Song Of The Week: Daughter - Landfill

This song assaulted my ears today, thanks to rad (and, conveniently, free) app, songza. This isn’t at all like my regular choices for Song Of The Week, but it’s great in another way entirely. Like some kind of eargasmic mixture of CocoRosie, Imogen Heap and Dido. Enjoy, and happy Friday! 

Bloc Party Headline Rocking The Daisies '12

It's confirmed. Bloc Party are headling Rocking the Daisies 2012! This follows in the wake of a number of international acts set to perform at venues and festivals across the country throughout the year - namely: Lady Gaga, The Darkness, Bullet for my Valentine, Eagles of Death Metal and Enter Shikari.

The four-piece band of Kele Okereke, Russell Lissack, Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong reunited, prompted by a creative impetus inspired by a dramatic year in world events, as well as a shared desire to rekindle their singular musical kinship. Their new project, ‘FOUR’, presents a band in the fullest sense of the word: lean, hungry, spirited and uncompromising, armed with a collection of songs as powerful and anthemic ever, as well as some of their most hard-hitting and visceral recordings to date. Daisies fans will get to watch this all unfold on the main stage at RTD 2012. Check out their album trailer and get amped:

Rocking the Daisies will take place from 4-7th October 2012 on Cloof Wine estate in Darling. Get your tickets NOW from here!

Like RTD on Facebook

Follow on Twitter

Madvertising: One Of The Best Anti-Smoking Ads Ever Created

I smoke - and I enjoy it... But after watching this anti-smoking ad, I think I might also be in denial. What a brilliant idea.

Finder's fee goes - once again - to @saskiaredivo.

Monday Funny - Treadmill Fail Compilation

Yes, it's Monday, I know. If you're anything like me, you're also still trying to figure out just what the hell happened between 'Friday drinks after work' and the sour taste of despair in your mouth this morning. Yes, it's one of those days. You know the kind: one of those days where it's cold outside, but for some reason you're sweating underneath your clothes. What's up with that? One of those days where you need to take a shower after you've showered to get the shower off you. One of those days where your eyes are really only open because you're afraid someone is about to throw something at you... In other words: Monday Syndrome. Which makes this next video particularly apt.

Thanks for sharing this @Rouleaux! Have a good week people.

Get Out Of The Garage And Onto The Stage In London

So you're in a band, which means one of two things: you're either getting a little tired of playing the same old gigs in the same old venues to the same old people, or you're not gigging at all. Either way, Converse has got an offer that you should seriously consider. Seriously. 

Converse wants YOU to get out of the garage and be transported to the The 100 Club in London  to play an epic gig. And believe me, you want to play at this venue.

If you’re an unsigned band/artist, upload your best original song and a short bio via this Facebook app http://on.fb.me/getoutofthegarage. The judges - Zulu Boy, John Savage and Garick Williams - will then narrow down the entries to SA's top 10 unsigned artists. Converse will then showcase these acts on Facebook, where South Africa can vote for their favourites and have the chance to join their favourite band VIP style for the gig.

Follow the conversation on Twitter @Converse_Africa and with the #Play100Club hashtag. Entries close 8th of July and winners will be announced on August 6th 2012. Go, go, go!

Ticket Giveaway - Shakedown At Casablanca

The winter solstice happened last week, which means it should be getting progressively less wintery over the next few months. I, for one, don't see (or feel) this is happening - which is probably why I suspect the visual for the event at Casablanca this Saturday might be slightly optimistic... but I digress.

Line up:

MILKSHAKE

P.H

GARY POOLE

JDM

Click here for the Facebook event.

Now, I know we could all use a shakedown after the last few weeks, so I'm giving away 2 x VIP and 4 x general tickets to whoever needs them most. Just leave your full names and contact details in the comments section below plus a link to your favourite summer song on YouTube. I want to compile a summer playlist post so I could use some help. Do it.

Madvertising: Meowbook, A Social Network For Cats

"Pretty much anything to do with cats and the Internet... works." I love both, which is why I'm sharing this video. The following clip was created as part of the Boosted Inspiration Series to promote the new Cadbury Boost.

People trawl the web for inspiration, while a handful do the inspiring. They are The Starters. Pioneering in their innovation, seemingly effortless trendsetters. They disrupt, polarise and create conversation. And they shape the ideas that people dare to share.

Honestly, I think the promotion is a bigger deal than the actual product, but maybe I'm just being bias 'cause I love cats (although not nearly as much as this guy, evidently).

Crazy cool.

Ticket Giveaway - The Plastics & Friends At Brass Bell

Next Saturday 30 June, SA's very own retro-pop rockers, The Plastics along with up-and-comers The Mysticcs and Them Birds will be making loud noises at the Brass Bell in Kalk Bay. I've got a double ticket to give away, so if you fancy yourself some Saturday-night delight, keep reading.

Rad poster, but I don't understand why the shark isn't drinking the whiskey... Regardless, to win a ticket and a +1 to this particularly groovy shindig, all you have to do is answer this question: if sharks had legs, what kind of jeans would they wear? Leave your contact details and answer in the comments below and I'll let you know if you've won. Sweeet.

Burger Stylists

People always complain about the fact that their food doesn't look like it does on the fastfood takeaway menu. I've always suspected there was a reason for this - although I'll admit that I assumed the "model" burgers were prosthetic burgers made of silicone or rubber (which I guess isn't so different from the actual burger you end up eating). Today, this video appeared in my Twitter feed (lol at 'feed') and I made a mental note to do a post on it. Pretty damn interesting.

 

So, where does one learn how to become a food stylist?

Microsoft Unveils Surface Tablet

Microsoft's new tablet is a unique expression of entertainment and creativity. At least, that's what they'd like you to believe. Let's face the facts here: it's not that unique or creative. We've seen similar hardware from the likes of Apple and Samsung. Okay, so they don't offer built-in stands/keyboards or - what appears to be - the ability to change colour - but those are just novelties anyway. One area that Microsoft's new offering does stand out in though is its delivery. Watch this video:

My inner nerd just trembled a little. What do you think? Will this one take a bite out of the mighty Apple? Will it launch into a space far beyond the Galaxy? Or will it just skim the surface? Comments below.

BOS: Tweet For Tea

A while back, I posted about BEV the Ice Tea-vending machine. Remember? Well, BOS, in collaboration with Cow Africa and Thingking, have triggered the next phase in BEV's evolutionary process. You can now get free BOS Ice Tea for the price of a Tweet. No jokes.

Get your ass down to Wembley Square, tweet @BOS with the unique hashtag and enjoy yourself a refreshing beverage. You know you want to.

Ticket Giveaway - Labyrinth THE KIDS WANT PSY at Fiction

The last few Labyrinth events have all been mental parties, and this Saturday's THE KIDS WANT PSY is no different. Think about it. It's shitty winter. Everybody's cold and complaining, day in, day out. Maybe your mornings are spent at home boiling water for coffee using a magnifying glass and a few bleak rays of sunlight because ESKOM scheduled impromptu 'planned maintenance' (however-the-fuck-that-works); maybe you study or work, and find yourself chain-smoking on a windy balcony like a lunatic because - goddammit - you'll get warm even if it means igniting harmful carbon monoxide-emitting death sticks and inhaling the blessedly hot smoke into your shaking lungs. They're shaking because they're cold, you tell yourself between ragged drags, while your nose slowly turns the same colour as the coal. I guess the point I'm trying to make is: it's cold, but we can stomp it out. Let's take it inside. Fiction, that is. THE KIDS WANT PSY, however, is a FACT.

Line up:

BROKEN TOY

DEAN FUEL

THE SKRAGG

KINETICZ

DIGITAL

Extras

Psychedelic décor by Luminos

Funktion 1 Sound System

Multiple bars

HypeMediaSA have once again done me a great niceness, and have provided me with two tickets to give away to those most worthy. The challenge? Tell me the best way to beat the cold. Seriously. The best solution wins. Just leave your answer, your name and your contact details in the comment section below. Okay, my fingers are frozen. Bye!

The Voice of Youth Launch At The Assembly

New youth culture magazine on the block, LIVE, is going to be mixing it up at The Assembly's SYNW (tonight) to celebrate the launch of their brand new mobile site. 

The boring, talky stuff is all going down in the early evening, so pull in at 21:00 for the regular See You Next Wednesday student night -- with a twist. LIVE Mag are bringing the swag.

• Street-style photo booth: strike a pose/pout with style and get featured in LIVE Mag Issue 4.
• SYNW-style snaps: if the roaming photographer digs your vaaaib, you could be featured in Issue 4’s fashion piece.
• Falko graffiti art: watch as the maestro of caricatures creates a new masterpiece before your blurry eyes. 
• Awewolves VJs: mesmerising VJ talents; aweh. 
• Street-culture inspiration: a skateboard art exhibition from Verb and KFD.

LIVE Mag is credible content created by the very audience who consume it. Think: music, fashion, celebrities, sports, culture -- seen from the angle of mainstream youth: school leavers, varsity students and young professionals. A collection of thoughts and opinions in one neat package.

So, See You Next Wednesday tonight?

Game Of Fuckin' Thrones

Game of Thrones -- sorry, GoT -- is the best epic fantasy to ever be adapted for television (it is known). Now that I'm out of fresh episodes to watch, videos like the one below are going to be the only thing keeping me from plummeting into a pit of anguish, induced by a lack of witty imps, bitch queens and decapitations that don't quite cut it. Enjoy!

Fuckin' Game of Thrones. Thanks for sharing @DiscordianKitty!

Yes Sir! Mister Music Video

This has been a long time coming... Team Machine is bringing hardcore back - but in a completely new way - pioneering an original and approachable take on this mostly misinterpreted genre of music. They prove, without a doubt, that you don't need to dress up like Goths or dabble in modern vampirism in order to slot into the heavy niche; you just need to play heavy music. YS!MM's debut music video, Cold Rush Song, dropped this morning at about... well, one minute ago. It's all kinds of rad and you'd be a fucking idiot if you didn't check it out.

If you'd like to see them in action, they're playing with Beach Party at Kimberly Hotel on the 22 June. Click on the event flier and join the Facebook Event.

What do you think of the video? 

What Makes A Real Rock 'N Roller?

Today is the birthing day of my good friend and co-musician from Mister & Misread, Fourie Pretorius - known to his friends as The Fury or Rock 'n Roller. But what makes a real Rock 'n Roller? In the clip below, The Fury himself explains exactly what it takes.

 

Follow @ROCKandROLA.

Are You A True Cat Person?

I often hear people saying "I'm a cat person". Obviously, they like cats. But I've never taken it literally - and I wish I had, because it has vast potential to be fucking hilarious. Imagine having to turn around 4 times before sitting down... or finding endless amusement from a ball of string. These are the days of our cat lives, and the guy in the following video is living them.

Yes. Once again, the credit for finding this gem goes to @saskiaredivo, Lady of Many Links.

This Video Just Made My Whole Life

O Fortuna. Everyone's heard it. Everyone immediately thinks of it whenever something epic happens. It's in just about every movie you've ever seen. Yet no one knows the words. Today, we have the answer. I'm pretty sure this is a very lose translation of the original 13th century Latin poem. Enjoy.

Thanks for sharing this @DaxFrost. Have a great weekend everybody.