Just as we recovered from our hangovers from Die Heuwels Fantasties show that Blue Moon Nelspruit hosted, they didn’t let the grass grow
beneath our feet before they announced the next show will be in less than a
week and a bit; Van Coke Kartel and Bittereinder with local acts Voetstoots and
Friday is Forgotten on 11 May 2013 at Blue Moon itself.
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| Van Coke Kartel |
Van Coke Kartel is most likely one of the country’s most easily recognizable band. The band is made up of Francois van Coke (vocals, guitar), Jedd Kossew (lead guitar maestro), Wynand Myburgh (bass) and Jason Oosthuizen (SA’s fastest drummer). Francois and Wynand have walked a long path together musically; so long in fact that Fokofpolisiekar is now in its teenage years (13). When FOP took a break in 2007, Francois and Wynand formed VCK and released a self-titled debut album. Jed and Jason permanently joined the band after the release of “Skop, Skiet & Donner” in 2010. In 2008 “Verskoon My” won a MK Award for Best Video. Their 1st album also won and received a few nominations before the second album “Waaksaam & Wakker” was released. “Waaksaam & Wakker” won a SAMA for Best Afrikaans Rock Album. The second single “Wat het van ons geword?” spent 2 weeks at #1 on MK Top 10.
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| Van Coke Kartel with their 2013 MK Awards |
In November 2011 “Wie’s Bang” was released and the boys embarked
on a nationwide tour. They joined the 6de MK Avontoer, and on the last day of 2011
they played 3 gigs in two provinces! This is how it all went down: They opened at
Die Groot Gees Rock Fees in Stilbaai before driving to Cape Town to catch a
flight to Johannesburg. They had a gig there and then headed over to the
capital city for a countdown into 2012. Insane is not the word! I saw them
in Stilbaai right at the beginning of this craze New Years day. A
month later Francois married his long-time girlfriend Lauren.
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| Wynand, Jason, Jed and Francios |
“You can be talented,
you can have a big name, you can have a massive following. But if you’re not
humble, you have nothing. And humble these men are.” – Warren William
photographer
Van Coke have been to Blue Moon so many times they even know
how to make their own coffee there. They are also such excellent musicians to work
with. Afrikaans Rock got a refreshing boost with FOP and VCK just kept that rolling
to what we see today on our music scene. If you haven’t seen them live then I’m
sorry you have been living under a rock in a very dark cave.
Bittereinder is a-whole-nother story! They were in Nelspruit
last year when they played on the MK Kliphard Stage at Innibos. Here I thought they
were a brand new band when in fact they’ve been around since 2009. They released
“’n Ware Verhaal” in 2010 and it won them the 2011 SAMA for Best Alternative
Afrikaans album. They were nominated for 2 Tempo Awards and all of their videos
were at #1 on MK’s Top 10. The band consists of 3 members: Jaco van der Merwe
(rapper/lyricist), Peach van Pletzen (vocalist/mixing) and Louis Minnaar
(vocalist/visual artist)
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| Bittereinder |
Like most bands and solo artists in South Africa these days,
they have collaborated with some of the best including Chris Chameleon, Jack
Parow, Hunter Kennedy, Shane Durrant (Desmond & the Tutus) and Inge
Bechmann (LARK/Beast) just to name a few. They have performed at festivals like
Oppikoppi, Utophia, RAMFest and will be at STRAB later this month.
“Bittereinder is the next big
thing. Jaco/Bittereinder could be to hip-hop what Hunter/Fokofpolisiekar was to
rock in South Africa…a refreshingly real and honest Afrikaans voice, true
poetry.” - Liam Lynch, Obrigado
Their second album “Die Dinkmasjien” was released in
November 2012 and has been described as “disillusionment, instant
gratification, storytelling with lyrics over hard beats”. The first single from
the album “Kwaad Naas” featuring Shane Durrant (Desmond & the Tutus) was
play-listed on 5FM late in 2012 and was most probably the song that introduced them
through to the rest of the country.
I haven’t seen Bittereinder live but I have heard from my fellow festival goers that theirs is one kick ass show to watch.
Blue Moon being who they are will not leave our local bands
out – Afrikaans blues/rock veterans Voetstoots and the young, up and coming Friday is Forgotten have been confirmed as opening acts for VCK/BREND. Gates open at
18:00 with the music starting at 19:00. Remember to bring cash for drinks, Blue Moon’s famous kitchen will be selling some great food and the bands will be
selling merchandise and CD’s so you get to support them directly.
Pre-sale tickets are available through us here at STM or at
Look & Listen in Riverside mall, ticket prices are R100 pre-sale and R120
at the gate on the event day
Keep an eye out on our Facebook page and give us a follow on
Twitter for up to date news on this Afrikaans infused rock show.
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