Happy New Year

My new years eve was spent bar hopping with some wonderful friends.
This is just us intoxicated on the party bus - you missed a good time if you weren't here!

Happy new years to everyone. Thank you for all of your love and support. I know I have not written in a while. For those that know me, you know that the December period is a hard time of year for me. Let us celebrate the start of a new year and new beginnings. 2013 took some great people from us let us celebrate their lives in 2014. 

I am looking forward to this year and to my new resolution: to be more selfish!

I love you all with every fibre - may this be a great year.

Happy faces are the 2014 look!

Goodbye Nelson Mandela

It is 2 am. A night out cut short to report back to work after hearing about the passing of our nation’s father. As I sit here I can only imagine the implications of his passing, but to reflect on his past ... A man who birthed new nation of believers in their own inner strength, who knew that true freedom from oppression starts with the oppressed themselves. I have no words to express my sorrow, only to say that I wish that I could leave this world having lived it as he did.
Goodbye Tata, you leave this world a better place. I love you.

Thor and IMAX premiere at Gateway

The lovely lady on my left is Estelle Sinkins, arts editor at The Witness.

After a crazy week of  general newsyness which comes from working for a large news machine - and cleaning (see previous post), it was lovely to have been invited to the Thor premier as well as the IMAX opening at Gateway. 

As usual the traffic to Gateway is hairy but once we arrived we were greeted by a lovely big cocktail and an assortment of really yummy finger foods ranging from burgers to fish and chips, pasta the list is endless and dahling - I helped myself. 

But the real treat was watching Thor on IMAX. We were told that four weeks ago the whole theatre was rubble. Tonight I sat in state of the art, world class entertainment. My seat was big enough to put my feet up (what a treat to be the first person to sit on that seat). The 3D glasses now look like snow goggles, but I am told that they are an upgrade for those who wear glasses as they fit perfectly over the frames.

So yes, I am a fan of the new IMAX and I am waiting in anticipation for The Hobbit which will be screened next year. 

Isn't she beautiful?

Mavis

I am so exhausted this morning. This is the norm for a Thursday as the beginning of the week is dedicated to Mavis. Mavis is our 'maid' for want of a better, less pregnant-with-apartheid word. Or to my mind: Wonder woman. Not only is she a good friend and mother figure, she literally whips my world into shape, leaving behind her a wake of order and a pleasant wood polish smell. Her name really is Mavis - this is not just me being an ignorant mlungu. 

It starts on Tuesday. All the laundry must be washed, ironed and folded back into the cupboard. The floors need to be scrubbed; mirrors and windows need to be polished. Dusting and scrubbing - it goes on all day and I actually enjoy it because I see it as my exercise. It has to be done on Tuesday because Mavis comes to clean on Wednesdays and we wouldn't want her to think we actually live like this. 

Although I spend all day cleaning, every Wednesday when Mavis walks in she clucks her tongue lets out a gasp and tells me she will have a long day ahead of her. I am so ashamed.

Veranda Panda and Goodluck at Tiger Tiger

I think this sums up the evening...

Good morning! I write with a hangover from the comfort of my bed after a rather pleasant evening.

I am reminded that it does not matter where you go as long as the company is good. I spend the evening with two new friends Liam and Jane who perform as Veranda Panda and did so last night at Tiger Tiger Pietermaritzburg. 

They got going after their set to play another club in Margate which left my friends and I dancing to Goodluck. 

It was only after being pushed around by the bouncers that I was reminded why I don't like club venues. Apparently there are people who have more privileges than others on the dance floor. One has to first filate the bouncer before he allows you the honour of being on his turf (I speak metaphorically of course). Too bad for him I was already gagging on my drink (I'm sure I asked for a gin and tonic). But I have met this bouncer before; he was the one who would not let a certain DJ into the club even after said DJ confirmed that he was actually playing the club.

I am not writing this with any bad spirit to anyone involved, but as a journalist I see so many stories where bouncers lose control and harm patrons and this kind of thing is unnecessary. I think that perhaps Mr big dick needs to come a few steps closer to earth so we can all just have a good time.

After all it was a good night and I daresay I shall be back (this is an unavoidable sad fact) but for now I am going back to bed. Thanks everyone you are awesome. 

DEF Day 1

Discussion panel at DEF U day 1.
Photo: Russell Grant 

Today sees the start of the second half of the Durban Electronic Festival and if you aren’t there yet then I suggest you put on some sneakers and get the fuck out of the house right now.

The first half of DEF has to be one of the most exciting things I have seen on the Durban electro circuit for a while.  Yesterday was the start of the annual Durban Electro Universities, a series of free demonstrations and talks from industry professionals. What I saw was a group of likeminded people coming together to share and talk about their experiences in the industry. For a person like myself who is starting out in the industry, the lessons I learned were invaluable and I am so excited for the next instalment.

Nick Matthews aka. DJ Invizabel
giving a demonstration at DEF U.
Photo: Russell Grant

The evening ended on a wonderfully high note with a DEF U after party where I got to see first hands some of the tricks I had learned. A highlight was watching The RA Project and DJ Invizable doing their thang onstage.

Today’s event takes place across the Origin complex, where the event will take place in three stages.  You can enjoy a street party stage, Block party, live art, Winston beer garden/sports bar with live visuals of (Sharks/Chelsea/Liverpool games) and a VIP stage area set in Origin's balcony area.

Impressionable youths and industry kids watching a demonstration at DEF U.
Photo: Russell Grant

So if you haven’t got up yet, please get your shit together and go, gates opened at 12pm already! Tickets are: R100 (computicket ) / R120 at the gate (street party only) general access.
http://online.computicket.com/web/event/def_street_party/763230629
Or  combo tickets R130 (Computicket) / R150 (at the door) Day street party and includes entrance to Origin after party : limited to 400 tickets)
http://online.computicket.com/web/event/def_combo/763231441
Or R300 VIP : covers FRIDAY + SATURDAY Day street party and Origin after party ) limited to 200 : Computicket only *
http://online.computicket.com/web/event/def_vip_access/763231487

The K-Bomb performing at DEF day 1.
Photo: Russell Grant

The lineup:
DEF 2 - STREET STAGE
12:00 - 13:00 - FUNKY G 
13:00 - 14:00 - DJ FEEL 
14:00 - 15:00 - RICHARD THE THIRD (CT)
15:00 - 16:00 - NIGHT VISION 
16:00 - 17:00 - PH FAT (CT)
17:00 - 18:00 - VERANDA PANDA 
18:00 - 19:00 - NISKERONE (CT)
19:00 - 20:00 - BLUNT B (AUS)
20:00 - 21:00- JAMIE SAINT (CT)

DEF 1 - ENGINE ROOM PARK STAGE
12:30 - 13:30 - ICARUS 
13:30 - 14:30 - REBEL CLEF 
14:30 - 15:30 - CHRISTIAN TIGER SCHOOL (CT)
15:30 - 16:30 - DYNASTY (JHB)
16:30 - 17:30 - Bhashkar 
17:30 - 18:30 - Amigo
18:30 - 19:30 - FUNKY B 
19:30 - 20:30 - BRENT CRUDE 
20:30 - 21:30 - MARK E MARK 


STAGE 3 - RED BULL TRUCK (WINSTON BEER GARDEN)
14:00 - 16:00 - RENAUD 5 
16:00 - 17:00 - TOUCH OF SOUL 
17:00 - 18:00 - DJ RANGS
18:00 - 19:00 - GATORWADE (GMT)

Durban Day 2013

I recall a little tiff I had with an East Coast Radio presenter over a previous article I wrote which painted the ECR organisation in a bad light. He mentioned that his team had a meeting after reading my post, but decided not to persue the matter because I had paid for my ticket. He felt that if I had paid then I must have wanted to go, and that was all that mattered. I pointed out that I had paid for my ticket, but that I would not do so again.

I went against my own feelings and attended another ECR event: Durban Day. I know there have been a lot of write-ups about the event and I know that this post is after the fact. So, instead of writing about my feelings, I will stick to the events of the day.

I arrived at the stadium to a huge crowd of what I was told was about 12000 people. I don't know the exact number or if this is correct, but what I saw was a sea of white faces and a few dots of colour. I had not read the rules which stated that although you were allowed to bring a picnic, beverages were prohibited. This is my own fault, and so I cannot complain that I had my sealed plastic bottle of water confiscated. My friends were allowed to take their glass bottles of alcohol onto the premises. Perhaps security had not seen the alcohol bottles among the Nicknacks. 

I paid R150 entrance to celebrate Durban, but listened to bands from outside the province instead - although Toya Delazy did mention she was from Berea. Perhaps next time we could paid some local artists to perform at a day which honours their city. 

The day ended late and I drove home feeling like I had waisted my time. I wish I had spent my R150 on a local gig instead, that would have honoured Durban.

And now I will say again that, unless things change, I don’t ever want to attend another ECR function again.