frivolity, hilarity and dance floor activity

It’s been ages again since writing on the blog and now there are a few things to share... While I wish I could offer astute political commentary, cutting edge trend reviews or hip byte size witticisms, I think those are better left to those in our midst who excel at such blog entries. While I am underwhelmed by the leadership/goverance in this country, (big issues aside, I was particularly annoyed by their need to take over my town one evening last week causing traffic mayhem during the actual event and the “practice” sessions in the days leading up to the opening of parliament – car pooling people!! Some poor guy was even more inconvenienced than the rest of us) ... I am choosing today to chat about things far more frivolous in nature.

I have succeeded in travelling through time! Yes, it is astounding, but there is no other explanation. How else do you explain a weekend on the banks of the Breede River... most time spent under a green awning... listening to Dave “the barman” Levinson (still kind of funny) and Paul Snodgrass (still not funny at all) watching performances by Bed on Bricks, the Rudimentals, Albert Frost and other stalwarts of the Cape music scene? Ah, Up the Creek... it’s still small, still awesome and still attracting the same kind of performances years after we first started going back in the day. Seriously – the location has not changed at all (expect for the fact that there is almost no water in the river due to the seriously chronic drought) and the only thing that is different since the last time I was there (like first year, give or take?) is the fact that you cannot buy a Savanna at any of the bars as they are no longer sponsors (hardly an issue me thinks). Had a great weekend hanging with Lu and co – dancing the night away on Friday, floating all day by the river stage on Saturday, laid back tunes on Sunday: all good.

Lowlights:

• The Gods: “We are the Gods, you are the Crowd” - RSA’s very own “super group”: the aforementioned Albert Frost, drummer from the original nudies, bassist from Bed on Bricks and some dude on lead vocals app from Billy Goat (?) – never heard of him and now I know why. He is terrible – keeps trying to hit screechy high rock notes and missing every time! Rumour on the river is that it was their first proper and last ever gig together.
• Aforementioned Paul-loud loser-Snodgrass

Highlights:

• Chatting to new found lilo friends in the river (all the river pics are with Lu and her fancy water camera)
• Bed on Bricks coming on after the Gods and showing them how it is supposed to done... you may not all like them, but man they are tight, entertaining and so pro.
• No One’s Arc: great Nelspruit group, super fun and great horn section
• Rob van Vuuren doing Usher's "In the Club" as a protest poem - hilarious!
  
• Mr Cat and the Jackal: been dying to see them for ages and had to push on through to make it to their 2AM (!) time slot on Saturday morning – I am getting old you know but more on that later – despite their difficult time slot: smaller stage, drunken dudes falling into them, sound guys who have disappeared to get drunk with some mates etc etc they are impressive... I mean, common’, the guy plays the saw and an amazing slide guitar, what is not to like!
• Shooting stars

UP THE CREEK 2010

In addition to my new found time travel skills, I thought I would further expand my skill set and ndifunda ukutheta isiXhosa (I am learning to speak isiXhosa).Really loving it! Thought I would share some of the hilarity of our teaching team with you all.

OK, so a little earlier on I alluded to the fact that I am getting old and less able to maintain a mad festival spirit for a full weekend duration... Yeah, was feeling left out of the dirty thirties club so decided to join. Have had a totally amazing weekend and feeling truly blessed to have the friends and family that I do – thanks to you all!!!

From dance-floor madness on Sat night courtesy of Toby and DJ Dan, to lazing in the shade at Silvermine on Sunday in keeping with what I hope to make a tradition of Silvermine birthday swims all through to amazing food and belly dancing with the fam last night – it’s been a prefect celebration! If this is what being 30 is about, I reckon we should have tried it ages ago! Although I have been warned to brace myself for significant impulse purchases (cars, animals), serious proposals of commitment (hmmm, no chance of that here methinks) and what were the other ones now...? Cannot remember, must be getting old.

30th BDAY