15 September 2008

Just Don't Do Anything.

6 September 2008


Nike Freestyle Relaunch Party Thang - Alexander Theatre

Fire Through the Window

The Beams

Kidofdoom

Data Takashi


Oh, how we llove the corporate sponsorship! To hook us cool kids in, Reebok or Nike or Puma got "online" with "facebook". There they advertised a seemingly awesome gig, featuring bands all the way from Durban (Fire) and Cape Town (The Beams), plus Pretoria's finest (Kid) and Joburg's favourite DJ (Data Takashi). All of this - but wait! There's more! The shoe sponsors were giving away free pairs of their produce.

Oh, such promise.

I'm really only bitter because the shoe giveaways were only for girls (because real men like walking around barefoot). I'm also bitter that, in order to win the said shoes, you had to dance the hardest in front of the band. So, in order to be a winner - one would have to: (a)be a female; and (b)dance to music as if you were enjoying it thoroughly.

This posed a problem. As a male, I was automatically excluded from the draw. I also didn't really feel like dancing to Fire Through the Window or The Beams. Had I been born, say, with a vagina and with the ability to dance enthusiastically to music I didn't particularly enjoy - I might have some shiny green shoes on today.


Ok.

The Alexander Theatre, it seems, is now the be-all and end-all of venues in Joburg. I've been there at least once a month for the past three months. Its like that kid you went to school with who you now see fairly often, but you wish he wouldn't talk to you. I don't mind it, I just don't have much to say.

Fire Through the Window, who also played at Oppi were up first with a similar set. It was all winks and coy smiles from the singer, and rock-guy action from the boys - who seemed to be having a good time. Although there was a misstep during "Nothing Compares 2U", the Sinead O'Conner/Prince cover, everything else went according to plan. While fun and cute, they are somewhat novelty-driven - where everything is explained by a ironic cheer or smile, and no-one asks any questions. Not much is missing, the indie-pop is cheery and singable, and they carry their songs well. I just didn't really like the music very much.

Next, were the Beams, all the way from Kaapstad and who started brightly. After the sunshine of Fire Through The Window - the Beams filled the cavern with smoke and something seemingly more intense. With synths and cowbell breaks, and heavy-bass driven riffs - they seem to cross the gap between indie-rock and electro funk. With more energy than you could shake a Eskom executive at, singer Paul jumps and squeals and pounds his keyboard like a man on fire. His voice, somewhat reminiscent of The Cure's Robert Smith, veers wildly, as does his dance-act (which includes much thrusting). Listening to their studio work, there is a level of subtlety that is lost when they take to the stage - however, the energy exuded seemed to make up for the difference. A good performance, yes, but the actual songs could do with more breathing space.

Finally, in high spirits (or perhaps just high) strolled Kidofdoom - who took to the stage as the closest Joburg got to a hometown band. We here live in the hope that one day soon Joburg and Pretoria will melt into one, forming a megatropolis - Jotoria - so Kidofdoom can belong to our city. Tonight they eased through Space Walk and Doom Tumour as well as the Super Mario cover they've made famous, with a sense of fun and, well, sex.

As noted by those around me near the front, both Richard and Barend spent most of the show violently thrusting their guitars and crotches before the fits of laughter took over. The band didn't even skip a beat when a rather slim gentleman got on stage, whipped off his shirt and swung it around his head. The stage invasions, the thrusting, the man with no shirt - they didn't detract. The show was awesome. I love Kidofdoom. To one friend who complained their music was "depressing" I offer two rebuttals. Firstly, you haven't seen them in fun-mode. Secondly, your face.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

oh no so much sex! I can't take it aaaahhhhhhhhhh