Metal Heads don’t miss the NIGHTFALL festival
Oct04

Metal Heads don’t miss the NIGHTFALL festival

Moshers, heavy metal fans and rockers, get to the NIGHTFALL FESTIVAL next week as the Pretoria Showgrounds succumbs to a metal invasion in a one day super-moshfest as BLIND GUARDIAN from Germany tear the place apart! whaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Check out Blind Guardian’s famous hit Sandman below to get you in the moshpit mood: [youtube]qDFmNgmaEe0[/youtube] For the first time ever, South Africa will be braced with the presence of true Metal Masters. Blind Guardian, Germany’s finest, is coming to South Africa as part of their world tour.  10 of SA’s finest will be performing alongside these Metal pioneers. This will all be taking place at the Tswhane Events Centre (Pretoria Showgrounds) on the 13th October 2007. So dust off your old-school leathers and studs and come and enjoy this journey into the styles of true old-school metal and rock. Some of the local bands who will be performing alongside Blind Guardian will be: Agro, Ancient Influence, Chromium, Contrast The Water, Deity’s Muse, L.A. Cobra, ManInSuit, New Born Fire and Sacrifist. The show will be hosted by Barney Simon from Tuks FM and Radio 2000 and GoTv. If the fact that a band of Blind Guardian’s calibre will be gracing us with their presence isn’t enough, there will also be plenty of bars, (with big screens for the rugby fanatics), food stalls, traders selling their goods and many more. There will be giveaways throughout the day including Woodstock 9 merchandise and tickets, Blind Guardian autographed posters and many other band items. To add to all the excitement, there is a battle of the bands hosted by Zeplins nightclub, giving one upcoming band the opportunity to start off their music career on the big Nightfall Festival stage. There is one final heat on the 3rd of October and then the finals are being held on the 6th of October at Zeplins in Pretoria. TICKETS ON SALE AT COMPUTICKET R295 NORMAL and R495 GOLDEN CIRCLE Discount tickets from Authentic Ideas and selected outlets for R270 go to www.myspace.com/nightfallfestivalsa for outlet details, Bulk tickets (10 or more) from Authentic Ideas for R250 each (Credit card and debit cards welcome. Call 011 646 6467 for more info) Golden Circle gets you up close to the stage and VIP parking in P7 and your own Golden Circle Bar with toilets, Normal tickets enter through gate...

Read More
Represent is Loving: Mark Ronson – Valerie
Oct04

Represent is Loving: Mark Ronson – Valerie

Rumour has it that Amy Winehouse didn’t show up for the video shoot, so they got inventive and pulled in a whole bunch of lookalikes to mime along to Mark Ronson’s remake of Valerie featuring the MC “Wale” from DC.  Labelled the “Winettes”, the ladies sang along to the original Zuton song and gave the video an authentic 60’s rock n roll feel.  Or the rumours could be a whole load of tabloid junk – as professed by the RodRyan show blog and Mark knew Amy (the star of the song) would be away on holiday (we think she needs one).  Who knows, but we’re loving the song and the video from visionary producer – or should that be retro-visionary – and man of the moment Mark Ronson. Enjoy....

Read More
NewMusic Indaba 2007 @ UNISA 10-13 Oct
Oct04

NewMusic Indaba 2007 @ UNISA 10-13 Oct

Composers, music fundi’s and junkies, get to the NewMusic Indaba 2007 at Unisa’s musicology department from the 10th – 13th October 2007 in Tshwane: NewMusicSA (South African Section of the ISCM) proudly announces its forthcoming New Music Indaba festival. The New Music Indaba has relocated from Grahamstown (in the winter) to Tshwane (in the spring) and the 8th edition of this experimental and innovative festival will take place from 10-13 October 2007 at the University of South Africa (Sunnyside  Campus) and the University of Pretoria’s Musaion. The New Music Indaba will consist of four days of masterclasses and workshops for composers, with international artists in residence The Schubert Ensemble of London and South African pianist Jill Richards, and guest composer Stefans Grové. Plus concerts of new works and improvisation, installations and videos, and a mini-conference on composition. Day 1 Wednesday 10 October FORUM: SOUTH AFRICA’S INSTRUMENTAL VOICES 10h00 | AHVAM (Seminar Room) | 2 hrs 30 mins Chair: Chris Walton (University of Pretoria) OPENING OF AUDIOVISUAL INSTALLATION 14h00 | AHVAM (Seminar Room) | 45 mins Aryan Kaganof & Michael Blake Reverie (2003) World Première Gerhard Marx & Clare Loveday The Collision Project (2006) COMPOSERS WORKSHOP 1 15h00 | AHVAM (Seminar Room) | 2 hrs OPENING CONCERT: SONGS OF AFRICA 18h00 | AHVAM (Seminar Room) | 1 hr Max de Vries marimba Peter Klatzow Song for Stephanie Martin Scherzinger Chorale: Afrika South African Première Day 2 Thursday 11 October COMPOSERS MASTERCLASS 1 10h00 | AHVAM (Seminar Room) | 2 hrs 30 mins Schubert Ensemble COMPOSERS WORKSHOP 2 15h00 | AHVAM (Seminar Room) | 2 hrs  Day 3 Friday 12 October COMPOSERS MASTERCLASS 2 10h00 | AHVAM (Seminar Room) | 2 hrs 30 mins Schubert Ensemble PIANO RECITAL: STEFANS GROVÉ 85TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 13h00 | Musaion, University of Pretoria | 1 hr Jill Richards piano Stefans Grové Five Glimpses Robert Fokkens New Work South African Première COMPOSERS MASTERCLASS 3 14h30 | Musaion, University of Pretoria | 2 hrs 30 mins Jill Richards and Stefans Grové SOUNDPAINTING 18h00 | AHVAM (Seminar Room) | 1 hr Ensemble directed by Marc Duby Day 4 Saturday 13 October OPEN REHEARSALS 10h00 | Sunnyside Concert Hall, Unisa | 2 hrs Schubert Ensemble and Selected Composers CHAMBER MUSIC RECITAL 13h00 | Sunnyside Concert Hall, Unisa | 1 hr Schubert Ensemble Programme includes works by participants in the Composers Masterclasses World Première COMPOSERS WORKSHOP 3 15h00 | AHVAM (Seminar Room) | 2 hrs PLEASE NOTE: EVENT:      OPENING OF NEWMUSIC INDABA AUDIOVISUAL INSTALLATION VENUE:      ART HISTORY, VISUAL ARTS AND MUSICOLOGY DEPT, UNISA DATES:      10 OCTOBER 2007, 14h00 ENQUIRIES:  CAMERON HARRIS 076 529 4601 This year’s NewMusic Indaba includes an audiovisual installation...

Read More
Represent Review: Keith Murray and friends
Sep19

Represent Review: Keith Murray and friends

Get your dictionary’s out ‘cos the Matrix has been working out with his thesaurus again and this time round we let his words flow without cutbacks.  Reuben went to check out US HipHop star Keith Murray aka another “I’m home in the motherland” visiting artist, on our behalf – He wasn’t impressed with the women-izing but had a bash all the same.  Enjoy: “Ke mokone; Paki ya bo – Darkie ka di – Baki mpya!” , you’ll forgive me for dropping my 2 cents worth of lyrical rhyme here, but the short-lived excitement and free flow repertoires of last weekend’s mammoth rap concert at Emperor’s Palace has left me with an aura of unquantifiable satisfaction. If I’ve ever doubted Ghetto-Ruff’s ability to stage a world class event, I was wrong.  My cynicism was shoved aside by Saturday’s hip gig: shame unto anyone who still believes that an “A” grade event under the African skies is the equivalent of a shebeen bosberaad! To this end – the Matrix bows to Ghetto-Ruff’s skillful and artistic management of a world class event in a world class African City – Jozi – our Jozi. Now, back to the lecture at hand, this Saturday evening/ Sunday morning yours truly was in the East Rand to Represent all you outgoing Jozi folk in what will go down in Mzansi’s event history as “a diamond in the rough” of Jozi Hip-Hop concerts.  At first glance the venue (Former Caesar’s Gauteng), draws you into a comfortable world of plush and splendor only befitting the “have more’s”. The lobby is lit in such a way that your heart beat starts to pace as you digest the surreal magnificence that’s almost overkill. “Suprise, suprise” the artist line-up was a bit too biased in Ghetto-Ruff’s favour (but then again, this was their show!). The listings boasted the flamboyant and very “stout” (we shall get back to this…) Keith Murray and a host of Ghetto-Ruff artists and co-opting allies like: Drenco, Slice, Gum Shev, Maggz, Mr. NK, Jub-Jub, Jus Dat, Morale, Malic, Bricks, DJ Cleo, HPP, Morafe and Zola, although the latter 4 artists did not make their stage appearances (and with no public service announcement as to why not – I found this to be a bit disappointing!), however their absence was cheered up by Mandoza’s surprise appearance and the reinforced turn-table skills of DJ Speed-Cop. The Down-Low: ‘Jus’ Dat’ raised the curtains to a half-empty auditorium of fanatics who nevertheless received them with cheers and excitement. As the night advanced further Jub-Jub lashed us with his spiked whip as Emperor’s Palace got thumping to their famous single: Good time of your life!  Mandoza and Bricks got us doing moves to their “Left, Right” song… Then Keith...

Read More
Do not miss Kudzanai at the Obert!
Sep18

Do not miss Kudzanai at the Obert!

You can count on the Obert gallery in Melrose Arch to give you cutting edge, visionary African artists.  DO NOT MISS the expo of one of the artworlds rising golden boys, exiled Zimbabwean Kudzanai Chiurai.  He’s in his mid twenties with a brilliant future ahead, get to the Obert before the 30 September. “graceland” is chiurai’s highly anticipated third solo exhibition and follows his acclaimed sell-out exhibitions “the revolution will be televised (2004)” and “y propaganda (2005)” and his participation in the dakar  biennale in 2006.  chiurai is an innovative and controversial young artist who has been banned from his home country of zimbabwe for his politically inspired caricatures of president robert mugabe. reminiscent of basquiat, chiurai’s mixed media works are intricately layered with stenciled characters, poetry and graffiti. his works have recently been procured by top private and public collectors including bhp billiton in london. this exhibition will consist of nine new, variously scaled mixed media works that explore pertinent issues related to mass media, inner city rejuvenation and xenophobia. More on Kudzanai: born in 1981 in zimbabwe, kudzanai chiurai is an internationally acclaimed young artist now living and working in south africa. he was the first black student to graduate with a BA (fine art) from the university of pretoria. regarded as part of the “born free” generation in zimbabwe because he was born one year after the country’s independence from rhodesia, chiurai’s early work focused on the political, economic and social strife in his homeland. seminal works like “presidential wallpaper” depicted zimbabwean president robert mugabe as a sell-out and led to chiurai’s exile from zimbabwe. chiurai’s large mixed media works now tackle some of the most pertinent issues facing southern africa such as xenophobia, displacement and black empowerment. his paintings confront viewers with the psychological and physical experience of inner-city johannesburg, the continent’s most cosmopolitan melting pot where thousands of exiles, refugees and asylum-seekers battle for survival alongside the never-ending swell of newly urbanized south africans. the actuality of these environs is reinforced by chiurai’s use of photographic transfer. boldly stenciled figures and anonymous text provide running commentary, leading viewers on a journey through his intricately painted turn-of-the century buildings, bustling streets and congested transit...

Read More
Catch the NW film fest now!
Sep18

Catch the NW film fest now!

It’s certainly the North West’s moment as festivals, parties, events and celebrations continuously draw Jozi peeps to the platinum province.  One of the South African film industry’s most anticipated events, the 5th North West Film Festival (NWFF), is taking place from the 14th to the 23rd September 2007 across the North West Province. The theme of the festival is Ke Ya Rona (Setswana for “It is Ours”) and its primary objective is to encourage people to take ownership of the industry either as active audiences or film makers. The Festival aims to ‘edutain’ using film as a medium.   The Festival takes place within National Heritage month, and it will showcase films with a Proudly South African focus to celebrate the country’s heritage. These films include; Karen Slater’s From Nkoko with Love, Vincent Moloi’s A Pair of Boots and a Bicycle, Jioty Mystry’s I Mike what I Like, Rudi Steyn’s Baas van die Plaas, Khulile Nxumalo’s The House of Credo Mutwa and Teboho Mahlatsi’s Sekalli sa Meokgo. Eight young aspirant filmmakers from around the North West Province have been undergoing rigorous training and development as part of the Festival’s 7 week filmmaking workshop. Here they developed and produced 4 ‘Proudly North West’ short films which will be showcased at this year’s Festival.   In addition, over 60 South African and international films comprising of documentaries, shorts and feature films will be screened in Mafikeng, the capital of the North West Province. Other screenings will spread to the rest of Ngaka Modiri Molema, Bojanala, Bophirima and the Southern districts as part of the Festival’s community outreach project. The programme offers an exciting range of films which fall under the following genres: Films from the African continent. This package features films from the Nigerian film industry – Nollywood as well as a taste of the best of Fespaco (Pan African Film Festival of Ougadougou) – Africa’s biggest festival. The Festival will also pay homage to the father of African cinema Ousemane Sembene who passed away this year by screening his award winning film, Moolade. Well known Nigerian director Chico Ejiro, known as Mr. Prolific in Nollywood will show a film entitled 100 Days in the Jungle. The Festival will also hold an open discussion on the Nigerian film industry. The second focus lends itself to films that celebrate young South African directors. These include Karabo Lediga (Black Sunday) and Lindiwe Nkutha (Joburg Rising),Khalo Matabane (Conversations on a Sunday Afternon), John Barker (Bunny Chow), Robin Kleindsmidt (Ongeriewe), Norman Maake (Soldiers of the Rock), Omelga Mthiyane (Different Pigment) With 2010 around the corner, the Festival has prepared a football package to wet the...

Read More