The Tutus, New Loud Rockets Dance-Off
Tuesday, March 11th, 2008Desmond and the Tutus: show offs. Maybe it’s the super hero names like Super Shane and Dangerous Doug, but getting wowed by the increasingly popular 4-piece Joburg outfit comes easy, especially when they team up with the New Loud Rockets for a double-whammy. Richard King hits the Assembly and the Hidden Cellar for a weekend bonanza.
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| Desmond & the Tutus vs New Loud Rockets |
It has to be said that Friday night at the Assembly wasn’t the Tutus’ best gig. Sorry, guys. The last time (alongside SweatX) was definitely a more of a throbber. Unforeseen problems took a little away from their act; but guitarist Doug and drummer Craig kept the vibe alive while they rectified the situation. Shane charmed the crowd like a pit of cobras with his trademark “German Claw” and harmonica!
The Tutus are something of a hybrid band. As the name connotes, the Tutus are essentially an African band, and as doors open for them, we won’t be surprised to see more of the kwela-styled numbers hitting the radio stations. Going back-to-back with Kidofdoom in Joburg the night before made it easy for the punters to realise that they’re offering something different. And, after all, good music tends to stick around.
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| Desmond & the Tutus: Peter More Vids on our YouTube Channel! | Submit Your Own Vids! |
The video: Shane explained that their video for Peter was a creative deviation from the standard, eyes-to-the-camera, lip-sync treatment found in the torrent of mainstream pop. It’s basically a typical bar scene, with all the players in place. In fact, the same setup, shoot and extras were used for Kidofdoom’s Minor Disagreements for the Levi’s Young Guns initiative. [Get a review of debut album Kidofdoom here]
Saturday: awesomeness! The New Loud Rockets opened for Desmond and the Tutus. They performed in Stellenbosch’s Hidden Cellar, ironically situated upstairs. NLR front man John Seth set the Tutus on a pedestal by praising them and calling them “the best band in South Africa by a f**ing mile!” Maybe a little bottle logic creeping in there. Or maybe not. [Comment below: are Desmond and the Tutus the best band in SA?]
Sweat poured from the crowd of Stellenbosch wife-beaters (well, they were wearing them). A dip in the Stellenbosch Gymnasium outdoor pool was rumoured. As Seth pointed out later over a beer, it is impossible to not move with the Tutus’ energy. Desmond and the Tutus finished up their set with the NLR joining them on stage for a dance-off. Everybody won.
[words and images by Richard King]
“We won’t be surprised to see more of the kwela-styled numbers hitting the radio stations.”
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