BACK ON SMAC!

 

 

Good weekend: Tennysass and reunification of chinas!

Chad arrives at my place at 6:45 on Friday. Following Anja and I to Pretoria, it initially looks like he's the only JHB friend that will be pulling through for tonight's KRNGY gig. Along the way Patrick calls to say he will actually come as well so Chad pops off to go fetch him. For the drive through Anja's put together a great compilation. It's one third Anja songs (see Alkaline Trio), a third Ben songs (see Algernon Cadwallader) and a third Ben and Anja songs (see Hole). This soundtrack speeds us through to Pretoria in the most enjoyable way possible and before we know it we're back inside the faux cave that is Shiva's. I'm really happy that we're quickly joined by Christian, Kyle and Olivia and spend an awesome little bit just hanging out. Before I know it, the time has come for Tennyson and I to take to the stage. What follows is one of the best times I've had in ages. With only one full practice under our belt, it's understandably pretty messy fun. The only song with really well worked out vocals is "Run like Kenyans" which we played at Get a Room last year. The rest the lyrics I'm using range from rough ideas, freely arranged, to pure improvised spazz-outs. The crowd that's gathered to watch us are really sweet. Honestly, for my first full show doing vocals since the demise of Johnny Neon in 2008, I couldn't ask for a more perfect little audience to help me get back on the horse. Before I know it our set's over and all that's left to do is enjoy the 3 awesome band's that'll complete the night's rock and roll. The Make Overs are next. Unsurprisingly they tear their way through a set of totally brilliant noise. Next is The Frown. Starting up late last year, the band immediately generated a lot of buzz for their crazy live performances. Needless to say I wanted to see them as soon as I heard about the band, but I somehow missed every show so far. Now, finally seeing them, the band don't disappoint. Eve's performance really is pretty mad, Tim's electronics sound massive and tonight they're debating the addition of live cello to their show. After The Frown leaves the stage it's time Pity Fucks. Like The Frown this is a band I've never seen before, but unlike them I had no idea who was involved or what I should be expecting. I was really happy to discover Pity Fucks are yet another Sticky Antlers spin-off band. Antlers guitarist Andreas plays drums, bassist Martinique is now on vocals and drummer Jaco plays guitar. What follows is totally sweet. It's somehow in the same vein as the sloppy poppy rawcousness of Make Overs, but at the same time something different. I'm super impressed by how well Andreas and Jaco are playing one anther's instruments and Martinique's vocals, run through a bunch of guitar pedals, sound insane! After they finish Anja and I say our goodbyes and head home. We spend Saturday at my parents' place. Play with little birds, look at rabbits running around the garden and eat some of the best food ever. In the evening we head home. Patrick, Phil, Cam and Lindi come over to watch a movie and eat Chinese. We get the dinner thing right, but fail on the movie front. Land up having way to much fun just chatting and the night flies by. Next thing we know it's almost 4, the kids dash home and Phil passes out on our couch. For some reason I only sleep for a few hours, wake up way before everyone else and take this opportunity to put a dent in the mountain of comics next to my bed. Later Anja and I watch a documentary on the great Annie Leibovitz. And then in the evening something magical happens. Matt and Nix (our terribly dear friends that have just gotten home from 2 years in London) drop by for a surprise visit. Cue most awesome times, lols and 2 player Ilomilo joy! "Fuck yeah" for special friends being re-united!

You are invited! Scott Pilgrim vs. Johannesburg

FREE SCREENING AND AFTERPARTY!!

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TO BOOK YOUR PLACE AT THIS UNPRECEDENTED EVENT OF SUPREME RADNESS:

Send your full name to:

scottpilgrimvsjhb@gmail.com

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Indie rock! Kung Fu! 8 Bit video-games! The vegan police! American Ninja Delivery girls on rollerblades! Red hot romance! Bromance! Robomance!

For 5 years Scott Pilgrim fans have been enjoying the thrill of these once separate worlds, coming together in the coolest comic known to man!

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Scott Pilgrim vs. The World collects the awesome stories of all 6 comics and combines them into 1 awesome film of ultimate awesomeness. Directed by Edgar Wright (Shawn of the Dead, Spaced) the film has already established itself as one of the definitive cult films of the decade. Now it's finally coming to South Africa!

To celebrate the arrival of this magical film, "Outer Limits" and "So Many Animal Calls" have endeavored to bring you a lunch party of suitably radical proportions. With the support of Nu Metro and United International Pictures, we're happy to say; our dreams of a Scott Pilgrim super-launch party have become a reality!

We're really (really) happy to announce that on Tuesday the 30th of November, Monte Casino's Nu Metro cinema 15 will be the hosting a free Screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. A private after-party in the cinema's Prive Lounge will follow the screening. A suitably rock and roll soundtrack will be supplied by the DJs:

Sassquatch
Kodiak
Shady Lane


The night will also feature comic and merchandise prizes from Outer Limits!

So string your bass, sharpen your katana, strap on your 'blades and prepare for Scott Pilgrim vs. South Africa!

Mostly Good weekend. Sickboy and the Spring Smlies

So this weekend was considerably less good than the couple awesome ones that have been going down over the last while.

On Thursday morning I woke up feeling sick. Really sick. Phoned into work to say I wouldn't be making it in. Spent the day in bed, hanging out with my dear friends Rammy and Sex Bob-omb. I landed up re-reading 3 of the 5 books in anticipation of finally reading book 6, Scott Pilgrim's finest hour.

The pretty depressing part of the day was that I didn't make some miracle recovery and could go watch the Make-Overs show I'd been looking forward to. The not depressing part was that Anja came by over to nurse me with loads of soup, chocolate and a plastic koala bear. I still felt pretty terrible on Friday, which was quite a bummer since I was hardly on top form for Beer O Clock that evening. I dunno is it was the healing power of Baggy Dogg's disco or the awesome Wolves Hummingird cake, but by the time I needed to start my set I was feeling a bunch better.

I played for a little more than two hours. Playing out of Shanes local goodness with Fela and some other African stars. Into Tanlines and some other American kids trying to sound like African Stars. Back over to South African kids Yo Grapes, Us Kids Know and The Plastics and then into some incredibly righteous rock and roll with Dutch Uncles, Les Savy Fav and Copy Haho. From there some Go Team was the bridge into a final half hour of old funk and rare groove. It was pretty freaking awesome. Honestly, I had the best time getting to play a whole set of music I'd usually be to scared to drop on the dancefloor.

I'm damn excited for the future of Beer o Clock - I think it's gonna grow into a really special little way to start every Friday night.

After my set I headed home to eat chicken salad, try watch Southland Tales and get an early night.

On Saturday Anja and I headed through to 44 Stanley to try sort out the great hair disaster of the Saturday before. I hung out on Wyatt's couch and read comics while Anja was being worked on. Started out finally getting to read Craig Thompson "Goodbye Chunky Rice". Which seems pretty brilliant. But proved way to depressing for a Saturday morning. So I switched over to reading about super heroes trying to burn the world down. Dan and Anna, so I had some swell compant on the couch, then went back to The Invisibles. Jump forwar an issue or two and Anja calls me over. And her hair looks AWESOME! Once again Candice's hairdressing heaven scores a massive win in my books.

We grab sandwiches at The Boat and head home to watch a new favourite. Having watched all of Judd Apatow's "Freaks and Geeks" several times over, finally getting out hands on "Undeclared" is a godsend. And although we're missing Bill and Sam Weirface, we're loving it so far.

We don't venture to far from the couch for the rest of Saturday. On Sunday I'm feeling a bunch better which is good because we'll be celebrating that Spring has finally sprung. We head through to ADK's place where we find her being all domestic and making roosterkoek. Roosterkoek, is like awesome bread stuff baked on a braai. After being alive for 26 years I discovered it for the first time at Oppikoppi this year. My excitement about it was in fact the catalyst for Annette and I decieding that we need to have a braai to celebrate springs arrival and eat more roosterkoek and that's exactly what went down yesterday. Chad, Patrick, Rachell and Kelda joined us. Much wonderful music went into our ears and food into our mouths. The sun shone loads, dogs did cute stuff and everyone seemed to have as awesome a day as I did.