The Black Hotels are in fine form, as usual, and Jitsvinger is back in action.
■ ‘There’s always this thing of bands wanting to appeal to the ‘cool’ crowd or the ‘in’ crowd. We’re not the cool crowd. We just are who we are. We don’t go out of our way to try to fit in with a certain trend or image or songwriting style,” says John Boyd. The Black Hotels lead singer says this is what sets his band apart from the slew of tragically hip stylists who currently dominate the South African indie rock scene. On Beautiful Mornings (2007), Films for the Next Century (2009) and the recently released Honey Badger they have created an uncompromisingly original songbook that offers audiences a welcome alternative to indie rock tedium. Indie pop-rock pin-ups aKING will launch their new video, Catch Alight, in the headline slot.
On June 4 from 9pm at The Assembly, 61 Harrington Street, Cape Town. Entrance is R50 for presold tickets or R60 at the door.
■ Building on the underground success of his debut CD, Skeletsleutel (Skeleton Key), Jitsvinger has showcased his lightning-tongued rhymes from park jams on the Cape Flats to hipster inner-city clubs and high-profile platforms such as the Spier Poetry Exchange, Oppikoppi festival and award-winning theatre production Afrikaaps. Sharing the stage with Jitsvinger and his live Beat of Hope band at Jits ennie Blits this weekend are Godessa wordsmith Burni Aman and former Moodphase Five siren Ernestine Deane. DJs Baron and Boeta G also spin tunes.
June 3 from 9pm at Club Voom Voom, 70 Loop Street, Cape Town. Entrance is R40.