Vana & The Oh So Serious Folk Collective live

Tings an' Times - 08 March 2010

Watershed to play SXSW

In South Africa and Europe ‘Watershed’ is  defined  as the band around songwriter and lead singer Craig Hinds.  They are a popular export  of the ‘Rainbow Nation’. 

Now, Watershed is eyeing the North American music market after being selected to play at the prestigious South By Southwest Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas as well as the Canadian Music week in Toronto, Canada.

First up on March 13th is a gig at The Hideout in Toronto, Canada where the band performs as part of Canadian Music Week – another vote-of-confidence in Watershed’s global appeal. The second is a bonus unplugged set on March 16th at Madiba’s in Brooklyn, New York City. 

They then travel down to Texas and play at The Hideout Theater ((617 Congress Ave) in Austin on Thursday March 18th, as part of SXSW’s 2010 Showcasing Bands line-up.
According to SXSW, Showcase Bands have to make it through an extensive selection  process from the many acts that apply from across the US and the rest of the world.

So it follows that SXSW would be a perfect fit for this local group.
“SXSW has a committee of people who listen to and grade recordings according to originality, technical ability, songwriting skills, career establishment, and overall artistry,” the Festival says. “Every recording is graded at least twice, then those with the highest scores are reviewed again and invitations are extended.”

This vote of confidence gives Watershed a boost in its intention to launch in North America.
Says, Craig Hinds, “We’re understandably buzzed to be playing SXSW. It’s a festival that has great credibility as well a reputation for being a place to discover new acts and we’re preparing for a huge  show at The Hideout.”

With these North American shows now locked down, Watershed is eyeing a busy 2010. The year includes an April tour of Europe as well as the release of the band’s ‘A Million Faces’ album - a celebration of Watershed’s 10-year-anniversary featuring all Watershed’s hits and two brand new tracks.

Watershed will be on tour in the UK and on an extensive concert spree in Germany  before the band returns to South African venues to consolidate their triumphant accomplishments on all levels, locally AND internationally.

The next generation of dictionaries might want to include the additional entry 4. Watershed (etym.) popular South African piano-based rock band headed by lead singer and songsmith Craig Hinds.

Green Thursdays: charge up on the go with the Yogen

- With an ever-increasing attempt to completely greenify our lives and our site, we're going to bring you green news, lists, info and how-to points in this new Thursday column. - Ed. -

With all of the hype about green and energy efficient mobile chargers out there, its hard to sift through what is fact and what is fiction. And anyway, who has time to wait for the sun to charge their iPod?
The next best thing for impatient eco-conscious folks is the YoGen universal mobile charger. YoGen has introduced the first real energy-saving charger compatible for most mobile devices including iPods, iPhones, digital readers like the Kindel, cell phones, navigation units, PDA’s and more.
The best part? A few tugs on the string of this device charges your mobile unit in a few minutes and lasts as long as a charge from an energy sucking wall charger.

And if that wasn’t enough, the YoGen is mobile, so the next time you find your mobile devices are down on the juice when you’re on top of a mountain, or hiking alone in the woods, pull this light-weight baby out and charge away.

Story and image from www.hippiemagazine.com

Watch Black Rebel Motorcycle Club live

Ok, so we apologise for the slightly misleading title because, unless you're a lucky bugger and can actually go to the Amoeba on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood tomorrow evening (Friday the 12th at 6PM), you won't quite be able to watch Black Rebel Motorcycle Club live. But what you will be able to do it stream that performance online at 6PM PST (that's 9PM New York time, 2AM London time and 4AM South African time) whether you're a Hollywooder or not.

They'll be playing songs from their brand new album, Beat The Devil's Tattoo.

Just to get you in the mood before then, Amoeba is giving everyone a free BRMC song download.

More about Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

The Plectrum of Destiny Writes A Letter

 

Click on the comic for a larger view.

ⓒ athousandguitars.com 2010

Gig Guide 10 March 2010

Gigs to get to in and around SA this week:

- Friday 12 - Sunday 14 March: Motherfudd 2010 @ Malonjeni Farm
- Friday 12 March: Outlived! @ The Black Dahlia, JHB
- Friday 12 March: Wrestlerish album launch with Jack Parow @ Back2Basix, JHB
- Saturday 13 March: The White Party @ Cool Runnings, Fourways
- Saturday 13 - Sunday 14 March: The Flamjangled Tea Party @ Contermanskloof Wine Farm, Durbanville

Ramfest 2010 Part Five

 

  

  

  

There ain't no grave for Johnny Cash's music

It’s always somewhat irking when big record companies fell the need to keep releasing albums by stars who have passed away. Sure, it’s nice that the fans get to have more of their collection to listen to, but there often seems to be a morbid sort of voyeurism underlying such releases. And because of the theme and songs on Johnny Cash’s new album, that is perhaps nowhere as true as it is on this release - American VI: Ain’t No Grave.

Except for one song, the album is actually a collection of covers, coming from artists as diverse as Sheryl Crow and Kris Kristofferson and reaching back to ancient Hawaiian folk tunes. Cash’s ability to make these songs his own in very beautiful ways should be praised, but what’ll catch your ear before this is how haunting it is to hear him singing about death, graves and being satisfied at the end of your life - the topics are what’ll stick in your mind long after the CD is finished playing.

This starts right from the first, title track, where Cash’s first words are “there ain’t no grave can hold my body down”. It’s an eerie song that has footsteps and chains providing the backbeat to the quite anthem about overcoming life’s adversity and living on forever.

Cash’s interpretation of Sheryl Crow’s song, “Redemption Day” sums up much of the album by showing how Cash can communicate an enormous amount of emotion through a very stripped-down musical style. It’s fitting because singing about “a train headed straight to heaven’s gate” would sound out of place done with anything other than his light acoustic guitar and strings accompaniment.

The only non-cover song on the album (although not an original either) is Cash’s singing of “I Corinthians 15:55”. He’s turned it into a lilting lullaby that seems to lay listeners, and hopefully Cash himself too, down to rest peacefully.

“Satisfied Mind”, “Last Night I had The Strangest Dream” and “Aloha Oe” are also incredibly effective songs.

There are no real happy tunes on this album, but it’s not a depressed record either. They all have a feeling of relaxed resignation and closure. And hopefully, since this is said to be the last release from Cash and the last in his American collection, he too can relax now. American VI: Ain’t No Grave is a beautiful musical landmark for such a prominent and accomplished performer.

Star Rating: 4

ⓒ athousandguitars.com 2010

Brand New with Athousandguitars.com - 09 March 2010

There are a few exciting releases coming up in the next couple of weeks. The first is:

Pavement - Quarantine The Past: The Best Of Pavement
Until today, I really had a delusion that Pavement were British, but apparently we have California to thank for their momentous indie rock influence during the ‘90s. They are, in fact, borderline punk in their DIY ethos and cult following and Quarantine The Past brings them in to the new millennium as it’s been over a decade since we heard any new music from them.

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
The third studio album from the virtual British band. It has guest performances from the likes of Snoop Dogg, De La Soul, Lou Reed and Paul Simonon. We aren’t huge fans of the band’s music itself, but we do applaud them for their super creativity, so we’ll definitely be giving this a listen.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club also release their new record Beat The Devil’s Tattoo and
Ludacris releases Battle Of The Sexes.

Next week, Angus & Julia Stone and Chamillionaire are releasing new studio albums and The White Stripes have a new live album out. Yes, awesome.

ⓒ athousandguitars.com 2010