Lark's Last Cape Town Gig

Friday night marked the last time that most people would ever be able to see Lark perform live as they confessed what most already knew. Lark are soon to go their separate ways. Over the last 4 years, Lark has become a household name at many fine gigging venues throughout the Mother city and indeed the country.

As a music lover, one tends to try and compare bands, or find similar acts and put them into a genre. Lark are different. They take the very popular electro sounds and mix them with Inge’s HUGE vocal melodies and harmonies creating something hugely original.

This night was special. The evening opened with Spindle Sect showing why Lark chose them to commence the party. They are a tight hip hop band, fashioning massive vocal depth with four vocalists. But regardless of how well they did (and they did superbly), the night was all about one band.

Jeremy from the Skirts, Cokey Falcow (that super lame “comedian”) and hundreds of fans packed the huge Assembly venue with very mixed emotions to say goodbye to one of South Africa’s finest acts.

The Assembly is kitted out with foosball, a couple of styling reclining areas from where it is often possible to keep an eye on proceedings. It also has an exceptional oversized floor space for busting sometimes nocuous moves.

Inge and her boys came on stage at The Assembly to the sound of deafening applause and acclamation and said a few words that made even the most hardened of spectators a little teary eyed. As they explained the future (or lack thereof) of the band, one couldn’t help but be saddened.

But if sadness was to play a prolific role, it was going to have to wait for the final curtain. Lark found their stride as soon as they picked up their instruments, and had people letting go of their inhibitions or at least had the Indie kids moving one leg like a “Polaroid picture”. The stage was ablaze with obtuse lighting and loads of flash photography. There was the typical blend of professionalism and intimacy shown by Inge’s stage presence.

The evening ended or tried to end to the sounds of “we want more!” repeated “over and over and over, like a monkey with a miniature symbol”- Hot Chip. It wasn’t long before Lark conceded to “woo” the masses one last time. Emotion was all over their faces and one could even see Paul Ressel crying while Tim and Fuzzy tried not to show it.

They played. Cape Town loved. Then it was over…

Lark will be missed.