On a rainy, rather blah Sunday night in Durban, when spring seems to have abandoned us, what better way to cure the pre-Monday blues than a great gig? We decided to head over to Society and check out the opening night of the Durban leg of the annual Levis Vintage Sundays series. For the uninitiated, this is a series of gigs which take place across the country, showcasing local talent at its acoustic best. And they’re free, which says a lot about Levis’ commitment to the industry and probably goes a long way to ensuring the series’ popularity in the current economic climate!
It’s a rare thing to see a band as wholly consumed by their music as Gonzo Republic. So consumed as to be almost alarming – I keep waiting for one of them to hurt themselves in their frenetic flailing around on stage. The lead singer seems like an unassuming guy when you see him around….fast forward to their performance and he yelps and growls as he shivers and shudders across the stage. Its one hell of a transformation. Their sound is a frenzied blend of funk and jazz – Jamiroquai on crack cocaine. Despite the weather – the first sign of rain is usually the death knell for a show in surf city – the place was packed, and the crowd were eating it up like ice cream on a summer’s day. Their style is perhaps not something I would listen to ordinarily but they are exceptionally good at what they do. They are definitely beloved by the Durban hipsters.
Five years ago 340ml were an enigmatic band from Mozambique who had just released their first album, Moving and were basing themselves in Jo’burg. It seemed like getting to see them perform was the Holy Grail for those in the know, as they were certainly elusive, at least in these parts of the country. They were lauded far and wide as the band to watch out for – a shining jewel from our dusty African shores, doing something a little different to all the other rock and nu-metal outfits. They’ve certainly earned their reputation, and I was really looking forward to seeing them again, having missed their album launch for Sorry for the Delay. Of course, I didn’t reckon on how many other people were looking forward to watching them, and in the end, I couldn’t see them at all. Luckily I could still hear them. Its hard to exactly pinpoint their brand of music – there’s a generous dose of reggae, a helping of dub and more than a few shots of sultry Latin rhythm mixed into a sonic cocktail that goes down easy and gets your hips swaying. The dreary rain outside was banished and instead we were whisked away to some tropical isle where barefooted girls and good looking boys serve you drinks with umbrellas in them. Bliss. And if the crowd lapped up Gonzo Republic, they positively inhaled the sweet sound of 340ml and exhaled in song so loud that at times the band could not be heard.
Eventually we had to leave that pleasant little isle and make our way back to the mundane world outside. But I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who held on to a little bit of that magic to make the work week less dull…we’re all thinking about scoring, at the midnight drive-in.
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