Dragonflies and Astronauts ft. The Parlotones

It is almost impossible for any South African to not know who The Parltones are. They are absolutely everywhere you go! They have two different wines, there was a KFC meal called "The Parlotones snackbox", they performed on Idols SA, they're opening for Coldplay...the list goes on and on. No wonder they are regarded as South Africa's biggest - and best- rock band. Last night, The Parlotones became the first band in the world to broadcast a show live in 3D all over the world. And I was there! (Well, I was in the 3D cinema, not at the actual show, unfortunately).

The 3D effects seem to give a movie a certain surreal quality, combine this with the eerie stage lighting and the fact that The Parlotones' performance was nothing short of perfect, and one is left wondering if you are really witnessing a live show at all! It just seemed too perfect! Kahn's voice never once wavered, he hit every single not beautifully, and the entire vocal performance sounded as though it had come from a perfectly recorded CD. Then there were the costumes, the actors, the lights, the pyro, and of course Neil, Glen and Paul's infectious beats, all of these elements combined to produce an absolutely breathtaking show which was quite obviously enjoyed by all those who saw it, whether it be live or in the cinema. The setlist was wonderful too, combining favourites from "Stardust Galaxies", such as "Life Design" and the epic "Push Me To The Floor" with older songs such as "Funny Face" and "Baby Be Mine", and closing with the extremely catchy title track, "Dragonflies and Astronauts".

Of course, I'd never been to a 3D concert before, and thus I was a bit unsure of the accepted protocol... basically, was I allowed to sing along or not? I kept calm for the first few songs, but by the time "Disappear Without A Trace" came along, my soft foot-tapping and humming had morphed into fully-fledged singing and air-drumming. I'm sorry, I just can't help myself sometimes!

All in all, the show was fantastic, perfect in every way, and the band should be extremely proud of themselves for achieving a world first like this. I cannot wait to see them open for Coldplay in October, it will be the third time I'll be seeing them live, fourth if you count the 3D show, which I do think you should.