There was a lot going on in Cape Town last Thursday, so the crowd at the Kimbo was pretty modest. Still, the three power trios on the bill showed their appreciation with unrelenting energy and sheer volume…
Southern Gypsey Queen apologised for starting late and had to stop and start halfway through their set due to technical difficulties which, unfortunately, continued to haunt the night. It seemed like the engineer subscribed to the ‘louder is better’ school of thought; now, I subject my ears to regular audio pounding and enjoy things loud but this was jus too loud…but more on that later.
Some things I liked about Southern Gypsey Queen: the harmonies, the fact that all three of them sang and the drummer’s energy (he was regularly standing up and impailing the air with his sticks). What I didn’t like: I dunno, I can’t pin it down, they just didn’t really work for me…same as my first impression last year at Synergy. Though they’ve been going for an impressive 10 years and seem to have a loyal and enthusiastic fan base, so I don’t think my opinion is that widely shared.
Shadowclub were up next, kicking the volume up a few more deafening notches. As usual, they put on a great show, the only differences from the last time I’d seen them (also at the Kimbo) was their impressive backdrop, the cooler temperature in the notoriously poorly-ventilated room (both due to the smaller crowd and the newly-installed aircon), and the number of tattoos on the band members (I swear they add new ones at an alarming rate).
The volume had been so loud I found myself holding my ears at one point, and even left midset to recover for a while, something I’ve never had to do before. I swear it wasn’t just me though – I caught a few people holding their ears, especially near the front left speaker which seemed particularly hellbent on aural assault.
Machineri didn’t exactly tone things down, but they did have a more laidback energy. They’re another band I consistently enjoy watching, and the new addition of Stepdog/Dead Lucky/Two Minute Puzzle drummer Jean Labuschagne (fresh from the Assembly after Dead Lucky‘s set at the Great Apes‘ album launch) brought an exciting dynamic to their performance.
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Machineri | Shadowclub | Southern Gypsey Queen
