The Final Bow – 11th May at The Jolly Roger

Posted on June 6, 2012 by morelovemoremusic

The journey has been long and hard but not without its fun. CY.STR took the stage for the last time at the Jolly Roger on the 11^th May. After a line-up change that left vocalist Nadia Darries as the only original member of the band with current band members Dominique Moller (drums), JP Monroe (bass) and Stephen Alfreds (guitar), they decided that it was time to bid far well to the name that had brought the band this far, and with that a change in sound. And they made sure that they would go out with a bang!

From left: Nadia, JP, Dominque and Stephen

As one of the founding members I was lucky enough to be a part of the humble and somewhat naïve beginnings of the band that was first called Ellipsis. It all began when four friends (Faren “Wys Jou Bass” September – Bass, Tiffany Serenge – Drums, Abdeah Davis – Rhythm Guitar and Nadia Darries – Vocals and Guitar) with one thing in common, the love for music, sat around an old piano in a crowd little make-shift music room at a high school in Diep River, listening to Nadia belting out the dark emo lyrics of Scars. We picked up a couple of instruments with the intention to mess about for a bit. Yeah sure, everyone wants to be in a band but we only dreamt of someday gracing the stage of Mercury or Gandalf’s (big dreams hey?) and never thought that one day we would be playing venues like these almost every weekend.

Camera and an empty plot right next door. Well there you have it, the first band picture.

Many Variety Shows, Carnivals and a couple of Battle of the Bands behind us plus the addition of a manager, Ellipsis became CY.STR. It was with this change that the band had decided that maybe it was time to leave the safety of a tiny music room and take the world by storm.

First Independent gig at a pub in the Northern Suburbs opening for Cold Hand Chemistry and Pariah Born. Photograped by RandomTams Photography.

Adorned Niva Fest and the Niva Battle of the Bands in early 2011 marked the beginning of the gigging phase. It also marked the beginning of friendships with bands Anton Syndrome whom CY.STR has continued to have the privilege of sharing the stage with and whom CY.STR decided to share the stage with for one last time at The Final Bow.

Adorned Niva Fest 2011. Photographed by Nathan H Roberts Photography.

The Niva Battle of the Bands saw CY.STR in the finals alongside Monolith, Anton Syndrome and My Flawless Ending. While the band did not take the title home, the only way from there was up and so the band became regulars at The Purple Turtle, playing a couple of Niva Record’s Events. The band went on to recording Plastic Lies and Walking Down The Street both which have had radio play on Bush Radio throughout 2011. Plastic Lies was also featured on Good Hope FM soon after the Battle.

Nadia looking like a mother****ing ROCKSTAR at the Niva Battle of the Bands Finals.

However, in June both Tiffany Serenge and Faren September decided that it was time to move on from the “rock star” dream and pursue different things.

With a cheeky attitude and epic bassing the forever energised Jacky Roodt head-banged her way into CY.STR, Dorito’s and Marshmallows not far behind her. While Jacky is an amazing bassist, I quite honestly think it was the “chubby-bunny” incident that secured her place in the band. CY.STR has always been obsessed with food and the fact that a tiny girl like Jacky could kick our asses in Chubby Bunny (see who can stuff their mouth with the most marshmallows and say still say “chubby bunny” without choking) meant that she must be a keeper. Jacky added groove to the sound and made us come alive on stage, and sometimes in her case, off stage and in the crowd.

Jacky, like a boss in the crowd at the Jolly Roger. And yes, that is Tiffany! In the front row of every gig I tell you… Photographed by RandomTams Photography

Tiffany continued to play with the band until September when Nadia and manger Muneebah Dawson discovered current drummer Dominique Moller on a train ride home. After an audition in a music store and a jam session in a garage Dominique became a permanent member.

Dominique at Rock the River SA

Since, CY.STR has appeared on national television, played Rock the River SA 2011/12, Mercury, Zula Sound Bar, opened for Machineri at The Jolly Roger and gotten food in places they shouldn’t…

Meanwhile backstage…

In March both Jacky and I left the band resulting in the addition of JP on bass and Stephen on guitar. Over the last two years CY.STR has managed to make a tremendous contribution on behalf of the females in the alternative music scene.

From left: Nadia, Abdeah (me), Tiffany, Faren, Stephen, JP and Dominique at The Jolly Roger.

As the original band stepped off The Jolly Roger’s stage after playing Mr Potato Head With His Angry Eyes (yes, that is the name of the song) they handed over to the current line up and joined the crowd like a bunch of groupies.

CY.STR’s Final Bow

While the band stuck to the usual set list, with the exception of an instrumental. They abandoned the easy on the ear sound that CY.STR was known for and replaced it with heavier elements, leaning towards a more progressive sound. This approach seemed to work with most of the songs; however, there are certain songs where simplicity would have been more appropriate. But this didn’t stop the crowd from singing along to their favourites.

If these changes in sound say anything about the direction in which the band is going, it’s that the new material will be interesting and a lot more experimental. CY.STR’s Final Bow was a gig that will not be soon forgotten. Live piercings, good music and an awesome crowd; I wish the band well with their new ventures. All that’s left to do now is wait patiently for them to announce the new band name. Any suggestions?

Antonio’s Bday Bash – The Ultimate Gandalf’s Experience

Posted on May 5, 2012 by morelovemoremusic

Each year, around the end of April Gandalf’s plays host to one of the biggest birthday bashes in Obs. This past weekend (27th – 28th April) one of Cape Town’s respected organisers, Gandalf’s manager Antonio, dedicated to supporting young local bands and all things alternative, turned 40. Every year this mini festival becomes an opportunity for all these undeniably insane bunch of music lovers and epic party animals to get utterly and completely trashed. Eight bands, ridiculously cheap (and sometimes free) alcohol, free tattoo vouchers, two floors, three bars – what more could you want on the main night of the 3 day party?

It’s 20h30, doors opened at 7 and the place is slowly filling up. I felt a bit bad for the band that had just gotten off stage and had literally played to the bartender and a few members of one of the other bands. I barely got there and already I was being greeted by old friends and familiar faces. Antonio’s birthday has become an event that one had to attend or you’d be the sour prissy sulking while everyone else raves about that “epic” moment when that “epic” thing happened to *insert friend’s name here* on that “epic” night that was the birthday bash. So it was guaranteed that the place would be packed and that most of the party goers would go through the ultimate Gandalf’s/ROAR experience of having to stumble down the staircase in the early hours of the morning wondering how it was possible that their legs still knew how to walk or that their head was still attached to their body.

ROAR was filled with so much to do that it was difficult to devote one’s attention solely to the bands, however, as Arc Reactor started their set I could not help but tear myself away from the conversation I was having, to watch them. While the vocalist is not even worth mentioning the rest of the band is pretty fucking amazing, Mr Crazy Finger the bass god himself made up for the lack of awesomeness on the part of the vocalist but even so there only so much you could take before found yourself distracted by something else.
Arc Reactor was followed by When Karma Sleeps, having heard so many good things about this band I couldn’t help but feel disappointed when I’d finally heard them. Don’t get me wrong, the band is tight, the music is decent and vocalist Meg can definitely sing, but everything about them seemed so manufactured, like one giant cliché. They’re a band made for the masses and while there isn’t anything wrong with that there is nothing that sets them apart of all the other bands that play the exact same music and whose success is normally something that is short lived, and replaced by a newer, fresher band of the same kind. However, this is just my opinion on the genre of music and I in no way intended to discredit the band who put on a pretty good performence.

The vibes were good and everyone was enjoying themselves but eventually the night had to end. After head banging and being bashed in the face while moshing to The Impalement Theory, it was time for me to chill with the buds before we embarked on the journey down the stairs to get everyone together so we could go home. Once again the annual birthday bash lived up to the standard it had set for itself. So Antonio… When’s the next fest?