I’m sexy and I know it…

Finally checked out this pretty awesome cover of the lmfao song. It’s been doing the rounds on the inet, so you’ve probably already seen it, but if you haven’t yet, here you go:

I’m sexy and I know it cover

You’re welcome.

enjoy!

Memories of my first live concert

I was about 10 at the time I think. My mom and I were in town and we ran into her best friend and her daughter. The daughter was about 5 years older than me. Anyway, she, the daughter – Kedibone – was on her way to see Brenda Fassie live. So I begged my mom to let me go with. The concert was at 2pm, so my mom said it was cool. Kedibone was meeting her friends there early so they could get a good spot to be able to see Brenda properly.

We got to the venue at around noon. I saw some kids I knew from school and hung out with them while Kedibone and hung out her friends. At around two everyone started chanting for Brenda. At around 10 past when all our voices were almost gone, the MC came out and loudly proclaimed that Brenda Fassie was on the property and would be out in just a few minutes, to a thunderous applause.

At around 3pm the MC came out and announced that there had been some technical issues and that they had been resolved and the performance would start soon. More applause.

At around 4pm the MC came out and announced that Brenda was very tired from her trip so had decided to take a quick nap but was up now and would be right out. Less applause.

At around 5pm the MC came out and announced that Brenda was just getting ready and would be right out. The hushed whispers began. Everyone assumed Brenda was either drunk or high – as was her reputation – and that the concert would be cancelled.

At around 6pm the MC came out, made no announced, but did his best to get the audience hyped. “Are you ready to see Branda?” “Yeah!!!!” “I can’t hear you, are you ready?” “Yes!!!!!” “When I say Brenda, you say Fassie. Brenda” “Fassie”…and on and on it went. Then he went back to the backstage area. One of Kedibone’s friends decided to leave then, so Kedibone sent a message through her to her mom telling her what was happening and that, at the rate things were going, we would probably only be back the next morning. Remember, this was before the times of cellphones.

At round 7pm the MC came out, and appologized (finally) for the delay and said that Brenda hadn’t been feeling well all day but she’s feeling better now and would be right out. No applause. More people left.

At around 8pm the MC came and was greeted by loud boos, until he introduced Brenda Fassie, then all was forgiven. Brenda took the stage and did her thing, and BLEW EVERYONE AWAY as she always did. After about the second song, she walks over to where me and my friends were standing and pulls me and two others on stage to dance with her. One of the highlights of my childhood.

We were up there for like two songs, but then people started complaining that we were in their way and they couldn’t see Brenda, so the security took us down. But then we had lost our spots in front of the stage. And so I kinda got over it and…I don’t know why, but I left the venue (I didn’t really think through things when I was a kid). Fortunately, on hearing that we might not get back home till the next morning, my mom had panicked and decided to come fetch me – but she couldn’t go through cos the venue was already too full so they weren’t letting anymore people in, and again no cellphones (how did we ever survive?). So as I walk out she spots me and we leave and go home. Then I got in trouble for leaving the venue without Kedibone. (found out later that Kedibone was in a state of panic after the concert cos she couldn’t find me anywhere.)

We also heard the next day that a few minutes after I left people had forced their way through the gates and jumped the walls and overcrowded the venue and some people had actually been trampled and a whole lot of people got injured and they had to stop the concert early…

=====================================

Side note story: I was a HUGE fan of Brenda Fassie when I was a kid and in the first grade I didn’t have a middle name. Everyone else in my class had a middle name – an English middle name. And I just couldn’t understand why my parents never gave me one. So whenever people would ask me what my middle name or my English name was, I would tell them it was Brenda. Then between the first and second grade I got baptised and got a middle name – Oregolele.

RIP MaBrrrrr.

Mimi’s song

So I was looking for this one song by J’Something…like a super old song…way before the MiCasa days…but I don’t think it’s available online anymore…

Anyway, I came across this instead…how super cute is this!!! Just had to share…

Enjoy

Saturday Suggestion: Khuli Chana

(On a monday…SMH!)

Still on that hip hop tip, but moving it closer to home.

Khuli Chana…day-yam! Boy has rhymes. And he does it my home-language, Setswana. Tight rhymes. Tight beats. He’s just got it all.

The album The MotswakOriginator was released back in 2009. He just released the video for his 6th single, Tswa Daar. The song is one of the extra tracks from The MotswakOriginator Deluxe Edition. Check it out below.

How hot is that?!

Anyway, check out his other stuff here. My faves: No more hunger and Freshe.  Sthandwa sam has been my Sunday chill song for the last few weeks.

All love for this boy!

Enjoy.

5GumExperience…this is the life!

On March 3rd, 2012, I got the pleasure of seeing Two Door Cinema Club live, thanks to 5Gum.

5Gum ran a competition on Facebook for a set of double tickets to see TDCC. All the tickets were free. Yes, an international band, totally free!!! Somehow I managed to get two double tickets…#WINNING! I must admit, before this I had no idea who TDCC were, but I’m so glad I got to hear them. I started listening to their stuff just after entering the comp, and it was on high rotation leading up to the gig, still is actually.

So basically all you had to do, once you’ve won the tickets, was get yourself to the designated parking lot. From there we got on a bus and were taken to a secret location…already a plus right there. As the bus started heading to said secret location, you could see the worried faces on all the hipster faces…it was headed into a township…like what????

Anyway, the gig took place in an old abandoned cement factory…coolest venue ever! Major props to whoever found it. And props to whoever approved the decision to host a rock concert on the outskirts of a kasi…BRILLIANT!

On the lineup were The Plastics, Ashtray Electric, TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB and Blush n Bass. The night started off with DJ Tommy Gun, who was already playing as we arrived – setting the mood of the place. We got there kinda early cos we wanted to be towards the front – this is VERY important for short people like me.

By the time The Plastics took the stage, we’d already had a couple of drinks and were well into dancing mode. I’ve seen The Plastics once before, I wasn’t really impressed with them the first time, but this time I was. I really enjoyed their set. I started off at the front with everybody else, but by the end of the set I had moved to the back where it was less crowded and I could dance my heart out. Was very cool.

Also, as the bands were playing, there were projections on the walls of what was happening onstage for those who were in the back and couldn’t quite see (which was awesome).

After The Plastics, and more dancing courtesy of Tommy Gun, Ashtray Electric took the stage. I must confess, I wasn’t as impressed with AE as I was TP. They sounded tight, and all of twitter was in agreement that that was one of the best AE shows ever, but something (and I don’t know what) was lacking for me. They played some well known tunes, and people sang along. They also played some brand new songs, which sounded really good. I’m really getting more and more impressed with the level of rock music in SA.

After some more tunes by TG, TDCC took the stage. And from the very first to the last song, mindblowingness! I left the place with my body in pain and my throat sore from the dancing and the singing. Man! What a show! Like, it wasn’t all razzle-dazzle and fireworks and crazy stage antics – it was the music, the passion, the enjoyment. I love bands like that. Who actually look like they’re enjoying themselves up there, and they are actually having fun, and can take the audience on the experience with them. I feed off of that. And TDCC did that completely. And I enjoyed it completely. And I am in love with this band. Also, it’s weird to think they only have 1 album out…they have so many good songs. I can’t wait to see where they go in the future. I think they played their whole album (definitely all the songs I know), and ended it all off with 3 encore songs. LOVE.

I didn’t catch Blush n Bass. I’m assuming she went on after TDCC. But we made a mad rush for the busses after that last song to try avoid getting stuck in bus queues and traffic on the way home. I’ve heard her DJ before though, and I loved her set then.

The whole gig was amazing, and amazingly hosted. The only complaints I heard were that there was only one food stall so people had to wait in a way too long queue (i generally tend to eat BEFORE going to concerts so was not a problem for me) and that there weren’t enough loo stalls (i think i went to the loo 3 or 4 times, and i never waited more than a minute in the queue, so again, wasn’t a problem for me – and I thought they were quite clean and well stocked with loo paper, so more props from me).

I absolutely enjoyed the whole evening. Everything from the timely bus rides, the amazing venue, and the oh so amazing music.

Thank you 5Gum and everyone involved for an incredible evening.

PS A funny story happened on the evening:

While dancing to the last of the TDCC encore songs, one of the security guards walks up to me

Him:*says something i didn’t hear*
Me: “huh?”
Him: *leans in closer and repeats what he said*
Me: “huh?”
Him: *leans in even closer and repeats what he said*
Me: *feeling rather uncomfortable about the closeness, and still unable to hear what he said, i just smile and nod*
Him: “ok, good. can i have your number so i can call you later then?”
Me: “oh…uhm…oh…well, see…”

Just then one of the guys I went to the gig with comes up and I kinda walk off and dance with him…my awkward moments with security guards strike again!

Saturday Suggestion: Smith & Frank

I came across this post on musical mover blog, and decided to check out the music…so glad I did! Dig their vibe.

That post does a great job of telling you more about them, so follow the link to read up on them and check out some of the music…

Oh, and if you like discovering rad new music, subscribe to that blog. That is all.

Enjoy!

Saturday Suggestion: Lupe Fiasco

I’ve been seriously indulging my hip hop side lately. I used to be into hip hop back in middle and high school: basketball and hip hop, awesome combo.

I fell in-love with Lupe Fiasco the first time I heard Kick, Push. Hot hot song about a kid from the ghetto who avoids gang life through skating. His debut album, Food & Liquor, was ridiculously dope!

To be honest, I wasn’t as impressed with his second offering – The Cool. I loved it – especially “hip hop saved my life” and “intruder alert”, but not like Food & Liquor. I think I was the only person who felt this way.

Fast forward to 2011, Lupe drops his third offering, Lasers. The majority of fans were disappointed…didn’t think it met Lupe’s previous standards. I decided to give it a pass.

Then, through my friend faddygal I found about his mixtape, friend of the people. I decided to download it, and the love kick started again…too too dope! People were saying this is the album he should have dropped instead of lasers.

I eventually gave lasers a listen, and I loved it. I’m not sure why people were so anti it, I quite dig it – all black everything, I don’t wanna care right now, never forget you, words I never said, etc. Yes please!

Anyway, now that I’ve sufficiently bored you with my Lupe love story, go check out his site here and go download Friend of the People here and fall in love

Enjoy!