Attention all BANDS: Do you want 50k to make a music video?

In a first for South Africa, MK, DStv's leading rock and pop music channel, is commissioning 10 high quality music videos of South African artists valued at R50k each.

Dubbed the MK Music Video Project (MK MVP), MK is inviting production companies to approach any band they believe complements MK's progressive channel strategy and to pitch on their behalf. Similarly bands and record companies who would like to put their songs and ideas forward, should approach a South African production company to do so.

Says Victor Edward Eckard, Head of Content for MK: "The South African music and production industry offers a wealth of exceptional talent. Through MK MVP we hope to further stimulate this market and bring that talent to the fore, allowing our artists and production houses to show their true colours and in so doing offer our viewers compelling content."

The following should be taken into account when pitching for MK MVP 2010:

· MK MVP pitches are only open to South African production companies.

· The music videos need to meet the R50,000 budget and need to be of a high production value. In essence the videos need to raise the standard of music videos in South Africa.

· Bands who would like to pitch their tracks must do so through a recognized music video production company who, in turn, must follow the correct format.

· Only three music video pitches are allowed per production company.

The following information must be included in the pitch:

1. The MK MVP cover page. Go to http://mktv.co.za/mvp for more info.

2. Company background and experience.

3. Show reel of previous work completed.

4. Crew list with crew experience (include CVs).

5. Music video treatment and creative with graphical and video references.

6. Complete budget breakdown of proposed music video production.

7. Artist biography, photo and press pack.

8. An MP3 version of the selected song (complete with the composer and record company / rights holder details).

Pitches will be selected based on the following criteria:

· The production company and crew experience as well as examples of previous work.

· Treatment and creative of the music video.

· Budget and production value.

· Artist / band profile and song choice (the songs will be chosen by an MK panel).

· How the music video concept complements the MK brand; how it speaks to the MK target market; and how well it fits within the Channel's look and feel.

Additional info:

· The decision for the music video commissions will rest with MK only and the decision will be final.

· The deadline for all pitches is 31 May 2010 and communication regarding the chosen ten will be received by the end of June 2010.

· The production companies chosen to create the videos must deliver the final product by 30 July 2010.

All pitches must be sent via email to victor.edward@mnet.co.za.

Desmond winners and a HUGE show

So, last week I had two pairs of tickets to give away to Desmond's MONSTER show at Assembly. The two winners each got a pair.

My first winner sent me this pic:
His email subject line read, 'I'm using my sexuality to win tickets. i even photoshopped out my tat.' - Pity he didn't photoshop out his fat.

The second winner sent this pic through.
It's a mixture of the winners' names on something that looks like playdoe, I think (and of course a play on the name Desmond & The Tutus).

Anyway, Desmond & The Tutus played one of the best Cape Town shows ever. Better the second time around rings true in more ways that one for The Tutus. The last time they played at the Assembly it wasn't amazing - the sound was poor and the crowd were not feeling them. Monday's show was also their second show of the long weekend. They played on Friday night at a charity event at the Albert Hall. The sound was very poor which was a real pity, considering the quality of the rig they hired for the event.

But Monday night was crazy. Without the online portal to purchase tickets, people queued. It's been a while since I've seen queues outside the Assembly. Anyway, the bands started early! Desmond, the headliners for the night weren't expected on before about midnight, but took the stage at 22h45. They played an energy filled (and energy sapping for that matter) sets I've had the good pleasure of witnessing. Their was even something of a tame mosh-pit in motion and loads of crowd surfing. (The next trick will be to convince Shane to take the dive.) More than that, other than their new track, everyone sang along to every song.

On the cards for the Tutus going forward are two more trips overseas - France in June and Japan in September/October (TBC). Stay tuned for more.

The Summer Obsession

Is Punk Rock cool again? I got an email asking me punt a band that sounds similar to Blink and Sum41. I never enjoyed those bands.

The Summer Obsession have just produced their 12 millionth release, just in time for our winter.

If you like, download the album from MediaFire.
They also have a VERY useless website (everything is coming soon...).

Desmond & The Tutus: Win Tickets

Last time I had held a competition for tickets to Desmond & The Tutus I got a couple of interesting motivations (the above pictures). Someone even sent in a song written as a motivation. I was impressed.

For Monday's show at Assembly, I have two pairs of tickets (four). Would you like a pair? Send me an email with your motivation. richardcoleking[at]gmail.com. Make it good. Competition closes on Friday. Winners will be contacted over the weekend (via email).

Desmond & The Tutus head back to Cape Town

This coming weekend is a long weekend for most. Schools have Monday off while most businesses will grant their minions leave for Monday. This makes next week a three day week.

What's more (and more importantly) Desmond & The Tutus will be in town this time next week to play a huge show on Monday night at The Assembly to welcome in Tuesday, Freedom Day.

They will be playing alongside some winners.
- DESMOND & THE TUTUS (headlining)
- THE REVELATORS
- KID COLT
- MAGNUM HI FI
- RICHARD THE III
- BRUCE WILLIS!?!

More info

Crystal Castles

As you may have read on we-are-awesome, Crystal Castles are releasing another self titled album in June. (The album is set for worldwide release on June 8.)

Tracklisting:
1. Fainting Spells
2. Celestica
3. Doe Deer
4. Baptism
5. Year of Silence
6. Empathy
7. Suffocation
8. Violent Dreams
9. Vietnam
10. Birds
11. Pap Smear
12. Not in Love
13. Intimate
14. I Am Made of Chalk

Sample one of the new tracks from the forthcoming album:

Celestica :: Crystal Castles | MediaFire

A Night with Aoki Part #2

On my way to the much anticipated Assembly show I thought back on the discussion we had with Steve Aoki only hours before. The man plays between 250 and 300 shows a year and he runs a record label and he sources new acts and and and. I knew I was in for a treat.

As I climbed the Assembly stairs with my friends the hype that had so long been building was realised. I was concerned though. The Skene brothers were busting out some huge tunes, to the point that I thought that the evening might be climaxing too soon. But I was wrong, and not for the first time.

Aoki took the stage after midnight with expectations brewing beyond some fans control. A particular young lady (I am sure she was just one of many) had far too much to drink and it wouldn’t be farfetched to suggest that she remembered very little of the evening’s proceedings.

Aoki’s fan interactions were second to none. He was crowd surfing within five or 10 minutes starting his show. WARP (Aoki’s Bloody Beetroots remix) was his second track and proved a crowd favourite to the point that he closed the show with it as well. At the beginning of the show the die-hard fans and electro junkies filled the immediate area in front of the stage. There was a healthy mix of girls and boys in the early periods. But soon it became too much. The rotation policy became standard for most. You would enter the fray, get sprayed with champagne by Aoki and get wet-through from a mixture of yours and others sweat, and dance (like that was even optional with everyone rubbing up on you). Personal space doesn’t exist, but no one complains.Then you would get out, rest, recuperate, get a drink and head back in for some more fun. If you were lucky Aoki would even crowd surf while you were in there. These gatherings weren’t violent mind you (as so often they can be). It was just that err’body wanted to be at the front, to touch him (on his studio), to get a better vantage point or get spotted by Mark ‘The Cobrasnake’ Hunter. Louder than the music was the ongoing chant, "Steve!...Aoki! Steve!...Aoki! Steve!...Aoki! Steve!...Aoki!" Such a jol.

Assembly did really well hosting this year’s biggest event. I remember Bloody Beetroots last year was great, but you could see that the hosts learned a lot from that time. The stage was bigger and the fencing around the stage was more secure (not moving every time a forward surge was made by crazy wet fans).

Big up ya’ll. Next up: JUSTICE (please).

Florence and the Machine :: Swimming

There is so much music in cyberspace and so much of it is abysmal or indifferent that I become cynical towards bands before giving them an ear. Florence and the Machine is one of these. I got the track 'Swimming' and started listening to it only this morning and I have to 'share the love'. I am thinking, British-more-upbeat-Lykke-Li OR British-Shakira-sounding-vocals-but-less-pop-more-orchestra-instruments. Yes? No?

They even won 'Best British Album of 2010' at the BRIT Awards.

Florence and the Machine :: Swimming | MediaFire

Website

Civil Twilight on Radio 92.9

You may have heard Civil Twilight on 5fm in recent weeks. They are from Hout Bay, Cape Town. They have been playing a number of great gigs and on some television and radio shows around the States. This one is their single, Letters from the Sky, the single off their self titled album.

Teardrop, Massive Attack's track has long been a big part of Civil Twilight's set list (longer than Jose Gonzalez has been playing it). I think you'll agree, they perform it phenomenally.

A Night with Aoki Part #1

With the dust finally settled after one of the biggest weekends in Cape Town, a look back at the Aoki experience is a must.

On Friday night, just hours before the show, a few guests got the privilege to meet Aoki at the Red Bull Studios in Cape Town. I was one of these. After a long day of cage diving in Gaansbaai, Aoki treated some of our city’s top DJs and producers to some of his pearls of wisdom. The LA based DJ owns a record label called Dim Mak. One of Dim Mak’s prize acquisitions was The Bloody Beetroots in 2007. The biggest track out at the moment is WARP! well known for its line, ‘1, 2 WHOOP! WHOOP!’ before smashing people’s inhibitions with some of the biggest electro sounds around.

Aoki was also so complimentary of our ‘Fairest Cape’ and even said that he was interested in canning the interview and heading through to one of the townships with all in attendance. Everyone laughed nervously. Was he being serious? He was. However, the interview went on. The next day he hiked up Lions Head with Blaise Janichon & Pierre Coetzee and continued to sing Cape Town’s praises.

Not only did he love the Mother City, but he loved one of our most famous exports, Die Antwoord. He didn’t attempt to say their name, but he raved about them, sad only at missing the opportunity to sign them to his label. He spoke particularly well of DJ Hi-Tek (and his PC Komputerr), expressing a desperate need to meet them and even announced that he had already been in contact with Interscope Records (Die Antwoord’s new label) in the hope of doing a single with the controversial South Africans.

He even shared a few stories of his previous musical endeavours. As a kid he started out in a hardcore punk band. Admitting that his singing voice is less than desirable, he tended to opt for screaming when handed the microphone. He learned to play all regular band instruments filling in wherever he had to.

When asked about what he was expecting from the show at Assembly later that evening, he admitted, “I honestly have no idea what to expect”, acknowledging that he was not concerned if it was a small show – he was just so excited to be in SA. It wasn’t a small show, not by Cape Town’s standards. Almost 1000 people packed out Assembly paying top dollar for a top show. But more on that later...

The ‘formal’ interview ended and he hung around the studios to chat to anyone who still had questions or wanted to shake his hand. One thing that all who were there will declare is, he is a down-to-earth character. No questions were beneath him, and no people below his interest. He even liked the idea of visiting Gugulethu’s famous Mzoli’s.

A few short hours later and it was off to the show.

A Night with Aoki Part #2

The Toxic Avenger :: Escape (Bloody Beetroots Deathcrew77 Remix) (Live @ Stereo Bielefeld)