Tag Archive for 'road trip'

The Winding Road

Published on May 10, 2011 in Uncategorized. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .
 
Roadtrip!

I freaking love my job. I get in my car, drive across the country, stop over in these ridiculously cool places, meet cool people and play music. What’s not to love…? Okay, that’s a loaded question, so let’s say, “for the most part, what’s not to love…?”  

The tour I’ve just completed included 14 shows, covering a total of 5,600km from Durban to Cape Town and back, with a few out-of-the-way stops in between. I’m always sure to book at least 2 weeks in Cape Town itself because… well, you don’t really need an excuse, it’s Cape Town. The route there and back though is always pretty intense and generally involves driving almost every day and playing almost every night, which is not exactly the brightest idea, but despite promising not to do it to myself again, I keep doing it. Over and over and over and over again.             

"The Pipes" - Cango Caves

The tour kicked off with a show in East London which, as always, was loads of fun despite following directly after a 10 hour drive that should have only taken 7! Another 7 hour drive to Knysna the following day and an early show overlooking the bay that evening meant that I slept through most of day #3 (as expected) but did manage to enjoy a milkshake at the Heads before hitting Oudtshoorn for the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees for 2 days. I was so excited about being included on the KKNK lineup but unfortunately my set was booked in… an Afrikaans beer garden. Picture it: the (very) English pianist singing honest heartfelt songs in an Afrikaans beer garden sans backing track. Ja. Need I say more? In fact, the first thing the sound guy asked me was “where’s your backing track?” I kid you not. I did manage to get a note out in the first chamber of the Cango Caves though, so it’s all good (talk about taking the music underground), although I was very bummed to hear that they don’t host concerts there anymore… that would’ve been ridiculously cool.                 

V&A Amphitheatre (Pic by Jean Pierre Maritz)

You can diss the Capetonians as much as you like for their obsession with that rock, but there is something entirely satisfying when she comes into view after a crazy week on the road. After 4 shows, 1,980km and 5 days of intensity, Cape Town was, as always, a very welcome sight. I got some much-needed time in at T-Time Studio wrapping up mixes for the new album and the shows were pretty cool for the most part, with the highlight being a late afternoon performance at the V&A Amphitheatre at the Waterfront. A perfect Cape Town day and a rocking rad audience. At one of my Cape Town shows I chatted to a couple who’d had their first date at one of my shows last year and are now engaged. That made me smile.         

It took me 7 shows, 2,600km and 10 days to get back to Durban because the road back was a winding one, through places I’d never even heard of, let alone been to – one of the reasons I freaking love my job! Napier was first on that mystery list and my show at Suntouched Inn wins the credit as best show of the tour – the raddest hosts, the coolest audience and the best pizza! This town is so small that if there wasn’t a stop street on the main road, you would probably miss it entirely, but do yourself a favour. Seriously. It’s hard to beat an unexpected sold out show in the middle of nowhere and I have to admit that the rest of the tour just didn’t quite live up to that awesomeness, but the show in Greyton was nice enough and the town is beautiful and also definitely worth a visit. The Overberg is a crazy cool area full of interesting places and I can’t wait to discover more of it. The coolest thing about this tour was that I got to visit quite a few new places and I managed to get in at least one day of touristy sightseeing in Cape Agulhas. I climbed the L’Agulhas Lighthouse and stood at the most southern tip of Africa where the two oceans meet. I took a photo of the rock. Riveting stuff.        

Where the two oceans meet...

I also had a late booking for a show in Hogsback. Whenever I mentioned that I was going to Hogsback, people responded with this sparkle in their eye, like I was visiting the most magical place on earth and I have to say it comes pretty damn close so I’m not surprised that it’s credited as the landscape inspiration for Lord of the Rings. It feels as though you’ve stepped into another world entirely and is honestly one of the most surprising places I’ve ever been to. Aside from the beauty, I also didn’t expect it to be 6°C and will leave the resulting expletives to your imagination. Incredibly beautiful place you absolutely have to visit, preferably not alone like I did and preferably not for just one night. Take your hiking boots, and don’t forget your winter warmers!                 

Northern Drakensburg

The tour ended with 2 performances at the Smoking Dragon Festival in the Northern Drakensburg alongside an incredible line-up of South African female artists. A great concept that has limitless potential and I’m looking forward to seeing this new festival grow. As a Durban girl, I don’t need much convincing to visit this part of the country and it was fitting to end the tour in such a grand landscape.                 

And another tour comes to an end. A huge thank you to everyone who had a hand in making it a successful one, my hosts for their kindness and to the various audiences, big and small, thank you for listening. As with life of the road, I learnt a lot on this one although I’ve come home with more questions than answers, but as I settle back into Durbs-by-the-Sea for a few weeks and reflect over the past month, for the most part, the good makes up for the bad and there is always something that makes it all worthwhile. I drove new roads and visited new places. I (finally) caught my first Cape Town sunset from the top of Signal Hill. I became part of the story of how two lovers met. I dodged a cold that could’ve ruined it all. I ate too much pizza. I stayed in the smallest town I’ve ever stayed in. I sold out a show in the middle of nowhere and fell in love with a town I’d never heard of. I got stuck in a flock of sheep for what seemed like forever after sleeping through my alarm and hitting the road later than I should have. I discovered new artists that are becoming all-time favourites. I stood at the foot of Africa between the two oceans just to say that I’d done it. I met beautiful new people that I now call friends and I saw old friends that I’m lucky enough to see on a regular basis. Because I have the best job in the world. For the most part.

Going nowhere slowly...

Addicted To The Road

Published on July 29, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

The Open Road

It’s a week before I ride off into the sunset on the next edition of tours, and I’m chomping at the bit to get back on the road. I’ve realised over the past few weeks at home that I am, in fact, addicted to touring. It’s crawled under my skin and gripped my being entirely. I won’t lie, the last year of touring has not always been the easiest ride, but it’s certainly been a life-changing and thoroughly rad experience.

When I was at ‘varsity, I always had this urge to get in my car and just drive somewhere… anywhere… everywhere… just away. It was a ridiculous thought at the time because I was far too responsible and guarded in my early 20s, but I remembered this old craving a few months ago and realised that I’ve been living that desire wholeheartedly. The concept isn’t as whimsical anymore, and certainly involves none of the “running away” motivation that I had back then, but the basic format is the same.

Coming home after a long period on the road is a beautiful thing, and I’ve realised over the past year how much I love the place I call home. Things I’ve so often taken for granted take on a whole new meaning when I arrive back in my own space, sleep in my own bed, get back into some semblance of a routine that allows a certain degree of normality to set back in, and spend time with my family and friends who I miss so much when I’m away. Durban is exceptionally gorgeous in winter, so over the past few months especially, my appreciation for my hometown has grown tenfold as I’ve returned from the “real winters” of Joburg, Cape Town and Grahamstown. There aren’t many venues to choose from in Durban so I only play here every few months or so between tours, but this also means that I get to rest my voice a bit, regroup and focus on writing.

There is one thing about being home, however, that I don’t much care for. As a self-managed musician, I am my own booking agent, which is certainly one of the most essential parts of this job in that it secures the work, therefore allowing me to play music in the first place, but it is my least favourite role. Scheduling dates at the right venues along planned routes to fit just right into a period of time that doesn’t clash with other big events or exams or rugby matches… not fun. But necessary. And I get that. At the end of the day, I don’t think it matters what you’re doing, there is always going to be something about your job that you don’t really like, and unless you give that job to someone else, you’ve just got to get on with it. So that’s what I do when I’m home – I book the next tour, plan the next route, find more venues, schedule more dates, and try my best not to wish the days away to the next epic adventure.

Essentially, it’s all part of the ride and it will get easier over time, but I can’t hide my excitement as the next tour fast approaches because that is, after all, why I do what I do.