Grand Opening Of Ebony & Ivory

For us basin dwellers, there's a new venue on the horizon. Ebony & Ivory claims it's an upmarket venue at downtown prices - which is pretty much exactly what Strand needs right now. Grab a Sunday cocktail and relax against beautiful views of both the ocean and the Hottentots Holland mountains. Rumour has it they also have amazing cheese cake - just take a look at what @AdeleKloppers posted a bit earlier... See what I mean?

The good news: tomorrow night, Ebony & Ivory will be having its Grand Opening. This means live music, free sushi and free wine! The bad news is that it isn't happening tonight already. See you there!

Join Ebony & Ivory on Facebook and/or Twitter to find out about the latest specials, event news and more.

Owl: A Must See

The last time I was in a theatre, I was working the fly gallery for a hometown production of Neverland. So, on Saturday, when we decided to head down to the Intimate Theatre to see a one-woman show called Owl, I had no idea what to expect.

It's a story told from the perspective of a 10-year old, Owl (Briony Horwitz), who moves to Overberg with her dad after her mother passes away. Owl perfectly incapsulates the alien feeling of being uprooted from your comfort zone and having to endure vast change, while also introducing themes such as self-discovery, making friends and falling in love. Jon Keevy's writing and Briony Horwitz's acting - although the play is clearly not intended as a comedy - manages to lend a sense of light-hearted innocence to the performance, often ushering a choked laugh or two from the captivated audience. 

Using only Fiona du Plooy's choreography and battered old couch on wheels as a prop, Briony manages to arrest attention and successfully bring to life a simple story about a troubled youth trying to do the right thing. I highly recommend it to everyone. 

Owl is showing at the Intimate Theatre in Cape Town until Friday 2nd March, after which it will be showing in Grahamstown. Booking details can be found here.

5 iPad Music Apps That Will Make Your Life Cooler

If you're a musician looking to improve your life somewhat, or just up your productivity levels, why not take a gander at this naxt level iPad appery. 'What devilry is this!' you ask? Well, only the greatest iPad music applications to ever grace your multi-touch display. Go on, be amazed.

SoundCloud [Free App] - There’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t have the SoundCloud app. It’s free, it’s good, and if you like music (who doesn’t like music?!) it’s a great way to discover new artists, both local and international. Also, it has a handy recording feature that backs up the audio even if you aren’t connected to the Internet. This means that you could – for example – record a sound clip during band practice, store it on the app until you’re in a Wi-Fi zone, and upload it to your account once you have an Internet connection. Read more about the SoundCloud app in my previous post about it.

Features:

• Record sounds on-the-go and share to SoundCloud, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Foursquare 
• Connect with Facebook and easily find and follow your Facebook friends on SoundCloud 
• Listen to, like and comment on any of your sounds in the Stream, see comments and likes in Activity 
• Browse and search user profiles, and see your followers and followings 
• Record a sound now and upload later 
• Background playback

SoundHound [Free App] – This app will change your life. Ever heard a song and thought ‘what song is that?’ and then spent the next few hours trying to Google search lyrics that you think you might’ve heard? Well this app’s purpose is to sniff down songs you love and provide all available information on them. It even works if you hum a tune into it, and you don’t even need perfect pitch control. Not only does it find your sought after song, it also supplies you with YouTube videos, lyrics, cover versions and more – plus, it links to the iTunes store so you can actually legally purchase the songs you find. Oh, and did I mention it’s free?

Features:

• The world's fastest music recognition: name tunes playing from a speaker in as little as four seconds. Now with unlimited usage!
• The world's only viable singing and humming recognition
• LiveLyrics: see Lyrics in time with the music for music recognition and your iPod songs: you can even double tap a line of lyrics to play it!
• An incredible built-in player with lyrics and artist info for your iPod songs
• An included iPad app with beautiful, full-size lyrics and YouTube pages

ReBirth [$14.99] – ReBirth is one of the best-made apps I’ve seen yet. Just like it’s PC/Mac cousins, Reason, Rebirth, Record etc, ReBirth for iPad offers a simple platform to create the music you want to hear. Now, at first, it may seem a little jarring, but there are really only four parts of the main interface to understand. The two Roland TB-303 synthesizers, a Roland TR-808 drum machine, and a Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer. Once you’ve mastered these four devices you’re on your way to music making freedom. This app costs a hefty $14.99, but is well worth every cent.

Features:

• 2 x TB-303 Bassline Synthesizer with pattern sequencer
• TR-808 Drum machine
• TR-909 Drum machine
• Tempo-synced digital delay
• Compressor with threshold and ratio
• Distortion unit with amount and shape
• PCF effect
• Mixer
• Mod support
• Social Sharing features

Bebot [Free App] – Not only is Bebot a powerful synth, featuring the most adorable robot in the world of apps, it’s also been used live onstage by well-known names such as Dream Theater, The Flaming Lips and How To Destroy Angels. Not half bad. I personally love the Looper preset that enables you to create a loop of Bebot synth sounds and add to it in every cycle, in real time. However, all preset patches are fully customisable, and you can also create and save your own. This app costs a meager $1.99; whether you wait until it becomes free or buy it right this instant, I know you’ll love it.

Features:

• Four different synthesis modes
• Juicy analog-sounding filters 
• Effects and overdrive distortion, 
• Wide range of sounds 
• High degree of control via the multi-touch screen

GarageBand [$4.99] – You should know about GarageBand already. If you don’t, go look it up. It’s only the default entry-level audio studio for Mac. Record your sounds on the go with a wide range of iNtruments, or use your real guitar to record through famous amps and get the sound you’ve been dreaming of since watching that Led Zepp DVD with your dad. Sample your own voice, create loops; the opportunities are most bountiful. And for only $4.99, it’s not going to blow a hole in your wallet.

Features:

• Perform on dozens of musical instruments on the innovative Multi-Touch keyboard
• Tap out beats from the seat of acoustic and electronic drum kits
• Recreate legendary guitar rigs with 9 amps and 10 stompbox effects 
• Record your voice using the built-in microphone, and apply fun sound effects 
• Use the Sampler to create an instrument from sounds you record, then play them on a keyboard 
• Tap chords to instantly create keyboard grooves with the Smart Keyboard
• Strum chords on acoustic and electric Smart Guitars, or trigger fingerpicking patterns for popular chords 
• Groove with an onscreen electric or upright Smart Bass by tapping on chords
• Drag drum instruments onto a grid to create your own beats with the Smart Drums

S4-DRUM [Free App] – This app is super simple but very fun to use. I find drum apps are usually pretty shitty when it comes to touch accuracy and sensitivity, but S4-DRUM gets it very right. Choose between 5 kits and jam to your favorite tracks or with a friend via Bluetooth. S4 can also use this app in conjunction with ReBirth by syncing them via WIST (Wireless Sync-Start Technology) enabling you to jam around in a live environment. This app is free, so I expect you to already have downloaded it.

Features:

• 5 drum kits Play with music stored on your iPad
• Adjust individual drum volume with the mixer

So get downloading! If you have these apps already, leave your opinions in the comment section below.

6 Things To Do On A MetroRail Train Ride

I’ve wanted to write this blog post for a while now. For those of you who are familiar with the comfort and convenience (and smell) of taking a MetroRail train, this will strike a particular chord within your poor, poor soul. Without further ado:

1. Beggar Chicken: Although not strictly an activity for when you’re on the train, this game can be a lot of fun while on your way to the station. And when I say ‘a lot of fun’, I mean extremely infuriating.

Observe the following diagram:

Game Rules:

Try make it inside the station and to your platform without being approached by a beggar. If you manage to make it inside without a single encounter, bonus points to you. If you give in and hand out your money, you lose. Hard.

Tips:

Here are a few tips to help you master the game – NAY, art – of beggar dodging. 

• Don’t make eye contact.
• Don’t carry anything that may lead the beggar army to think you possess money on your body i.e. Keep your phone hidden, don’t carry a bag, avoid shoes.
• If possible, rip all of your clothes before attempting to cross the courtyard.
• Be invisible. 

2. Buy Socks: Cape Town station is, without a doubt, the leading socks retailer in the country - with over a thousand hawkers offering the finest wears for your inner shoe needs. At just under R2.00 a pair, buying socks at the station will leave you with just enough money in your wallet to afford the industrial cleaner you’ll require to ensure you don’t pick up any bacterial/viral/fungal infections.

3. Platform Hopping: Whether you like it or not, if you take the train to or from Cape Town, sooner or later you’re going to take part in a game of Platform Hopping. This game – misleadingly named – is kind of like a hybrid of the 100-meter sprint and shopping during the Christmas season.

Stampede! 

Game Rules:

At any stage during your train station experience, the intercom at the station is liable to change your regular train to depart from another platform. When this happens, you must run as fast as you can – without being trampled – to the corresponding platform in time to NOT get cut in half by the automated doors.

Tips:

They say prevention is the best cure. Or do they? I can’t remember. Anyway, try to anticipate the platform hop before it becomes apparent to your fellow racers. Look for signs like your regular train’s lights being off. Take note of whether or not the driver is in his station. These are usually sure signs that your regular train is fucked, and that MetroRail are planning a last minute Platform Hop Match.

• Wear running shoes.
• Run directly behind the slightly larger women in order to increase aerodynamics – but remember to veer off before reaching your target. You might end up having to sit next to/under them once on the train.

4. Sleep: Sleeping is – by far – the most popular on-train activity. This may be due to a number of reasons. Maybe it’s the steady rhythm of the tracks underneath your feet that puts your brain into a natural groove and incites vivid dreams of street crime and Nik Naks.

Note: picture may appear better than reality.

Tips:

You may think ‘I’ve been doing the sleep thing my entire life – I don’t need tips on how to doze’ but you are WRONG. You need these tips. 

• Train yourself to awaken at every stop, even if it’s only a half open eye to see where you are. Trust me, waking up to find yourself in Wellington Station at 21:00 is not fun.
• Sleep with an iron grip on your belongings. Bitches be stealing.
• Wear sunglasses so other passengers can’t tell if you’re awake or not. This is useful to deter potential criminals. 

5. Troll: When on the train, you’ll experience a number of occasions that are pure trolling gold. A good example is the overly religious preacher that frequents the train in the early mornings. This guy loves Jesus, but he loves shouting about it even more. And I don’t know about you, but 7am is not exactly ideal for being on the receiving end of a screaming preacher. Get your troll on.

6. Play Train Drums: This is an activity I engage in quite often. Because the train creates a steady rhythm as it moves between stations, it lends itself out as the perfect jamming buddy. Try incorporating syncopated grooves with the train’s constant ‘chug ku-chung’ variation. For the advanced Train Drummers, try a different rhythm at every successive station. This will greatly improve your endurance and creativity – as well as piss off your entire carriage.

At the end of the day, what matters is that you reach your destination on time and in one piece. Coincidentally, when this does happen, it’s usually the end of the day already. But having fun is contagious; spread this post with your train friends and let's all make light of the extremely half-assed public transportation service we endure on a daily basis.

Got any train games of your own? Leave them in the comments section below and I’ll include them in the next edition.

There And Bach Again

I can't believe I haven't posted about this yet. I have been a foolish, foolish Frost. About a month ago, local songwriting mastermind - Julian Bach - and myself, decided to hit the Garden Route in hopes of catching some fresh coastal air, some waves (even though I don't/can't surf -- but I can jump around like an idiot in the break water) and possibly some STDs.

So, with considerable help and networking assistance from local folk legend, Heather Waters, we lined up some gigs in George/Plett/Knysna, packed our bags, and hit the road. Within the first few minutes of arriving at our first destination - Misty Meadows outside George - we had learnt the entire beer-making process and were sampling a sprinkling of the native brew.

We played the first night of the Misty Meadows Beer Festival, as well as the second day, then headed out towards Plettenberg Bay. We had a show booked with Heather Waters at Surf Cafe - so we set up camp at the always awesome Starling Village and made our way to the venue. (This entire paragraph almost rhymed kinda).

Surf Cafe was... well I don't know. We definitely had tequila. All of the tequila. And when I woke up the next morning I was sandwiched between Heather and roadie Michelle in the back of a VW Combi. On top of that, no one seemed to recall where exactly Julian had disappeared to. We found him roaming around town - delirious and frantic after an intense sleepover at a Brazilian bartender's place. It was a good night... I've been told.

So to add a healthy twist to our extremely confused and hungover morning, Julian and I took an unintended 2-hour hike to a secluded beach that forms part of the magnificently beautiful Robberg Nature Reserve in Plett. After swimming on both sides of what appeared to be a strip of beach that extended far out into the sea, we made our way back to the car and headed to Knysna for a gig at Quay 4.

After finishing up at Quay 4, we were seriously considering driving back to Somerset West... But it was around 1am and it had just begun to storm - so instead - we packed up our things, found a local backpackers (evidently the last backpackers with an available room in Knysna) and made our way over there expecting the worst.

What became of the night is something for the grandchildren one day. We ended up getting drunk with a Capetonian girl with a heavy lisp, a travelling German student who'd just finished his masters in physics, and a seemingly immortal British gentleman who hadn't used a telephone in 16 years.

In the morning, we awoke early, packed our things and hit the road before anyone could remind us of our behaviour the night before. The road home was long, hot and tiring - and we arrived back in Scummerset West already missing the greenery of the lush Garden Route and the relaxed good nature of the coastal folk. There's something magical about being a musician and getting to go on holidays like these - where you end up arriving home with more money than you left with - having had the time of your life. I urge you to try it sometime.

Plett: we'll be bach.

I'm A Cat Person But I Would Kill For A Dog Like Wilfred

I've been the worst blogger ever. When I eventually logged back into my account - after an unintentional blogging hiatus covering the better part of November and December - my stats lay abandoned in the corner, whimpering softly, while the 'new post' button quivered with nervous anticipation... And I'm back. A new year; a new job; a new post (or two (or three)).

While not blogging over the past few months I spent a lot of my spare time staring at a television screen. The contents of said screen alternated pretty much between Skyrim and a new show (kudos must go to @KerryBeetge for the introduction) Wilfred.

If you - like me - enjoy offbeat, dark and gritty humour (think: Black Books, Flight of the Conchords, Mighty Boosh etc.) as apposed to formulaic American bubblegum comedy (think: How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men etc.) then you will absolutely love Wilfred. Let me have a go at summarising the plot outline using only one sentence.

In a nutshell: the story follows a clinically depressed Ryan (Elijah Wood) and his pet dog-come-imaginary-friend, Wilfred (Jason Gann) - as they try to derive meaning from life - learning lessons about human nature, love and lying along the way. Just check the clip out below and tell me it's not your cup of tea:

See? An instant classic in my books and a must-see if you know what's good for you. Wilfred will make you think; it'll make you dream... But most of all, it'll make you wish you had a best dog friend with which you could smoke weed at home everyday. You should totally check it out. Blog ya later!

Mister & Misread: The Beginning

Here’s a quick update on all things Mister & Misread.

M&M are proud to be working alongside Sovereign Entertainment (Ash, The Black Hotels, Wonderboom, The Parlotones). They have taken us under their wing and are assisting us in delivering the best music possible – from us to you. We’re enormously excited to be working with such an esteemed brand in the industry – both in SA and internationally – and look forward to the future with enthusiasm and exhilaration!

M&M recently recorded our first demo at Sound & Motion studios, Cape Town. Silver Linings is available for streaming from our SoundCloud  as well as on our Facebook Page. Let us know what you think!

Silver Linings by mrandmisread

M&M gigs for the coming months include but are not limited to:

• 22nd November | &Union (#tuesonfire) | Acoustic Act
• 26th November | Synergy Live Festival (LMG Stage) | Boschendal Wine Estate, Franschhoek
• 2nd December | Bright Street Summer Festival | Somerset West

FB Events will be created shortly to help ya’ll remember what’s up!

Lastly, we’d like to say thanks to a few people that helped us get where we are in such a short space of time:

Chris Captivate from Purple Cow, Tecla Ciolfi and Mike Smith from YourLMG, Corne Geyer from Sovereign Entertainment, Metoikus Cadmus of CADMUS Studios, Tiffany Cuff from Radio Helderberg 93.6fm, Karen Rykaart, Mark Swemmer from the Nameless Pub, Megan Douglas from Mango, our friends and family - and every other person who was involved in getting Mister & Misread to where we are today.

We honestly love you all!
Mister & Misread x

Stuff I Did This Week [Part1]

Here is a visual/textual representation of a week in the life of your average-Joe blogger working in the city. I lead a relatively normal life, but it has its moments of utter weirdness and bizarre events. Being involved in the music scene kinda entails being involved with strange, unpredictable people - so I thought I'd post one of these updates from time to time; not only for potential blog visitors, but for myself as well. Hope you enjoy.

Explored the city of Cape Town...

Social Matters [Social Media]

The world is going social media crazy; no matter who you are, where you live or what you do, it is highly unlikely that your life hasn't been in direct contact with some or other form of social media. The purpose of this post is to give a nice round summary of the various IM's, social networks and social apps that I use. Whether this will benefit you or not is still to be seen.

1. Facebook (obviously)

Facebook: the all-consuming internet eater. Hailed as the death of workplace productivity and the birthplace of daylight stalking. Say what you want about it: I think Facebook's here to stay. Click on the FB logo to be redirected to my profile if we're not already friends.

Family Guy: It's a Trap. Mind = Blown.

I watched the latest installment in the Family Guy: Star Wars Saga, It's a Trap, last night with a few close friends (@LourensLoki, @DennisKrige, @Kaydee_ve, @AdeleKloppers, @GavinHarries, @The__Grizzle) and I'd highly recommend it to anyone with a warped sense of humour. Seth MacFarlane and his team have outdone themselves this time around - especially with regard to the animation, as well as the cosmic amount of in-jokes he manages to slip into every second of the film.

Below, you can check out the trailer which highlights some of the funnier parts in the movie without spoiling some of the longer, more surprising jokes.

If you're looking for a short film to get you laughing, then It's A Trap does not disappoint. Watch it!