I always find that as I walk through the entrance of Park Acoustics that I’m thoroughly unprepared. People really know how to do Park Acoustics well – armed with cooler boxes full of beer, picnic blankets, and food! At least I know I’m keeping the food-stall owners employed. (By the way – the pizza they sell at Park Acoustics is top-notch, albeit a little small.)
As per our past Park Acoustics experience we made the 45-minute odyssey from Jo’burg to Pretoria – but it was totally worth it. The Main-stage line-up bragged Cape Town favourites The Plastics and more importantly Beach Party, one of my personal bests. Others included Matthew Mole, and Bittereinder.
Beach Party graced us with their presence by opening the Main Stage. Their famous ‘make-out’ song I Want To was great to see live, as was Narwhal, Anything, and Bacon Love. Actually their entire set was great, especially because I’ve been hungering to see them live since I downloaded their EP two years ago.
This is what I have learnt about Beach Party.
- They play Surf Rock – ie three chord rock
- They are all already supporting Movember, at least unofficially – except for Danielle Hitchcock. (Well – because she is a girl).
- They are quite incestuous with two other Cape Town favourites – The Dollfins and Gateway Drugs. Mostly because David Gabriel Thorpe (the lead singer) is in all three.
- They’re pretty darn cool.
Following Beach Party we finally went searching for beer. (We arrived just as Beach Party started, and clearly we’re major fan girls.) With beer came pizza – which, as I mentioned above, was delicious! We then headed to the Capital Craft Hill Billy Ho-Down Stage – and yes, that is its real name, quite a mouthful after a few drinks – to watch The Moths. Jo’burg based, three-piece, instrumental surf-rock. Basically three fantastic qualities rolled into a great performance.
Then probably the best thing ever happened. As we were standing there listening to the ridiculous MC – equipped with a trucker moustache, and some very corny jokes – he suddenly announced that The Dollfins were performing a surprise show. I mean it made total sense since half of Beach Party is in The Dollfins. (What is up with these Capetonians?) I was introduced to The Dollfins at the beginning of this year and I could probably say they are in my top five South African bands. Fronted by two of the most gorgeous babes I have ever set my eyes upon, these punk, surf rockers make such glorious tunes. Danielle Hitchcock, the bassist and keyboardist from Beach Party, takes the lead as guitarist and lead-vocals, while David Gabriel Thorpe rocks the drums in his moustached ways, and the smoldering Kelly Jean Egan jams on bass. Their entire set was flawless and they ended with crowd favourite I’ll Do What You Want Me To.
Unfortunately we had to leave after their set because reality was calling. But all in all it really was an incredible Park Acoustics and it was fantastic to see some of the leading alternative surf rock bands from Cape Town.
A+ for Park Acoustics.
