The Journey begins

Let's start with the small guys, you know the town/city best known band well in the town/city. Thanks to the network industry that is the internet we now have heard of artists requesting you on MySpace and Twitter and they all sound the same. To me they do, there have been one or three guys that have stood out but music is a bitch. She can either feed you, love you and comfort you or just plain ignore you, swear at you, bite you in the ass...no I wasn't referring to a woman. That is the music industry.


Like for example in 2003 I met two guys, Sean and Peter. They are from a city called Port Elizabeth (P.E) and they have a keyboard, a drum set and guitar. So their first single "Let's get naked" catches the ear of the radio stations, gets to number one and all of sudden they are huge in SA...almost. Labelled one of the Top 5 bands currently in SA, Evolver One (as they are called now) has many fans. In Johannesburg, Durban and P.E they are loved and in demand. But down here in Nelsparta no one cares...I'm their only fan it seems down here. Even though they have shared the stage with international guys like Staind, Hoobastank and Korn (funny combo but it was a music fest) still people in Nelsparta looks at me funny and ask "Who?"

Just the other day we struggled thinking who can put up in our main act for our annual free concert at Blue Moon. We couldn't really think of anyone since we didn't want to spend money on a band when our account for the next fest "Op Die Maan" (On The Moon) was already a huge music line up. Our boss Ant said to me "You are Evolver only fan down here and you work here so you not buying a ticket" - it was true. The last time Evolver attempted playing in Nelsparta was in  neighbouring town of White River. It was a Saturday night (1st mistake), it was the Currie Cup final (provincial rugby - huge) and it rained! There was maybe 25 people there.

I love Sean and Peter very much, I've seen them drunk, I've seen them growing up as artist and as song writers. Forming their band as it is now (James Cohen on Bass and Tulsa Pittaway on Drums) and working their butts off basically for the exposure they have now. Their one song was used recently in a TV channel commercial and I had a few friends SMS (texting) and Facebook me about the band. "Who are they and what is that song called?" Jeez people who saw them so many times already you forget. That is Evolver One...remember? "Who?" I give up...

Anyway back to Nelsprata bands, No One's Arc have been around for about 9 years. In the beginning Dylan and Lee was two shy guys. I remember seeing them on stage at Blue Moon when I was still going there as patron and not a worker and always like their jam. My best friend and partner in crime (well one of them) Simi (Minette) have always had this "connection" with them. I don't know how to explain it but you get this one girl (or guy) in your life as a friend and they always seem to be remembered by everyone else and even you are with that person 150 % of the time when you do kuier (having drinks/mingling/be together with friends/it's an action) they don't remember you. So in this case No One's Arc have been growing like a tiny plant against the odds that this town can throw at you. Their shows became a little bigger, they were one of the opening bands to Seether when they played in 2005 on our stage. It's been coming...

According to their wonderful profile of My Space:
"Since 2001 No One's Arc has been giving the South African audience a fresh new look on local music, they showcase an older rock blues style with the African beat. Using a new feel and bringing forward a different blend in South African Music!
These four friends love for music has been tested by the general public and they push through playing the music they know will be the next big hit in S.A music. The inspiration for N.O.A comes from a wide range of international bands like Dave Matthew's Band, Spin Doctors, Pearl Jam, Sting, Jamiroquai and Hendrix. Based In Nelspruit - South Africa, the band has been moving up the local venue lists. Blue Moon in Nelspruit was rated the second best venue in the country and has been a loyal supporter for them since the very beginning."

Tomorrow night (that's now 20 November for the future past tense) they guys and girl are launching their album. The album we've hearing about from them for the last few months. Many nights of wine drinking and kuiering has been sacrificed to record and work on it. Many of us mere moral fans have been shouting it out to others over our status, our twitters hell some will tattoo it on their foreheads if they must. But as I speak to Mimi (backing vocals) and to Mr. Goofy (Keyboards/trombone/MC & backing vocals) you can feel the excitement. I know I feel like a small kid on Christmas Eve, you just want to run down the hall and tear open those presents that have been teasing you forever.

This is the feeling among us...on the music scene in a small town.