music – Page 3 – Notes from the Cape

Published February 19, 2011

U2 live in Cape Town

U2 Live in Cape Town

U2 played in Cape Town last night. Lois, myself and approx 61998 other people went to watch them paying at Cape Town Stadium. This was my first time in the stadium, and it was a fantastic venue. Everything just went smoothly. The queues at the bar were short, seats were easy to find; people were behaving and just having a great party. Of course, U2 put on a great show.

U2 in Cape Town, complete with resizable TV screen

There was a “no professional camera” rule, so I figured that my old Canon 350D with a 50mm lens (my nifty-fifty) didn’t really count as a professional camera, so I managed to get in a few nice shots.

U2 Live in Cape Town

I am not U2’s biggest fan, but they have done some great songs over the years, and their gig was amazing! If you look at the stage, you can see that it is actually a 360 degree stage, going around in a complete circle with the audience all around the stage. The TV screen above the stage was also panoramic.

U2 Live in Cape Town

Although it was (of course) a rock concert, it came with a pretty awesome light show as well; using the strange spider-like covering as a backdrop from some pretty stunning lighting.

U2 Live in Cape Town; suppport act Amadou and Mariam

I don’t know if they are going to your city on this tour; but if they are get some tickets. It will be a great show!

U2 playing beneath the spider

This was my fist time in Cape Town Stadium, and although it does not look that huge from the inside, there were over 62000 people inside, it is massive!

U2 Live in Cape Town, 360 degree TV screen

Cape Town

bands cape town music stadium

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Published January 26, 2011

Ben Zander in Cape Town

Ben Zander was in Cape Town yesterday for a presentation and the launch of the Alive With Possibility DVD, a DVD celebrating the possibility in South Africa. Ben is the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, and one of the most transformational speakers that I have ever heard.

He speaks about downward spiral thinking, and radiating possibility speaking, and leaves us with the challenge of looking for possibility in our thoughts and our actions.

Ben Zander demonstrating how we progress from beginner to expert using Mozart’s Sonata in C
(K545 for the nerds)

Ben Zander

Ben Zander showing that we all love classical music (some of us have just not realised it).

Cape Town

cape town music

3 Comments

Published January 23, 2011

Street Musicians in Kalk Bay

In the short walk that I took through the Kalk Bay Village, I saw five street musicians (ok, 2 groups of 2 and a solo guy).

This guy was just jammin’ away on his guitar, making up the solos and chords as he played. He was accompanied on the bongo’s by his mate.

On Bongos

They were really good, somehow that had convinced the shop behind them to supply some free power, and they were just playing for whomever walked past, and that is something that I love about Cape Town. There is almost no regulation of street music; you can just play wherever you want. I hope it stays that way. It keeps the city alive.

These Jazz muso’s were busking on the beach by the harbour. They were playing local versions of some old standards.

Cape Town South Africa

cape town guitar kalk bay music

Lois singing

Here are some shots of Lois that I took when I was doing some portraits of her. She is singing into a Rhode NT1; a really great vocal mic. If you want to hear her actually singing, listen here.

Lois singing

More singing

Family

family lois music portraits

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Published December 22, 2010

Self-portrait

Self-taken shot of me playing my bass guitar. Her name is (and has been for many years) “Galadriel”, and she is a six-string solid through neck bass with active pre-amp. By the way if you are interested, you can listen to some of the stuff that Lois and I have done over the years here.

(I had to find something to test my new studio lights with :-)

Family

craig family guitar music self-portrait

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Published October 31, 2010

Noordhoek Country Fair

Today is the annual Noordhoek Country fair. I had a meeting with a client of mine, and what better place to have a meeting than at the fair. The fair is a lovely place to spend a couple of hours with the family. They had plenty of great food and drinks (I bought some balsamic and habamaro vinegar which I am going to have on my fresh Tuna tonight.)

There are also horserides, live bands, presentations and crafts. The fair is held on Noordhoek common and all money from the door goes to various conservation and community causes.

Cds MG 1979

A giant puppet, made by the Masiphumelele community. She was controlled by about 5 people, providing independent movement of both arms, legs the the head.

Cds MG 1971

This impressed me; a trumpeter from Masiphumelele, playing two trumpets at the same time.

Cds MG 1993

Yes, it did not take me long to find the coffee bar at the Noordhoek Fair.

Finally, even puppets need some time out, or maybe she just had too much to drink in the sun :-)

Cds MG 1989

Cape Town Travel

cape town music noordhoek

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Published August 16, 2010

Eric the Accordion player

Cds MG 0146 My Friend Eric (aka Smokkel). You can find him playing the accordion pretty much anywhere that he can, but in particular at the various village festivals around Cape Town. Eg Bastille festival in Franschhoek and the Olive Festival in Riebeek Kasteel.

From time to time you will see Eric jamming at my house (and even with me on the bass on occasion).

Cds MG 0111

Cape Town

accordion cape town music objects

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Published August 29, 2009

Gibson Guitar wall

Cds 2009 08 06 21 43 35 Canon Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT Edit 2
A wall at Planet Hollywood, Times Square. It contains a couple of hundred Gibson Guitars, mostly the Les Paul.

This is a fitting memorial to the famous Les Paul, who died on August 13 2009. He created the Gibson Les Paul guitar, which was played by almost every rock band in the world.

He also invented multi-track recording, which of course revolutionised the music industry.

Tech Travel

gibson guitar music new york

Paul McCartney’s bass guitar

<a rel="attachment wp-att-19 Cds 2009 08 06 21 42 51 Canon Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT

Here is a picture of Paul McCartney’s bass guitar – yes the original (or so they say)! It was on the wall at Planet Hollywood on Times Square, New York.

Cds 2009 08 06 21 42 59 Canon Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT

Travel

guitar music new york the beatles

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Published April 24, 2009

Pictures of my new baby

Isn’t she beautiful?

She is a brand new Cort MP710F (Lefty) acoustic guitar. She has a solid spruce top, maple back and sides and rosewood fretboard.The electronics is very good-Fishman classic4 pickup, with build in tuner.

The sound is unbelievable – very full and clear. I am really looking forward to playing it at our gig tomorrow evening.

I haven’t named her yet, but in time once I get to know her, I will name her.

View from the head