Death Like Daisies

First up at The Durex Ultimate Battle 2009 Western Cape Semi Finals were Death Like Daisies and initially, they didn’t appear very Rock n Roll. The five band members all had fantastic hair (begging for a hair product sponsor…hint hint anyone out there with contacts) were emo and slightly metalish – but not quite, and I could hardly hear any of their lyrics. But as I watched I realised young they were. Speaking with the Durex folks afterwards, I learnt they were the youngest band to get to significant rounds of the competition, with their average age being 17 and most of their mates not being allowed to attend!

Okay, stop, pause…everyone think back to when they were 17…think how awesomely cool this band must be amongst their peers…they must get (err, how to say this?) a lot! of action! That’s Rock n Roll. Not to mention, being so young they had a good chuck less experience then other competing bands in the competition. So well done to Death Like Daisies. I’m impressed.

Find out more about Death Like Daisies? Err, I’d like to tell you where…but I’m not sure myself, anyone know?

Autumn of August

I was at the bar when the next band, Autuam of August, started. “SCREAM SCREAM SCREAM…cringe, eek, hide, and no!” was my initial reaction (personal bias). Sipping deeply on my drink I made my way closer to the stage (to get involved with the ‘vibe’), from where I had a better spot to observe the band closely.

The bassist (with his beautiful blue green guitar) was amazing. I don’t think he opened his eyes once (I spent much of the time wondering where he wondered he was), but he carried every song. A talented man. With two singers – one grunge screamer (who everyone now and again, reminded me of the Cookie Monster) and one emo Blink-esque singer, the band came of as ‘emo grudge’. I don’t mean for that to be cynical, what they did worked very well. And Cookie-Monster-esque singer thrived off of the audience. He was the audience and the audience was him…he smiled, we smiled, he jumped, we jumped…that’s Rock n Roll.

Find out more about Autumn of August on their Myspace page or their Facebook page.

Fox Comet

Fox Comet played last. I know Kyle, the drummer, from school days. My bias aside, they were the ‘tightest’ of the bands. Their songs were well preformed, well queued and each part nicely developed. It was the first time I’d seen them and I got the idea that each of the four band members had vastly different music tastes – yet each one had been given the space to bring his music loves out into their music.

Their audience was larger and more err, unashamed (put that down to there being more time to drink before Fox Comet played?). The lead singer, towering over the other band members, with ginger locks and horrifying red & black pants (that were corseted together over the crotch, and were they pleather? – not quite rock n roll in my book), gave a great performance. He engaged with the audience, listened to them and encourage their participation. They played a variety of music, but their ska numbers are what stood out for me, as well as the new song they played, which went down a treat. Good on them for having such confidence in their music to play a new song at the final rounds of such a competition. It was an absolute winner, and the audience loved it! And if that’s not Rock n Roll enough, they had a crowd diver.

Find out more about Fox Comet.

Winner

So, who won? Fox Comet – with an audience chanting for their success, which might have rioted otherwise. Mirthfully pleased, Fox Comet headed back on stage to please their loyal following with an encore.

Fox Comet will travel to JHB to play with the finals on the 2nd April 2010 at Cool Runnings, Johannesburg. Winner takes all – …Hopefully Adriaan will be able to check out the final and let us know what he things.

Seen a great band recently? Write a review and send it (pref with pics) to mars@rocknroller.co.za

» Karen