Slash! The Water Circus (Review)

The newly, innovative water circus from Russia touches bases with South Africans this month and next! Silverstar will host this phenomenal show that bring excitement and jaw dropping stunts (I swear I almost had a heart attack at the end)

Okay so I must be honest, I was a little disappointed to hear that held the cast were not able to make it in time because they had problems with their visas. However, the organisers did their best to still put on a show. Some of South Africa’s best acts were given the opportunity to show themselves off on this world renowned stage. I would prefer to stay on the positive side of things, because I had the best time, it was a fun afternoon out and it was a great show, considering the trials and tribulations that had to be dealt with.

The second half was what I expect the whole should have been like, with a large pool of water and water fall vibe above gave spectacular features and made way for one of the best things I have ever seen in my life. Now this is a strong statement s I have seen many phenomenal things in my short life on this earth. BUT THAT!!!! Gosh!

I have never seen such stunts being performed before! There was one heck of a stunt with an enlarged swing and long material that caught the stunt men. That was followed by the South African performers etc. The second half the water came out and the show turned into a magical spectacle! The end though!!!! That was life threatening stunts being performed which captivated the audience like nothing I have ever seen before. There were times I was questioning if the stunt men were going to make it out alive.

I’ve attached some pictures and a video to get your taste buds infused with adventure 

Grassy Spark Release Their Brand New Single ‘Love To Share’ Featuring Bonj Mpanza

‘Portal’ Debut Album OUT NOW – http://smarturl.it/grassysparkportal

Grassy Spark release their brand new single ‘Love To Share’ featuring Bonj Mpanza today. The single is the 5^th taken from Grassy Spark’s debut album ‘Portal’ released exactly a year ago.

Listen to ‘Grassy Spark – Love To Share (feat Bonj Mpanza)’ here - https://youtu.be/-EjCY_AVenI

‘Love To Share’ was launched across six of the top campus radio stations on Tuesday 22 August at 6pm, receiving play on UCT Radio in Cape Town, MFM in Stellenbosch, Kovsie Fm in Bloemfontein, PUK FM in Potchefstroom, TUKS FM in Pretoria and Radio DUT in Durban. The first collective launch of its kind across SA Campus Radio.

What is ‘Love To Share’ about? "‘Love To Share’ is a story about 2 people, a guy and a girl. They’re both nervous to see each other and the song captures those final fears before they come together. With ‘Love To Share’ we hope to inspire those who don’t have the confidence to follow through!” explains Grassy Spark front man Yanick Bathfield. 

Grassy Spark joined forces with Bonj Mpanza, the exceptionally talented front woman for local band TheCITY, creating a single which is one of the best releases from their debut album ‘Portal’. Yanick continues saying: “Working with Bonj Mpanza was an unforgettable experience! She had Josh and I dropping our jaws in studio. Amazing person and wow, what a singer. She really just had to take the female role!”

In support of the single launch, Grassy Spark have initiated a great competition for fans to enter. The band are currently running it on their social media and competition info is as follows:

It takes 2 to Tango & we wanna Tango with you! Grassy Spark will write music to your lyrics + you win a CASE of Jagermeister, Portal Album and Grassy Spark T-shirt.

How?

1. Write lyrics to a loved one inspired by “Love to Share” in the comments 

2. Tag your lovers in the comments below.

3. Share this post and #Love2Share

There will be one winner!

Fans can enter the competition on Facebook at http://bit.ly/2vkKR04 or Instagram on http://bit.ly/2veyuDn.

Grassy Spark’s debut album ‘Portal’ is available now in Music Stores Nationwide and across all major digital platforms here: http://smarturl.it/grassysparkportal

ABOUT GRASSY SPARK & THEIR DEBUT ALBUM ‘PORTAL”

Grassy Spark are made up of Josh Riley and Yanick Bathfield sharing lead vocals and guitar, Simon Ackermann on Keys and Sax, Chad Hendricks on Trumpet, Murray Buitendag on Trombone, Kevin Kok on Bass, and Lawrence Jaeger on Drums, and have become the new kings of the live scene, so making sure their album mirrors their incredible live show was a big task.

Josh Riley and his six fellow band members felt the pressure to create a strong debut album. “Our Debut album 'Portal' was recorded in a room no bigger than a small storeroom with no windows and a broken door, in a dilapidated building in Kalk Bay, Cape Town. After tracking the drums with Dean Bailey at Cloud Studios, we decided it was time to put our heads down, go into that room as early as we could, and come out of it as late as we could - with some days not even leaving the room at all.” 

Bathfield and Riley are the key songwriters behind the catchy 11-track debut album and the song writing process alone took 7 months before the rest of the band could join in to add their vital parts. Bathfield took the reigns as the tracking engineer as well as head producer, with Riley assisting where he could as co-producer. The album was mixed by Vicente Espi at Songololo Studios and mastered by Pablo San Martin at Esoteric Sound Studio, both of whom graduated from Berklee College of Music in their respective fields - they took the variety and diversity of sound and added the cherry on top with flawless consistency!

The album also features a nice selection of local artists with Jeremy Loops, Khaos Cotterell, Bonj Mpanza, and Rudeboboboss each featuring on a song.

“It was an epic experience to work with such a diverse range of artists on the album. Our relationship with Jeremy Loops started in Zambia at Greenpop's festival of action in 2014, he took a keen interest in us as we bonded over a 2-week period, featured in each others sets at Earthfest and he has been an incredible mentor and friend to this day,” explains Riley. “Working with Khaos & Rudeboboboss has always been a dream, as we have always looked up to The Rudimentals as Ska/Reggae/Dance-hall icons and still do. The tracks we featured them on became more than what we imagined them to become once we had recorded them and they naturally blew us away in the process! We had to give a feminine touch to the album and only had one person in mind who could bring the fire the way we imagined and that was Bonj Mpanza. Her vocal range, power and diversity gave us the shivers while we were tracking her, so much that after every take either Yanick or I let out a little scream. There is no Diva attitude with this beautiful woman, only pure talent and a voice that can move mountains! Our reason for featuring these artists was because we wanted to make the making of 'Portal' a collaborative process and look forward to doing this more in the future with different, culturally diverse artists.’

A diverse album it is. Kicking off with the new single ‘Here I Am’, followed by ‘Living In a Paradise’ featuring Jeremy Loops, and then ‘Feel it’ with Khaos Cotterell, each song holds its own and has this 11-track album open up a portal to a care-free happy place where Grassy Spark found the magic sound for their album.

‘Portal’ Album Track Listing

1. Here I Am
2. Living In a Paradise (Feat. Jeremy Loops)
3. Feel It (Feat. Khaos Cotterell)
4. If I Could I Would
5. Love To Share (Feat. Bonj Mpanza)
6. In Disguise
7. Sonic Boy
8. Dancing In The Dark
9. Pyromaniac
10. Honey
11. Mona Lisa (Feat. Rudeboboboss)

Watch the Music Video for ‘Here I Am’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwPhVgj56jk

Watch the live performance video for ‘Grassy Spark – Mona Lisa’ here: https://youtu.be/Yf5FE7YfLi8

Follow Grassy Spark online:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GrassySpark

Twitter - www.twitter.com/GrassySpark

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/grassyspark

SoundCloud - http://soundcloud.com/grassy-spark

Instagram - @grassyspark

e.tv gets set to glow as the official media partner of The Neon Run SA’s September 2017 event

It’s official - Jozi fitness fanatics and fun lovers alike are gearing up for the most luminous run in SA - The e.tv partnership solidifies the channel’s commitment to providing entertainment for the whole family, on TV and experiences like this.

The 11^th edition of this funky night run and music festival is going down on the 2^nd of September 2017 at St Stithians College in Sandton and organisers are preparing for an epic event that promises to be an electrifying experience for the whole family to enjoy. Participants are encouraged to get glowing with neon gear and run, walk or skate the spectacular 5km course, which will be lit up with incredible activations. To keep pulses racing long after the finish line, top local artists have been lined up to perform at the music festival, complete with a dazzling light show and pyrotechnics.

Thanks to the incredible success and popularity of the previous events, e.tv has come on board to partner with The Neon Run. The last Neon Run saw 10 000 people attending and the numbers are anticipated to grow for the September run.

The acts confirmed for the music festival are sure to keep music lovers of all tastes satisfied and includes 5FM’s DJ Nick Hamman, Strange Loving ft. Apple Gule, Monark, DJ Abby Nurock, 5FM’s Kyle Cassim and the Kiffness. There will be plenty of good vibes to go around with food stalls, chill areas, dance areas and a bar for over-18s only.

Special Events Director of Oomph-Africa, Tavis Brown, says “We are thrilled to be working with e.tv on this event, as we are all set to bring on a fabulous day – and night – of fun and festivities. We know that e.tv are experts in bringing entertainment to SA and they were an obvious choice as our media partner.”

For more information or to book tickets for the event, go to www.neonrun.co.za.

Event details are as follows:

DATE: Saturday 2nd September 2017

VENUE: St Stithians College, Sandton

TIME: Doors open at 2pm and festival closes at 11:30pm

Make sure to the like the Facebook page https://web.facebook.com/NeonRunSA/ for updates and more details.

Other options include bulk ticket discounts as well as corporate packages available to choose from. 

Issued By: Philippa Harvey 

Michael Flatley’s Lord of The Dance: Dangerous Games ( Review)

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! The loud tapping sound that filed the Teatro at Monte Casino last night was like non other. The sound of unison dancing was chilling with the dancers being remarkably on time with each other so much so that if there was one mistake it would have been heard. Lord of the Dance never seizes to amaze me.

I watched the show when I was young on VHS, I would prounce around pretending to be one of the river dancers. In my mind I could be a part of this show. 2 years ago I saw the show for the first time, where I was fortunate enough to have not only see the show for the first time, but also to see Flatley’s last show ever. This was a very emotional experience for me, in the best way, as I was seeing an idol of mine live for the first and the last time. Fast forward 2 years, I had the opportunity to see the show again thanks to Big Concerts, and it was just as amazing, maybe even more so.( minus seeing Flatley of course).

The energy and timing was amazing. I could not keep up with the sped of their legs and feet. They moved so quickly. (Needless to say, my childhood dream will never be a reality as I will never be able to keep up) The dancers just never stopped and it was mesmerising.

The dancer’s costumes could have out a show on their own. The beautifully crafted costumes made the dancing that more amazing. There were many costume changes, and not just a few accessorises here and there, but a proper, full on costume change. The hair of the ladies would also sometimes change. It was astonishing!!!

This is a MUST see and the ticket prices are reasonable for such a world renown show.

Rating: 

5/5 BluBirds for PURE and UTTER enjoyment and entertainment

For more info about show tickets, keep reading:

Please note Michael Flatley is not performing in these shows

Cape Town: Grand Arena, Grandwest, 8^th August – 13^th August 2017

Johannesburg: Teatro at Montecasino. 15^th August – 3^rd September 2017

Presented by RSG, M-Net Channel 101 and Channel 24. Another Big Concerts Experience. Book your tickets at www.bigconcerts.co.za

Lord of the Dance Dangerous Games is excited to announce the “Pop-Up” Michael Flatley DANCE Academy Workshops in conjunction with the 2017 South African tour of Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games, beginning in August.

The “Pop-up” workshops are for everyone to enjoy, whether you are a dancer, dance enthusiast or simply want to experience our world onstage. The hour-long workshops will include a welcome from our teachers followed by a chance to learn the Michael Flatley Dance steps onstage,sneak peek behind the scenes and finally with a Q&A with members of the cast.

The workshops will take place in select theatres in South Africa where the Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games cast will be performing.

Book now for the following locations:

Grand Arena, Grand West, Cape Town: Saturday 12th August 2017

The Teatro at Montecasino, Johannesburg: Saturday 19th August 2017

For the South African tour information please visit http://michaelflatleydance.com/#workshops 

Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games is a spectacular new staging of the traditional master piece. With all the precision and thrills of the original, Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games features new staging, new costumes and choreography. The show features cutting edge technology including a giant Radiant flat screen that spans the width of the stage, special effects lighting, dancing robots and world champion acrobats.

With some of the world’s most outstanding young performers directed by Michael Flatley and new music by composer Gerard Fahy, this latest iteration combines the best of tradition with all the excitement of new music and dance.

This will be the first time the show will tour to Cape Town and will be back in Johannesburg due to popular demand since it’s previous run in 2015 which received rave local reviews.

More events coming your way thanks to BIG CONCERTS:

SilvaSale Events and Catering Open Day Review

Welcomed by Hawaiian dancers, I arrived at this exclusive event to experience the events and venue first hand that both SilvaSale and Wanderers had to offer. It all started in the parking areas where music was playing and dancers were at the edge of the red carpet welcoming us all to the event, with VIP signs, tables to enter competitions and a Schweppes drink stand where we received a welcome appetizer.

Walking through the luscious gardens of Wanderers Sports Club, I was feeling excited and calm at the same time. The gardens are so beautiful and have a send of tranquillity to it. We received our names tags, which were so professionally done, (they were hard, credit card like plastic, with our names on). We were then welcomed by friendly staff, as we walked to the gardens where there was food, entertainment and beauty. The theme here was “Mexico”, they had Mexican themed food, such as Tacos, Quesadillas, beef skewers, and much more. There was a Mexican themed singer who was dressed to the nines and a face painter to add a bit of fun. There was dancers there to entertain us during parts of that leg of the event, which was amazing to watch, there was a traditional Mexican dance as well as a sensual Tango dance that was fantastic.

The best part of this section for me was the Bacardi Stand. It was done so nicely. They were offering tasters, and later gave the guests Gin and Tonic to refresh the pallets. The stand reminded me of a rustic turned modern look that also represented class and sophistication, however was young and inventive. They also had a man dressed in a suit, looking as if he had just walked out of the “Great Gatsby”, in the best possible way obviously. He was educating us on the brand, the alcohol and the bottles. It was stunning and a great addition to the event. The Gin was also divine and I normally struggle to drink Gin.

We then moved on upstairs to be welcomed by Mojitos and a Bollywood/Indian dance. The roof was draped stunningly, vibrant colours and sound filled the great hallway. After the dancers were done, we were directed into the ballroom, which was set up in cinema style, ready for a short show and gift giveaways. The lighting in that room was amazing and unlike anything I have seen before, it was done and put together with Upstage. Morgan Beatbox was our MC for this leg of the event, he was really funny and entertaining. He said he felt like Oprah and said we should all look under our seats, I found a lovely bottle of wine under my seat, and the select few received the same or a power bank. Great prizes and totally unexpected. We were then fortunate to get a show from Morgan Beatbox, who is absolutely amazing and it’s unbelievable to watch him do what he does. We were then surprised by some dances who seemed like there were causing commotion at first as a joke, which was great then danced for us, a hip hop number to be exact. All the entertainment was supplied by Pink Angel Productions, and man did they deliver. Upon exiting the ball room, there was a ballerina who was all lit up escorting us out, with a violist playing us out, but what was amazing was that her bow was it us as well. It was amazing and a bit emotional in the best way, if I am being honest.

  

We then went to the last phase which was upstairs, it had an inside, balcony and a smaller balcony just below the top balcony. It was amazing. There was dessert there along with more casual but classy food such as biscuits, salmon, seas food treats and much more. We went down to the smaller balcony where there was a Craft Beer stand. I am not a beer drinker but I wanted to take full advantage of every experience, so I went over to the stand, where I was greeted with friendliness. The RedRock Brewery had a great stand, a friendly promoter, a friendly sales manager. They were very informative, I loved the history behind the concept and behind their beers. They combine beer with good old rock, which I loved.  I really loved the one beer specifically called “Bad moon” and it tasted great. It tasted like beer but it was light and flavourful, and a hint of fruitiness to it. Plus I got super spoilt and got to take some home, which I was super excited about. I could write forever about them, but will hopefully do a full story on them alone, so I don’t want to give too much away at once.

Overall the event was great fantastic, the venue was amazing and the people from SilvaSale were phenomenal. There was truly little I could fault them on, so I am going to give an overall 5/5 BluBirds Rating. It was amazing!!! I hope to go to many more events here.