Johnny Foreigner (UK) free tickets

Of late, there has been a huge amount of online publicity and funky ghosts on street posts. All for Johnny Foreigner and their phenomenal South African entourage. For the lineup for the different venues, click here. They also have an EP for free download and an interesting teaser. Click here for that.

This weekend they hit Cape Town. Now the very nice people from Griet have given me two double tickets to the shows. It could be a pair for each, or both pairs for one. You tell me where you want to go, and between myself and Griet, we will organise.

Information to be mailed to richardcoleking[at]gmail[dot]com:

Name:
Where you first heard about Johnny Foreigner:
Where you want to go (Assembly/Libertas):

The relevant dates are: 13 February @ The Assembly || 17 February @ Klein Libertas

Enter soon to avoid disappointment.

Johnny Foreigner (UK) 'Choose yr side and shut up!' SA Tour

A while back (April 08) I did an interview with legendary Pretoria based DJ and VJ (visual jockey) Ben Rausch for an issue of Chew Magazine. He mentioned among other things, that he would love to play with Johnny Foreigner, a largely unknown act (around these parts) from the UK. (And by play you know that I mean syncing visuals with music, right?)

[interview as it appeared in Chew Magazine]

It was exciting therefore, that Johnny Foreigner decided that a South African tour was on the cards. This is to take place in February. More than that, our very own Ben Raush or Sassquatch as he is known by his fans, is to play alongside them! So in collaboration MK and Griet Artists, Johnny Foreigner and Sassquatch will be performing in the following cities:

13th FEB - CAPE TOWN

17th FEB - STELLENBOSCH

19th FEB - PRETORIA

20th FEB - JOHANNESBURG

26th FEB - RAMFEST - MAIN STAGE - 20:00

I can only assume venues will be decided soon. If you know, let me know.

Griet also put together this enticing teaser to get you in the mood for a party:

Win tickets to Kidofdoom in Cape Town!

So next week Kidofdoom come to Cape Town to play two shows to launch their new album, My Faith In War. The first (30 September) will be at the Klein Libertas, Stellenbosch. The second will be in the Mother City (2 October) at Mercury Live. I am expecting it to be HUUUUGE! But I don't think Kidofdoom know any other way to do shows??

The most exciting addition to their Cape Town shows has to be Sassquatch, known for his sick imagery and effects for Kidofdoom, Ben Rausch also has the knack of reproducing tracks from electro artists (and artists from other genres) in a fluid mix of busting beats. Haezer will also be playing.

So why all the info? Well, I am giving away two sets of double tickets plus two copies of the new album! Pretty sweet! What do you have to do to get two tickets and an album? Furnish me with an email containing the following:

Your Name:
Your preferred venue (Klein Libertas/Mercury):
Favourite Kidofdoom song:
Why I should give you the prizes:

Email me on richardcoleking[at]gmail[dot]com with the details. You can email me now.

Here are all the gigs on the tour again:

30^th Septemeber – Klein Libertas Theatre, Stellenbosch

With Haezer and Sassquatch - R40

02^rd October – Mercury Live, Cape Town

With Haezer and Sassquatch - R40

03^rd October – Tings n Times, Pretoria

With Sassquatch, Data Takashi and Nathan Scott Philips - R30

9^th October – Big Gig #2 – Durban

With Sassquatch, City Bowl Mizers and guests. - R50 (R30 with Student Card)

29^th October – Back2Basix, Johannesburg

With Sassquatch, Data Takashi and Marc Latilla - R40

Sassquatch - Critical Hits (download)

So, Sassy has done it again. This time, Ben Rausch has put together a mix made up EXCLUSIVELY of bands in his area. That is, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Centurion. It has a very interesting track listing:Download the 43 minute mix featuring some underground underground acts and some CRITICAL HITS. At times you might get confused at how one track becomes another with his seamless mixing. Click here for the mini-set!!
Keep your eyes peeled, as Sassquatch is set to be announced as one of the djs for a set at a TBA CT party soon!!!!

Don't forget about Blaise's farewell party tonight!!

Sassquatch on the decks

Mr Benjamin ‘Sassquatch’ Rausch made a mix. It’s huge. It’s called "The Light at the End of the Tunnel was a Soul Train". If you feel like a big download, do it.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel was a Soul Train - Sassquatch (Mediafire)

Also, he resurrected his long dead blog, So Many Animal Calls. Take a mosey.

Mixed vibes at Assembly leave listeners unsure

It's been a week, a week needed to way up the many opinions about the diversity that was offered on a plate to music enthusiasts last Friday.

Dear John Love Emma, Shadowclub and Johnny Neon played to a mixed, average sized crowd. The three bands offered three very different styles or genres of music, creating something of a staggered evening. Flow was not the aim of the game.

By now, you will agree that DJLE are classically compared to Arcade Fire and Beirut, while Shadowclub (who I had never heard of let alone heard) opened with what I thought would be a Wolfmother cover. [I even tried to sing Wolfmother lyrics over it, it almost worked.] Then, the main attraction, Johnny Neon without former visuals genius, Ben Rausch, played an OH-SO-AVERAGE set made of a pop techno sound and bad vocals making the two opening acts look GREAT. Sad reality for a band (of two) who rocked out so hard at Sovereign Academy some time ago (as remembered by Cevron).

I am still a little unsure of what to make of the evening, but Johnny Neon dissapointed (gross understatement) and DJLE are improving all the time.

[pic from WAA, you know, the guys with the Puma ad on their site?]

Chew - The Technology Issue

The latest Chew Magazine is out and available for FREE pdf dowload. It has interesting music stuffs on Isochronous and Ben Rausch. Also Inge is back with some new hot fashion pics. It is totally worth sacrificing 30MB to get this desktop glossy. Do it. Oh, and the interview with Ben (Sassquatch) is mine.

Click here to share in the experience!

Kidofdoom and Ben Rausch team for RAMFEST

Kidofdoom and Ben Rausch (from Johnny Neon) will be doing the third instalment in their "Trajectory" series.

Basically the Trajectory shows are scored live by Kidofdoom (obviously) and then there's a rather abstract narrative told through the lighting of Peter Rodda and the visuals that Ben's keytar spits out.

The story of Trajectory III will be told through an astronaut's journal as he travels to, and explores a barren ice-planet called "Morgan 51".

The show will be performed live at Ramfest this Friday (27 Feb 09) at midnight on the main stage. if you're going to RAMFEST, this is a not to miss show.

Event Page

Here is a video clip from their second Trajectory at Earthdance with a teaser for number 3.


Do it.

Sovereign Academy

Sovereign Academy is a massive party that travels around South Africa featuring loads of exciting outfits with similar musical interests. Sovereign was launched in December 2005 and has since grown from strength to strength. Creators, Ben Rausch and Matt Suttner had a dream to expose Pretoria to the “disco punk” that Joburg kids had been grooving to for 2 years. Luckily (for Cape Town) this dream was realised quickly and has exploded to all parts of South Africa. Since its inception Academy has attracted acts like Kidofdoom, King of Town, Jonny Neon and many others who fit the bill.

Cape Town’s The Final Field Trip marks the last party on the road for the Academy year before heading back to the Highveld for The Academy Graduation Party later this year.

Come the 30^th April, The Final Field Trip will hit Assembly with violent insolence! Kidofdoom are deemed to be one of the very first dance-rock acts in South Africa and have played at almost every Sovereign get together since the beginning. They played not too long ago at Evol and awesomed the jol!

Perhaps, to Cape Town, one of the most exciting acts in this very distinguished line up is the ever impressive Jonny Neon who played to a very receptive Assembly crowd in February.

The only purely electro act of the night Jonny Neon is a two piece art punk synth pop act who work exclusively with analogue synths and loads of never ending visuals. They have just shot and released their first music video.

Other exciting acts for the Final Field Trip include King of Town (said to be the “godfather” of the dance-punk scene in SA) and Sassquatch. (Aka Ben Rausch and co-founder of Sovereign, Sassquatch presents half of Jonny Neon and an exciting DJ mixing music and visuals like no one’s business. In celebration of The Final Field Trip, Sassquatch has put together an ecstatic mix well worth downloading.) Data Takashi and Casioheart are two other well known acts promising to rip up the Assembly floor boards.

If this sounds like your kinda jol, hop along to the Facebook invitation for more info!

See you there…