Music

Help my friend and awesome guitarist, Guy Buttery

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My friend, Guy Buttery, is launching a crowdfunding campaign to pay for the recording of his next album. This is one awesome dude and one of the most talented guitarists I know, so if you can help him out. This is what Guy had to say:

“I am pretty damn excited to be launching my crowdfunding campaign today in support of my upcoming album. It’s been a long time coming, but this new record has undeniably been the most ambitious thing I’ve ever done and also features a bunch of songs and guest artists I’m super stoked about.

“So far I have guest appearances from Vusi Mahlasela, Piers Faccini, multi-Grammy award winner and founder of Windham Hill Records, Will Ackerman, Gareth Gale, Derek Gripper, Shane Cooper, Nibs, Dan Patlansky and a bunch of others. We also made a pretty random video for this whole jol so check that out too. It’s very silly.

“Essentially I see this whole crowdfunding campaign to support the making of this music, much like an advance from a record company. Except it’s from you, which is way less kak.

“It also gives me a chance to offer access to some pretty rad and exclusive perks such as house concerts, vinyls, posters, two of my personal guitars, an exclusive demo’s EP, original photographic prints from an Ugandan adventure, LP test pressings, T-shirts, or the option to hire me in as a producer/engineer at my home studio where this new album is being recorded. There’s more stuff too.

“Please also feel totally at peace to share the link, the video or this email around to your fellow human. Check out the campaign page and video and also have a look at what’s on offer by clicking on the link.”

The crowdfunding site: http://www.igg.me/at/guybuttery

Guy’s email: buttery@iafrica.com

Guy Buttery. Photo: Gillian Coetzee

Guy Buttery. Photo: Gillian Coetzee

KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra to delight classical music fans

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THE KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing a number of concerts at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.

At 6 pm on July 4, the orchestra will present a Symphony Concert, conducted by Bernhard Gueller and featuring soloist, Joanna Franklin (violin), in the Guy Butler Theatre at Monument.

The programme includes: Hendrik Hofmeyr’s Preludio e Umsindo; Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35; and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8, in G major, Op. 88. Tickets range from R70 to R100.

At 2 pm and 7.30 pm on July 5, in the Guy Butler Theatre, the orchestra will present The (He)art of the Matter.
The concert will be conducted by Richard Cock and features soloists, Magdalene Minnaar (soprano), Timothy Moloi (tenor) and Nicholas Nicolaidis (tenor). The programme includes a tribute to Frank Sinatra, Gershwin’s S’Wonderful, S’Marvellous, A Whole New World, Unforgettable, What A Wonderful World and The Lady is a Tramp.

Tickets are R70 (R65 concessions). A percentage of proceeds from this concert will be donated to the Theatre Benevolent Fund, a charity which provides care and comfort to performers who find themselves incapacitated and destitute through illness.

Cock will also conduct the orchestra in a Gala Concert in the Guy Butler Theatre at 3 pm on July 5.
The soloists are Musa Ngungwana (baritone), this year’s Standard Bank Young Artist for Music, Sorin Osorean (horn), Boris Kerimov (cello) and Magdalene de Vries (marimba). The programme will include Peter Klatzow’s I am an African and Tiniyane — a story for orchestra. Tickets are R70 to R100.

At 5 pm on July 5 the orchestra will be performing Heroes and Villains, a children’s concert, in the Monument Fountain Foyer. This interactive educational concert will feature popular music and famous themes from TV and the silver screen, including Pirates of the Caribbean, James Bond, Star Wars and Superman. Admission is free.

Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic — Frankel, Violeta Osorhean (violin), David Snaith (viola), Kerimov, Annelize de Villiers (clarinet) and percussionists, Stephane Pechoux, Jorge Renes Lopez, Joshua Kim and Thando Nkangana — will give a concert celebrating the music of the 20th and 21st centuries. The programme will include Ravel’s String Quartet in F major, Steve Reich’s Drumming (1st movement), and David Bruce’s Clarinet Quintet Gumboots.

The recital will take place in the Rhodes Chapel at 7 pm on July 5 and 3 pm on July 7. Tickets are R70 (R65 concessions).

Bookings are open and can be made via the website:http://www.nationalartsfestival.co.za. Ticketing call centre: 0860 002 004

Pick up a Festival programme and booking kit from selected Standard Bank and Exclusive Books. The full programme is online at http://www.nationalartsfestival.co.za

The KZN Philharmonic Orchestra is performing several concerts at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.

The KZN Philharmonic Orchestra is performing several concerts at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.

British band Livingstone is touring South Africa in August

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British rock band, Livingston, will be coming to South Africa in August.

Their tour will kick off at Oppikoppi The Fantastic Mr Vos Vos before show dates in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Eastern Cape and Durban. The band will also spend time on a farm in Newcastle to write and record their next album.

Having formed in the multi-cultural hub of London, Livingston is made up of singer Beukes Willemse and a guitarist/keyboardist Chris van Niekerk, from South Africa, guitarist/percussionist Jakob Nebel, from Germany, and bassist Phil Magee, from the UK.

Finding their feet with 2008’s debut Sign Language and 2012’s Fire To Fire (Universal Music Germany), the band achieved numerous successes including Top 20 in the German sales charts and Number 1 on the Amazon & iTunes Rock Charts. Their single Broken made it into the Top 20 and their second single Go was the official song for German national broadcaster ZDF during the winter Olympics of 2010.

The band also collaborated with Hugh Masekela and Till Brunner for a song for the Football World Cup in South Africa (2010); and were featured in the international blockbuster movie Chalet Girl featuring Bill Nighy, Felicity Jones, Brooke Shields and Ed Westwick.

Retreating to a hunter’s cabin in the woods, an unorthodox location for a band who had previously recorded at the hallowed grounds of Abbey Road and Sonic Ranch with producers such as David Botrill (Muse, Tool, Placebo), the band wrote, produced, recorded and mixed Animal entirely on their own. The result? Their purest work to-date. Livingston released Animal in the UK, Benelux and GSA in Autumn 2014, and followed the release with a successful tour.

Vocalist Beukes Willemse says that the band is looking forward to their time in South Africa: “We are absolutely ecstatic to be touring SA. It has been a dream for so long that it seems quite unreal that it is actually happening. Cant wait!”

  • Watch the Livingston EPK here and get ready for a BIG sound South Africa!: https://youtu.be/TaiA_QgKp9c
  • Listen to the single Chemicals off the album at https://soundcloud.com/livingstonmusic/livingston-chemicals-radio-edit

Social Media inks:

http://facebook.com/livingstonmusic
http://youtube.com/livingstonlondon
https://twitter.com/livingstonmusic
http://livingstonmusic.co.uk

Video Links (ANIMAL singles):

“Chemicals” https://youtu.be/CXhDsz46_NI
“Human” https://youtu.be/ZOu5zJ4idsA
“The Hunter” https://youtu.be/99N4MX12gg8
“Reckless” https://youtu.be/5pBxP_EBlXc

Livingstone are coming to SA in August.

Livingstone are coming to SA in August.

Twin Atlantic heading to SA for Oppikoppi and they have a new album out

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Scottish rock band Twin Atlantic will be performing at Oppikoppi -The Fantastic Mr. VosVos in August.

The band has had a busy year – they have been on an extensive tour of the United Kingdom, performing to full houses and getting rave reviews for their latest album release Great Divide (Red Bull Records). Q magazine said of the album: “Scottish next big things step it up with an arena-rock-sized swagger” and Kerrang! commented: “If their ascent over the past years has shown us anything, they’ll soon be plunging their flag into the summit of British rock.”

Twin Atlantic singer Sam McTrusty says the band is looking forward to their time in South Africa. “It’s going to be a trip of a lifetime for us and something we never realised we could achieve with this band. Now that it’s just around the corner, we are really excited about getting to meet new people and cultures at the same time as playing our songs for music lovers in South Africa. We have been playing major festivals in the UK, North America, Europe and Australia so it’s with big smiles and pride that we can now say we have been to a whole new continent and rocked with people so far from home. See you soon!”

Since the release of Great Divide the album has produced three hit singles Heart and Soul; Brothers and Sister and Hold On. The fourth single off the album Fall into the Party will be released to SA Radio stations this month. Listen to the single here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kr_nQsPlSA

That much of Great Divide was written in the back of tour buses, late at night, after Twin Atlantic had stepped off yet another festival stage is evident from the first listen. McTrusty said: “Our adrenaline was through the roof because, for the first time, thousands of people had come to see us. I’d be in the lounge, unable to sleep, recording ideas on my phone, trying to make sense of the reaction we’d had to our songs. You can’t hear 10,000 people singing a chorus back at you and not be changed by it.”

“We’ve been through our punk rock rebellion phase and come out the other side,” laughs McTrusty. “We’ve all grown up being in this band. Dare I say it, we’re finally fully-formed adults. Since Free, some of us have got married and bought our own places and I’ve spent time in Canada because my girlfriend lives there. When the four of us got back together to work on this album, there was no bullshit. With our own lives sorted, it was easier to see the point of the songs and how we wanted them to sound. And, definitely, part of that was embracing pop.”

The bulk of Great Divide was recorded in Rockfield in Wales with producer Gil Norton (Foo Fighters, Pixies), who also helmed Free. Additional songs were recorded in the States with Jacknife Lee (Snow Patrol, U2, R.E.M.).

Twin Atlantic formed in 2007 when McTrusty and bassist Ross McNae, a friend from school, joined forces with drummer Craig Kneale and lead guitarist and occasional cello player Barry McKenna. All four had been in previous bands on the Glasgow scene. They bonded over a shared love of alternative rock, punk-pop and the city’s skate and street art scene, as well as a determination to make music their day jobs.

Their ferocious shows soon saw them booked to support Smashing Pumpkins, Biffy Clyro and their teen idols Blink 182. Within two years, they had played most major UK festivals and been signed, following a tip-off from Alan McGee, to American label Red Bull Records.

Twin Atlantic will be on stage at Oppikoppi -The Fantastic Mr. VosVos on Sunday, August 9. Tickets for the festival at https://plankton.mobi/Home/Index

Social media links:
http://www.twinatlantic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/twinatlantic
https://twitter.com/twinatlantic
https://instagram.com/twinatlantic/
https://www.youtube.com/user/twinatlantic

Twin Atlantic will be in SA in August. Photo: Dean Chalkley

Twin Atlantic will be in SA in August. Photo: Dean Chalkley

Great Divide is the new album from Twin Atlantic.

Great Divide is the new album from Twin Atlantic.

Wishbone Ash will be performing four shows at Barnyard Theatres

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Legendary twin guitar band, Wishbone Ash, will play four shows at Barnyard Theatres this July as part of their 2015 ”Live Dates Live” World Tour.

Fans can catch one of the most influential guitar bands in the history of rock, on Saturday, July 11 at 8pm at the Barnyard Cresta (Johannesburg), Sunday,July 12 at 2 pm at Barnyard Parkview (Pretoria), 8 pm on Wednesday, July 15 at the Barnyard Rivonia (Johannesburg) and at 8 pm on Saturday, July 18 at Barnyard Willowbridge (Cape Town).

Tickets are R250 – book online at www.barnyardtheatres.co.za or phone the relevant Barnyard Theatre.

Due to popular demand, the group will play tracks from their bestselling “Live Dates” album as well as tracks from their new studio album, “Blue Horizon”.

Formed in 1969, Wishbone Ash has done 24 original studio recordings, 10 live albums and four live DVDs along with a DVD rockumentary “This is Wishbone Ash”.

They have made records in both the United Kingdom and the United States, working with producers of the calibre of Tom Dowd (Cream, Clapton & Lynyrd Skynyrd) and Bill Szymczyk (Eagles, Joe Walsh & The Who).

The band is led by founding member Andy Powell on guitar and vocals, trading licks with Finland’s guitar wizard Muddy Manninen. Bassist Bob Skeat, a 17-year veteran of the band and in-demand studio musician, sets the pace with Joe Crabtree, one of the best of Britain’s new breed of drummers whose performance credits include Pendragon and David Cross of King Crimson.

Recorded on tour and released in 1973, “Live Dates” is Wishbone Ash’s best-selling album, even outpacing the perennially popular “Argus” (1972), which attained global gold status.

“We played all these old town halls in Britain in the 1970s and used the Rolling Stones mobile recording truck,” says Andy Powell. “These Victorian venues have great acoustics for rock and roll, so the sound to tape was overall really good; and the audiences were extremely lively, adding to the atmosphere. We had the luxury of choosing between many takes of different songs in many different locations.”

In 2014, Wishbone Ash released “Blue Horizon” to international acclaim. According to Powell, the new album’s diversity reflects the culmination of several factors.

“The band basically lives together year-round, so we have a very strong level of communication that translates in our performances and recordings,” says Powell. “We’ve come to an era where the industry has to pigeonhole a band as Classic Rock, Prog Rock, Heritage Rock and so on”.

Baroque 2000 hosts soprano Bronwen Forbay

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Baroque 2000’s concert on Sunday, June 28 at 3 pm at the Church of the Monastery Mariannhill features Durban-born soprano Bronwen Forbay.

Forbay has won numerous international awards and prizes and now lives in the United States where she has a busy performing schedule. Opera magazine (UK) called her a ‘revelation… in ravishing voice, and showing singing of great subtlety, nuance and depth.’

In her collaboration with Baroque 2000 she will be soloist in Bach’s Cantata Non sa che sia dolore, BWV 209 for soprano, flute and strings. There are two other items on the programme: Handel’s Concerto Grosso Op 6 No 12 and Telemann’s “La Lyra” Suite.

Tickets will be R120 at the door; parking is ample and secure. For more information phone Michel at 082 303 5241 or email sursouth@iafrica.com

Boris Kerimov (cello), David Smith (harpsichord), Bronwen Forbay (soprano), Evelien Hagen (flute) and Ralitza Matcheva (concertmaster)

Boris Kerimov (cello), David Smith (harpsichord), Bronwen Forbay (soprano), Evelien Hagen (flute) and Ralitza Matcheva (concertmaster)

Durban saxman, Hayane, is playing three gigs in KZN

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Popular Durban saxophonist, Khaya “Hayane” Dlamini, is doing a three gig tour of KwaZulu-Natal, visiting the lower South Coast and Umlazi over month-end.

Hayane has shared stages with the best of the world. His Afro-Jazz grooves invite the listener into the rhythm of quality sound and jazz enthusiasts will remember him as the funky sax player from Sankomota, Sarafina 2, and the touring production of Isikhulu. He was also part of the Durban outfit Just Friends.

Hayane’s song Utshwala was nominated for a South African Music Award in the Afro category.

Catch Khaya and his trio at Mhawu High School, Engonyameni, Umbumbulu at 12 noon on June 25. Admission is free.

On June 26 he will be at Esayidi College on the KZN South Coast at 2 pm. Tickets R30 (R15 concessions).

And on June 28, fans can catch him at Lacoste Lounge, E 1137 Ntombela Road, Kwa-Mashu at 3 pm. Tickets R30 (R15 concessions) at the door.

Hayane is playing three gigs in KZN.

Hayane is playing three gigs in KZN.

NEED TO KNOW

Concerts SA is a joint South African/Norwegian project housed under the auspices of the Stakeholder Hub within The SAMRO Foundation; it receives financial, administrative and technical support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SAMRO and Concerts Norway.

By engaging with musicians, promoters, venue owners and audiences, the project aims to stimulate live music in South Africa by finding and implementing ways to create regular, sustainable performance platforms.

Concerts SA also aims to develop an interest in and appreciation of live music by showcasing music performances and conducting workshops at schools.

For more information please visit website http://concertssa.co.za, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ConcertsSA or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConcertsSA.

Gangs of Ballet to rock new material at the Barnyard

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Award-winning, Durban-based band Gangs Of Ballet will be performing material off their yet-to-be-released new album, along with their hits, at The Barnyard Theatre at Gateway in Umhlanga on Friday, June 26.

The five times South African Music Award-nominated and MTV Africa Music Award (MAMA) winning band comprises of three musicians and friends – Brad Klynsmith (vocals / electric guitar), Jonathan Rich (keyboard / synth), and Josh Klynsmith (drums / vocals). Each accomplished musicians in their own right, the band’s members have combined their various individual tastes and styles to create a sound that is captivatingly fresh.

Their debut single, Breaking The Silence, was released in September 2011 and by early November it had entered into the 5FM Top 40 chart. The single thereafter continued to climb its way up the chart and after just ten weeks on the chart, Breaking The Silence entered the New Year at seventh place and secured a spot on 5FM’s list of the Top 100 Hottest Hits of 2011.

Gangs Of Ballet released their debut self-titled EP in March 2012.  This Love followed as second single to hit the airwaves. It reached number seven on the 5FM Top 40 chart. The band was asked to open for Switchfoot at the Johannesburg leg of their South African tour in August 2012, and was chosen as the direct support for Civil Twilight on their nationwide SA tour in December 2012.

The third single, Hello Sweet World, was received with critical acclaim from fans and music critics alike. It was play listed nationwide on national, regional and campus radio stations and reached number one on the 5FM Top 40 chart, as well as the Top 10 of Highveld Stereo’s Top 40. Hello Sweet World went on to become the theme song VH1 USA’s hit TV series – Rehab with Dr Dre. The music video for the single was subsequently play listed on VH1 and went on to receive a SAMA nomination in 2013 for Best Music Video.  Gangs Of Ballet also won the MK Award 2013 for Best Newcomer.

Gangs Of Ballet released the first single from yes/no/grey in July 2013. Daydream had its first exclusive play in 5FM whilst the video premiered on MTV’s The New Sh*t show. The music video for Daydream followed suit and was released at the end of July.

In August 2013, the band released yes/no/grey, through Universal Music South Africa. Within 12 hours of its release, the album was number one on the iTunes Top 10 SA Album Charts. It was also nominated for a MK Award 2014 for Best Album. Gangs Of Ballet released the second single, Don’t Let Me Go, in October 2013 and its music video in December.  The single reached number two on 5FM’s Top 40, number one on the MTV ZA charts, and the Top 10 on all major stations across the country.  Their next single and its fan-made music video, House and Money, was released in April 2014 – the song reached the Top 5 on 5FM, Highveld / KFM and AlgoaFM.

In June 2014, Gangs Of Ballet won the MTV MAMA Award for Best Alternative for yes/no/grey.  In October 2014, the band released a brand new single, Love Is On Its Way.

Bassist Hardus de Beer left the band earlier this year to focus on his career as a chiropractor, and the now three-piece band is currently working on their new album.

Tickets are R130 at 031 566 3045 or visit www.barnyard.durban.

Gangs of Ballet are performing at the Barnyard Theatre at Gateway in Umhlanga.

Gangs of Ballet are performing at the Barnyard Theatre at Gateway in Umhlanga.

Jazz music on a Sunday after sunset

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Every last Sunday of the month, Soweto Theatre brings you exciting and exclusive jazz sounds from the country’s top musicians to our stage.

On Sunday, June 28 Standard Bank`s young artist of the year for jazz winner, Nduduzo Makhathini and the extraordinary Thebe Lepere take their turn. Bra Thebe is an innovative experimenter and a master percussionist who has toured the world with renowned musicians, such as Louis Moholo and Loose Tubes to mention just a few.

Most of the concert will be mostly improvised, with a couple of themes from Makhathini’s bag, the idea is to tell the untold stories of Africa, its culture and its people through sound. “To do this we couldn’t pass the opportunity to invite these two musicians, Nduduzo Makhathini and Thebe Lepere to be on stage together,” said Khosi Hlatshwayo, community and audience development manager at Soweto Theatre.

Sun Jazz at the theatre sessions are designed to bridge the gap between non-established bands and student musicians with established musicians well on their way to becoming the next generation of musical legends. A relationship helping to preserve the craft. In addition to that audiences are awarded the opportunity to sponsor a child, contributing to the growth of the music tutorial programme.

Performances times: 6 pm for 6.30 pm. Tickets R100 at the box office. For bookings and more information, please contact box office 011 930 7461/2/3 or visit www.sowetotheatre.com