Nostalgia kicked in when I arrived at Bassline and Britney Spears was playing. The lovely ladies of Swan Ronson definitely know how to kick off the evening with a good vibe. They play all these memorable old school tunes and just jam it out on stage. They know how to have fun and they were the perfect tonic to start the evening.
Go Barefoot
After having a drink and talking to some familiar faces it was time for Go Barefoot to join the stage. What I like about this band is that they always play their sets barefoot. They are five guys from joburg that bring their own vibe to the stage. They are custodians of an eclectic mix of Folk, Urban-African, Alt-Rock and Jazz. Their music will make you get up and dance.
Keep an eye out as the group is releasing their debut EP soon. They will be promoting the release playing a variety of gigs throughout February.
Sawagi
The next band who took over the stage was Sawagi. They are a four piece band from Japan who play instrumental music. Sawagi’s music is a mix between some jazz, funk and that incorporates the essence of electro. They are energetic on stage and had the crowd’s attention straight through to the end. They blew my mind and I don’t think anyone expected that on stage.
Shortstraw
Shortstraw, who was the main act for the evening, joined the stage. They started their Youthless tour in January and definitely left the best for last.
Shortstraw is an indie-rock band that plays folk inspired music with a mix of badass-pop inspired melodies in between. They are without a doubt one of the most popular bands in South Africa and constantly restores my faith in the capacity for South African music. Shortstraw’s music will make you jump up and down, put a smile on your face and will have you dancing in no time.
The new album, Youthless, does sound vastly different compared to their previous albums. Youthless is about coming-of-age and all about growing up. Another 15 well-produced songs that proves their still capable of pulling off their old tricks. I remember the first time I saw them live, they had a total of 10 people in the crowd, so I was astonished to see how much they have grown over the past few years.
There was a photobooth where you could dress up with props and sit inside a fort made of blankets. The stage design was set up with old toys and props that reminds you of your childhood and how it used to be a part of your life, with robots and teenage mutant ninja turtles on stage it did awaken old memories within us all.
Their album can now be pre-ordered online and is available on iTunes
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Words and images by Lize Scheepers
