Innovative musician VERITY causing a stir
If you love supporting SA music then you need to get behind this highly original concept from Verity, a local lass who is selling copies of her CD before it’s made in order to get enough moolahs to actually record it. Nice thinking! Click here for her site. Musicians… don’t give up hope – get innovative! Local artist’s innovation opens new doors … for SA music industry Many talented young vocal artists are faced with the challenge of funding their first album, which can amount in South Africa to a staggering R400 000. This is forcing local musicians to be highly innovative in launching their careers. One Cape-based singer/songwriter – Verity – currently has interested parties in the local and international music industry watching her progress with a model that ignores the major record labels, but still launches her career, gives money to charity, involves fans and empowers other local artists. Verity has developed a unique business model that rests on the concept of pre-selling her album on www.iamverity.com to 5 000 fans or corporate sponsors on a trust basis, before she records it. 10.6 percent of every sale will be split between two worthy initiatives – People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) and her Live Your Dreams fund for aspiring artists who lack financial backing. Once the 5 000-copy sales target is reached, a whopping R80 000 will have found its way into the charity coffers dear to Verity’s heart. Future owners of the CD also stand to win prizes from the Lucky Packet, the best so far being two R5 000 Intec distance-learning bursaries. Her business model has garnered much international attention, with a number of foreign newspapers and websites carrying coverage of her unique approach, and more recently, with a featured profile at a European business innovation conference in Copenhagen. Equally impressive is that of the seven hundred albums already pre-sold, buyers have come from 16 countries outside of South Africa. A further success is that a talented young jazz artist, Mimi Ntenjwa, has already been able to record a demo on funding she has received from the Live Your Dreams Foundation. Verity enthuses: “It is my intention to lend my voice and songs to causes I support.” Whilst Verity has lived and performed in Nashville & New York, she feels that she needs to make her impression in South Africa. “This is my home & right now I want to be here,” she says. “I feel privileged to be a part of such an incredible country and grateful for the limitless inspiration I find here.” Theo Crous of Springbok Nude Girls fame and producer of Verity’s...
Vote for UJU at Levi’s Young Guns
Have you heard the infectious band UJU yet? They play at ROKA aka the old Color Bar every Thursday night and they are awesome. We’re sure we’re not the only ones to notice the huge dosh Levi’s are spending lately on South African music… and in a NCA underground kind of way. But you know that we at Represent love to make the Underground the Norm… so we bring it to you and the challenge is fo…r you to take it on…COME ON! Support live music! Musicians work very hard! Levi’s Young Guns has nothing to do with the YoungGuns awards we told you about recently. It is instead a plaform to profile 15 of the hottest young bands that are coming through the ranks. We like that. Right now they are inviting you to vote for UJU, Newtown or Nouveau Riche to add one of them to the gigguide. We vote UJU. There’s the first bash “DISRUPTION OF THE STATUS QUO” this coming Friday 9 June at the Space Frame theatre at WITS (Education campus) – 19h30 – R20 to enter. CHIPILE!!! Click here to go to the website for more. Levi’s Young Guns They’re loud. They’re brazen. They make no excuses. They’re the Young Guns, an array of musicians who are about to rip into the very fabric of South African nightlife. Levi’s Original Music is behind this groundbreaking concept, one that will uncover and then unleash fifteen cutting edge musical acts at a series of gigs throughout the country. This is the chance to hear the very talented young performers whilst they’re still fresh. They’re original, uncompromising and incredibly loud. Catch them before they’re household names. Parading under a banner that defiantly calls for a disruption of the status quo, this is what happens when a rebel cause is mixed in with music, counter-culture and self identity. Levi’s Young Guns is not about fame or fortune, musical or hair style, it’s about deliberately disrupting the prevailing order with the aim breaking new ground. The routine has officially changed. Are you on board? Levi’s Young Guns is the latest in a long list of music initiatives supported by Levi’s Original Music. And it’s the most radical. Tapping into the mad energy that swirls around the DIY aesthetics of punk culture, Levi’s Young Guns will provide a platform for the myriad of defiant voices in our local scene. This is a stage built for self-expression, one that is likely to be torn up, burnt down and reignited as these prophets of rebellion take their attitude countrywide. It’s about time we had some bad boys and girls in the...
There’s hope for First Physical Theatre
We were horrified to hear that the First Physical Theatre based in G-town was closing down due to lack of funds… Being a dancer is hard on the body, hard on the lifestyle and most of all hard on the pocket… We have much respect for dancers and have three close friends who each spent some of the best times of their lives dancing for First Physical. So naturally we were pretty down abou…t it. Imagine how they must feel. It’s a hard knock life for artists sometimes. We are not sure how it happened but it appears that someone managed to get everyone’s spirits back up and the company is now investigating innovative ways of making money. They only need R70 000 a month to survive – surely corporate sponsorship must be the way forward? Anyone have any contacts for them? Let’s save this phenomenal Dance Company. Come on Joburg and ex-Rhodes peeps, show some love. Get in touch with Callum – email him here. Here’s some info on a recent fund-raising initiative: Following the First Physical Theatre Company’s announcement that it will release its performers and staff from their contracts due to a drop in funding, the company presented a “Black Tie” fundraising event on Monday 5 June in Grahamstown. R 26,610 was raised through tickets sales, donations, and an auction towards a fund for the future revival and survival of the company thanks to concerned citizens of Grahamstown. The evening, packed to capacity, included the premiere of a physical theatre film at the Roxbury cinema, jazz and cocktails, live performance, and an auction of donated items. The auction’s highest bid was R 4,000 from local teacher and actress Sheena Stannard for a painting donated by Nigel Mullins. Local business-man Mark Shelton won the bid for a dinner date sponsored by restaurant La Galleria with performer, Nicola Haskins, and donated his winnings to auctioneer Bugs Wilmot who re-auctioned Nicola to the Rhodes University drama department honours class. Other auction items, numerous prizes and giveaways, catering, drinks, entertainment, and other services were donated and sponsored by individuals, local business, and Rhodes University. “We were delighted with the show of support from our local community” said Managing Director, Calum Stevenson. “Thank you to the citizens of Grahamstown. We hope that this is the start of a successful campaign to secure funds from further afield to revive the company.” First Physical currently operates on overheads of R 70,000 per month and is researching future prospects for reviving the company and broadening its revenue base. For further information on how you can help, contact Calum Stevenson on email or call 046-622...
The Dope Returns to Jozi
The boys from Cape Town with the fabulous LOGO and great taste in music are having a party on June 16. Welcome back to Jozi boys! Much Respect. African Dope and Loaded are pleased to announce the return of A Dope Nite Out to Johannesburg. Taking place at Loaded (behind Carfax) in Newtown on Friday 16 June, A Dope Nite Out will… feature some of the meanest broken beats, hip hop, electronica and other left field sounds known to modern gig goers. In true Dope style, the party will feature three dance floors to cater for every twist bed and duck in the beats and the loops. African Dope Records Floor: Will feature legendary founders of African Dope and beat experimenters Krushed and Sorted as well as deck and loop maestros The Real Estate Agents (Sibot and Markus Wormstorm). Ably backing them up will be DJ Dope, Blunted Stuntmen, VJ Blink and 1st Project. Loaded Floor: This eclectic floor will feature three DJs from all over the beat-o’-meter in the form of Kenzero, Darkwing and Paul (The Secret) Two Twiggs Floor: To finish up the twisted diversity and all beat-ness of it, the Two Twigs Floor exhibits crazy beats and hip-hop sounds from Mr. Bong, Afrowhitie and Missile Miles. The Details: A Dope Nite Out Loaded (behind Carfax) 39 Pim Street, Newtown Friday 16 June 21h00 R70.00 Featuring: Krushed and Sorted The Real Estate Agents DJ Dope Blunted Stuntman VJ Blink 1st Project Kenzero Darkwing Paul (The Secret) Mr. Bong Afrowhitie Missile Miles...
VUKA! All rebels with a cause wake up.
Have you seen some of last years VUKA entries on TV – those amazing ads that hit you where it hurts? Well the entries are open for this years contest and we urge all aspiring filmmakers to make a VUKA! Vuka means WAKE UP for those that didn’t know – so WAKE UP our society with your VUKA – you have just under 4 months to pull this...
LOERIE AWARDS – Hurry up and enter!
CREATIVES – Believe the hype. It does matter that you win awards in the South African marketing and advertising industry, despite the mutterings from those who wish it didn’t. Awards recognise achievement and are much-respected by all – more so than a fat paycheque or a nice office. In the SA context, a few birdies in your pocket can make the world of difference. So if you a…nd your agency believe that you have done some OUTSTANDING creative work and it fits within the Loerie entry criteria, get going and sign up. You never know, you may just get one. And judging by the fun that was had last year in Margate – it’s going to be a cracker of an event… good luck to the organisers to better last year! A few things to note: – ENTRIES close end of this month 30 June 2006, so GET Going!!! Click here for Loerie website. – There’s a new category – Architectural and Interior Design work – so hot architects – show off a little. – There’s a travelling Loerie Awards 2005 show – thanks to BizCommunity for the info – click here for full story: Learners, diarise to attend The Loerie Awards 2005 exhibition that is coming to The Imagination Lab in Alexandra, Johannesburg, in June. The exhibition is part of a focused initiative to introduce South African learners to the exciting career opportunities in the advertising, communication and design industries. It is making its way around the country showcasing all the winners from The Loerie Awards 2005. From Alexandra, the exhibition moves to the Grahamstown Arts Festival from 29 June to 8 July and the Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography 3 – 17 August. It will also show at the Margate Art Gallery in September. Details Date: 12 – 16 June Venue: Imagination Lab Address: Sankopano Community Centre, 12th Avenue, Alexandra Time: 10am – 4pm Tel: +27 (0)11 883 0130....
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