I lost a friend at Oppikoppi

Before I write any post-Koppi band reviews, share any camp stories or post any pics, I need to get this emotional burden off my chest.

I have lost a friend. A companion that has not only been with me for so many years, but one that really saved my ass on several occasions.

You have been with me to my very first Oppikoppi Festival​ in 2011, and each one since.
Now this might not seem like a big deal, but to those who know how tough Koppi can be, will understand how impressive this is. But it wasn’t just in the dust where you supported me.

One RAMfest​ (sorry about the others you missed, but you only seemed to enjoy camping) proved that you weren’t scared off by little knee deep mud and torrential rain. You came with me to Mieliepop Festival​, twice. Apparently the cold never bothered you anyway. The same number of times you accompanied me to STRAB​ in Mozambique (sorry for this year, I couldn’t arrange transport for you). When I needed you, you joined me at Park Acoustics. Two Otterlake Easter Festival​ experiences proved that you have a charitable side too.
Speaking of charity, you never seemed to mind when people used you. Even if I didn’t know them from a bar of soap. You always made it your mission to make sure visitors to our camp sites had a comfortable stay.

You shared in so many camp fire stories, random drunken moments and way too many rounds of our beloved game, Kings. Whether it was at a music festival or a braai at my place, you never folded under the pressure of dealing with my social dealings.
You’ve been in my life for longer than all my serious relationships put together, and supported me even more than the same.

Thanks for the memories, I will miss you, my dear green Campmaster chair.

Park Acoustics 3rd Birthday Bash

Ek was woes opgewonde oor die afgelope naweek se Park Acoustics, so groot was my teleurstelling toe ek gehoor het dat op dieselfde tyd as STRAB val. Uiteraard kon ek nie in Mosambiek en by die Voortrekker Monument gelyktydig wees nie, so toe stuur ek my vriend Kobus om te gaan represent by Park Acoustics se 3de verjaarsdag party. Hier is wat hy te sê gehad het oor die ervaring:

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Die afgelope naweek se kalender was propvol musikale ondervindings om van te kies.  As jy nie by STRAB was nie kon jy Sowing the Seeds toe gegaan het of Park Acoustics se 3de verjaarsdagpartytjie.  Ek weet van ‘n hele paar avontuurlustige individue wat sommer STS en Park Acoustics gestormloop het.

My finansiele sake lyk maar altyd so skraal soos ‘n Wes-Angola weeskind se heupe aan einde van die maand en daarom was ek baie dankbaar toe Baas vir my noem dat ek namens hom Park Acoustics toe moet gaan en ‘n stukkie daaroor sal skryf, aangesien hy homself in Mosambiek by STRAB bevind…(Lucky bastard)

My redenasie :  Wie is ek om nee te roep op so ‘n geleentheid?

Ek het dus maar in die pad geval en al van ‘n afstand af kon ek waarneem dat dit die potensiaal het om ‘n uitstekende dag te wees.  Die weer was reg, die stages, stalletjies en bars was mooi geplaas en alhoewel die diens soms ‘n bietjie stadig was het ek nooit die indruk gekry dat enige iemand dors of honger gely het nie.

Daar was ook nie vir my ‘n gesukkel om in te kom nie, want ek het die Facebook aanwysings gelees en gebruik gemaak van die agterste hek en daar was omtrent nie ‘n kar in sig nie.

Dus is my eerste stukkie raad: Sluit aan by Park Acoustics se Facebook blad, volg @ParkAcoustics op twitter en lees die goed wat hulle post.  Dis vir jou eie gerief.

As helfte van die mense wat die hoofhek gebruik het die ander hek gebruik het sou niemand gesit en gewag het nie.

Maar die verkeer situasie het ook nie die dag se vooruitsigte belemmer nie en met my Jack & Cola in die hand het ek die vertonings begin dophou.

Van die begin af was ek bitter opgewonde om SA rock legendes, die Springbok Nude Girls te sien en ek het nie geweet of die ander acts op die line up sal kan kers vashou nie.  Maar daai gedagte is vinnig uit my kop geruk.

Die eerste show wat ek gesien het was the Dollfins en alhoewel hulle vir my nie musikaal regtig uitgestaan het nie, was dit ‘n energieke vertoning en het dit die gehoor in die regte vibe gesit vir die res van die shows.  Ek dink die naaste groep wat ‘n mens hulle aan kan vergelyk is The Pretty Reckless.  Dit was vir my amper asof hulle te hard probeer om hardcore te wees.

Mr Cat & the Jackal se country/folk/rock tunes het wel gou gemaak dat ek van die Dollfins vergeet het en ek het hard uitgejam saam met hulle energieke optrede.

Na hulle het die Dune Rats, wat al die pad uit Australia gekom het, die mense vermaak en alhoewel hulle nie vir my van die begin af ‘n soliede musikale identiteit ten toon gestel het nie, het die mense hulle geniet.  Van hulle liedjies het my laat dink dat dit is hoe die Ramones sou geklink het as hulle dinge bietjie rustiger gevat het.

Toe die Rotte klaar is het die manne van Shadowclub die verhoog betree en hulle het min gepraat en musiek gemaak.  Hulle het ‘n goeie mengelmoes van ou, nuwe en bekende tunes gespeel en hulle het van die crowd se oudste bywoners op hulle voete gehad.

En toe was dit die oomblik waarvoor ek gewag het. Die Springbok Nude Girls het die stage hard getref en alhoewel Arno Carstens heeltyd na Park Acoustics verwys het as Aandklas, het hy soos hy maar doen ‘n fantastiese vertoning gegooi en die man op die kitaar, legendariese vervaardiger en meester van snare, Theo Crous, was ook op sy stukke.

Ek was  bly om Vernon Hodgetts op baskitaar te sien,  ‘n uitstekende keuse vir die rol, en die lyne en ritmes uit sy kitaar was so solied soos ‘n weermagbasismuur.

Hulle het hul enchore begin met Blue Eyes en afgesluit met Bubblegum on My Boots.  Dit het natuurlik helfte van die gehoor spoedig nat gemaak, en ek kon sien hoe mense in die nabye bosse in verdwyn om die duiwel se dans te gaan doen.

Tussendeur het ek ook ‘n draai gaan maak by die acoustic stage en vining geloer na Die See, en ek moet sê, Jaco Mans verrig akoestiese wonderwerke in daai groep.  Dit was fantasties.

Ek het ook ‘n klein stukkie van die comedy stage te siene gekry, en Chris Forrest se humor was so droog soos die Sahara en ek kon sien hoe mense miltsteek kry van die lag.

Daar is nie veel meer om te noem nie.  Dankie Park Acoustics.  Aan Neil Groenewald en Henk van der Schyf en hul span, asook Jack Daniels en Blue Array, wil ek net sê, dit was great. Uitleg, klank, reelings. Alles fantasties

Dit was goed beplan en goed uitgevoer.

Met sulke kwaliteit kan ons verseker wees dat Park Acoustics nie sommer sal verdwyn nie.  En dit moet ook nie. Dat sal ‘n skryende skande wees en ‘n moerse terugslag vir musiek en kultuur in PTA.

Dankie julle. Ek sien julle weer volgende maand.  En dan weer elke maand na dit en dan weer by julle 4de verjaarsdagpartytjie.

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Thanx Kobus! Ons kuier saam by die maand se Park Acoustics!

Vang vir Kobus op twitter waar hy paradeer onder die naam @phoenixMuso.

Massive dankie aan Christelle Duvenage (@StellaTeleur op twitter) vir die fotos hier bo.

The diary of a Park Acoustics virgin

Last month, I sent my friend Tyron Long to his first ever Park Acoustics.

Now in a nutshell, Park Acoustics, brought to you by Jack Daniels, is the one time per month where rocker meets hipster meets Voortrekker at well, the Voortrekker Monument. I have  been there quite a few times, so I thought it would be interesting to hear Tyron’s response to this event. Here’s what he had to say…

The diary of a Park Acoustics virgin

Hipsters take over the fort

24 February saw that 1^st time one always remembers.
The beautiful Sunday that will go down as that one luscious, awkwardly mind-blowing 1^st time. The day started out at 10am after a buzzing bus ride. The Voortrekker Monument was already packed, and the greens of the soft grass inside the fort were painted with hipster vibes and picnic blankets. The festival lovers were brimming with great vibes, and their alcohol of choice. Everyone stuck to the one rule that they could remember – “No bad vibes”.

Lise and the some saxcess

The first band up was The Lise Chris Band. This band was a splendid start to the day. The standard for my mind was set pretty high at this point. Lise’s serene voice together with Lyrics of memory and love passed tuned the atmosphere the rest of the soothing sets.

Catlike Thieves were up next and what was resonant to me were the Fender coated notes and their 60’s rock based music. This band was the call for the asses to start shaking and for increased booze-flow. The character and the friendliness of Catlike Thieves is what I enjoyed most. The enthusiasm and the connection with the audience were well needed to wake the Sunday blues feeling everyone shared.

BraaiBoy and Borries

The bands and the vibes were wonderful to enjoy while cracking some good wine and food from our picnic basket. It was a great pleasure to see so many familiar faces and enjoy all offerings produced for the day. The food stalls were plentiful, with offerings from Lucky Rodrigo, wrap stalls, Borries Bornman’s smoked pork on his Gravy Train smoker (@boerbque on Twitter) and a good friend of mine, Braaiboy (@Braaiboy).

Matthew Mole, the Joburg sweet surprise was the next to take my mind on a musical high. I had heard very little about Matthew Mole before Park Acoustics, at most a view of a YouTube interview. I was extremely intrigued to see this brilliant loop artist make his mark on me. The crowd at first was chilled, and embracing the day’s calm.

Matthew Mole seducing the crowd

After the first song, Matthew Mole had crowds in a frenzy to hear more. Matthew’s sublime voice had the ladies in a drooling trance and begging for more. Everyone was in awe at the multi-tasking arrangement of drums, prepared loops, guitar and seductive lyrics. My favourite song was “Autumn”. Matthew’s music is largely based on how he lives life, and moments that have a profound effect on him. Matthew’s recognition has grown rapidly, with appearances in New York and England with one highlight in his fresh career in getting to perform at the famous 100’s Club.

The fine Wrestlerish crew killing it

Next to rock my noob Park Acoustics virginity was Wrestlerish. This is one of my favourite South African bands and the crowd was in the perfect state for this band’s humble grooves. The only description I can give to this band is one of thanks. The professionalism and top produced music of Wrestlerish were just an added bliss to my experience of taken-a-back and amped up emotions.

Yoav rocking Park Acoustics

The 2^nd last musical act for the day was a wash of excitement and ecstasy for me. I was dying to see this act live for my first time and have always found his music to have a profound impact on my musical desires. Yoav, the one band super army came kicking down the doors with his forceful music. Everyone was standing at attention and after some delay in the sound checks, a single guitar strum brought roars of happiness.  After every song the crowd screamed for more and the encore ended in 3 extra songs as the crowd refused to let Yoav leave. The brilliance I had come to know of Yoav, was only further embedded in my mind with one of the most brilliant live performances I have seen to date.

The day was brought to a close with great live comedy. Hannes Brummer was responsible for crowd vibes as MC and introduced the most eccentric characters at Park Acoustics namely Melt Sieberhagen, Monique Nortje, Werner Cloete and Francois van As. The comedians managed to keep the energy of the booze fatigued crowd going with their controversial and satirically directed sets. My personal favourite was Monique Nortje who delivered a set that was a shocking, crass and brilliantly designed delight that had the crowd rolling with laughter.

Park Acoustics and Jack Daniel’s, thank you for spreading my… mind and bringing such a smoothly operated, well designed and wonderfully organised event to the world. Park Acoustics is one event you can schedule on your calendar as high priority. Catch the next one on 24 Mach 2013, and enjoy the likes of Gazelle, The December Streets, Ryno Velvet, Moving House, Shaun Jocobs and more. Get your tickets now through Ticketbreak

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Thanx so much for your review Tyron! I trust that I will be seeing you at more Park Acoustic Events. We’ll share some Jack 🙂

Remember to follow this awesome landmark festival on twitter: @parkacoustics