March 31st, 2010 - sarahp -
Music holds a strange intangible power over me where deep in the recesses of my brain an emotion is pinned to the chords of a song. For a fleeting moment part of my mind will be transported back in a wave of music induced nostalgia to the emotion or time that has reference to that particular song. Listening to the lamentings of Billy Corgan of the Pumpkins suddenly I am 16 again, pining after some young love, or blink 182 and momentarily I am back in high school full of teenage angst once more. Finley Quaye held the same power over me, their song ‘Even After All’ unpins the emotions attached to it and they swell through me until I am fit to burst. This all changed when on Saturday Finley Quaye performed live at the club where I work, bursting the bubble of my blissful ignorance.
I had begged for weeks to ensure I was working the night Finley Quaye was to perform at our club. For those of you who have been hiding under a rock for the past five years, Finley Quaye is a group hailing from the UK and can be classified as reggae rock. They have been with me on my iPod throughout university and beyond, and like discovering Father Christmas is a farce, seeing them perform live was unnerving. They delivered a lackluster performance than seemed as if they had more pressing matters to attend to elsewhere. The lead singers’ onstage presence was meek; he wandered about the stage as if searching for his wayward mojo. I felt like a child at Christmas waking up to the wonder and excitement that is Christmas morning only to unwrap a lump of coal. The emotions that welled up within when listening to Finley have been washed away and now when I hear them I am no longer transported back to days of bliss, but rather I stay rooted in the present, with the bitter taste of disappointment left in my mouth.
The night was saved by local acts who were supposed to be just a snack on the Finley Quaye menu. The openers included Pharell Perkis (South Africa’s Jack Johnson) and Lindiwe Suttle, who both delivered amazing shows and left the crowd perfectly warmed up for the main act… It just goes to show that our local gems may not be internationally recognized, but they can still outshine stars…
March 6th, 2010 - sarahp -
I asked the subject of this week’s MOOKS Report, to give me three adjectives that describe a photograph? And he gave me two… not because he couldn’t conjure up a third, but because following rules isn’t really his style.
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March 3rd, 2010 - sarahp -
These days most jobs come with some type of perk, whether it’s a shiny company car, a blackberry, or even a fat expense account. So what are the perks of working behind a bar? Well the answer is simple, free gigs, yes people ‘FREE’ gigs. As many as a person could want. And if you’re a music slut like me, then there’s no better perk to be had. So keep your company car, cell phone or expense account, I want live music and I want it free!
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February 26th, 2010 - sarahp -
Only 20 minutes south from the concrete couture, assembly lines and hard nights, you’ll find the endless serenity of Kalk Bay. While many are quick to complain about Cape Town, I’m sure even some MOOKS Report readers have felt discontent towards it - you know – can’t really see yourself ‘living it up’ in a city filled with crime and punishment. But just like Dostoevsky’s classic novel, it’s a city with depth and intrigue that requires you read between the lines to fully understand. To look without judging and to venture off the beaten track where you’ll discover a different side to South Africa’s mother city.
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February 12th, 2010 - sarahp -
Cape Town beaches are full of ‘wish you were here’ post card moments, from the femme-bots, topless Germans to irritating vendor boys selling granadilla popsicles. If you can find your way through the crowds, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the sport that’s still ruled by the kids – it’s the extreme sport known as skimming…
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February 2nd, 2010 - sarahp -
I’m lost in my cold coffee smoking a Marlboro Red, distracted by my happiness. This is a report about a girl living in Cape Town for summer and experiencing a new year. It’s about eating blueberry nerds and getting messy on school nights. It’s about laughter, inspiration and popcorn. Like life, it’s about everything and nothing. Perhaps it’s the endless summer that’s got Cape Town caught in a spell, but for once, I’m a part of it…
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