The Beams and Rockets Assemble

“Get on your dancing shoes. There’s one thing on your mind.” – Arctic Monkeys. That “one thing” was to squeak some K–Takkie rubber to the sounds of some of Cape Town’s premier acts. 24 May, Saturday, The Assembly, with a stellar line up of bright movers and shakers, physics defying moves and rock star personas…The Beams, New Loud Rockets and spinning the turntables, Orlando Doom and the Hipless couples (Daydream Nation Djs).

Note: There was a refreshing transmutation from The Assembly with the large stages and wide open spaces to The Assembly with a small stage and main bar for an intimate, cosy atmosphere where playing even a simple game of foosball became a challenge.

Doors opened at nine and people were filling up the room rapidly. The buzzing of voices and laughter contributed to the growing excitement for the show to begin…And what a show it was indeed!

The evening kicked off with a warm up set of electronic sounds and beats from Orlando Doom and the Hipless couples.

The Beams were on fire. Their music has grown and multiplied in its awesomeness and maturity since their primitive beginnings in 2006. They have developed and moved away from their Curish sounds towards something of their own. As always, Paul’s epileptic dance moves were expected, Jay’s insane drumming and Bosko’s grizzly guitar commanded respect while Amrik’s smooth bass kept things in check. With influences (arguably) from early Bloc Party (the Silent Alarm album), Chris Chameleon’s Boom album and the Cure, the Beams make one wanna dance until something breaks. The Beams are easily one of the most charismatic and energetic stage acts around in Cape Town. Total crowd get-goers.

Next up was Smack Talk’s most blogged band, the New Loud Rockets who performed their last gig for the next two months! With the ever looming midyear exams and with three of the five going to the UK on holiday, it makes sense that they take a break. The lads trickled onto stage with their SCAR sponsored hair styles and John, Dave and Steve sporting semi-formal outfits. The poetic quality of their lyrics inspires sing-a-longs, especially when Bleeding in a Cab starts to blare through the speakers. Their music electrifies all around and infects the body with a need to dance. As usual, the capacity Cape Town crowd enjoyed.

Exciting news: When the NLR do return they are promising, “that (they’ll) return with a new approach to (their) music and outlook.” Their words, truly.

To close off the evening, Orlando Doom and Hipless Couples returned to their desks inan attempt to keep the takkies squeaking. We got no rest.

- Kate Roux
[Photos from Zahra Robertson]