Sleazy glam rockers; Damn Right got the show on the road with some pure rock n' roll and believe me they do take the party very seriously. Tight jeans and layered black hair reminiscent of Mick Jagger in his younger years still rocking with the Rolling Stones. They've got attitude, they've got spunk but most of all they've got great music ability. We experienced a minor power shortage that plunged the Assembly into darkness and put a three minute damper on things but as soon as the lights flicked back on the crowd were a bit more revved up to be there. Damn Right are Nixxx on vocals, Rowl on guitar, Dagger on guitar, Bruizer on bass and 6-Sixty on drums. Nixxx is probably one of the most liveliest South African lead vocalists I've seen on stage practically making love to that microphone as he slid and writhed around the stage. He also seems to have an unnaturally large and stretchy mouth (all the better for roaring out those lyrics my dear). They're a great outfit with great stage presence and a must-see for any South African rock fan.
Taxi Violence were next on stage armed with Bingo, the angle grinding maniac who created a pretty fountain of sparks shooting out into the crowd. I ducked and dived behind awesome Dave for fear of being burnt. An awesome addition to their performance nonetheless. He even got down with us on the dance floor a little later in the evening in all his sparkly makeup and white suited glory.
There's nothing bland or pretentious about this foursome. When they show up on stage they mean business. They started their steadfast career in 2004 kicking off at a jam session in a military base. They're certainly not about the money or the fame; they're about the music, the good music that is. Taxi Violence is George van der Spuy on vocals, Jason Ling on bass, Louis Nel on drums and Rian Zietsman on guitar and backing vocals. I'd seen this band once before at Mercury and while they didn't make much of an impression on me at that gig, they certainly did this time round (perhaps a better venue…). I'm not a total hard rock fan but I can tell a good band when I hear and see it and Taxi Violence are certainly it. They're far from commercial and will be one of the bands who define the South African rock music industry.
aKing are one of the bands you should really check out this year if you haven't already. If you liked them on the radio, you'll absolutely love them live. Their music is energetic and yet soulful pulling in different aspects of everyday life and combining them with Laudo Liebenberg on vocals and guitar, Hunter Kennedy on guitar, Hennie van Halen on Bass and Jaco ‘Snake' Venter on drums. The band was a shift from the previous two hard rock bands to more melodic-pop rock that is absolutely contagious ending the music affair on a happy aural note.
