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January 31, 2007 Edition 1
Evan Milton
The city was abuzz last week with the late-breaking news of the first "Bowling Club" art party, its inaugural event curated by artist, designer and agitator Peet Pienaar and team.
While the Pro Helvetia-sponsored "headliners", Velma, split the audience into those who were intrigued and those who'd heard last century's experimental, noise and art-school rock (think early Neubauten, Swans or even MC5, or our own Mud Ensemble, Not Even The TV and Koos) and were not, the Bosnian-born, Swiss-based accordion player Mario Batkovic was superb, giving our own Wesley Rustin (db) and Kesivan Naidoo (d) a chance to stretch in the trio format and wowing the crowd with members of Balkanology's Kolo Novo Movie Band, and Angolan-born troubadour, Adamu.
Diarise the next Balkanology for Thursday, April 5; hear more of Balkan music at Batkovic.com and see Adamu on Sunday at The Wild Fig in Liesbeek Avenue, Mowbray. Tel: 021-448-0507, 2pm to 5pm (ŕ la carte menu until 3.30pm) and the Spier "Oppiestoep" series (Village Hotel, Spier Wine Estate, R310, Stellenbosch. Tel: 084-762-4944 and CoffeeBeans.co.za/Oppiestoep).
Another of the Balkanology bands, Gypsy Magic, plays ArtApart featuring dancer Ajsa Samia, Serbian darbuka player Bojan Kalic and Chris Tokalon and Max Starcke (saxes), Peter Nordling (bass), Ronan Skillen (tabla, perc) on Friday (21 Church St, Muizenberg. Tel: 021-788-1121, 8.30pm, R50).
Also in the Bowling crowd was Waddy Jones, fresh from the reincarnation of Max Normal last Thursday - find out what you missed at MaxNormal.tv
This week has its share of left-of-centre music with the second One The Edge Of Wrong festival featuring improvised and non-idiomatic music by co-organiser Morten Minothi Kristiansen playing with Norwegian drummer Řyvind Hegg Lunde; soundscape artist Niklas Zimmer playing with European emigré percussionist Gavin Bonner and One Minute Trolley Dash (think Wild Eyes, Puin and Nikhil Singh) founder Righard Kapp (g, effects). Expect genre-busting free-form and expression-filled music. Saturday, College of Music, UCT Lower Campus, Baxter Road, Rondebosch, 7pm, R50; hear Kristiansen at FamousFor15MB.com and see OMTD.co.za
A superb cross-section of urban electronica is on offer at the Origin Festival, nestling next to an impressive international trance-stage line-up and a slew of workshops ranging from eco-architecture to Mayan calendar to music production.
Mash-up world-breaks DJ Maga Bo (Brazil, US) headlines Saturday with collaborative live music and VJ sets from Sibot (Real Estate Agents) with VJ Anwar; Humanizer (Lark) with SimStim; Mr Sakitumi (Mission Men, Closet Snare Lark) with VJ Grrrl; and films by the Blackheart Gang. Also on the bill are Marcus Wormstorm's African-disco-sex-neon-magic outfit Sweat X, live breaks crew Chromoscience, local electronica act The Considerate Builders Scheme and more. The trance stage features DJ Tristan, now signed to our own half-SA label, Nano Records; and live sets from The Commercial Hippies (doing midi-linked visuals with Imagemaster Blink), Pitch Hikers, Headroom and Tickets.
DJs include Ans (UK), Juan Thyme (UK), Digital Rocket (Jhb), One Track Mike (Dbn), Fletcher (African Dope), Mix 'n Blend, Regan, Honey B, Slug, Liberation JuJu, SevenArk, Toby2Shoes and more, and the return of Lavalamp Experience. Music starts late on Friday afternoon until Sunday with film screenings, stalls, kiddies areas, river and a swimming pool. Highly recommended.
Friday to Sunday, Nekkies Resort, Worcester. Gates open on Friday at 2pm, music from sunset. Tickets R165 pre-sale, R190 door, includes camping, shaded dancefloors, free entry to workshops. See www.OriginFestival.com; shuttle transport from 073-428-8962.
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