Sunday, August 24, 2008

Kidofdoom, Unit R and Desmond & The Tutus at Klein Libertas Theatre

2 August 2008 Without doubt one of my favourite venues for music gigs, Klein Libertas saw a large crowd filling the space in eager anticipation for this gig. A promising line-up, the bands did not disappoint and I for one could attend another one of these in the near future. Unit.R is certainly one of Cape Town’s most remarkable acts. This four-piece started without the intention to develop as far as they have into the local music industry, but since their birth a few years ago they have built up an impressive gig-record [including Levi’s Young Guns and Oppikoppi last year as well as performances with the likes of Lark and Goldfish] and have released two albums since 2006. Their sound focuses primarily on music rather than lyrics, combining instrumentals with rock, sturdy punk, and even some Indie-folk to make for a breed of inventive dance-rock that had the crowd adequately entranced by the performance. Kidofdoom was without doubt the evening’s main attraction. The four band members cast their musical flair together to make for a perfectly balanced product that has added a much-needed dimension to live music. Despite their esteem in the local music scene, they did not have the crowd rocking mad. Instead fans remained hushed and near-motionless, mouths hanging half-open in appreciation of the genius on the stage. Each track is mastered to excellence, with grand build-ups to explosive summits for each track that had the audience transfixed. Impossible to be confined to a single genre, Kidofdoom expresses an independent approach to music that has made for a sound that is entirely unique, unaffected by circumstance or sway of the industry. The band’s music allows wholly for self-interpretation from the listener, transporting one into a world where only music matters. Hailing all the way from the capital city, Desmond and the Tutus ended the evening off with their contagious melodies. The music is the quirky and exuberant stuff one would struggle to tire of. Their sound can be described as punky Indie pop with a splash of disco. Whatever you decide to name it, this band is guaranteed to get you jamming it up big time! Though seeming a touch disorganised with regard to their career decisions and –approach, I’ve no doubt Desmond and the Tutus are well on their way to bigger things.

Feeling Lucky with The Lottery Tickets

Local band The Lottery Tickets have been gigging all over the scene, with shows as far as Hermanus taking up any spare time on the band members’ hands. With the launch of their EP coming up, these quirky boys find themselves surprised by the rate at which their music careers are progressing. The band began in 2006 as a not-too-serious endeavour. Consisting of four local lads (James Regout, Robert Volker, James Acker and Mike Tymbios), the group formed in aim of escaping the done-to-death “screamo” music overwhelming the music scene at the time. An interesting group, these boys study in all fields ranging from law to the more creative such as graphic design. Yet despite their often demanding academic lives, they do a fine job of juggling both spheres of their lives. The band’s first track, titled Laura, was a coarse home-recording, circulated to mobile phones by means of Bluetooth. The song saw much appreciation from listeners and sparked an immediate interest in the band’s music. With influences ranging from Brand New to Bloc Party, the band’s sound is one accessible to all music junkies and can be described as brawny Indie pop, with a blend of sweet but candid lyrics and a pop-‘n-roll sound to the instrumentals. Their live shows are conducted with a casual (if not comical) approach. The band members have absurd nicknames such as Jimmy Scabs and Rasheye and create a blithe atmosphere by regularly dressing up in absurd attire, attempting to put the crowd at ease enough to enjoy their performance to the full. Not two years later, the band is set to launch its EP in Stellenbosch. The Lone Shark was produced and recorded with the help of musical expert Julian Bach (The Vontaines). Consisting of five punchy tracks, the mini-album is sure to get your feet tapping to their beats! Two Words has received a positive response, seeing ample airplay on local radio station MFM. The EP will be launched at The Hidden Cellar on 16 August, with bands This Quilt and The Unsung Theory stepping in as supporting acts.