Buskaid To Tour Columbia

From the humble streets of Soweto, the Buskaid String Ensemble will go on a 10-day visit to Cartagena, Columbia this July to perform concerts, including collaborations with the Colombian dance project, El Colegio del Cuerpo.

26 members of the ensemble, ranging from ages 10 - 3- will receive this opportunity of a lifetime to share their creative talents with youth from similar backgrounds in the Colombian region of Cartagena, with support from Total South Africa and the Umoja Foundation.

Commenting on her vision for the Buskaid String Ensemble, founder Rosemary Nalden says, "My hope for this visit to Cartagena is that first and foremost we interact socially and artistically with the young dancers of El Colegio del Cuerpo, leading to the performance of at least one piece together which will be choreographed whilst we are there. Our other priority is to present one public performance by the Buskaid Ensemble - of which this collaboration will be a part - at the Opera House in Cartegena. Activities with the Colombian dancers in less-advantaged communities in and around Cartagena are also high priority."

During this Colombian tour, two art forms will converge as this South African youth share their gift of music with the equally talented young dancers from the Colombian El Colegio del Cuerpo. Moved and motivated by a documentary he saw on Film and Arts in South Africa, Alvaro Restrepo, co-founder and co-director of El Colegio del Cuerpo wrote to Nalden, expressing his sentiments on the work Nalden and team are doing for the Buskaid String Ensemble. "Deep and magical coincidences with your work and way of approaching life and education through the Arts motivated me to write this short message to thank you for the beauty, dignity and value of what I felt after seeing and listening to your kids playing and talking about who they have become through the power of music and integral human education," he said. "Maybe someday we could dream of a project together; dancers from Colombia and musicians from South Africa showing the world why it is possible to share not only wealth but most important opportunities and talent," adds Restrepo.

The uncanny similarities between the two ensembles has been the source of joy and hope for the young people who participate in them. Youngsters who have emerged out of the Buskaid Ensemble now enjoy the fruits of their labour. "Around a dozen or so are still at school - the rest are learnership students at Buskaid, or at college/university and one or two are professionals in different fields. Two are currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London," boasts Nalden.

Hed Kandi Announces Spectacular Weekly Residence At The Fez

Hed Kandi is soon to become a big player in the Cape Town nightlife scene. Hed Kandi will host Saturday nights at the awesome super-club The Fez in Mechau Street, Cape Town. Each week a top international Hed Kandi DJ will be flown to the Mother City from Ibiza or London to perform to the Cape Town faithful.

The recently renovated Fez Club has undergone many changes to accommodate this global phenomenon. "Production levels of this magnitude have never been experienced before in SA club history," says Tom Pearson Adams, Director of The Fez Club. "The Fez will give Hed Kandi the opportunity to grow creatively and show our loyal - and new - customers a totally new experience in SA club culture, with an even bigger and better party experience. Cape Town is our showcase and we promise to give clubbers something old and something new... and most of all a night to remember."

Lloyd Cornwall, Hed Kandi adds, "Following many exceptional years hosting events at El Divino, Ibiza and at some of the world's greatest cities, we will now be embarking on a new adventure to take the party to a brand new country with a brand new level of clubbing. Launching on Saturday for an exclusive ongoing season, the incredible and recently renovated super club The Fez will be our new Cape Town residence. This move comes out of our desire to develop our event offering around the world, and once specially reconfigured for-Hed Kandi, The Fez will be the ideal venue. Not only does it provide us with the opportunity to increase the scale of our illustrious production, but it also enables greater scope for the live element of the night whilst accommodating our ever-growing legion of devotees."

The launch event is on Saturday, July 2. Guest list and advance tickets can be booked by visiting www.fez.co.za.

MTN Joyous Celebration To Bring Joy To The Mother City

South Africa's multi-award winning gospel ensemble, MTN Joyous Celebration, prepares to revive the spirit of Cape Town as their annual concert tour heads for Grand West on July 2, 2011.

Presented by MTN, this not-to-be-missed musical treat will feature the three founding members; Jabu Hlongwane, Lindelani Mkhize and Mthunzi Namba, a seven-piece band and a strong choir of 31 singers all united in uplifting and soul-nourishing songs.

The MTN Joyous Celebration 15 tour has blessed audiences with performances at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria, Christian Centre Abbotsford in East London and Nangoza Jebe in Port Elizabeth where they performed to thousands of gospel fans. They are now moving to Grand West in Cape Town where the Joyous concert will take place on Saturday.

"The audience can expect to hear songs from the Joyous Celebration 15 album as well as their traditional favourites, laced with different languages and rhythms," says Jabu Hlongwane. "MTN Joyous Celebration has a lot to be grateful for as we celebrate the 15-year milestone and it is for this reason that we are releasing Joyous Celebration 15 in two folds, with part two coming out in July. We celebrate all that God has done for us and people will experience this when listening to the lyrics."

With this tour, MTN Joyous Celebration also proudly announces their new sponsor, MTN who will take them through the national celebration of their Joyous Celebration 15 album, entitled My Gift To You.

"MTN is a proud supporter of local music across all genres," explains Ryan Gould, GM: Brand and Communications at MTN SA. "The MTN Joyous Celebration tour has been a phenomenal experience for the masses and we look forward to another great display of musical talent in the Gospel discipline. We are proud to be associated with an outfit of Joyous Celebration's stature."

The album My Gift To You, which was released on April 8, went gold in two days. The DVD, which was released a week later and also named My Gift To You, is currently on platinum status. These are available at music outlets nationwide.

Bookings for the Cape Town leg of the MTN Joyous Celebration concert at the Grand West are open at Computicket, with tickets ranging from R150 to R300 in price.

Bloedsuiers Opens Crowd Funding For 1 More Week & Hosts An Auction

Bloedsuiers, the first Afrikaans vampire movie starring the likes of Francois Van Coke, Inge Beckmann, Rob Van Vuuren and Porteus Xandau, has opened its crowd funding again for one last week. Bloedsuiers are also hosting an auction to auction off the vampire fangs Van Coke’s character wears in the teasers. They are looking to raise the final R100 000 for the production of the movie through these two main events.

Crowd funding is a method fast becoming popular in the USA and in Europe whereby filmmakers raise funds in the form of “pledges” from fans to produce / finance their films and in so doing, providing audience participation in the filmmaking process and building an audience base prior to release. This is the first time this is being attempted to such a degree in South Africa.

Now, for one week only, the crowd funding for Bloedsuiers is opening again from 20 - 26 June: Fans can pledge as little as R30, the idea being that a critical mass builds over a short period of time and requisite production finance is raised.

“Not only are you pledging your support toward this project, but you are also helping to revolutionize the way local filmmakers produce films” says producer Benjamin Cowley, “the success of this model will pave the way for both up coming and established filmmakers to produce films for local audiences.”

Anyone who pledges will have access to the members area of the website, where exclusive content can be viewed. Their pledge also gives them automatic entry into a number of competitions (details on the website) AND depending on the amount pledged, theyʼll get a variety of exclusive rewards.

Pledges can be made on the website (Click on PLEDGE/LOGIN at the top of the homepage) using a secure online payment gateway which accepts Master Card and Visa. If you don’t have either card, you can contact Bloedsuiers through the website and they will provide EFT details. There is also huge scope for product placement, so brands interested in getting exposure through the film can also contact them on pp@bloedsuiersmovie.com.

For three days only from the 21st to the 23rd of June, Bloedsuiers will also be auctioning off a collector’s display case which contains autographed production stills of Francois van Coke, and a mounted mould of his mouth with the actual fangs (dentures) worn by him in the teasers (these were custom made to fit him). The value of manufacturing this exceeded R5,000. The auction will be done through http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/, listed as Van Coke Fangs by Bloedsuiers Movie and will go live at 10h00 on 21st June and close at midnight, 23rd June.

Visit the website NOW to join the revolution!

Elvis Blue, The Musician

Elvis Blue is a musician with a dream; a man with a melodic goal - and a talented performer with an overwhelming desire to make music that matters. This is evident in the lyrics of his hit single, Things My Father Said: "If you have a dream you better hold on for dear life."

The intuitive musician released his self-title debut album through Universal Records in December 2010. The album weny gold within 29 days of its release, proving that meaningful music  such as his has its place in the South African market. Since the album's release, the singles, Things My Fathers Said and Lighthouse have been play listed on radio stations across the country, allowing it to reach a wide cultural cross-section of fans which has turned the album into a mammoth hit. The latest single, Save Me is currently on play lists across the country and gaining airplay quickly.

Elvis Blue is a songwriter, a musician (he plays guitar and the piano) and an adult contemporary artist that provides a different side to him in his live shows - he often engages top local musicians to play live with him, insisting on a more intimate and personal experience of his music and lyrics.

"If I am an influence in any way to my audience, I hope that it allows people to look at me and see someone who truly enjoys and loves music. Whether you make it or not, it's who I am and that's what it's about at the end of the day. If you have that gift to make music, it's a wonderful privilege and you should cherish it," he says.

Committed to offering audiences a meaningful experience of his music, Elvis Blue will be hosting an intimate show at The Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City on June 25 at 20:30. Tickets cost R75 and can be booked at the Globe Theatre Box Office on (011) 248-5000 or at Computicket. Visit www.elvisblue.co.za for more info.

Click on the links below to find out what Elvis' life has been since winning Idols in November last year.

Elvis Blue: Life After Idols
Elvis Blue Goes Gold

Bittereinder: Slechte Mensen?

Feast your eyes!

OppiPlaas Festival 2011

Hey peeps!

Happy Friday! Even though I'm having the Monday blues, I have some exciting news to share.

Last year saw the birth of the OppiPlaas music festival; a weekend of music, fun and games on the banks of the Vaal. OppiPlaas is back in August this year with a jam-packed programme that will have you contemplating exchanging the big city life for a carefree one on the farm.

Tickets are available from Computicket. Book yours now!

Burn The Floor To Set The Stage Alight In SA

The Joburg Theatre is presents the exclusive visit to South Africa of the world's most popular dance show, Burn The Floor - on The Mandela Stage and for a limited season only from July 14 until August 14!

Burn The Floor is the show that revolutionised the image of dance, which then launched the many reality dance shows So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With The Stars and Superstars Of Dance - to name but a few - that audiences have grown to love.

The energetic production was originally designed as a special performance in 1997 at Sir Elton John's 50th birthday celebration. At the height of the festivities, a group of sixteen young dancers brought the house down with a ten-minute dance cabaret. After seeing this performance, legendary Australian theatre producer Harley Medcalf had the spark of an idea to build a full stage show around that he had just seen. From that first moment of inspiration, what would become the international sensation Burn The Floor quickly evolved.

Since then, the show has toured in 30 countries and over 160 cities worldwide. The current company boasts performers from 10 countries with more than 100 Championship Dance titles between them. These include winners and finalists from So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With The Stars and Superstars Of Dance.

While the production has no spoken dialogue, it does tell a story, and it brings a whole new meaning to ballroom dancing. "This ain't your grandma's ballroom," says Harley Medcalf, the show's creator. Ballroom dancing has been around for years, but Burn The Floor, the theatrical ballroom dance show, is anything but old school. Burn The Floor labels itself as "Ballroom. Reinvented."

Filled from start to finish with spellbinding numbers in ballroom dance styles ranging from The Waltz, Cha-Cha, Samba, Salsa, Rumba, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Mambo, Tango, Swing, Jive, Lindy Hop, Viennese Waltz and Paso Doble, Burn The Floor is "like ballroom dancing super charged. It's the incredible art form of ballroom dance combined with rock and roll," adds Medcalf.

 

With the creativity of world-famous ballroom choreographer Jason Gilkison, Burn The Floor takes ballroom to a whole new level. Gilkison's unique choreography combines the classic ballroom styles with a modern flare. "I wanted people to see that ballroom has come of age again," says Gilkison. "This is a new interpretation of what this generation is doing with ballroom and how they're experiencing those dances." Gilkison was also choreographing the new Step Up 3D movie.

Though Burn The Floor is a show that dance enthusiasts will love, it's not just for the performance connoisseur. Unlike many dance performances, Burn The Floor brings so many styles to the stage, it doesn't matter who you are. You're guaranteed to love it. "Most people think if they're going to a ballroom show, they're going to see some people waltzing around the stage and things like that," says Medcalf. "But they don't know what they're getting themselves into because this show just blows away all expectations."

For more info on Burn The Floor, log onto http://www.burnthefloor.com/. Tickets are priced from R195 and are available exclusively by visiting http://www.joburgtheatre.com/.

With the hottest ticket in town only being available to audiences in Johannesburg, Joburg Theatre is currently negotiating travel packages from other major cities so that enthusiasts do not miss out on this once in a lifetime experiences. Details will be available shortly.

Holiday Murray News

Since returning from a highly successful countrywide album launch tour in May, Capetonian foursome Holiday Murray has continued to embed their unique imprint on the South African music scene.

Pic by Laura McCullagh

iWhat?
With the first single off their self-titled debut album being play listed on national radio station 5FM and the music video of their first single, Jirey on high rotation on MK, the band also recently became the first SA band to perform a song using iPads as instruments during a TaxiJam performance.

Cruising through the streets of Cape Town, Holiday Murray put on a TaxiJam performance with a difference. Rather than play their usual instruments, the band performed their hit single, Jirey solely on Apple iPads. Says vocalist James, "TaxiJam approached us, and we thought it was a great idea. iPads are still a relatively unexploited way of performing music in South Africa, especially as a group, so we went for it." Adds TaxiJam founder Simon Wall, "We decided on Holiday Murray for the iPad TaxiJam as we wanted to get a 'live' sound from the iPads without relying too much on drum pads and backing tracks. These guys were the perfect choice."

Recently relaunched, TaxiJam has, over the pas couple of years, become an institution on the local music scene. "TaxiJam is the smallest gig around," says Simon. "We provide a selection of some of South Africa's finest creative talent performing in an intimate 5-minute taxi ride. All clips are recorded and shot in exactly the same style, and uploaded onto our websites. Whether you are famous or infamous, signed or unsigned, rock or pop, acoustic or metal or simply someone with a story to tell - anyone can hop on board!"

Watch Holiday Murray's Apple iPad performance of Jirey HERE!

Pic by Laura McCullagh

iVideo
Holiday Murray's next music video release will be for Antagonizer, the second single off the band's debut album. The video, a collection of footage shot by Johno Mellish and Adriaan Louw will contain scenes from the band's two previous tours. Says guitarist Justin Davenport, "The video is not necessarily a literal commentary on the meaning of the song, but encapsulates the song's imagery with honest depictions of Holiday Murray on tour. Johno Mellish had edited the footage with his own take on the song and sewn together imagery that is both beautiful and exciting."

Pic by Laura McCullagh

iFestival
Over the next two months, Holiday Murray will be playing a run of Cape Town shows (see below for details). Holiday Murray has also been confirmed to perform at OppiKoppi 2011, and will be doing a small three-show tour on their way up north; possibly including their first ever performance in Durban. The band has also been invited to perform at the Billabong Pro Surfing Tournament in Jeffrey's Bay on July 15.

Regarding the rest of the year, says violinist and bassist Chris Carter, "We plan to promote our album as much as possible, as well as taking some time out to write new material. Our major goal for this year is to expand our fan base beyond these borders, and we hope to have something of a small international tour planned by year end." Adds drummer Ellis Silverman, "After we've finished our exams in June, we are planning to sail outta Cape Town for a few days together, take some instruments and maybe some recording devices, and maybe there will be some new music revealed soon!"

Pic by Laura McCullagh

iTunes
Holiday Murray's music is now available on Mxit, iTunes and Soundcloud, with Jirey and Stop Thief! available as free downloads on Soundcloud!




Pic by Laura McCullagh


iGigs
June 15: Studio 7 with aKING (R150)
July 1: Dizzy's, Camps Bay with Summer Shade (R30)
July 8: Mercury, Cape Town with TBC (R30)
July 15: Billabong Pro, Jeffrey's Bay
July 19: Waiting Room, Cape Town with Beatenberg (R30)
July 23: Purple Turtle, Cape Town with Jeremy Loops (R30-R40)
August 6: OppiKoppi Unknown Brother, Northam
August 18: Bohemia, Stellenbosch

Follow Holiday Murray on Twitter or check them out on Facebook.

Bittereinder Nominated For 2 Tempo Awards

Hey peeps,

It's awards time again and one of my favourite local acts, Bittereinder has been nominated in two categories for a Tempo award; for "Alternatiewe Musiekvideo Van Die Jaar" (for the video of Ware Verhaal) and for "Kopskuifalbum". Now, if you're sitting there wondering who these okes are, you might as well crawl back under the rock you've been calling home. Anyhoo, these Tempo award nominations come after the guys won the 2011 SAMA in May this year for Best Alternative Music Album: Afrikaans for their album Ware Verhaal - confirming that this is only just the beginning of great things to come for Bittereinder.

I have seen them live and believe me I'm not joking when I say that Ware Verhaal is on high rotation on my iPod - months after a copy accidentally landed on my desk back in the day at people magazine. Now, with the Tempo Awards creeping closer, they are up against some big names in the local music industry, including Die Heuwels Fantasties, Jack Parow and Foto Na Dans.

So here's the story: winners are chosen based on votes cast by the public and if you think Bittereinder is worthy of yet another award (I most certainly do), SMS "TEM1 A plus your name & surname" to 32113 for the video award and/or (preferably both) SMS "TEM8 A plus your name & surname" to 32113 for the album award. SMSes are charged at R1 and voters stand the chance of winning great prizes such as cellphones and watches. I've already cast my vote and so should you - all the cool kids are doing it! No pressure...

If you'd like to check them out before making the life altering decision of voting for them (like any right-minded fan should), catch Bittereinder at the TUKSFM Youth Day Party in Centurion on Thursday, June 16. For more info on the event, click HERE.

Visit Bittereinder's website, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Farryl Purkiss Releases Special Edition of Fruitbats & Crows

The Special Edition of one of Farryl Purkiss' most successful albums to date, Fruitbats & Crows is out now!

Since the release of Fruitbats & Crows, the album has generated three major radio hit singles with A Million Grains Of Sand, Kissing Devils On The Cheek and Creeping Up On Me doing incredibly well on South African radio and Brian O'Shea winning the the 2010 SAMA for Best Producer for his work on Fruitbats & Crows.

2011 kicked off with a bang for Farryl Purkiss after the single Pennies In The Snow aired on major US TV series Private Practice on international TV screens in January. Pennies In The Snow was heard on episode 11 of Season 4 which still has to air on South African TV.

What makes the Special Edition so, uhm... special, is that the tracks on the bonus disc are special versions and new songs that have never been available before. In Apostrophes is an acoustic version of a brand new song for the next studio album and Monkeys' Wedding Live has become a fan favourite at live shows and differs vastly from the album version of Monkeys' Wedding. The piano mix of Sticks & Stones was the version used on Private Practice's fifth episode of Season 3 and is finally available to fans who've been wanting it since it featured on the series. Number Seven never made the final track listing when Fruitbats & Crows was released and is now available on the bonus disc as the only instrumental song on the album. The release also includes Farryl's stunning versions of the Bob Dylan track Positively 4th Street and the classic New Order hit Blue Monday.

Connect with Farryl on Facebook or on Twitter.

Music In The Gardens

South Africa's singing heartthrob, Bobby Van Jaarsveld will be charming audiences on Sunday, June 19 at the Old Mutual Music In The Gardens Concert taking place at the Pretoria Botanical Gardens.

Old Mutual is fighting the cold with their winter concert series at the Pretoria and Johannesburg Botanical Gardens. The series includes performances by some of South Africa's most popular artists the likes of Theuns Jordaan, Chris Chameleon, Prime Circle, Zebra & Giraffe and Die Heuwels Fantasties.

Bobby Van Jaarsveld will be performing as part of the series at the Pretoria Botanical Gardens this coming Sunday. He is currently one of the most popular performers in South Africa and fans can look forward to an enjoyable, energetic performance featuring all his well-known hits. His album, Net Vir Jou earned him the coveted SAMA for Best Afrikaans Pop Album in February 2010 and along with this album, Bobby also broke records with his music video for the hit single Spieeltjie. Apart from his musical talent, he also appeared in the Afrikaans music film Liefling, showcasing his versatility.

The Old Mutual Music In The Gardens Concert Series is entertainment for the whole family. What's better than spending a lazy Sunday afternoon listening to the best music South Africa has to offer? Pack a picnic basket, get the family together and forget about all your troubles for one afternoon! Regrettably, no glass and cutlery are allowed.

Tickets are available at www.ticketbreak.co.za for R80. If you want to buy your tickets from the Gardens, it will cost you R90 and tickets at both Ticketbreak and the Gardens will be R100 on the day of the concert. Kids under 13 enter for free! Gates open at 12:00 and the concert starts at 15:00. There is a kiddies' play area which is open from 13:30 and 16:30, as well as a restaurant and tea garden (alcohol is sold exclusively at the restaurant).

Here is the rest of the series line-up:

26 June: Viviere, Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens (Jhb)
3 July: Chris Chameleon, Pretoria Botanical Gardens
10 July: Zebra & Giraffe, Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens (Jhb)
17 July: Prime Circle, Pretoria Botanical Gardens
24 July: Prime Circle, Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens (Jhb)
31 July: Die Heuwels Fantasties, Pretoria Botanical Gardens
7 August: Theuns Jordaan, Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens (Jhb)
14 August: Karen Zoid, Pretoria Botanical Gardens
21 August: Karen Zoid, Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens (Jhb)
28 August: 6 Snare, Pretoria Botanical Gardens
11 September: Nianell & Romanz, Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens (Jhb)

Mr. Sakitumi Releases Debut Album

Multi-instrumentalist, producer and live stage performer, Mr. Sakitumi is releasing his much anticipated debut album through African Dope Records TODAY!
An innovative musical phenomenon like Mr. Sakitumi is few and far between in the world of electronic music. From the studio to the stage he has mastered his vast array of physical and virtual tools to produce his debut album, Secret Asian Man.

"This is my first personal offering as an artist, so it really is a biggie for me. I am really excited about it! Secret Asian Man will not be so secret anymore. I'm just glad to be able to put a body of work out there that can document me and my sound at this point in time. I am also really grateful to have a fantastic team behind me, helping me with this first release." - Mr. Sakitumi.

Secret Asian Man comes after being a member of numerous influential South African acts such as Max Normal, Lark, Krushed & Sorted, Closet Snare and Mr. Sakitumi & The Grrrl, along with performances in Goldfish, Freshly Ground, EJ Van Lyrik, Gazelle and many more.

"It's a listening journey into my world, the kinds of beats and melodies that I'm hearing in my head. It gives them a better picture of me as a producer and what I can also do as a multi-instrumentalist. The album extends beyond the dance floor/club/festival/gig, etc. I want listeners to be able to put it on whenever and still be able to enjoy the music."

With melody being a focus, Secret Asian Man is organically electronic, or electronically organic. By adding a lot of live playing over it - whether on drums, bass, guitar, keyboard, sampler or scratching - Mr. Sakitumi created an offering which reflects quirkiness, epicness and a dash of seriousness.

Apart from help in the form of ears, listening time and feedback from The Grrrl, other talented artists also contributed to Mr. Sakitumi's debut offering. Among other fantastic tracks, Secret Asian Man also features This That, which was the crafty rhyming skills of the super talented DForm, as well as Ghislain Poirier who did a remix of the track. Mix 'n Blend also did a remarkable remix of the title track, Secret Asian Man. They managed to get the brilliant horn skills of Lee Thomson and Ross McDonald for their version, as well as sneaking in a shout-out by EJ Von Lyrik. Apart from mixing their own versions, Mr. Sakitumi mixed all of his own tracks. Mastering was done by Simon "Fuzzy" Ratcliffe at Sound & Motion Studios who did a great job in gluing the album together and strengthening its listening thread.

Secret Asian Man will be available through The African Dope store, as well as on iTunes, Beatport, Ingrooves, Trackitdown, Juno, Rhythm Online and many more.

Follow Mr. Sakitumi on Twitter or check him out on Facebook and YouTube.

Keep your eyes peeled for the review of Secret Asian Man on Music 'n Stuff!

WIN! WIN! WIN!

One lucky reader stands the chance to win a set of double tickets to see Pelussje (Italy), Haezer and much more at Arcade Empire on June 15!

What to expect:
Great Sound
Sick lighting
Amazing visuals
Jumping castle photo booth (by Abel Scholtz)
Free face painting
Drink specials
Super sick laser show (by JSP)

The line-up includes Double-Adapter, Crossman & Phizicist, BBB and Minx.

All you have to do to win these tickets, is send an e-mail to isabel.smith07@yahoo.com with "GRIET" in the subject line. Entries close Monday, June 13.

Watch the promo video HERE.

The Wizard Of Fu

The Wizard Of Fu is a fun, updated version of the well-known musical The Wizard Of Oz, taking to the stage at Joburg Promusica in Roodepoort for two performances only on Friday 8^th and Saturday 9^th July at 11am.

Produced by StageWorx Performing Arts school in collaboration with Journey School of Arts, Wizard Of Fu is an endearing tale of triumph over adversity; including the uplifting music in the mix by the feel good band, Sergeant Fu, as performed by pupils of both schools in the first of its kind, staging a professional theatre production with both able-bodied alongside special needs children.

After landing in the Land Of Fu after a storm, Dorothy, from the small town of Kroonstad, goes on a journey to find the Wizard to help her get home. All is not well in the land, however. People are missing things. The Lion is missing his courage, Mr Tin has lost his heart, and The Scarecrow has lost his dancing skills. Worse yet, Miley Cyrus has lost Hannah Montana and Justin Bieber has lost his voice! Dorothy kindly takes it upon herself to put everything right and, in the process, finds herself caught up in a wacky adventure of song, dance and wild antics!

The story is linked together by the popular feel-good band, Sergeant Fu who burst onto the music scene in 2010 with their internationally successful World Cup song Vuvuzela”garnering attention across the globe. Their current single is strongly featured in the successful local movie ‘Superhelde’ along with 2 other of their tracks.

Sergeant Fu has introduced a new genre of music to the world called "Feel Good". As this would suggest, their aim is to bring light and happiness into people’s lives. With the incorporation of 6 of their tracks into Wizard Of Fu, their music provides the ideal accompaniment to this colourful, funky and upbeat show.

Says Matthew Marinus of Sergeant Fu; “We are thrilled to be involved in the production of Wizard of Fu! The kids are amazing, the story is hilarious, and the band...well...the band is us! When Gemma from Stageworx approached us with the idea, we were in from word go.  A great script has added so much to the entertainment value! Our music fits right in there and the kids give it a new energy that’s fantastic! Come check it out! Booya!”

The show is produced by StageWorx Performing Arts and Journey School of Arts, in association with The Joburg Promusica Theatre.

All show profits will be going to Journey School of Arts, a full time arts school for children with special needs to raise funds for much-needed equipment. The two schools have collaborated to produce a professional quality production that is suitable for the whole family, and is sure to warm your heart and leave a broad smile on your face.

There is a tendency to separate children with special needs into their own schools, and this makes sense in terms of the kind of attention and teaching methods they require. StageWorx recognises, however, that children are children, no matter what their specific needs, and youngsters from special needs schools need to mix with other children their age, as there is so much that they can learn from each other.

Says Gemma Donnelly from Journey and StageWorx; “Everyone deserves a chance to experience the Arts, we have taken children from all backgrounds and all abilities including those with special needs to produce a professional quality production. The Special needs and able bodied learn to communicate and work together as a team on stage whilst learning the tools necessary to do a show of this quality. In class they learn dance, Singing and drama techniques that have helped every single child to perform to the best of their ability.”

Families are asked to come and support this wonderful initiative, and group bookings are encouraged with discounted rates. Whether you’re 6 or 60, you’ll love this uplifting interpretation of an age-old classic, as performed by children who will quite literally steal your heart.

To book your tickets, contact Gemma Donnelly on gemmalouisedonnelly@gmail.com or 083 445 0547.

Prime Circle Taking The World By Storm

South Africa's most popular rock band, Prime Circle proved their immense talent by walking away with the SAMA for Best Rock Album recently. Said lead singer Ross Learmouth, "Prime Circle is a commercial rock band - we write from personal experience and we always aim to speak to our audience through our music. This is why winning Best Rock Album is such an incredible honour for us."

After maintaining a solid presence on the South African music scene and amassing a plethora of fans over the past ten years, Prime Circle have definitely proven themselves worthy of receiving these accolades. But knowing the boys from Witbank, they are just starting to get warmed up - and even greater things lie ahead for South Africa's top rock band...

Currently on tour in Europe, Prime Circle's enigmatic stage performances have led to them being invited to perform with American rock band 3 Doors Down. "It's been a great year for Prime Circle; first the SAMA win and now the chance to share the stage with an international rock band of this calibre. We respect this band's music immensely - we are honoured," said Learmouth. Both bands will be joined on stage by Alter Bridge, the American rock band responsible for the hit album One Day Remains.

Prime Circle will be performing with 3 Doors Down and Alter Bridge on the following dates:

June 7 at 19:30 - Zitadelle, Berlin
June 8 at 19:30 - Stadtpark, Hamburg
June 10 at 19:30 - Porsche Arena, Stuttgart

and their European itinerary continues:

June 1:  Silber, Hamburg
June 2:  Crystal, Berlin
June 3:  Riders Cafe, Lubeck
June 6:  Universum, Stuttgart
June 7:  Zitadelle, Berlin
June 8:  Stadtpark, Hamburg
June 9:  59:1, Munchen
June 10: Porsche Arena, Stuttgart
June 11: Kantine, Augsburg

But wait, there's more:

Fans are in for a surprise when the country's top rock band will be available at the touch of a keypad. Fans can start whipping out their iPhones as Prime Circle's brand new iPhone application is now live at the AppStore. True to their form, Prime Circle is now taking their SAMA-winning, platinum-selling album, Jekyll & Hyde straight to their fans' Apple devices!

The Jekyll & Hyde iPhone application is designed to offer fans a more intimate experience of Prime Circle's most recent album. Right from the opening screen, fans can access exclusive content and information not available anywhere else. Amongst other items, fans can access streaming clips of each track for listening and can also watch an exclusive video for the band's latest single, Never Gonna Bring Us Down.

The App was designed and developed by leading SA music technology provider Exactmobile, and was launched on the iTunes platform on May 17, 2011. The supported platforms it will work on are iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The device must be running on OS 4.0 or higher in order to function. The free download is available HERE.

The application also offers fans a personal biography of each band member, as well as a feature called Jekyll & Hyde Moments. This is unique to the Jekyll & Hyde application and Prime Circle fans will not find this information anywhere else. Each band member has offered up personal life moments, categorised as Jekyll (lighter) or Hyde (darker) moments. So, if you've ever wanted information about Ross, Dirk, Dale, Marco and Neil's lighter and darker sides, you know where to find it!

Another application feature is an up-to-date gig guide. Once you have selected the gig that you are interested in, the application will display a map and offer personalised directions from your current location to the gig. This is done by the use of LBS (Location Based Services) via the GPS in the handset.

The application was developed over the period of a month and was birthed late in 2010 when Exactmobile decided to partner with a South African artist to showcase their new technology. "We chose to partner with Prime Circle for this project as they are one of South Africa's top artists," says Gillian Ezra, Director of Entertainment Services for Exactmobile. "The Jekyll & Hyde album in particular is an exciting project, perfect for mobile application - right from the outstanding SAMA nominated artwork to the music. iPhone apps are one of the many digital products we offer to the music industry, and we are very proud of this collaboration."

For news, updates and more info go to www.primecircle.co.za of visit them on Facebook.