The Parlotones: Cold, Wet, Awesome.

I had seen The Parlotones on various wine farms, in a stadium, in an arena, in a tent, and in 3D, but never in a setting quite like that of the final Kirstenbosch Summer Concert of the season. On 8 April, the rain was pouring down, and Cape Town’s die-hard Parlotones fans were attempting to stay dry under trees, umbrellas, and plastic bags. They could have sacrificed the price of their tickets, headed for their warm, dry cars and gone home, but no one did.

The rain took a break for the set of opening band, the Ice Project. The Pretoria-based band impressed me from the start, beginning with their neat attire of shirts, waistcoats and suspenders. This indie band were definitely appropriate openers for The Parlotones, and although I struggled to hear all of frontman Cobus Bester’s vocals, the songs were catchy and enjoyable, with the definite highlight being ‘Rollercoaster’ their most well-known song, having received recognition on the MK channel.

But those who had already folded up their umbrellas were in for a surprise as soon as the main act arrived on stage. Opening with ‘Stars Fall Down’, The Parlotones soon had much of the crowd on their feet, and the band’s enthusiasm was definitely not affected by the miserable weather.

Never a band to stick to writing songs on one topic, the deep ‘Remember When’ had everyone contemplating the idea of growing up and leaving the safe childhood world of imagination, whilst the sickly sweet ‘I’ll Be There’ had even the most anti-love audience members proclaiming that “Even if you’re rich, even if you’re poor, every breath you breathe I’ll be there for you.”

“This song is a bit of a talisman for the bad weather.” Said Kahn Morbee at one stage, resulting in an immediate shout of “Sun Comes Out!” from one excited audience member. These guys sure do have fans! Indeed, there was something magically ironic about this song being performed in the pouring rain.

Some new songs were in store for the lucky audience, including the explosive ‘Soul and Body’, and the – dare I say it – slightly country-inspired ‘Honey’. The new songs are less pop-ish, they’re slightly darker, and they sound fantastic. ‘Save Your Best Bits’ is one of those songs that you can hear once and feel like you’ve known it forever, it is without a doubt The Parlotones’ next big hit.

The only issues were a few missed lyrics and some heavy feedback on the bass, which was sorted out almost immediately, on the whole, however, the band were flawless. After a 90 minute set – during which the grass field at Kirstenbosch had turned into a pool of mud – The Parlotones concluded with the massive ‘Push Me To The Floor’, and left their 5000 soaking wet fans full of anticipation for the release of their new album. 

An adapted version of this article appears on www.whatsonincapetown.com.

Taxi Violence and Machineri at Kirstenbosch

Enthralled by the beauty of Cape Town and amazed by the talent of local artists: not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I arrive at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens at around 4pm on Sunday the 19^th of February, armed with a Hello Kitty picnic blanket and a chocolate Steri Stumpie… taking life seriously, wasn’t I? Although slightly worried that the Hardcore Rock Fans might judge me, I soon find out that this is not the case at all. The atmosphere amongst the couple of thousand people gathered on the lawns in the Botanical Gardens is nothing if not completely relaxed.

The sun is still high in the sky, and the temperature at least 5000^oC when three-piece band Machineri takes to the stage. Composed of guitarist and lead vocalist Sannie Fox, guitarist Andre Geldenhuys and drummer Daniel Huxham, the band’s sound is pure blues-rock…well, as pure as such a mixed genre can be. Their guitar riffs and Fox’s vocals scream ‘blues’, whilst the drums bring in the rock elements which result in the band often being considered rock. Fox’s voice stays strong the entire set, and their catchy tunes have many in the crowd bopping their heads in time to the music. Some energy is injected into the band’s somewhat low-key performance when they are joined on stage by vocalist Inge Beckmann, who air-guitars her way through an upbeat number.

Taxi Violence appear on stage just as the sun begins to sink behind the mountain. “We’re Taxi Violence, and you’re here to see us, give yourself a round of applause”, frontman George van der Spuy jokes good-naturedly, before launching into “I Went Down to the River”, accompanied by Inge Beckmann, as well as the shouts of some very excited audience members. The band’s talent is immediately evident, and by the second song, “Devil ‘n’ Pistol”, most of the audience is tapping their feet, clapping, and resisting the potent urge to head bang. This is also my personal favourite of the set, I love the lyrics which incorporate some blues and country themes. Van de Spuy continues to engage with the audience throughout the set, cracking jokes, and telling us the stories behind some of the songs. I think that this makes all the difference in the world, the constant banter makes the crowd feel connected to the band, they just seem so friendly and genuinely likeable. I am also unable to fault them performance-wise, they switch effortlessly between the country-infused “Between the Heavens and the Deep Blue Sea” and the pure rock of “The Turn”. They also perform their first hit, “Untie Yourself” - during which the cello and keyboards are positively haunting – and throw in a cover of traditional folk song “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” for good measure (much to the distaste of the very grumpy and very vocal man behind me). It’s not often that I discover a band live, but despite never having consciously listened to Taxi Violence before, I felt myself hoping that they’d come back for an encore after the show. I truly think that this one performance has turned me into a fan. It’s very difficult to compare this band to anyone else, or describe who they sound like, because, well, they sound like themselves. George van der Spuy along with guitarist Rian Zietsman, bassist Jason Ling, and drummer Louis Nel make up extremely talented rock band.

As I leave the venue, I’m left wondering why more concerts aren’t outdoors. I can think of no better way to spend an afternoon than surrounded by picturesque scenery, good vibes and true talent.