From music fans point of view about the music, musicians and parties in and around a small town of Nelspruit in Mpumalanga province. We also travel to music festivals around South Africa and Mozambique.
Small Town Music Blog is about music, we don't mind, if it is good we will listen to it. You are welcome to drop us a mail at smalltownmusicblog@gmail.com
Friday 13 January 2012
Where is my shoes?
By Marley
That's what Mr. Cat and The Jackal asks...sings...now matter we continue
The next morning we all eager beavers, packed up our bags, had breakfast and heard that there is travelling coffee trailer now, yea! After we got on the bus (the old school bus left first) our bus waited for the one see rower that almost got left behind. He finally graced us with his presents and it was off to Mosselbaai, we all had some sleep again on the bus and we arrived in the bustling city of Mosselbaai. I was about 12/13 years old the last time I was in this city and I couldn't remember it being this big. They gave us two hours to hang around the beach (where the gig venue was as well) but the place was packed and I mean packed!
You couldn't move in the bar without stepping on someone ego, I've never seen so much testosterone Jo'burg boys with thick chains and shirtless bods in one place together. There is nothing wrong with showing off your young skin but please put on a shirt, your nipple stand nearly poked out my eye there. There is a flea market, some kids’ games going and the important thing once again we had to find an ATM. I wanted to find the closest pharmacy as I could feel the need for a strepsil or immune booster, yes flu was coming and I was fighting it hard mentally. Finally got to PirateTower and order a drink, the bar was really full and the bartenders looked over whelmed. But with a drink in hand we all hanged out on the deck, on the one side you got Diaz hotel standing tall, the other side you got the ocean with big cargo ships just off shore coming in and going out with the beach. Then you overlook the venue for tomorrow night, there is a swimming pool, palm trees, sun shine "Captain we have paradise indeed". By the time our drinks were done it was time to walk back to the bus and off it was to other side of the "city" to our campsite.
The Campsite before set up
Lazy rockers and seerowers
Across from the river there lived a cow...
All the way so far on tour I heard from NOA that the camp site at Mosselbaai was shitty and when we got there I had to agree. Right next to the GrootBrakRiver was an open field...no bathrooms, no electricity. We had to carry our bags, pillows...whatever it was we were charring down the wet land of road that was about 300 meters away from the bus stop. And yes I'm complaining it takes two people to carry my bag alone and you got so much shit by now you don't what to leave or what to take. Anyway we all sat around or laying on the green grass. Games being played, music being made and I could feel something burning in my head that damn flu. The Juger truck arrived and we actually cheered it on hoping they might have something cold, nope but they did have music and soon afterwards the tents arrived and we all pitched in to set up camp.
Jugermeister truck arriving
After we all moved in, trips to the closet Spar was made for snacks, supplies, cigarettes and alcohol - the first liquor shop that didn’t sell Hunters Dry...wow. There was soccer being played well into the night with the Juger truck that supplied electrical light in the dark, the portable showers was set up as well as the toilets. Swimming in the river was done if the showers were too busy and food was enjoyed in form of boere wors rolls (I wonder how many kg of boere wors we ate over the course of tour). Late night laughing with friends at tents, under the trees, on the river bed and on the Juger truck by the time I went to bed I couldn't even swallow my wine, my throat hurt that much.
The next morning it was clear for me that I was sick, officially. Thank goodness the Spar was there and I walked to it to get some orange juice and strepsils. We had breakfast and it was pool party time. I was looking forward to see Die Heuwels Fantasies but in the end I didn't even see their show...thanks fever. At the venue it was a lot quite than the day before, had a beer in the one restaurant while watching the 8ta dance crew, later on took a stroll with Gooph through the market and watch the 8ta program again. Eventually we met up with other seerowers and went to the beach; I went for a swim in the ocean and felt a lot better but I knew I had to get some flu medicine and fast. Went to the hotel store only to find that they don't have anything other treatment for sun screen and mild fever for children, great. I pumped myself up with some more OJ, Bio-plus and vitamin water when you feel like this you don’t feel like having a party.
At the venue I went straight to the bar I bought a bottle of Tassies and coke just for good measure. Back stage it was great to watch the crowd grow bigger in the front and the faces getting friendlier at the back, I saved my energy for NOA show and it was awesome to have see rowers jumped up down so close to the stage and have Mosselbaai looking at them like they were nuts but the groove won in the end.
Jumping skills? No One's Arc got them
- photo courtesy of AJ van Niekerk
I couldn't think straight as the flu really kicked in and I made myself home close to NOA gear to keep an eye on friend’s bags and watch VCK and Die Heuwels show up, dammit! Thanks to Dave and Zane from Care for coffee who gave me hot water and honey to help me feel better. Eventually a lift was going back to camp and I jump right at it, it was nice to show up at camp and it was quite. Sleep was the order and even though I missed Heuwels didn't help much if I would have just laid there back stage listening instead of watching, next time.
Holiday Murray
- photo courtesy of AJ van Niekerk
Bertie Coetzee of Zinkplaat with the crowd - photo courtesy of AJ van Niekerk
Loveglove Pyrotechnics - photo courtesy of AJ van Niekerk
Van Coke Kartel with Hunter Kennedy - photo courtesy of AJ van Niekerk
The next morning it was hard to get up, I struggled the whole night now with a full blown fever and cold sweat again Zane and David provided coffee and the good bye to portable showers, I didn't care if that water was hot or cold it was welcomed to feel clean again. Back on the bus again after camp pack up it was time for me to sleep as much as possible; hoping that somewhere along the way I find some kind of flu medicine, our next stop is Stilbaai and I didn't see Stillbaai town at all I only woke up when the bus parked outside our next and last campsite close to...wait for it...Stables pub.
I didn't dare walk down that road to go see what Stables looked like I think I had heard enough horror stories of our own Stables not to step foot a different one. There was no shade and the seerowers boys helped pitch up the big white tent while some of us chilled under the stage. Yes we camped right next to the stage of Groot Gees Rock Fees since the day we arrived Die Tuindwergies and Elvis Blue had a picnic concert. After the tents was pitched and everyone settled in and the concert goers started to show up I dragged myself from the shade of the stage to go get my bag. Luckily for me the bus was going into town and I gave a friend money to go to the closet pharmacy and get me meds, I was laying in the tent hot as hell (both the tent and I) and day dreamt about time I didn't feel like jumping off a cliff. I fell asleep again and my friend woke me up with the fizz sound of water meet conrenca c and airmude, I wanted kiss that women.
It wasn't even 20 minutes or my fever broke, I could breathe probably for the first time in two days, I felt better and got out the hot tent. The sun was getting lower and Elvis Blue was singing, I got myself another OJ from the cool drink stand inside the concert and took it easy the whole night. The showers managed to turn up again I used the cold water to cool down. The second last night of Avontoer was a party again and I decided to go to bed, rather sleep early tonight and feel better tomorrow.
31st December 2011, the last time the sun rose in 2011 and burnt the hell out of me. The GGRF was on today and first up was Van Coke Kartel by this time of tour you know most of everyone names even the band members. We also scurried to find Mimi who was not at camp, at all. Other Nelspartan who happen to be in the Cape at the time, Adriaan, was there the previous night. After a few phone calls we managed to track down our queen - the reason they were up right after VCK - yip I'm serious. VCK open the festival cause they had to make a flight back to Gauteng for two shows there. I think they played the same set list all the way through the tour because they always opened with "Vir Almal" (cool song) and man standing like next to stage and see them drums being played and them guitars being played and them bass being plucked respect.
Dylan is a special one
Wynand Myburgh VCK
Gooph of No One's Arc and Pierre of Mr Cat and the Jackal
Lee Nicholls of No One's Arc
and
Morne Venter of December Streets
NOA on stage
Gooph and Bongani
The back of the stage was crawling with muso's even The Kongos was there earlier to do a sound check, NOA was up next and the sun was blazing down on us which wasn't cool because the support was sucky. The reason they were on early is that they had to make their way down to Kirstenbosch Gardens which turned out to be one of their biggest crowds to play for (5 000 people). After their show it was pack up of gear and saying good bye and well wishes for 2012, I was really proud of them as they left as it was a craze time with them and now finally know what it means to be on tour.
Dylan and Lee
- photo courtesy of AJ van Niekerk
The day was a slow one with different bands other to the ones that were on Avontoer played, saw La Vi live but wasn't really sure if I liked them, there was about 3 or 4 other bands and some of us were ready to pull out our hair, we wanted something hyped up and we got it. They say big dynamite comes in small packages this how I can describe Tristan of December Streets, they got on that stage and played their hearts out. It was the last of Avontoer so why not go out all the way; it really kicked up the party mood.
The December Streets
Nico and Tristan of December Streets
I missed a few bands in between as I was still taking it easy, chatting to friends, photos being taken, shirts being signed...the whole story. Zinkplaat played when the evening set in and man Bertie and boys delivered, the poor man voice eventually left as their show was the longest of all and you have to give it to them. If it wasn't for a tour Zinkplaat did Avontoer would have never even started and Zinkplaat have doing Avontoer for the last 6 years.
Zinkplaat
New Holland
Seerowers on stage with New Holland
New Holland was up next and "Freedom" was the seerowers queue to go stage and party with the band despite Pierre protests the seerowers ignored him and went up but not all of us craze fuckers were up there. Now we are lus for a jol! The Kongos was the second last band and we stood right up front the stage like where the monitors are so we are looking up at these guys and their show is really cool. Anyone who has seen them over their course of their tour will say they brilliant, they did play their two hits and more. Their parents are very involved in the whole set up; their dad is their sound engineer. I spoke to Dylan Kongo, the lead singer and bassist, briefly after their show, nice guy can't wait to see them at Up The Creek. Next up was not only the final hour of 2011 but also Loveglove Pyrotechnics. What a band to bring in the New Year, if you remember The Darkness with their craze body suites and hairstyles then this band is better. With a bottle of Jugermeister (and a little help from me) Dimitri climbed off stage onto the barriers to feed the crowd behind us Juger rocker style. Eventually Shorty (bus assistant) got onto stage and Pierre said it was count down, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
The Kongos
Louis Christie of Loveglove Pyrotechnics
New Years!
Champagne all round (I do mean all round), hugs and kisses, cigarettes and love being handed out like candy at Halloween. Loveglove continued with their show and once they were done we all party back stage till late in the morning. I had a tent for myself (since NOA left us) and I woke up to the busses honking, on tour your blood runs cold if you wake up to the bus honking and you still sleeping. I popped my head out to hear Gammi screaming "Bus is leaving in 15 minutes" - what is he serious? Which bus is going where? What the hell is going on? Gummi confirmed to me that they want to leave at but needed the people to get up, there were people who had to catch flights from Cape Town early afternoon and it was 3 -4 hour drive back to DPK house in Stellies. I've never seen that camp move so fast, people falling over each other, packing up their stuff, it was a royal mess. We all hurried into the busses and we were off to Stellies, the bus was dead quite as everyone was now passed out still from tour and the NYE celebrations. Even when we stopped for a toilet break hardly anyone got off, I think a handful of us on Gummi bus went to the bathroom.
We stopped in Heidelberg and Gummi announced that we stopping for breakfast that we can sit down and eat. The people nearly chocked on their bacon and eggs as dirty looking, bare foot, pale babelas seerowers walked in the Wimpy. The Cream Soda and coffee machine worked over time with the drinks orders and the breakfast did us good. After breakfast it was time to get back up on the bus and leave which meant sleep. We eventually came to DPK and when the other bus arrived it was so quick good byes to everyone who was leaving and some of us were staying behind at DPK. Later that night we did however did a proper good bye at Bohemia and just started the party from the top...
I want to thank Alet, Bertie, Porra, Beer, Pierre, Oom Deon, Jaco (JACO!!!!!! JACO!!!! - sorry inside seerower joke), Niel, Gummi, Jay, Shorty, the security, the bar, the tent pitchers, the coffee guys (David and Zane = legends), Tassies, Juger, Bohemia, MK....fuck what a time.
If you want to be apart of the 7de Avontoer then keep an eye out for news later on the year when the spaces go open again for seerowers. It's really highly recommend if you are fan of live rock music and want to know what it is to tour and be on the road. Will I do it again; maybe, I'm still trying to sleep in my bed without thinking the bus is going to leave without me in the morning!
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