Image: beatenberg.net

Most recently, on 11th February to be exact, their song ‘Pluto (Remember You)’ ft. DJ Clock reached #1 in South Africa on the Entertainment Monitoring Africa airplay chart. The song now hits its second week as the biggest song on radio in the country (beating out Beyonce’s XO this week). The fun collaboration with SA house veteran DJ Clock results in a dreamy-day sound that is subtly local and immediately catchy. In fact, the song is so big right now that just this morning, local A cappella artists Alex Acappella released a beautiful cover of ‘Pluto (Remember You)’. Check it out below.

From their early days as a fledgling band performing at The Assembly, to playing shows with musicians like Desmond and the Tutus and The Brother Moves On, Beatenberg has performed consistently and extensively. After a deal with Universal Music in 2012, they have steadily risen to fame, and are currently finishing up work on their next album – titled The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg – to be released in the first week of May 2014.

Keep a close eye on these guys. They started from the bottom, now they here.

Words Gosia Podgórska

Image: beatenberg.net

Image: beatenberg.net

Saturday, October 13^th was the night of the YOH! Early Halloween party, which featured, amongst other things, a screening of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973), performances by Beatenberg, Beach Party and the Exorsistahs as well as very little light. We attended the dark parade and felt homely between the presence of spider webs, vampires and murderous masks. But there was more to it than the simple acceptance by nightly creatures, so please, read on.

Image: Charlotte Tinnion

A climb up some scruffy stairs to a gloomy nightclub was what it took to enter the world of pre-halloween mysteries. Once admission was granted by a robed vampire, we paced to acquire the elixir of nocturnal pleasure amongst the comfort of masked party heads, fake spider webs and creepy projected visuals just before Beatenberg started to play. Although, counter to the event description, no massacres were witnessed, it transpired that the dark and dingy aura of Hectic on Hope served as the perfect façade for the intermingling of macabre pretenses and the usual Evol-going cool cats’ impeccable sense of style.

Image: Charlotte Tinnion

Scream masks, Indian feather headdresses and faux fur beauties gathered alike to indulge in Beatenberg’s high-school-dance-a-la-Hollywood-teen-movie’s sound. Being a self-proclaimed South African pop band, they led us through their set with dreamy melodies that were interspersed by steady-paced drumbeats that miraculously managed to be light-hearted without being corny. Lead singer Matthew Field’s soft boyband-esque voice made for the perfect accompaniment to their unabashed swagger that made it hard to ascertain just how seriously the three musicians take themselves. Be that as it may, the lovers of the sombre night were so satisfied by the contrasting lightness of Beatenberg’s sound that they begged for more. Although Field claimed that his ear was hurting, the band struck up another tune.

 
After being bewildered by the distortion of a realistic place-on-the-timeline perception through the combination of seventies disco music and funky disguises, Beach Party was up next. “This song goes out to Beatenberg, they’re awesome,” proclaimed Danny Video before he kicked off the set. Sporting a The Who fan t-shirt, he fittingly pulled off the sound of bygone British pop rock to the delight of the audience. Party-goers were swaying back and forth as the band-members managed subtle up-and-down jumps while still being in command of their instruments. And at times, Video would leave the stage to caress audience members’ heads or mess with their beers, which added to the carefree rock ‘n’ roll attitude he was taking advantage of. Eventually, the rough teen-punk vocals over playful surf-rock melodies and a self-aware approach convinced a won-over crowd to moshpit.

Image: Charlotte Tinnion

Image: Johann Botha

The room was filled with a content air and an anticipating audience was thus ready to receive the Exorsistahs with their first live performance of their track ‘You Lie You Die’. Known for a mysterious coolness that they exude in the music video to the song, the down-toned rapper duo entertained with a similar untouched demeanour before going back to DJing as usual.
 

 
A confident musical self-insight, fearlessness of being categorized and spooky aesthetics were what made this evening a memorable one. Satisfied by a healthy mix of camouflage, it became time for the creatures of the night to wander off and remain resourceful until the next YOH! party hits town.
 
Words: Christine Hogg
Images: Charlotte Tinnion, Johann Botha

From March 16 to March 18 at Contermanskloof Wine Farm, Jagermeister presents the annual The Flamjangled Tea Party; the party within a party within a dress-up party within a festival within a bubble of blue sky, green grass and lazy sunny daze. And we have two single full-weekend tickets to give away!

The Flamjangled Tea Party is festival of many things… It’s outdoors, eclectic, humorous, glittering, freaky, funky, jiving, up-beat, jazzy, swinging, sizzling, folksy, rock n rolling, wonderful, gentle, relaxing, silly, cheeky and grrreat! You can expect to find themed spaces and places, great music, top food, fine cocktails, oversized art, dress-up, surprising performances, ridiculous games and daft competitions.

© Jonx Pillemer

Festival breakdown

Friday night is ‘Black n White’ with classic silent movies brought to life by soundtracks provided by infamous DJs. An intimate evening with friends by the Little Market Stage before the weekend steps even further into slower gears. Saturday late night venues include The Night Owl Haunt – a New World party tent, and The Miniscule of Sound (now smaller with bigger sound), The Out of Site Cafe and other surprises! Also on Saturday night is ‘The Greatest Dance Lesson Ever’, where festival goers can learn ‘The Charleston’ by the Main Stage presented by Boogie Back Dance Co.

The Little Market Theatre Stage, with daytime beats, side show antics, and off the cuff performances. Featuring : The Tea Bears Picnic for children of all ages. Saturday and Sunday mornings, with free Tea’s and games. There are also dress-up and talent competitions, so bring your talent for Flamjanglers got Odd Talents Competition (No Fire or Vocal Performances – Sorry). The Tea Garden (main stage) opens Saturday 10am – 1am and Sunday 10am – 5pm, with bands and shenanigans.

© Jonx Pillemer

Melody Makers and Performers

iScream & the Chocolate Stix
GoodLuck
Hotwater
Jeremy Loops
Nomadic Orchestra
Peachy Keen
Beatenberg
Rumspringer
We Set Sail
Them Tornados
Two Minute Puzzle
Black South Easter
The Blacksmith Band
Nate Mainguard & Tim Hutchinson
The Bird and the Cage
TouchWood
The Time Flies
D7
Meri Kenaz
Legoloop
TobyTeaScones
James Copeland
Dusty Human
Circuswing
Mr Pantoffels
Moody Bloom
Ma’original
Spekta
Fletcher
Green Tea
The Great Vernoni
Will Travel
Tarka Sands
Lady Magnolia
A Kettle Called Black
Biscuits at Noon
Capt FieldMouse
The Sneaky Possums
and many more to come..

© Jonx Pillemer

Venue Information

Contermanskloof Wine Farm, only 25km’s from Cape Town and mere minutes away from Durbanville. Rolling grassed fields for camping, plenty of parking space, stunning dam for dipping, a fine selection of food stalls, bars, multiple entertainment zones and too much more then can mentioned here. Gates open Friday: 15:00 – 00:00; Friday 00:00 – Saturday 08:00; and Saturday: 08:00 till Sunday 13:00

Directions to Contermanskloof
Take N1 out of Cape Town.
Take the N7 towards Malmesbury.
Just after the refinery take Exit 22 : the Durbanville / Tableview turn off.
Turn right towards Durbanville.
Turn left at the T-Junction on to Contermanskloof Road.
Slow down and follow the signs you are nearly there.
(watch out for the sharp right)

© Jonx Pillemer

Ticket information

One price covers arrival on Friday or Saturday, so try get there early for extra Jangling the whole weekend long.

Full Weekend Tickets (FRI/SAT/SUN)
Adults: Presale @ Outlets: R320
Presale @ Webtickets: R340
Flamjangled Webtickets are live! www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=4702068

Gate: R380 Full Weekend (Fri or Sat arrival)
Sunday Gate Ticket: R200 (From 9am) – Still a full day of music and antics.

© Jonx Pillemer

Want to win a single full-weekend Flamjangled Tea Party ticket? Just follow these simple steps….

1. Like The Flamjangled Tea Party 2012 and Like one small seed on Facebook

 

2. Tag BOTH @The Flamjangled Tea Party 2012 and @one small seed Magazine & TV in your Facebook status and link to this post

 

3. Tweet @GoodTimesEvents and @onesmallseedSA with a mention of Flamjangled Tea Party and onesmallseed.com

Winners will be announced via Twitter on Wednesday 14 March at 16h00

For more information, email info@goodtimeevents.co.za, or check out the Flamjangled Tea Party site, HERE and join the Facebook group, HERE. Please note that all Trading/Stalls have already been allocated for this year. Sponsored by: Jagermeister / Bos Ice Tea / Eversons Cider / Rayban

© Jonx Pillemer

images: Jonx Pillemer