First, let me say that Marshall Music (myspace, facebook) is my new favourite music equipment store. But wait, read further to see why I'm so excited!
Each year Coke and 5FM put together a 10 to 12 hour outdoor music concert in Cape Town and Johannesburg. The music festival normally includes several local bands, along with a few international acts. This year we saw local bands Die Heuwels Fantasties, Foto na Dans, aKING, Cassette, Zebra and Giraffe, and (our clear favourite) The Dirty Skirts all put on super-rocking, super-professional acts.
The international acts that followed as the heat of day started to fade were the fantastically popular Panic! At the Disco, the Kerry-Anne-thinks-they're-awesome-and-very-cute Snow Patrol, and the strangely-legendary if-that-says-anything-about-their-performance Oasis. ;)
If I were to judge which band was best, I'd have to declare a tie between Snow Patrol and The Dirty Skirts... seriously, TDS were that good!
Now, aside from the beautiful day at Lourensford Estate, the superbly organised and smoothly run event, the beautiful people and the rocking music, it would seem as though the guitar gods were indeed smiling on me. Kerry-Anne and I arrived at the concert during Foto Na Dans's set. While walking through to the golden circle area we heard that Marshall Music had sponsored a PRS electric guitar as a prize to be given out during the Foto Na Dans set. I never win competitions, but I guess Le-Roi Nel (the lead singer) must have taken pity on me, as today I'm in possession of the finest guitar I've ever owned! Flippin' fantastic Marshall Music - thanks!
The organisers didn't get back to us in time for media passes, so I wasn't able to take my "proper" camera into the venue. Nevertheless, I managed to snap copious shots with Kerry-Anne's baby point-n-shoot camera - check them out here.
Firefly
I am glad to hear that the festival was a success after even after some of the bands pulled out.
Guinivea
Wow Paul that is GREAT, Congratulations!!!
Lydon
I was so annoyed when Bullet for My Valentine and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus pulled out at the last minute. Not very professional at all!
Congrats on your new guitar!
Emm
Congrats on the guitar! I am very jealous of South Africans at the moment. I would love to see Snow Patrol in concert again and would definitely like to see PATD.
mjw
Those are some decent photos for a “baby point-n-shoot camera”… which means it’s (almost) never about the camera. :)
Beverley
WOW many congrats on winning the guitar …sounds as if you had some fun and the photo’s from the “baby point-n-shoot camera” are really good..
Paul
Post authorThanks everyone – the guitar is awesome. I spent several hours late-late last night playing. :)
W.r.t. the bands that pulled out – eh, perhaps the band members just suck, or perhaps there are circumstances that we’re not privy to. I’m not sure we’ll ever know. It could have been some stupid record company thing… or whatever else we may just not know about and they just can’t reveal. Eh… I agree, it does suck though.
@Emm – yes, Snow Patrol was fantastic! Surely they’re out and about in London reasonably often?
@mwj – still *blushing*. :) Thanks!
@Beverley – thanks Beverley – I love taking concert shots. It’s awesome fun.
Emm
Ha! I am sure they will be around London soon… hopefully not on a school night though! They love having concerts on school nights here! (Yes, I still call it a school night at 36 years old).