 |
| 7th Son |
Remember the grand opening of the Zula Bar? Springbok Nude Girls, Hog Hoggidy Hog, The Rudimentals and Ashtray Electric were there. So was I. So were approximately 1 500 revellers. It was mayhem. It was crowded and chaos reigned. But it rocked, literally. Arno Carstens outdid himself and Hogs fans spilt beer on one another in the mosh-pit. Girls in ridiculous heels wobbled up and down the stairs, teenagers snogged in the corners, people took photos with their Crackberries and the barmen struggled to keep up with orders at the bars. It was whilst waiting for a drink at a bar that I wondered how this new venue was going to fare after the big opening night.
As it turns out, quite well. I went back a few days later for the 7th Son and Tidal Waves gig. Not bands I know particularly well, but was told by The Viking that Tidal Waves was not to be missed. As they are from Pretoria and seldom play on our shores, I decided to check it out.
The funny part was parking was more difficult to find than on opening night. Which goes to show that getting parking is all about luck and timing, not about how many cars there are. Zula was noticably much less crowded and it was nice to actually say hello to the bouncers and not grimace at them whilst trying to push through the door. The barmen were less stressed and getting a drink was a far quicker affair. Nice to know that drinks prices are still excellent. Savanna Dry at R13 will certainly have me coming back for another round, so I hope they keep it that way.
It wasn't difficult to realise what sort of gig you were at, even if not a die-hard fan of the bands. Dreads, beads, tye-dye pants, bare feet ... I almost felt as if I needed to go have a spliff to fit in. I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of reggae/ska music (more of a rock chick), but I have to say that I really enjoyed 7th Son and Tidal Waves. Everyone else there did too - there was even a stoner-reggae-vibes mosh-pit happening at one point. Somehow a lot less busy than a punk rock moshpit. Must have something to do with having bare feet. My friend Bob was there too and even he let his hair down. The best part for me was that I actually got to see the bands properly (even got right up to the stage) and there was room to move. Or dance. Or mosh. Or just stand there clutching your beer with a grin on your face without being bumped or pushed.
All in all I liked it. The space is awesome and the drinks are cheap and they are hosting cool South African bands. I'm easy to please like that. The only complaint I have is that whoever designed the loos in the ladies was either really tall or has a good sense of humour. C'mon guys, I am just over 5ft. I have to stretch twice my body length to pull the chain. So far I have been relatively sober whilst attempting this. It will, and I repeat, will, be a disaster at some point.
Oh, I was also lucky enough to meet the Tidal Waves band members. They even posed for a photo* for me and called me "sista".What a bunch of cool guys. I am now a firm fan of Tidal Waves. I reckon I could be an even bigger fan of the new Zula Bar in time.
See you all at The Dirty Skirts on Saturday night. I may very well be the one with her feet sticking out of the toilet.
Upcoming gigs in July at Zula Bar:
Friday 22nd – Van Coke Kartel ft Southern Gypsy Queens
Saturday 23rd – The Dirty Skirts Album Launch
Friday 29th – Popskaar and Gazelle
Saturday 30th – FAR TOO LOUD
Sign up the Zula Bar Loyalty Card - I just did! Hopefully I get a free tequila on my birthday (why else would they ask for my birth date?)
No comments:
Post a Comment