Rocking the Heineken® way

With the upcoming Heineken®Symphonic Rocks, CLEO thought it'd be cool to catch up with some of the performing artists like Alan Shenton from Zebra and Giraffe and CrashCarBurn's Garth Barnes!

Read on for more info on the show and your chance to win tickets!

In the words of Z&G's Alan Shenton - "I’m a boy, and I play guitar …. a lot of guitar."

We found out what else he likes to do, his most memorable performance and what he loves about S.A!

How do you relax?
I love going to Kruger, and it's about the only time I relax properly! A good book during the day and early morning & evening game drives!

What’s your most memorable live performance?
Opening for The Killers in Cape Town and looking out at 20 000 people with the most beautiful mountains and wine estates as the backdrop...I'll never forget that!

You’re playing at the 2011 Heineken Symphonic Rocks on 1 October in Cape Town, what can fans expect from this show?
It's a one-of-a-kind Z&G show for sure! We have never played live with classical musicians, but have a lot of strings etc on our albums, so I can't wait to hear that behind us live. It's going to be an amazing experience for the bands and our fans alike, and definitely one of the highlights of 2011 for Z&G!

If you were attending the show as a punter, which artist would you most want to see perform?
I love watching Van Coke Kartel live, they give it everything from start to finish! And on the flip side, I love watching Dear Reader, with all of Cheri's intricacies & dynamics. Completely different bands who put on amazing live shows!

South Africa is….
Alive and kicking in the best ways possible. Amazing growth is taking place across all industries & I'm proud to live in the beautiful, crazy place that Jozi is!

Follow Z&G on twitter -  @zebraandgiraffe

and on Facebook - Zebra & Giraffe

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CrashCarBurn's Garth Barnes has hair issues is coastal regions and believes SA has the best rugby team ever (which we do - Go Bokke!)

Do you think you have any flaws?
Of course! Let me count the ways! My hair forms a giant afro when we play live...in coastal situations it can actually be dangerous to the front row.

How do you feel about being approached in public? 

I really don't mind, If it wasn't for fans we'd be nothing so we'll take as many photos as you like...preferably not while I'm eating a burger though:)

Do you get nervous before a show?
Yeah but it's healthy nerves...it's more like excitement. I think the day you're not at least a little bit excited to be playing a show is the day you should throw in the towel.

What can fans expect from you in Cape Town on 1 October?
Well we're going to be playing our 'biggest' tracks so you can definitely expect to at recognise at least one of the songs. Plus we'll be backed by a full-on symphonic orchestra so it will be like CrashCarBurn squared! Really amped for this show, I think it's a once in a career opportunity!

If I were attending the show, I'd most like to see...
A couple of lesser known SA bands...Irvine from Cape Town and Shortstraw from Jozi. Watch out for those names, they're gonna be huge!

South Africa is….
Without a doubt the best place in the world to be living right now! (plus our rugby team is better than yours.)

Follow CrashCarBurn on twitter - @CrashCarBurn

and on Facebook - CrashCarBurn

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A SET OF DOUBLE TICKETS TO THE  HEINEKEN®SYMPHONIC ROCKS
CONCERT IN CAPE TOWN ON 1 OCTOBER, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE A FOLLOWER ON THIS BLOG AND COMMENT YOUR NAME UNDERNEATH

Black and white.

 

My first year of varsity has certainly opened my eyes to the dynamic couples there are out there. From the oddly matched couples – like a 6ft tall guy with a 5.4ft girl (I didn’t see that coming) – to the Cinderella-type unions, where both partners are perfect looking and perfect for each other. However, it’s the somewhat ‘new’ (well, to South Africa, anyway) interracial couples who get us looking back discreetly over our shoulders.

A walk in the park or a picnic with your partner shouldn’t attract much attention, right? Well, at my varsity, if a couple is from different races, they’ll definitely be the entertainment feature of the day! A robbery or a shootout could be happening simultaneously, but people would give the interracial couple all the attention.

Mixed couples aren’t that new to our shores; we’ve seen many interracial couples grace magazine pages, like Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush, or Seal and Heidi Klum, and even local celebs. But why are we so fascinated by this?

I must admit, when I see such a mixed couple I always smile to myself. On some occasions I try sneak a picture – for matters unrelated to stalkarism! One would think it’s a celeb walking past the way my heart smiles. But, call it fascination or simple curiosity, we’ll never stop staring.

Who am I?

I went for an interview at our campus radio station to be a news reader there. I was nervous, but answered all the questions perfectly in terms of current affairs. But at the end of the interview, I was asked: “Who are you?”

I froze. Those three seconds seemed like hours. I don’t know who I am! My friends and family have described me as ambitious and organised – but I’m not too sure that I know who I am. What are my dreams and ambitions for the future? Where do I see myself in five years’ time? Those questions seemed impossible to answer.

I took to the internet to Google my symptoms. But the more I searched, the more it seemed like I was clinically depressed! But how? Everything in my life is going well.

The next day I visited the varsity psychologist. To my utter relief, she said there was nothing wrong with me, and taking the time to “find myself” was perfectly normal. “You’re going through a process of self-discovery,” she said. Perhaps I should challenge my limits to limit my challenges [a cliché I know] then I’d find myself.

I thought about that all day, and maybe I could change my mindset. I learnt that finding yourself isn’t about reorganizing your goals, but about taking a different route to achieve them.

Sanitary love.

After a hectic day of classes, I was super hungry and decided to get something to eat. At  the 7 eleven on campus I was approached by a butch (albeit anxious-looking) 6ft butch guy. He asked me to do him a huge favour – could by his girlfriend sanitary towels? I had to laugh; the poor guy looked mortified to even say the words “sanitary towels”. But, I was happy to oblige.

“What brand does she use?” That question seemed harder to answer than one from a bar exam.
“Uh … the blue one.”
“But 80% of them are blue!”
By now he was irritable, so he manned up, went into the store, and bought all the ‘blue ones’. That seemed like a bit of a mission to me. Why didn’t he just go back to the dorm room and ask? I think he did it to avoid coming back.

This incident intrigued me to think about how far the male sex would go for their partner. So, I asked my friends if they’d ever got their boyfriends to buy them sanitary towels. One friend said she’d asked before, but he declined without hesitation. They’re no longer together.

I believe the value of the relationship comes down to one simple question: Will you buy me sanitary towels? If he says yes, he must love you, because men would rather slay dragons than be seen with a pack of Always Ultra. And if he says no? Well, he clearly doesn’t love you.