complimentary copy issue 38 / autumn 2015
my life, my coffee
DDB SA 40971/E
The Chuck Taylor All Star
Made by CJ Dickinson
Made by you
The Chuck Taylor All Star
Made by Natalie Fischbach
Made by you
Meet POLA MANELI, art director, cover designer and the groovy blue dude on the front cover of our Autumn issue.
Feeling a little flat? Well consider this issue a candelabra of light-bulb moments to make your autumn a little brighter. 04 my life 06 avengers assemble! 12 the cult of customisation 16 have selfie, will travel 20 dude, where’s my driver? 22 the unusual suspects 26 little gigs and secret soirees 29 almost acoustic 30 vox pops 32 the balance of power
Hi my name is Pola Maneli aka ‘The Lansky’ or ‘Booker P’. By day… I work as an art director at Ogilvy & Mather’s Cape Town office. By night… I run a clandestine agency dedicated to preventing organised crime, and I draw things that relate to my (and what I hope to be other black folk’s) experience of being a South African. Do strange things or strange thoughts inspire a piece of work? Beautiful thoughts. Black thoughts. Black is beautiful, black is inclusive, black is awesome, and other truths. Do you prefer to illustrate images that make you think or smile? There’s a lot of beauty in the world and plenty of things to smile about, but there’s also a lot of disparity that we need to think about seriously to make life a little bit easier for everyone. When did you last write a handwritten letter? Erm, I did this postcard project where I drew daily sketches and mailed them to folks that had been supportive of my work in some way. Does that count? If you had to paint the whole world one colour what would it be and why? Probably cyan blue. I actually have no idea why and, to be honest, I’m actually more than a little disappointed in myself that it’s my favourite colour. I seem to have bought into the cliché ‘blue is for boys’! My top skill outside of the workplace is? What is this ‘outside of the workplace’ you speak of? (laughs) If Pola came with T&Cs, what would they be? Well I’m quite angsty. Also I’m terrible at keeping in touch with people, but if you’re ever in need of anything that I can help with, I’ll deliver. What would you most like to be known for in 10 years’ time? Being one of the country’s most prominent and culturally relevant illustrators and/or art directors. Is the glass half empty, half full or stuck in a matrix? It’s half empty. I know that’s cynical, but we’ve messed the world up pretty badly and we’re going to need to acknowledge that before things improve. The most fun or bizarre fact you know about your hometown Port Elizabeth is? I’m pretty convinced that it isn’t actually the ‘Windy City’. Cape Town is way more windy. How did PE even get stuck with that label? Aargh, now I really miss home – thanks for that! You can find more of my work here: polamaneli.tumblr.com
editor delené van der lugt: dvdlugt@tppsa.co.za | designer ryan manning | copy editor wendy maritz content director susan newham-blake | publisher lori cohen | advertising grant van willingh: gwillingh@tppsa.co.za or +27 (0)21 488 5959 ad sales coordinator blossom ngesi | vida e caffè grant, lloyd, papa, paul and andrea www.vidaecaffe.com Find us online:
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The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd. Executive Directors: Mark Beare and John Morkel. Address: PO Box 15054, Vlaeberg 8018, +27 (0)21 424 3517, www.tppsa.co.za. Copyright: The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission of the editor. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of vida e caffè, the editorial director, the publisher or the agents. Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, the information published is for information purposes only and cannot be relied on as the opinion of an expert. vida e caffè, the publisher or the editor cannot be held responsible for any omission or errors or any misfortune, injury or damages that may arise therefrom.
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LEGENDARY STUFF One of the most talked about exhibitions at this year’s Design Indaba featured a collab with the hosts and the design studio, Alexander’s Band. The group exhibition, ‘Paper Planes’, saw a bunch of local artists illustrating stories from Southern African mythology and folklore – ranging from the Afrikaans tale of ‘Die Heks van Hex Rivier’ and the classic Nguni tale of the menacing tokoloshe to the story of Van Hunks and his smoking competition with the devil. We caught up with the ladies behind the band.
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IMAGES: PAUL WARD (JACK PAROW)
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IMAGES: SUPPLIED
Adam Hill – How the Birds Chose a King
Hi, we are: Emma Cook and Arnelle Woker. We make our living by: Representing a group of hugely talented picture makers and do our own illustration work as well. Arnelle also dabbles in production – she’s the organised one. So if you’re not Alexander, who is? Alexander of Aphrodisias. His ‘band’ is an optical phenomenon he described in 200 AD. It’s the dark-coloured strip of sky you see between a double rainbow. We borrowed it because we like the idea that we’re the organisers, hustlers and chaser-uppers – the dark side of a double rainbow’s creative life. The rest of the band is: A group of seriously lovely and talented illustrators. And we work well together because: We’re coming from the same place in terms of our love of craft and the business side of things. We started working together before forming a friendship. We think that really helps. Mostly we can be found doing? Admin. So much admin. And meetings and planning, and a bit of our own illustration work, and some production. And daydreaming. You have to make time for daydreaming. Tell us a bit about ‘Paper Planes’: It was madness, but fun. Forty-four illustrators were each invited to interpret one of 22 local myths and legends in whatever manner they felt appropriate. We had two illustrators doing their versions of the same story and displayed the images side by side in order to show how different people can interpret identical source material. Did you ‘rock, paper, scissors’ who got to pick which myth or legend? We pre-curated the 22 story options; from there the illustrators were free to pick whichever story they liked and interpret it in whatever way they felt was appropriate. What’s your project’s ultimate goal? To showcase and celebrate local illustration talent and our shared stories, and have fun doing it. Where can we buy or see more of your work? Head over to www.alexandersband.com/ paperplanes. We’re hoping to take the show to different venues across the country FAR LEFT: Rudi de Wet – The Flying Dutchman this year and, fingers crossed, maybe overseas. LEFT: Fort Rixon – Racheltjie de Beer
IMAGES: PAUL WARD (JACK PAROW)
WHAT’S YOUR OBSESSION? ‘When you battle something and you finally get it right, that’s the thing you get addicted to,’ says legendary skateboarder turned icon of urban style Eric Koston in a video for Oakley’s global campaign ‘One Obsession’. Eric’s world is shaped by ideas that put a fresh twist on an old trick or a location from his past. What began on the streets of LA fuelled a cultural movement far beyond a deck and four wheels. ‘I’m pretty obsessive about every detail,’ says Eric, and you can see it in a pair of Sliver’s (which retails from R1 300), the sleek new shades Oakley has added to their Eric Koston collection. But pursuing passion isn’t just for pro athletes, Oakley wants you to join the movement at www.oakley.com/oneobsession and share where you #liveyours.
A JACK OF ALL TRADES Jack Parow is one of South Africa’s most well-known personalities, which is why we’re amped to have him as a vida brand ambassador. Here are a few things you might not have known about him… ★ He really loves Parow in Cape Town where he was born. And, back in their heyday, his oupa used to be mayor and his ouma was first runner-up in the Miss Parow competition. ★ He hates it when ignorant people keep spelling his name with two Rs. ★ His ‘Cooler as Ekke’ music video has had almost three million views on YouTube. ★ A book about his lyrics and the stories behind them will be published by Penguin Random House South Africa later this year. ★ He has his own braai sauce, called… erm, Parow Braaisous. ★ He’s afraid of spiders, but then everyone knows about that. Do you know any key influencers who love the vida brand and could possibly be a vida brand ambassador? If you do, or think you may fit the profile, email your name, profession and social media links to marketing@vidaecaffe.com.
BAG OF TRICKS We haven’t been this excited about a travel hack since a chap called Bernard D Sadow slapped some wheels on a suitcase and made it roll back in the ’70s. Take Charge has introduced stylish leather purses, bags and tablet sleeves that are handcrafted from locally sourced leather. The best bit is the built-in power source with three connector heads, allowing you to charge your tablet, iPad or e-book device on the go. For more information or to order, go to www.take-charge.co.za.
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Siyabonga Ntini RALFE
Where can we find your stuff? At www.instagram.com/ralfe__/.
Tell us a bit about yourself? I’m from Joburg but I always wanted to go live in Durban and study fashion design. So, after I finished school, I packed my bags and left. It was a very hippie thing to do but I needed a calm environment. My mom was originally against it but who listens to your parents these days? (laughs) Which character inspired your collection? I’ve always had a crush on Captain America (aka Steve Roger) so he picked himself. I have this fantasy that Steve would fall in love with my fictional muse, Aurora, who currently lives in Tokyo and they’d happily go about saving the world together. What are the most important things you think about when designing a garment? The story! Everyone in the industry is so obsessed with the ‘3 Fs’ (fit, form and finish) that they forget a garment needs a reason for being. A good hero needs a villain. Who is yours? She has short blonde bangs, wears a black bra and has tattoos in all the right places. Instead of wanting to rule the world, she’d plot to overthrow her ex’s new girlfriend. Just to show she’s human. IMAGE: INGA HENDRIKS
A
VENGERS
Meet the group of super-designers tasked with the challenge of creating a showcase for SA Fashion Week 2015, inspired by Marvel’s iconic The Avengers.
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AMOS TRANQUE AMOS TRANQUE Menswear
A
Tell us a bit about yourself? I’m a Spanish-born menswear and textile designer. At the age of 27 I decided to study fashion formally at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam. I moved to South Africa in 2013, and launched my label. Which character inspired your collection? I could not make up my mind – they were all good. So I decided to pay tribute to the entire group. I even dedicated some time to the villain Black Widow, since she is the inspiration for choosing the soundtrack for the runway. What’s been the most fun part of the Marvel Fashion Hero Search? Experimenting with textile and print techniques that are new to me. What are the most important things you think about when designing a garment? I think about communication, quality, and whether I’m creating a wearable work or a piece of art. This might sound a bit selfish but I can only visualise others wearing my designs if I know that I would wear them myself. A good hero needs a villain. Who is yours? ‘Me’ the hero and ‘Myself’ the villain. I’m Where can we find your stuff? my harshest Egality boutique in Parkhurst, Joburg, critic. or online at www.akedo.co.za. IMAGE: INGA HENDRIKS
SSEMBLE!
rumbie muzofa RUMBIE BY RUMBIE
Tell us a bit about yourself? I’m a true child of Africa; I was born in Zimbabwe, raised in Botswana, and then moved to South Africa in 2005. Armed with a Masters Degree and plenty of passion, I was fortunate enough to be scouted by Nkhensani Nkosi, founder of Stoned Cherrie. Her business-mentoring opened doors for me and, coupled with my ambition, led to the birth of my brand in 2012. Which character inspired your collection? We explored the heart of each Avenger – the side that is full of the emotion and empathy and motivates them to fight for a good cause. What are the most important things you think about when designing a garment? I am very aware of well-fitting styles – the silhouettes must be figure-flattering and timeless. A good hero needs a villain. Who is yours? My villain Where can we find your stuff? You can find us is not tangible, we only know him online at www.rumbiebyrumbie.com or contact us through experience. He is called at info@rumbiebyrumbie.com or on 011 057 3545. the Mental Oppressor. We need more African entrepreneurs who IMAGE: INGA HENDRIKS are successful internationally to look to. I want to be a brand that sends a message of hope and faith – that’s how we’ll take down this villain.
Where can we find your stuff? At the Kamanga Wear head office in Woodlands, Foxdale Court, Sugarbush Café and VALA – all in Lusaka, Zambia. IMAGE: FORTRESS MEDIA
Christina Syafunko KAMANGA WEAR
Tell us a bit about yourself? I really wanted to study art but wasn’t able to follow that path. So I started making clothes and realised I was pretty good at it. I then went on to study fashion and started my readyto-wear brand Kamanga Wear in Zambia. Which character inspired your collection? All of them inspired the colour theme, material and patterns. Each were unique enough to give the collection that wow factor. What’s been the most fun part of the Marvel Fashion Hero Search? Seeing the ideas on paper come to life, and walking the runway during SAFW. What are the most important things you think about when designing a garment? Fit is everything. We want our designs to be loved and worn! A good hero needs a villain. Who is yours? Time is our enemy. In Zambia there is often a lack of resources. So we design, sew, manufacturer, market and sell everything ourselves. It can be overwhelming at times!
Roman Handt ROMAN HANDT Menswear Tell us a bit about yourself? Although I hail from Joburg, I’m inspired by the many identities and cultures South Africa offers. This enables us to play around with our personas, and fashion lends itself to all of this quite naturally. Which character inspired your collection? My range is total old-school Avengers meets the next Where can we find generation. I was intrigued by some of the concepts that define a character as a ‘hero’ and created a your stuff? In my mash-up with an interesting trait of a villain. What’s been the most fun part of the Marvel Fashion Hero atelier in Melville, Search? The construction of the garments – there are a lot of fabrics in the range that I’ve never used Johannesburg or before. What are the most important things you think about when designing a garment? For me it’s all online at www. about how the garment will empower or change the wearer. romanhandt.com. IMAGE: INGA HENDRIKS
LUIS DELAJA M4S
Tell us a bit about yourself? I’m originally from Brazil but I’ve lived and worked in Cape Town for the past eight years. Fashion has always been part of who I am, and after nurturing and slowly growing my brand for the past few years, I’m all set to become a regular fixture at Fashion Week. Which character inspired your collection? The key colour, lines and cut have been predominantly inspired by Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit. For the fabric design I’ve used parts of several of the characters original costumes, combined with the M4S signature twist of referencing an African print. What’s been the most fun part of the Marvel Fashion Hero Search? Creating the prints on a different medium and seeing how they flow and respond to the fabrics. Oh, and using Avengers action figures for props or styling! What are the most important things you think about when designing a garment and why? The final product and how it relates to the customer. The fit becomes obsessive at times and I just have to try out and get the right proportions on a model rather than relying on technical details. It becomes visual eventually. A good hero needs a villain. Who is yours? I am my own nemesis, because I second-guess or argue with myself all the time. But it’s okay – movie villains are always legendary, sexy or awesome in some way.
Where can we find your stuff? At our flagship space in De Waterkant, Cape Town, The Bromwell in Woodstock, and Boaston Society in Long Street, Cape Town. IMAGE: MORNÉ VAN ZYL
Footwork
@footwork_za
@footwork_za
Footwork_za
Available at leading department stores, select shoe & clothing stores nationwide. To locate your nearest stockist call 011 345 8000
A personalised cool drink, a ‘create-your-own’ ice-cream shop or a pair of selfie shoes… Customisation, or the ‘curse of the millennials’, affects what you buy. Tudor Caradoc-Davies offers his bespoke opinion on the good, the bad, and the plain tailor-mad.
CUSTOM OF twelve
once got a bottle of Famous Grouse for Christmas where Grouse had been replaced by Tudor. The Famous Tudor. My chest swelled, I preened my tail feathers and offered a wee dram of myself to anybody who cared to drink with me. I even refilled the bloody thing when it was drained to make my legend last longer. Why? Because for a fleeting moment, I felt as if it was made for me, a man with a very odd name. And it had been. Somewhere that label had been printed with me in mind. One customised bottle left me feeling a little special. Now firmly in the mainstream with mega-brands attempting to speak (or pretending to speak) to customers individually, it feels like anyone can customise their lives. In a way it’s genius. Pop enough generic names on a cooldrink can and you’ll make enough people feel they are being spoken to directly. Cue selfies and singing the jingle, cue sharing, cue even more reinforcement for the religion of red-and-white cans of sugar juice. ‘Look! My #Vuyo can!’
AS OLD AS THE FIRST EGO Even though it may seem to have reached its apex, customisation is older and crustier than Hugh Hefner’s dressing gown. From King Midas pimping his palace in gold, to Martin Luther giving the Bible ‘a light edit’; from the first Model T Ford in anything other than black to the gold-plated Bugatti Veyrons of the Emirates today. Sometimes, like when your gramps got his clothing made on Savile Row with initials on the shirt cuffs, customisation could be subtle. These days, it’s become more blatant. Customisation is a declaration of who you are. The Jaguar with the matt-black finish and personalised plates say something about you.
Along with showing off your taste, customised products are also the window display of one of human nature’s core desires – self-determination.
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Would an entirely customisable future be a good thing? Along with showing off your taste, customised products are also the window display of one of human nature’s core desires – that of self-determination. THE RICH, THE FAMOUS & THE REST Enter the kings and queens of grandstanding self-determination: the rich and the famous. It started innocently enough with endorsements, where a sports star or celeb would enter a cosy promotional relationship, such as Air Jordan. But it has snowballed to backing and designing every product that can be tacked onto a stellar rump. Selling off celebs is relatively easy. The next challenge is getting regular folks to customise and ‘create’. The target is the millennials, who want to be heard and have a hand in the shape of products to come. They like designing their own ice-cream at Magnum Pleasure Stores and having their selfies printed on Adidas shoes. Putting real names on cooldrink bottles was a winning idea ‘because it had all the characteristics that appeal to millennials,’ former Coca-Cola chief marketing officer Joe Tripodi has said. With social media networks turning into virtual shopping malls, trends change faster than ever and clients can quickly compare regular products. One way for a business to stand out is to allow clients to stand out with a personal touch. Prada lets you choose from 32 colours to personalise the leather uppers and foam soles of their brogues. Add monogrammed initials to the sole and when you leave footprints in the sand on your private island in the Caribbean, there will be no mistaking you’re the boss. Tomy got in on the action at last year’s Interpret Durban – people could buy canvas on which street artists had been working.
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Each section was sent to the Tomy factory in China where it was transformed into a pair of unique sneakers. Making your own can go a lot further. Cape Town company U Cook (ucook.co.za) has a subscription service that lets you customise
your food. Tick your preferences – bachelor or family, low-carb or vegetarian, and extras like paired wine – and the ingredients are delivered with recipe cards to your door. ‘At first we were serving young professionals, but now we see young families signing up as well,’ says co-founder Christopher Verster Cohen. It’s about time and convenience, with a side order of bragging rights: ‘All produce is organic, recipes are curated by top chefs and you’re
learning culinary skills with each quick meal.’ Housed in a spruced-up shipping container in Joburg is The Whippet Cycling Co. (whippetcyclingco.com), where owner Emile Kruger builds customised fixies out of secondhand and vintage parts. His clients are ‘anyone from students looking for a budget ride to blue-chip CEOs’. You can also roll out your own. ‘If I’m there, you are more than welcome to use my tools,’ Emile says. ‘And I am more than happy to help anyone to do minor repairs or to give free advice.’ THE FUTURE Would an entirely customisable future be a good thing? We are the impatient generation. We want everything now. We’re hellbent on standing out. Customisation used to be impossible to justify for big brands, but as technology speeds up the manufacturing of goods that seem customised, expect more products tethered to the idea that they were designed just for you, or that you can design yourself. Business might want you to think so, but customisation isn’t all about you. How you create your own and how far you go is marketing research gold – insights that manufacturers can use to tweak their designs and spot trends. The future is going to be marked by everyone wearing their very distinct looks with customised kicks, T-shirts, wearable tech, bags and maybe even smiles (just wait until South Africa starts exporting the pulling of front teeth). But not everyone is a designer or even someone you’d trust with a pack of crayons. While giving people the freedom to play with products is great, I for one would prefer some classics to be left alone. Like Stan Smiths. Why mess with that?
Have selfie, According to a report by the World Travel Market, this year will find us popping in at a stranger’s house in some distant land and demanding an ‘authentic’ dinner – wearing lycra, of course… o large or small, go far or near (as long as it’s novel), go beyond or extreme. Whatever you do, travel and explore where friends and flocks of tourists haven’t been. Go solo, if that’s your thing. But if a tourist walks through a remote forest and nobody sees him, was he ever there at all? So, don’t forget the selfies with the all-important backdrop of your exotic location. ★ Enter the MAMIL Homo sapiens have a new subspecies, the MAMIL – that’s ‘middle-aged man in lycra’. Their natural habitat is public roads or mountain trails; they move on bicycles that cost a fortune and wear pro-style artificial skin that covers everything but their shaven calves. This group is as serious about every ride as early man was about hunting, but their prize is a medal for finishing races and not a bloody carcass. And after clocking their Ks, these affluent cyclists will spend 20 percent more on a bed for the night than the average traveller – which makes cycle tourism big business. HOTSPOT: Head for the ski resort of Zermatt, Switzerland. When not covered in snow, there are more than 100km of trails available for all levels of freeride and the Zermatt-Sunnegga funicular saves you having to schlepp your bike to the top yourself.
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Transatlantic WTF Blues
Annie Brookstone plays back what she learnt from solo travelling. <Click> This playlist is called ‘Transatlantic WTF Blues’. ‘Transatlantic’ because I’m heading off to Los Angeles on my own; ‘WTF’ because ‘what the fuck, on my own?’; and ‘Blues’ because, even though I’m feeling a rainbow of rosy, excited pinks, blues sounds are straight-up badass, like I’m some sort of floating vagabond, free to do whatever I choose. Right now, that’s killing eight hours at gate A13, Dubai International Airport. RULE 1: Your smartphone is your constant companion – think podcasts and playlists to make layovers feel like an important scene in the music video of
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your life, jet-lag apps, travel itineraries, photos of all your important documents, and a reliable link to home (read: easiest way to gloat to those poor sods you left behind). #FreeWiFiForever <Skip track> The irony is that we don’t even fly over the Atlantic. I take my seat on the Airbus A380, I blink, I open my eyes and we’re over Russia. After that, the North Pole. In those 16 hours, I make a couple of friends (shout out to Susan from China), watch what feels like a dozen movies and drink 1 398 of those weird little aeroplane cartons of water. The payoff?
I have a new WhatsApp pal, am up-todate with current movies for the first time in years and I’m standing in front of the immigration officer so acutely aware of the imminent uncontrollable evacuation of my bladder that I’m sweating profusely, probably pure urine. I’m sure this is what drug mules look like, so I smile sweetly. Wait, drug mules probably do that too. RULE 2: ‘Stay hydrated’, all the websites advise, but they don’t mention anything about getting so caught up in the in-flight entertainment that you forget to go. Pee when you can. There is no appropriate soundtrack to wet yourself to. (Oh, and don’t be a drug mule.) <Fast forward> The most agonisingly slow five minutes of my life somehow segue into the
fastest, most unforgettable month. In a Disneyland queue, a 10-year-old with more self-assurance than most adults, tells me about his life in Houston, Texas, and assures me that California is better. (‘Note to self: don’t go to Texas.’) He then brags that he’s been on the rollercoaster eight times and I suddenly lose faith in him. (Note to self: maybe go to Texas.) Strangers on the street invite me to a house party (I don’t accept). My Airbnb hosts invite me to a Fourth of July BBQ, which I do accept, and it’s every bit as red, white and blue as you’d imagine, complete with hotdogs, potato salad, pumpkin pie, Jell-o and setting off fireworks in the cul de sac while the neighbourhood kids get progressively drunker and yell out the names of American presidents (‘Thomas Jefferson!’
★ The rise of poshtels In the middle of the vast expanse between poncey boutique hotels and hitor-miss hostels are the latest thing in modest chic: poshtels. It has a little décor like a hotel and the community spirit of a hostel, which translates into shared rooms and bathrooms (very clean ones with pretty taps, though). The guests are typically young people taking a break from urban life, keen to make new friends and taste local culture without crushing the nest egg. You don’t have to circle the globe to find these. They are everywhere and really cheap. HOT SITE: Check out www.theposhpacker.com, a booking network that offers options from Cape Town to Caracas.
IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
★ Bring on the braggies In the digital version of the postcard that reads ‘Wish you were here’, you can post pics of yourself sipping cocktails on tropical beaches
Theodore Roosevelt! Nicolas Cage!’). A Twitter friend becomes more than 140 characters as we meet up in Hollywood, and at the bar of The Four Seasons Hotel create life stories for the clichéd cover band and middle-aged ladies – too tanned and tipsy – dancing to cheap knockoff pop hits.
or munching a mansized lobster, or maybe reclining against satin pillows in a hotel suite. The idea is the same, though. Make them jealous. Selfies are still okay if you’re sharing face space with a celeb, but having a coveted background for your smug grin is much better. Believe it or not, a huge majority of braggie makers doctor the pics before uploading them onto various social media sites. Too sad. HOTSPOT: Boasting some of Asia’s loveliest, most surfable beaches, fabulous food and climate, Sri Lanka offers serious braggie rights for South Africans. ★ Astral adventures Clear nights, bright stars… We’re not talking intelligentsia at the Oscars, but holidays in places where you can see more than Orion’s belt and the pink glow of Venus. Driving out to the country is fine, but the higher road for the connoisseur leads to exotic places
RULE 3: Create networks before you start travelling. It’s not 1998 anymore – your internet friend (probably) isn’t a creepy old man in a basement, so use social sites like Twitter, CouchSurfing and Airbnb to your advantage. The friends you make on the go can be friends for life (except, maybe, the all-knowing 10-year-olds).
like the Atacama Desert in Chile or that old chestnut Reykjavik to see the Northern Lights. If the desert becomes too much, fly back to Santiago and enjoy the capital’s trending cuisine. If you’re off to Iceland, fly the last stretch with local, eco-cool WOW air. HOTSPOT: Well it was the Faroe Islands for the full solar eclipse on 20 March 2015. Darn, we missed it. Best start saving for the next one in 2026. ★ Trekking for food It is ‘the pursuit and enjoyment of unique and memorable food and drink experiences, both far and near’ according to… wait for it… the World Food Travel Association. The gourmet set is a sub-group – most food travellers want something authentic and inexpensive. You could do a guided street food tour in Vietnam or just explore your neighbourhood: find a place your friends don’t know about and you have braggie rights. Or sample the latest food fad, eating in a local’s home. HOT SITE: Pair yourself with your ideal host at www. bookalokal.com, which also has South African options.
In another hotel, in a theatre this time, I bawl like a baby while watching Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, grateful for that single ticket I bought at the last minute at double what it should’ve cost, because it’s every cliché about priceless experiences come true and with nobody else to dictate otherwise, these experiences follow one after the other. RULE 4: Spend the money, do the thing. Unless it’ll leave you stranded or destitute, kiss your credit card gently, whisper your apologies and then do that once-in-a-lifetime thing. I’ll admit that I stopped short of following Nick Cave around the world (yes, I considered it), but I still lie to my friends about how much I paid to get into Disneyworld. Do I regret it? Not a bit.
<Pause> The beauty of travelling alone is not in the sights that stop you in your tracks in slack-jawed awe or the simple pleasure of stretching your entire frame across a king-sized hotel bed (okay, that is pretty magical), but in doing that thing you swore was too cheesy. No, not having your photo taken with Aladdin and Jasmine… that other thing. RULE 5: Be prepared to discover yourself. (Hint: you’re going to blow your own mind.) Passport? Check. Tickets? Check. Credit card? Check. Playlist? Check. Vagabond spirit? Hell yeah! <Stop> <Click> <Repeat>
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eople don’t know how to drive. None of them, except you, of course. Old people brake for no reason; publictransport drivers pull over anywhere; modified tanks appear to own the fast lane; young rebels treat the road like a skateboard pit; the skedonks in the slow lane shouldn’t even be there; and anyone on two wheels ignores all the rules. You are the exception, though, the model of responsible motoring. You never deserve the finger, waving hands, the head-shaking, hooting or flashing lights. On merit, you should always have the right of way. Nobody can blame you for feeling like this. Driving is hard work these days. It’s nervewracking, time-consuming and can unmake your day. But none of it is the car’s fault. The weakest link in any vehicle is the driver – a fallible, inconsistent, erratic piece of equipment. The solution
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is to remove the human behind the wheel. Driverless cars might sound as dangerous as a headless horseman, but they are better at it than us. Google’s fleet of autonomous modified cars has been running since 2012 and has clocked over a million kilometres without a crash. They have now launched an electric prototype with no steering wheel and no brake or accelerator pedal.
Google fits regular cars with LIDAR (light detection and ranging) that works like radar and sonar, only better. Cameras and sensors remove blind spots and identify objects up to 200 metres in all directions – even the taxi hellbent on shooting through the red light. The speed of these cars is capped at 40 kilometres per hour, though, which won’t exactly blow back your hair. They also need human help with pulling out of a tight garage or getting through a maze of interchanges. Merging is hard, even for computers. Driver-free transport is now being tested in the UK and the country’s first driverless vehicle, an electric two-seater called the Lutz Pathfinder pod, was unveiled in February. Uber is partnering with Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh to build hands-free rides. The BMW X5 with its traffic-jam system can mostly drive itself. Mercedes and Nissan will present intelligent cars in 2020, the Audi
Sci-fi fans love driverless cars such as the Batmobile and KITT, only 12 percent of Americans polled last year would hand over the keys to the ghost in the machine.
A8 will be autonomous by 2017. ‘Maybe five or six years from now, we’ll be able to achieve true autonomous driving where you could literally get in the car, go to sleep and wake up at your destination,’ says Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors. The designated human will keep an eye on things, but will be free to answer the phone and eat a breakfast bagel. ‘You’re really changing the relationship you have with transportation. You’re changing what it means to get around,’ says Chris Urmson, director of the Google SelfDriving Car project. It’s not only the ‘former’ driver who will be doing something else – backseat drivers will be out of business. Anything they say could be shrugged off with ‘computer says no’. Nervous passengers might be calmed by the sensible speeds and following distances. The car will choose the best route according to traffic reports, cutting down on driving time. Less stop-starts would save fuel and reduce wear and tear. Sci-fi fans love driverless cars such as the Batmobile and KITT, yet only 12 percent of Americans polled last year would hand over the keys to the ghost in the machine. Their worries were less about the driving and more
about a bogeyman hacking the car computer or marketing fiends harvesting personal information from the onboard brain. The biggest problem ahead isn’t tech, but legislation. Most law books even allow for flying cars, but stipulate there must be a hand on any steering wheel. And who will pay for accidents – manufacturers, software companies or retailers? Another issue. The average American boy dreams of cruising the interstate in a vintage, tail-finned gas guzzler that makes him feel like the king of the free world. Europeans testing the sound barrier on the autobahn might also struggle to give up their power trips. But we’re edging closer to autonomous driving without realising it. Cars have been making decisions since ABS brakes arrived. Automatic parking aids and collision detectors are common now and many high-end cars have a pre-safe system that primes brakes, slows down the engine and gets the air bags
ready when a prang seems inevitable. All this is done faster than any human could. As for driving – who besides Top Gear viewers, racing drivers and collectors still love it? Haven’t speed limits, potholes and petrol prices sucked the joyous life out of it? Wouldn’t we rather be texting than pushing pedals and white-knuckling the wheel in peak-hour madness? Driving a new car off the showroom floor might be a classic thrill, but ownership could disappear with self-driving cars and make life easier for everyone. Instead of buying wheels, you’ll send an SMS and a headless wonder will pick you up. So in the future we won’t drive. We certainly won’t fly. Flying prototypes exist, but the logistics are a nightmare. Imagine an aggressive RV ‘driver’ cutting in, not from the side, but from above. Even scarier: your flying car stalls in mid-air. Never happened to The Jetsons, but it could… Driverless cars it is. Let’s hope they’ll have a mean mode, at least until they’re dominating the road. How else would they get into a tailgating lane of self-steering commuters?
WHERE’S MY DRIVER? The future of motoring involves driverless cars. Pieter van der Lugt takes a look at the pros and cons, and ponders the demise of back-seat driving.
twenty-one
THE
L A U S UNU
SUSPECTS
KWEZI
When last did you pick up a comic made by a South African? Mandy J Watson delves into a new world of pirates, politics and superheroes that has a growing fan base around the world.
NERO
STRAY
COTTONSTAR
TOMICA
GOFU
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ECHO GEAR
GOFU
omics were hard to find when I was growing up. You could peruse a well-thumbed collection at the local cafe, or look for Archie comics or something from DC or Marvel at CNA. But then you had to contend with a messed-up storyline as Superman, in particular, spanned four titles and CNA imported only two of them. So every month you would have to guess what the other half of the story was. It made collecting impossible. South African comics were not a thing until underground titles like the pioneering Bitterkomix appeared in 1992. It was the work of Anton Kannemeyer and Conrad Botes, two Afrikaans boys ripping free from cultural roots. Nothing was sacred and off limits. They meant to provoke and offend – and they did. At the same time there were pockets of people producing other kinds of comics. But as with South African music of the decade, the view was still ‘if it’s local, it must be rubbish’. As kids of the ’80s and ’90s edged towards middle age, geeky pursuits became more mainstream. Now the local comic scene is blooming, with new talent and more readers. Most of the books are not political and are generally self-published, because there are no local publishers who focus on independent work. The scene has also been buoyed by annual events, of which Cape Town has become the hub. It began with Free Comic Book Day on the first Saturday in May, an event organised by Readers Den Comic Shop – it has become a big occasion and includes a cosplay competition and video gaming. The Open Book Festival expanded to include the multi-day Open Book Comics Fest each September. Various smaller events started springing up as well.
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The Durban scene is smaller, but artists there have also upped the local comics profile by marketing their wares at pop-culture events. There is no comic shop in Durban to give support, so local talent have organised some events themselves. Joburg is lagging behind in comic fests, but it is home to the likes of Jason Masters and Sean Izaakse, who are working for international publishers DC, Marvel and Dynamite, as well as Diorgo Jonkers, who has been experimenting with international print-ondemand services and collaborates with artists from all over the world. It’s back in Cape Town, however, where more and more people are jumping in to create and publish their passion projects. ‘I think comics, especially independent comics, need a “toss anything in the air and call it art” kind of an environment to flourish in,’ says Kay Carmichael, creator of Sophie Giant Slayer, a black-and-white adventure about a lethal girl with a big sword. ‘Cape Town is that kind of place. You can bang your head, meet people who are also banging their heads, show stuff in small numbers to small crowds and get better.’ The Readers Den has been around since 1992. It has played a major role in shaping the minds of the Cape comics community, says
Promotion is key. ‘If you want to self-publish, or get noticed, you have to know how to market yourself and how to network,’ Deon de Lange explains. This can take more time than actually making comics: ‘It’s a huge job that does not end.’ But the result is more fans locally and internationally.
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Deon de Lange, creator of the fantasy Gofu and the sci-fi adventure Tomica. He grew up in Cape Town and is now spearheading the Durban revolution, along with Luke Molver and his crime-noir Nero, and Alastair Laird, co-producer of the print comic Free Beer. ‘I remember going to the city library to discover new comics,’ he says. ‘Cape Town breathes art and culture. Everywhere you look, people have infused their surroundings with art, love and energy, no matter their class or income group.’ What draws people to comics? ‘It’s a rich, vibrant medium that speaks to many demographics and serves many purposes – political statements, education or entertainment,’ says Danelle Malan. She and Ben G Geldenhuys created the web comic Cottonstar, which follows the adventures of a ship’s boy in an alternate-future Cape Town, with most of the world flooded by water. Vincent Sammy has been creating comics for over a decade and is now working on Echo Gear, a series that experiments with mixing artwork, codes, puzzles and wordplay. The biggest change for local comics has been increased exposure, he believes. Thanks to the Internet and mobile tech, locals can link up easily with one another. Now there are more tribal gatherings, social events and exhibitions. ‘Comics have become a viable art form,’ Vincent says. Promotion is key. ‘If you want to selfpublish, or get noticed, you have to know how to market yourself and how to network,’ Deon de Lange explains. This can take more time than actually making comics: ‘It’s a huge job that does not end.’ But the result is more fans – locally and internationally. So what do we have two decades after Bitterkomix? Horror, pirates, epic fantasy, space adventures, monster fighters… and the iconic superheroes are still out there. Local comics have a long tradition of mighty heroes,
starting in the ’70s with Mighty Man, the story of a retired policeman fighting criminals in Soweto. These days there are Kwezi by Loyiso Mkize, which centres around the crime-fighting of a young man from Gold City (loosely based on Joburg), and Stray, co-created by Sean Izaakse and US writer Vito Delsante, in which a retired sidekick has to avenge his superhero mentor’s murder. There might be room for more South African superheroes. Imagine these… ‘A rugby star loses the use of his arm in a nasty scrum and his career is over,’ says Kay Carmichael. ‘He’s offered a bionic
replacement, and instead of going back into sports, he is moved to help people. He’s called “Die Lang Arm”.’ Sean is thinking ‘a polykinetic with the power to move and reshape anything plastic with his mind. His name is Plastikron and his base would be a floor in an abandoned building in town.’ Vincent Sammy has reservations about superheroes. ‘They seem to cause as much damage as they are supposed to prevent, but I’d say a new superhero would be Saraswati, a digital or spirit entity that is the epitome of the goddess. She would live in social networks and public forums and inspire South Africans
TO THE COMIC SHOP, LET’S GO!
The Lil’ Five by They Did This! What it’s about: The Lil’ Five are kiddie versions of South Africa’s Big Five and features a group of kids going on exciting adventures in exotic locations. There’s a big focus on humour, and the characters’ interaction as they solve puzzles and mysteries. Aimed at: Younger readers aged eight to 14. Check out: www.lilfive.com
Kwezi by Loyiso Mkize What it’s about: South Africa’s first teen superhero, Kwezi, who embodies the spirit of the born-free generation and goes against the typical superhero schtick and instead uses his abilities to chase the social media fame today’s youth culture desires. Aimed at: Young adult readers aged 14 and older. Check out: www.kwezicomics. co.za/comic/
The Souvenir by Daniël Hugo What it’s about: A retelling of the Van Hunks legend and other myths. Set in an alt-universe in the 17th century, it follows the arrival of a mysterious stranger who is tracking Van Hunks. The story contains elements of mysticism and creates a fullyformed supernatural world. Aimed at: Adult readers aged 16 and older. Check out: www.oneironaut.co.za
to be more creative, to dispel the negativity that surrounds our country and to stop complaining so much and pointing fingers at everything that is wrong.’ Of course there’s more to South African comics than crime fighters with special powers. ‘My hope is that fewer people will make comics about superheroes,’ says Deon de Lange. ‘There are many other kinds of stories to tell.’ It’s happening now and there’s something local for every taste. ‘South Africa is finding its own artistic voice in comics,’ says Danelle Malan. ‘That voice is diverse, because we’re diverse.’
Moray Rhoda, designer, illustrator and Open Book Comics Fest coordinator shares his top five comics for every taste.
Sophie Giant Slayer by Kay Carmichael What it’s about: In a world where giants have invaded and destroyed most human cities, Sophie holds the key to fighting the giants. Set decades after giants were last seen, humans no longer believe that the menace is real – until the monsters return. Aimed at: Young adult readers aged 14 and older. Check out: www.tapastic.com/ episode/108237
Mengelmoes by Willem Samuel What it’s about: The semiautobiographical adventures of the author who grew up in Cape Town in the ’90s. Each book follows a day or a week in his life and is peppered with humourous portrayals of traumatic experiences he went through. Aimed at: Adult readers aged 16 and older. Check out: www.tapastic.com/ willemsamuel3
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&
LITTLE
SECRET
Millennial music is bypassing stadium shows and mega-tours with an intimate and innovative approach. Evan Milton explores some of the new avenues musicians are using to bring their music directly to our ears â&#x20AC;&#x201C; lounge shows, curated events and boutique festivals.
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t’s my lounge, but it’s not. There are people here I’ve never met. They already feel like close friends, although they paid to be here. It’s crowded, and I had no idea this many adults could be so happy sitting on cushions and blankets for so long (a lucky few got to the couch or commandeered office chairs). The biggest difference, though, is that poettroubadour Gert Vlok Nel is playing the guitar – over near the sliding doors to the balcony – and telling stories about how he’s not really a recluse, or a legend. It really is my lounge, but it really is not – and that’s the sublime beauty of the new trend of home concerts and secret gigs.
In 2009 three of Rihanna’s American tour dates were cancelled. Not because of any diva-like behaviour from the chart-topping singer, but due to a lack of ticket pre-sales. RiRi, with her 41-million Twitter followers and 150-million albums sold, couldn’t translate all that interest into booty on paid-for seats. It shows just how the music industry is struggling to cope with changes such as digital downloads, declining mega-labels and the rise of independent auteurs. The very good news for us, the listening public, is that there’s a new generation of home-based shows and boutique festivals on offer. Last year, a series called Littlegig was launched, under the manifesto that big concerts are too impersonal, clubs are too cramped and dedicated music venues... well, they aren’t always as pleasantly appointed as one might hope. There have been three shows so far, hosting an impressive line-up of South African legends alongside brandnew talent: maskandi master Madala Kunene and nu-folk newcomer Bongeziwe Mabandla; electro-agitators Original Swimming Party and neo-soulster Zaki Ibrahim; and South African-raised singer/songwriter Yoav, fresh from supporting Tori Amos on tour and basking in a No 1 hit in Russia. These are artists heard far too seldom in an intimate setting and with proper acoustics – if they’re even heard at all. Littlegig
isn’t cheap: tickets have topped R500, but that included drinks, surprises like a Pieter Hugo video and a cameo by Inge Beckmann (frontwoman for Lark and Beast), and venues such as Cape Town’s historic Centre For The Book. At the more affordable end of the spectrum is the City Soirée series. Started by Gerhard Maree in 2010, the series takes the crowdfunding model and applies it to live music: a musician suggests a show, usually in someone’s lounge; fans pledge to see it; and when a minimum
IMAGE: JONX PILLEMER (LITTLE GIG)
A musician suggests a show, usually in someone’s lounge and fans pledge to see it.
The king of the Zulu blues, Madala Kunene.
number of tickets have been sold, the show is on. Fans can also petition an artist to play a show in their area. When rising star Nakhane Mahlakahlaka Touré started his 2015 shows, it was with City Soirées. Previous gigs have ranged from acoustic guitarist Derek Gripper, presenting his transposing of works composed for the kora by Malian master Toumani Diabaté,
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Laura Burhenn (also co-founder of post-folk group The Mynabirds) wanted to play across South Africa, she looked to a development trust called Africa Voices and created The Songbird Tour, which saw her coaching local vocal talent for a few weeks before they joined her at shows in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Grahamstown. She did the same with the Joint Artists and Musicians Development Trust in Knysna, and performed an outreach show in Port St Johns for the Eluxolweni Orphanage. ‘I find it deeply beautiful that I will be touring from the States to South Africa before I get to Europe or the United Kingdom,’ she said. So, how do you access these secret worlds? It’s never been easier, since word of mouth went social: simply follow an artist’s Facebook or Twitter profile. When Spoek Mathambo (twitter.com/Spoek_Mathambo) first did a national tour, it was advertised almost exclusively via social media, and each show sold out. By the simple effort of finding and ‘friending’ a musician, you’re likely to hear about shows both public and privé. City Soirée and boutique festival Studio7 provide email updates; campus radio stations always have their ears closer to the collective ground and are an invaluable source of prepress tips (tuksfm.co.za, ujfm.co.za and mfm.co.za stand out); and SAfm’s Saturday morning Lifestyle Show has a regular music slot that reveals weekly gems (@SAfmlifestyle), as does Cape Town’s BushRadio (bushradio.co.za).
When Spoek Mathambo first did a national tour, it was advertised almost exclusively via social media, and each show sold out. twenty-eight
SHHH... IT’S A SECRET City Soirée Sign up for the email newsletter and be the first to know about intimate gigs in your area – or genre. The concept has grown from music events to include other funky happenings such as Masterchef Jade de Waal hosting Foodjams for singles. Visit: www.citysoirée.co.za Park Acoustics Proof that South Africa has come a long way? How about watching ShortStraw, We Are Charlie and Tidal Waves in the shadow of the Voortrekker Monument. Inclined towards rock and acoustic music, this is one of Mzansi’s finest curated outdoor concert series. Visit: www.parkacoustics.co.za or twitter.com/parkacoustics On The Edge Of Wrong An ongoing Norwegian/South African festival of avant-garde and free-form performances. Shows happen as and where they can. Most recently this meant a cello and saxophone improvising with traffic noises, post-rock collaborators and found-sounds under a highway bridge in a performance of seminal modern composer Terry Riley’s In C. Visit: www.edgeofwrong.com Also see: www.littlegig.co.za, www.thegrandwhite. com, www.thesecreteats.com and www.asingle taste.com, www.capetownworldmusicfestival.com, Durban’s www.friendsofmusic.co.za, and www. facebook.com/studio7.org.za. And keep your ears to the ground for the likely return of Sonar Barcelona’s South African Taste of Sonar series in early 2016.
IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES, SUPPLIED
jazz firebrand Bokani Dyer performing on the prized piano of an Atlantic Seaboard millionaire, Americans Willy Mason and Brett Newski, ethno-musicologist Dizu Plaatjies previewing some of his Carnegie Hall material – and Gert Vlok Nel on a balcony in the Bo-Kaap. In Port Elizabeth, Asanda Msaki used the platform to bypass the perils of venue management and get her music to eager ears – garnering ongoing comparisons to the soulfulness of Joan Armatrading in the process. Before jazz pianist Nduduzo Makhathini rose to wider public prominence with winning the Standard Bank Young Artist Award (2015), your best chance of hearing him outside of a jazz festival was at gigs organised by fellow jazz artists, often in restaurant gardens. Funk powerhouse Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness impressed audiences but confused bookers with their socially charged melding of Western and African forms. So they simply bypassed traditional stages and created their own shows, some of which are powerfully captured in their debut recording, Live At The Sugar Factory. And now the band is booked to tour and record in Europe. The traditional band tour has also changed. When The Postal Service singer
By Gray B Frazer usic moves and shifts. Electronica has splintered into countless subgenres and if you like one of them, you dance. Pop never ceases to sprout curvy divas and chiselled-cheek boy bands and, for the faithful, rock continues to rise, just as jazz, blues and country innovate and make their own heady brews. In hip-hop, the wrangles still rage about what’s bling, what’s art and what happened to the societally-angled and conscientising rap. And then you get Bob Dylan who released an album of Frank Sinatra covers. But there is a trend of sorts (worldwide and locally) – the move to what can best be called ‘almost acoustic’. Not folksy acoustic-guitar (although this little bustle is burgeoning too) or the MTV ‘unplugged’ style of presenting new versions of existing hits. In 2015 it’s more about how real instruments have crept back into dance music, how massive rock shows now include stripped-bare songs and how slick urban styles use soulful vocals rather than relying on auto-tune tricks. It’s happening in live shows, full albums and single MP3 or radio releases. As technology becomes more pervasive and the world gets more digital, it’s as though we need to remind ourselves that we are analogue creatures, of flesh and blood, and powered by that most primal of beats: the heart.
IMAGINE DRAGONS SMOKE + MIRRORS Explaining Imagine Dragons’ new sound must start with their imagery. The video for ‘Shots’ is a masterpiece of how modern technology can bring to life an ancient art like painting. It imagines the hyper-real surrealist paintings of cover collaborator Tim Cantor as a short film. In much the same way, the band uses synthesisers, borrows from industrial music and hip-hop, and shreds guitars – but all in service of a grander vision. Their live shows are soaringly good, and the new album strips away the fluff and frippery of their debut offering Night Visions to bring both thunder and tender mercies.
WE SET SAIL ANIMALS This South African five-piece call their genre ‘cinematic instrumental rock’. It’s accurate, but also a little scowl at the foolishness of music labels. Expect a melding of post-rock from founder-member Marné Gelderbloem’s guitar into soundscapes of synth, keyboard and percussion, lifted by the recent addition of trumpet and flugelhorn for this new album. Live, the band also comprises visual artist Chris Slabber and a professional soundscaper for an immersive, transporting experience. On this album, We Set Sail have managed to capture that energy – and even dabble with hints of chamber music gravitas. It is emotion, captured in sound.
BURNI AMAN SWEET SCIENCE Vocalist Burni Aman, the spoken-word pioneer who co-founded South Africa female hip-hop trio Godessa, returns with a melange of global sounds. It’s been three years in the making, is rooted in acoustic soul and gritty hip-hop and features musicians from Egypt, Senegal, Europe and America. She’s drawn on her work with Rogue State Alliance (a Swiss-South African crossover project) and from Under Madiba Skies (a multi-lingual French-South African project). This is a mature and classy hip-hop offering the perfect blend of proudly South African sounds with a global edge.
MODEST MOUSE STRANGERS TO OURSELVES From the moody introspection of debut single ‘Of Course We Know’ to the catchy jangle of its companions ‘Coyotes’ and ‘Lampshades On Fire’, Modest Mouse return to a guitar-band scene that’s missed their ability to make crossover hits that are rooted in indie-rock. Although former Smiths guitarist, Johnny Marr left the band in 2009, echoes of his unique approach to the six-string remain, and then there’s frontman Isaac Brock’s ability to capture the essence of both America’s side-street and heartland experience. The most intriguing song is ‘Pistol’ – a meditation of the motives driving Andrew Cunanan, the serial killer who shot Gianni Versace.
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JULIA MARSH STUDENT My favourite thing to do when there’s load shedding is... Go on adventures with friends – road trips and markets. If you could invite a singer or band to perform in your lounge, who would it be? My favourite band Roxette. What cartoon character can you most relate to? Winnie the Pooh – I am happy and love food! If you had a personalised number plate, what would it say? Mardie – my car’s name obviously. South African drivers are... Horrible! Autumn is the best time to... Watch movies with all my friends.
KYLE SCHREUDER SPORTS COACH My favourite thing to do when there’s load shedding is... Take the dogs for a walk, or sleep. If you could invite a singer or band to perform in your lounge, who would it be? The Roots. I am a huge fan and would love to see them live. What cartoon character can you most relate to? Bugs Bunny – so chilled and easy going. If you had a personalised number plate, what would it say? Biggie – WP. South African drivers are... Clueless on the rules of the road. I’ve seen some ridiculous stunts. South African drivers are too stiff. Lighten up, smile, flirt or have a laugh – don’t be so serious! Autumn is the best time to... Shop for winter clothes and explore nature. thirty
TYLA STROEBEL DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIOURAL THERAPIST My favourite thing to do when there’s load shedding is... Read, have a candlelit bath, eat (after I’ve convinced my husband to take me out for dinner). If you could invite a singer or band to perform in your lounge, who would it be? Green Day – the energy and party would be amazing and I love their music. What cartoon character can you most relate to? The Road Runner – I feel like I am constantly rushing with business and activities. If you had a personalised number plate, what would it say? Outofmyway – WP. South African drivers are... A pain in my ****! Nobody follows the rules, and people seem utterly oblivious as to how indicators work and what they are used for. And when it rains, people completely lose the plot. Autumn is the best time to... Stock up on good coffee, new series and red wine.
SAMANTHA PETERSEN ENTREPRENEUR My favourite thing to do when there’s load shedding is... Toss the ball with my son in the garden! If you could invite a singer or band to perform in your lounge, who would it be? Michael Bublé... to serenade me all night. What cartoon character can you most relate to? Betty Boop – she’s fun, vivacious and sexy! If you had a personalised numberplate, what would it say? ‘PAID UP!’ South African drivers are... Inconsiderate. Autumn is the best time to... Grab a vida e cappuccino, read a great novel and chill! THABISO LEHKOSA ASSISTANT MANAGER My favourite thing to do when there’s load shedding is... To clean and I like to sleep. If you could invite a singer or band to perform in your lounge, who would it be? Chris Brown – I like his moves and he’s my role model. What cartoon character can you most relate to? Cool Catz, because they relieve my stress. Especially Kitty Kat – he’s cool! If you had a personalised number plate, what would it say? Beema. South African drivers are... Reckless, because most of them drink and drive. Autumn is the best time to... Swim!
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thirty-two
Darrel Bristow-Bovey discovers he may have more in common with Grumpy Cat than Dirty Harry when it comes to being stuck in the dark in a confined space…
The point is, I consider myself an African tough guy – the sort of person who isn’t reliant on the national grid, a great-grandson of pioneers, frontiersmen and uncrackable hard nuts. So when the power went down and the elevator stopped, I just stood there awhile,
all Clint Eastwood and casual, thinking it’s a pity there’s no one else in there, because they’d be all ‘Oh no! We’re trapped!’ and I’d soothe them with my rugged nonchalance and tell them not to breathe so hard and use up all the oxygen. They’d be so grateful for my calming presence they’d insist on offering me elevator sex, which I’d gently decline because heroes don’t take advantage of scared civilians. I thought how cool I must look on the surveillance footage. Look at this guy! He doesn’t panic when he gets stuck in elevators. I looked for the camera to give it a manly wink. There was no camera. How could there be no camera? I thought elevators were wall-to-wall cameras. What about Ray Rice? What about Solange? Ray Rice and Solange should have caught their elevators in South Africa. Solange could have given Jay-Z and Ray Rice a simultaneous double beat-down in here and no one would ever have known. Wait a minute, if there’s no camera, would anyone know I’m here? What if the power never comes back on? What if the brakes fail and this tiny, mirrored coffin plummets down the shaft? What does it feel like when you’re falling? ARE WE FALLING RIGHT NOW?! IT’S SO DARK! THERE’S NO AIR! LET ME OUT! And so when the power came back on and the doors opened, three perfect strangers were treated to the sight of me kicking and clawing and scrabbling at the walls like a panicked Schrödinger’s cat. I tried to gather myself and swagger past them with my old insouciance, but I wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all myself. That’s the problem with the dark: it’s always yourself that you find there.
ILLUSTRATION: GETTY IMAGES
was just asking myself, ‘I wonder what happens to elevators during load shedding?’, when the power went off and the elevator stopped. I was on my way down from a meeting where all the others were bellyaching about Eskom, and when people bellyache I always feel better about myself. In my head, I’m the most stoic survivalist in the world. When I’m around foreigners, I always feel tougher and hardier than them just because I’m South African – as if that automatically makes me more rugged and resourceful. I secretly look forward to the zombie apocalypse, and I hope when it happens I’ll be in the middle of Europe because then I’ll rise above all those soft-bellied first-worlders like a god-king. I’ll have gangs of moleman minions doing my bidding as I take control of the world’s fresh water and flame-throwers. Even when I’m around South Africans, I secretly persuade myself I’m more resilient than they are. For one thing, I never complain about load shedding. When the lights go out, I strap two small LED torches to my wrists and stride around the neighbourhood like Robocop. I’ve been considering investing in night-vision goggles, not because they’d be useful but because they look cool. Inside my house I wear a straw hat with candle stubs melted onto the brim, like Vincent van Gogh did when he was painting outdoors at night, and I make manly food on an open fire… Well, actually, I don’t. I have a gas-powered stove and also the pizza place around the corner has its own generator. But I’m sure I could if I wanted to.
Debut album features “Hold Back The River”
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