Her Name Is Alice

By Marley

Since our kick off weekend at Blue Moon it feels like the social life was kicked start again.

With the SASOL Rally After Party that was held at Lions Pub in White River the attendance was well attend. They changed the last entry of the rally to the high school instead of the main street which I'm glad they did. I was there last year and it was just one craze thing to see. Anyhow the stage which was build like an altar to the rock gods in the parking lot, offered some great standing positions. Beer was drank, wine was extinct and the party was good. I was speechless with the friendliness of our humble little area of the Lowveld. While standing around with my good friend Anne - Marie, a girl with purple hair (her boyfriend had dreadlocks) came up to us and offer us a seat at their table. We joined her, her sister and a friend discussing muso's, local talent (in more ways than one) and tattoos.

Ewald, Gibraltar, Voetstoots and of course No One's Arc was the line up for the evening. Now I don't know if it was just the party or the music but it wasn't as cold that night. Maybe it was just the forced tequila and the welcomed sourz that was burning its way down or was it my brain? I enjoy Voetstoots a little more every time I get to see them and I was actually watching them without getting someone else a dop (as per normal). No One's Arc was jamming of course like there is no tomorrow, with two fans that got on stage and sang with! Dylan and Robby showed off their drumming skills if you have not seen this I'm not even going to tell you any further, it's something you HAVE to see live, in person.

I said how I wish that NOA will play their oldie "Funky E Juice" and how I want to hear it live again, well it was played! Yes! All that the girls in the bathroom saw was one Mad Hatter running OUT the bathroom instead of in and off to the stage. True but a fact! Thanks guys! I love that song.

Saturday night I got to dress like a normal person (and not a mad hatter like the previous night) and got an education on wine. Yes I was lucky enough to have won tickets to the recent wine show in White River. I didn't know what to expect besides from the obvious and was a bit disappointed that there was no cheese. But okay, Anne - Marie and I started at point we had some RAKA wine (not the festival), Chocolate Box or Letter...was quite good. Then we hopped around found an olive stall! Hmmm that was tasty then I tasted a wine and the best way to describe it from both of us was "Having sex with Johnny Depp" - straight ek sê

Yes I want to look for that bottle really soon and crack open my Johnny Depp DVD vault. Oh yea

Sparkling wine from Simonsig saw us twice as well as it kicked JC le Roux ass all over that place. We even bumped into Ewald and Christine at the show, the second night in a row that I see them both. With heavy rain fall it was time to leave said wine show and disappear to a place in Nelspruit best not mentioned. Lets just say there was masks, streamers, and good music...

Sunday of course was Pappas night and Ewald played again (a full weekend? Crazy) with Christine and I having tea and coffee instead of alcohol. Sol was present but left soon afterwards, we sat and reflect on the craze life that we've had for the last few weeks. Ewald told me about this singer that sounds like Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, this mystery man was at Pappas and he took over from Ewald. He blew my mind people, what a beautiful singing voice. With his Windhoek and his beanie I sat there just transfix on his voice, sensational. I hope that he will think about doing at least an acoustic show somewhere again for more people to see, the man is truly brilliant.

Now with the Easter bunny hopping in (where is my gun? I want some chocolate...oh wait wine yea) it's going to be a quite one. I hope. BUT!!! If you want to go somewhere and have an outdoor music festival then you can pack your bags for SplasyFen starting today actually! As you have read No One's Arc is once again packing the van and travelling down to Kwa-Zulu Natal for this event. The lovely Mimi will be with the boys making sure they stay out of trouble (or is it in trouble?) Good bands like Boo! and the rest of our awesome local talents will graze the stage with their presents making way for Nelspruit finest.

I do believe that my liver is going to have rest now for a few days but be certain that coming May we are warming up already for Innibos!

Much love