. They weren’t particularly good either although they did attract a small crowd.

CHIX WITH STIX was another band that we listened to from the flea market area. We’ve seen them before, and these girls are amazing. The concept is as great as their talent and they are always cool to see. I wouldn’t watch them too often though as the novelty could wear off – but I would recommend them to anyone. It was all going well until someone (we didn’t bother to find out who) decided to sing. It was bad. It was like they were being punk’d or something. It ruined the atmosphere a bit, but at least it was just limited to one song giving the girls enough time to redeem themselves.

We finally found FIRE THROUGH THE WINDOW! There had been some Durban reviews about them on YBSA, so keen to see what they could do. I really loved them from the beginning of their set. They have two lead vocalists and both he and she have fantastic voices. All their songs were great and they really kept my attention throughout the whole set. This is what I love about what we do. There are so many great bands that are seldom given a chance and we do what we can to get their name out there. So, if you are in the Durban area, Fire Through the Window are a YBSA recommendation.

Next was the gig we had been most eager to see. Firstly, because we had just got a copy of their EP and could now sing along; secondly, that they are just brilliant; and thirdly, because we’d never seen them playing on a big stage and were putting them to the test…YBSA style. VOODOO CHILD really changed the whole vibe of the day. Their performance, image and skill are up there with any top band, and they seemed to attract the whole venue’s attention. Mel (the singer, not the spice girl), who features on their EP, joined Lebo on stage for the album’s first track “Megalomaniac”. Each band member has his own character, which mixed together, works wonders. This is one live act you cannot miss, and if you never thought keyboards were cool, you have to watch Alan – he will give you a new outlook because, damn, he makes them funky.

I love watching LONEHILL ESTATE. Not only do they play great music, but they are always very entertaining. Nathan Ro seems to take on a whole new character with every song and is a pro at getting the crowd involved. Their set makes you laugh, dance, jump around and wait to see what is next up their sleeve. Yip, another one we would highly recommend.

The only reason we made any effort to watch SWIVELFOOT was because Fuzigish named them the best up and coming punk band in SA. That, and Juan (the very same one I mentioned before) was handing out flyers, and he generally has good taste. (Again dude…you owe me). We also never pass up the opportunity to see people skank – gets me every time! As for the band: Wow…what a great performance. Kick yourself now if you missed it and keep an eye out for their gigs because they are going large. Quick.

What’s the drug that makes you feel invincible? There was some ‘brave’ guy on that drug who decided that climbing the lighting rig was a grand idea. With no paramedics in sight, some skankers decided to pull him down which he, in turn, read as encouragement to make it to the top. The band suggested shaking the tent but that didn’t take. Someone eventually convinced him otherwise, and he only ended up falling about seven feet before hitting the ground. He got up and carried on dancing like it hadn’t happened. Weird.

Back at the main stage, NEW ACADEMICS were just starting their set. Being a virtually unknown band, they were the real dark horse of the festival. By now, most people were relaxing/eating lunch/sitting under the trees and despite all the chatting, eating and drinking, most people’s attention was drawn back towards the stage. They were really very good, and from where we were sitting, seemed full of energy and had loads of character. They are the only new band who’s album I bought (for 60 bucks – sweet deal), so look out for a review on that. Until then I’m going to try see them as much as possible because I’m smelling a new Kickass Band around this corner.

Leading up to Woodstock there have been a few ‘Battle for Woodstock’ gigs/competitions on the run. I was really keen to see this year’s BATTLE WINNER, surely it was going to be someone good…but I was wrong. They were really one of the saddest winning anything, so sad in fact that I didn’t bother to find out their name. Saw some great bands at one of the ‘Battle’ gigs, so fear not, the future is still safe, bright and sunny.

MYEPIC had offered us a copy of their new EP, which is what brought Steve Stevens to Woodstock in the first place. We had seen them a few times before, but this gig was unbelievable. The power and the energy behind it were addictive and it all just seemed to end too soon. They have a fantastic new bassist who moves around more than any of the other band members. He’s the kind of guy that can go to a party on his own, not speak to anyone, and still have a really good time. Jeff and Grant give the band so much character, and for such a new band they really have a very distinct sound. See you at their next gig in the front row.

We have been intending to see NIEMAND for a while and they were pretty good. Very relaxed around all the madness going on everywhere else, but they still attracted a big crowd. The vocals were a bit soft initially, but the sound-man (who looked a bit like George Bush) was on the ball.

We stumbled across HIKATORI by mistake. And what a great mistake that was. I’d heard the name but had no idea that the band was going to be that good. They have a different set up to most bands from what I could see standing near the back, which was quite refreshing, and they have a very powerful stage act. See them.

We tore ourselves away as we were actually on our way to see KIDOFDOOM. For an instrumental band, they are surprisingly fantastic. I do enjoy singing along though, so a bit tough because humming doesn’t quite cut it and whistling is just creepy. Really amazed at what can be done without vocals, I see a great future for this band. Soothing yet styling. Ha ha. So cheesy!

JO DAY could be heard throughout the Free State. It was like a political rally with a few songs in between. Power to you girl! We’ll support your cause. We were also getting cold and kinda tired.

We hung around for WICKHEAD to see what they had brought back from the U.S. They decked out the stage and rocked more than anyone expected. It was awesome to see them again and they loved being back. We didn’t stay too long as nine hours of walking around (through thick mud in cool shoes) had caught up with us.

So many bands, so little time. I wish we could have seen them all, but Steve can only be in one…uhh…two places at a time.

Early Sunday morning, we joined pretty much the rest of the weary looking Woodstock crowd at the Shell garage for a quick breakfast, then made our way back to Joburg. This weekend was really a Steve Stevens highlight and we will definitely be back…just at a different B&B.

We really need to start getting to the Olive Lounge earlier – sometime before 9pm. We went to review Knave (again), and ended up missing their set (again), so we were pretty bummed. It was a charity event, which again, we had no idea it was supporting. The venue was packed out which really proves that Steve has single-handedly created more awareness and popularity to a once dwindling industry. Okay, we really wish it went that way, but are always glad to see more people supporting local talent.

We saw Wonderboom’s Martin on stage and quickly scanned the room for Cito and the rest of the crew. They couldn’t be spotted which meant only one thing – we had stumbled across a potentially great gig without even knowing it…Martin Rocka and the Sick Shop. Yeah! I had heard so many great things so found it odd that I hadn’t seen any ads out for this performance.

They were really a great act and really funny for most the set. They ragged women a lot, but then ragged men even more. Martin Rocka was dressed as if someone had let Hugh Heffner pimp out Spiderman and Martin has kept this as his signature look. There were other comments that, he covers his face out of shame for playing in Wonderboom, but that’s up to each persons interpretation.

There were occasional songs that had a distinct Wonderboom sound but most songs had a raw, loud, new feel. This band really do know what they are doing and have fun without messing around too much. Their set up reminded me of a Violent Femmes gig in the way that they use less instruments with a bigger sound. This band can only pull off an act like this on very few stages – they know this and they don’t seem to mind, but with the right crowd they can make a big impact. Just don’t invite them to play at your wedding.

The Night of 1000 drawings was such an awesome experience. It was very different in a sense that you don’t spend many weeknights moving between three floors of a building in the middle of Joburg town. There were all different types of people there, but all with the same intention – to have a good time and to support charity. In true YBSA style, we had no idea what charity it was for, but we had contributed by submitting our pictures and made our way down town to see what was happening. In short, for The Night of 1000 Drawings anyone, regardless of your talent, can submit A5 drawings – each of which get sold for R100, and the money is donated to charity. So what were we doing there? They had invited bands to play – for free – our weakness.

After pushing through the crowds (I wish more events could draw this many people), we found our way to the far side of the roof where the stage, lights and sound were set up. First up were Desmond and the Tutus – a strange group of extremely skinny guys who we had heard once before…and were not very impressed with. We’d been hearing their name around over the last few weeks, so decided to give them a second chance. This is one of those situations where we clearly have a very different opinion to many other people, but we found them just as strange – in a bad way – as before.

We wondered around and looked at some of the drawings before facing the crowd again to see Fuzigish. We loved them earlier that week at the NOFX concert and were looking forward to seeing them again in a different setting. They were just as brilliant and energetic as they were on a bigger stage and their band has a certain character that is very rare. They have become a favourite on our list and look forward to seeing them again soon.

Last but not least…okay, kind of least, were Cassette. Yet another band where our opinion doesn’t relate to most. They still did not impress us at all. Sigh. Their style and retro vibe is great, but their music doesn’t match the look. Added to the fact that we really don’t like their sound, they just seem really miss-matched which is pretty disturbing. After a few songs we headed off to Back2Basix to see what was going on there. It’s a tough life being Steve…

The whole intention of going to The Olive Lounge on Wednesday was to watch Munkinpure – a band that has been on our “really must see” list for a while. Forgetting that this was not a ‘normal’ band night, we arrived at about 9.30 to be told that Munkinpure had already played. A bit bummed, we did what we could to look really disappointed at the door and we got in for half price.

“Oomniek” were playing when we walked in. To be honest, I was a bit sceptical about their name and didn’t expect much, but did these guys prove me wrong! They knew how to rock and how to hold the crowd who loved them throughout their set. The Afrikaans rock scene seems to be growing steadily, and with bands such as Straatligkinders, Foto Na Dans and Oomniek, I can only see it going forward from there. Good guys. Good times.

Next up were Norwood, who were…ummm…okay, the less I say here the better. They committed too many band crimes in a 20 minute set to make any positive impact. Steve’s advice for this band would be 1. Keep your lead singer marginally sober until after you have played, and 2. Never, and I mean NEVER do a rock cover of ANY Justin Timberlake song. It is bad for you! Stop it!
There was a bit of talent hidden in there, but they still looked like a high school band.

Iberah were great to watch as they salvaged that part of the evening. Not only were they good-looking guys (which made their setting up quite interesting), but they really know what they are doing. There are some bands that are a step above the rest from day one, and this band would be one of them. They looked the part, they played the part, they even dedicated a song to all the emo kids in the crowd. There you go emo kids…someone does care.
They are a great band with great style and a great future. I really hope they hold it together long enough to make an impact.

We could hear Fragmented Children were quite heavy from where we were sitting outside, so decided to go in and take a look. I’m not too sure where all these people had been hiding up to this point, but the place was packed! There were a few hard core fans head-banging in the front of a huge group of people – the most I’d seen in this venue – taking in all they could. They were clearly the most popular band of the evening and deserved all the support. Despite not being our type of music, they were really good and if you are looking out for something heavy, keep an eye out for Fragmented Children.

It’s always great getting Steve back to his roots and checking out some new indie bands. Unlike most evenings such as this, the organisation was excellent. The bands moved on and off the stage according to schedule, played up to their designated times with enough exposure to show what they do best.

See you at Woodstock!

Tuesday night at The Olive Lounge was another memorable one. It is such a great venue and there was a big enough crowd to create a real party vibe. All the bands that were set to play are favourites, so I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while. Evolver were playing, so Cuervo was involved again – tequila all around!

First up was Stay Astray who the two “Steves” have caught twice this week – and they blew us away both times. Last Friday we braved Vaughan’s in Edenvale where we watched them playing on a stage behind the bar which is pretty random. The stage is higher than the bar fridges – one of which lead singer and guitarist Trev decided to play on.

The stage at The Olive Lounge is much more suited for bands – especially for those who like to connect with their audience. The crowd was still pretty small, but these guys gave it their all. It is really good to see one of the up and coming bands turning so many heads. They have officially been added onto the YBSA list of favourites.

Next up were The Slickers, who were as great as always. It seems like the current band members are there to stay and have the right chemistry to make this band work. What I really like about this band is that they entered the scene with such a developed and mature sound that could make them a headline act from an early stage.

Evolver had the then, large crowd jumping around and singing along with the help of a little salt, lemon and Cuervo (you’re singing it in your head, aren’t you?). The band proved, yet again, their ability to leave a crowd wanting more. Everyone was really getting into it…there were even people stage diving which must be a first for The Olive Lounge. It’s great to see the band getting the response they deserve.

I managed to catch up with some old(er) and new(er) friends which always adds to a good evening.

See you all at the next one!

Steve’s name has become quite a legacy in the Joburg live music scene. He even featured at Oppikoppi in “Camp Steve” and has a song tweaked in his honour; Well I don’t know where he’s going and I don’t know where he’s been…living next door to Steve(s), Steve? Who the hell is Steve?

So…who the hell IS Steve?

Steve Stevens was born somewhere between a crafty joke and not one, not two, but THREE sets of the original suck ass band. Someone needed to do something, someone needed to take some action and Steve was just the guy to do it!

Since that day, Steve has been gig-hopping, writing numerous reviews and keeping in contact with musicians, fans and strangers on his MySpace page. The page was named in honour of all the shocking bands out there… YOURBANDSUCKSASS.

The fact that Steve is not actually a guy is rather inconsequential, so what if he is actually two chicks who use a pseudonym? He gets to tell the truth. Suck ass bands get to hear what people are thinking, kick ass bands get credit where it’s due.

Steve is all about getting people to support the local music industry by promoting the bands he likes, posting their gigs and writing reviews. The bands he doesn’t like get put onto the Wall of Shame. The only way to get them off the wall is by having a fan nominate another suck ass band to replace them.

After a few weeks, the site seemed to take on a life of it’s own with the YBSA team just steering it in the right direction. Everyone who contributes to the site has a deep passion for South African music and the promotion of the musicians who have the talent to make a difference, even the emo ones.

We spend a lot of time and energy looking for and helping out the newer bands that have no alternative means of marketing. We keep up with the bigger bands who are making dents in the industry and we are following them on their journeys too. There is something new posted on the page at least once a week, making sure it stays interesting.

At the end of the day Steve is just a regular guy, well, as regular as a guy can be when he has two woman thinking for him!!!

By Kez and Clauds

Evolver played yet another brilliant acoustic gig at Tanz Café on Thursday night. I really enjoyed it (as usual) and the sound was right up there with all other good…umm…sounds.

Moving on. The opening band were The Slickers who are becoming a firm YBSA favourite. They sound a lot like Madness – which I think is great – and all their songs are catchy and sing-a-long-able. One day I would have seen them enough to pick up on the lyrics. They do seem to have different band members to the last time I saw them. This time Verny (ex Just Jinger) was part of the group, maybe next time Suggs will make an appearance, who knows?

Evolver have climbed up another rung of Steve’s Ladder of Greatness. By taking a little fashion advice by our style gurus to heart, the boys were looking hotter than ever! Trust us – coordinated works.

My only complaint about Thursday was that I really expected there to be more people. I have seen much smaller crowds, but when you have one of SA’s top bands as well as one of the finest up and coming bands on one stage, you expect a bit more of a response.

So, with Steve being no stranger to boosting a band, here are some reasons to watch the next Evolver gig:
- Great talent doesn’t come around too often these days…ask the Idols judges, but these guys have what it takes.
- Awesome songs, new and old. You will definitely recognise a few.
- They are really nice guys (and yes, for the girls out there – they are hot)
- They are sponsored by Cuervo, and we all know sponsors mean freebies! Come get your tequila.

Most importantly:
- Steve loves them!

I knew something big was happening when I got both an email AND an SMS from Clauds at the same time. After having girls hitting on our boy Steve for the last eight months – this could be serious.

Serious stuff alright…A free ticket to Ampli5! Yes, FREE! I would normally pay any amount (of money) to see skinny white boys rocking it out on a stage, but my credit card wasn’t being so giving – so this was fantastic news!

Slightly sceptical as to why tickets were on a “buy one, get one free” basis, I handed in my half day leave form for the 10th and overdosed on Jimmy Eat World in preparation for a good old sing-a-long.

We arrived at around 2:30 and seemed to be the 10th-ish car there which was quite worrying, but understandable when you organise a festival styled concert on a working day (why???). The Golden Circle was about three times bigger than the norm, which was odd, but when pretty much anyone could walk in, it made more sense. Thanks for the heads up on that one – you know who you are…

The sound was a bit better than it was at Fall Out Boy, which was nice. The general feeling (mine) is that this is far from the ideal venue for rock concerts and I really think the organisers and other heavies in the industry should be thinking of other venues. If you build it – they will come. Okay, not so easy – I get it.

One more thing before I get to the bands – what was with that music they were playing between sets? Did I miss something? Did they realises that some of those songs were older that the average age of the crowd? Some songs were older than the collective age of the crowd, but that must have been an honest mistake.

We arrived while Dorp were playing and decided from just outside the door that we liked what we heard. The singer had a bit of a British accent going on, so before seeing their name splashed all over the screen, it was all very top, top, tea and scones, do you know the queen, blah, blah. They were a great band to watch and should have more exposure in the commercial scene here and overseas.

Max Normal TV was an act that I was so glad I caught. Still as controversial as ever, Waddy has collaborated with some very talented people, and despite different artists and influences from the original band, his unique sound is very distinguishable. This is not just a gig – it’s an entire audio visual and extremely entertaining experience. A real indication as to how technology has taken music to a new height. You really have to concentrate to catch all the words, images (some quite questionable), intentions and meanings behind their songs and then you will realise why you don’t hear much of them on the radio. Behind their over produced international style, they are undeniably South African and sing a few full songs and bits of others in Afrikaans. If they are ever playing in your area, go see them. You are in for a big surprise with this one. CONCIEVE, BELIEVE, ACHIEVE. Genius.

The YoungBlood Brass Band were my least favourite act of the night. I don’t mind jazz (on a Sunday afternoon, in a restaurant), but I really wanted them to stop after about two songs. Things went a bit “otherwise” when the drummer decided that it would be a great idea to rap. It wasn’t. Leave that to Waddy or Linkin Park.

Fokofpoliesikar have an energy that fills up a room from the second they start playing. I love watching these guys live and they seemed to initiate the whole rock atmosphere for the evening, which most people responded to. These are the dirty band boys your mom warned you about. Just cant get enough of them though.

If you want to turn an evening into a success story, you invite The Parlotones along. Yes, yes, I know you are tired of me telling of their brilliance – but they got it right. Again. Most of the crowd started arriving at around this time, so the venue started to look like there was actually something happening. This was also the time to stroll into the Golden Circle at get up close. It can’t be easy to play for a crowd eagerly awaiting another artist (Jimmy), but these guys rose up to the occasion and left the crowd wanting more. As they do. Because they’re so good.

If it wasn’t for Jimmy Eat World, the still quite pitiful crowd (for an international act) would have been a bunch of hippies and a couple of hangers on. They have been the biggest name surrounding the concert, and if it wasn’t for a group on Facebook called “Whose going to Ampli5 for no other reason than to watch Jimmy Eat World?”, most people would have no idea they were playing in Joburg.

They were fantastic! The singer, Jim Adkins, gave out an incredible amount of energy that he got straight back from the now slightly bigger crowd. They were everything I expected and can see why they have made a dent in the music world. Their set wasn’t long enough though – I was really getting into it.

The first time I saw the Violent Femmes almost two years ago, I thought the guys on stage were roadies until they started performing – they do not fit the profile whatsoever. One guy looks like a convicted felon and the other a truck driver. Enough of that though, these guys make some powerful music with the bare essentials. The drummer is amazing in the way he uses half a drum kit and jumps all over the place while playing. Their strong bass lines had the crowd mesmerised and their more commercial songs got a huge response. They did get a bit “experimental” at times, but I would still put jumping around to American Music and Blister in the Sun on every rock fan’s list of Top 101 things to do before you die.

We left somewhere between Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” and Beethoven’s “5th” that were being played before Groove Armada got on stage, so we missed out on anything happening after that. I also had to work the next morning which kind of cut the night short, but I still had a fantastic time and took some good memories and bad photos out of it all. Looking forward to the next one.

For anyone who thought SA music threw in the towel when the Springbok Nude Girls separated all those years ago, here is the opportunity to change your mind. I’d be very surprised if you haven’t heard of The Parlotones by now. Four uber-talented musicians from Roodepoort with a new sound that has taken over this country (and other countries) by storm.

What is just as brilliant as this band is their live performance. Last night they played at the Blues Room in Village Walk along with The Black Hotels and 16 Stitch. They wore their standard eye make-up (manly eye make-up) and had funky new hair-styles and they blew the crowded venue away (again). Their songs are addictive which is a good sign for a band that has taken SA music a step higher with a new sound in local music. And it rocks!

Kahn never runs out of his signature moves and is always extremely entertaining. Despite forgetting a few lyrics here and there (even with Glenn’s prompting), their following is reflected in the majority of the crowd that can sing along to almost every song, old and new.

Speaking of their new songs, I can’t wait for their new album. I’ll put my money on another SAMA for this one. And with their frequent visits to the UK, I see bigger things coming their way too. The CD launch will be at the end of September, so clear your diaries because this is one you cant miss!

Due to Steve going AWOL, my advice for this week would be: Even if you’re REALLY drunk, and you think it’s your birthday, it’s NEVER a good idea to have a conversation with the singer of a band. On stage. In the middle of a song. Yes, this really happened.

See you at the next one!