God may forgive your sins, but your nervous system won't.

LMG 50^th Issue Party at Mercury Live, CT Zonnebloem

LMG the Live Music Guide to all things epic celebrated the release of their 50^th free music magazine (yes, entirely free) on Friday night in Cape Town. Mercury has never been so riddled with musicians, photographers, reviewers, and fans. The awesome event showcased only the crème de la crème of Cape Town’s scene.

Taxi violence opened the event around 21:30 and impressed the hoards with their acoustic set featuring some friends from other local bands, We Set Sail and The Sleepers. Then it was over to the baby-dolls of Rockabilly, Peachy Keen followed by the kings of 80s attitude SABRETOOTH and finally Taxi Violence’s more energetic stuff with a glitter-clad axel-grinder man. (True story.)

Taxi Violence’s acoustic set was pleasantly pumped and got the people moving, Skinheads and Hippies alike (fascinating, I know). I couldn’t see anybody standing still while Peachy Keen took to the stage. They’re a duel fronted hillbilly rock poppy blues jumble band with very sexy vocal harmonies by tattooed fifties pin-up dames Dominic Otto and Alex Wise. I am ashamed to admit it was the first time I’ve seen them play and I am officially a devoted fan. They absolutely put the roll back in Rock’nRoll which I do applaud but I was far more interested in the hard rock part of the evening that only metalheads could bring.

The changeovers were so seamless that I only noticed SABRETOOTH had set-up because they hauled their signature fans (as in electric hair-blowing machinery not fleshy miscreants) on stage. They blasted the room with 80s inspired progressive hard-rock. The technically brilliant masters of their craft shredded their way through a powerful and ballsy set straight to the heart of the chaos. Stage diving fans hurled their bodies off stage into a writhing pit of muscles, leopard-skin, headbands and hair. The band was tighter than their leather pants and the only things beating faster than their drummers pedals were their man-crushes’ pulsing hearts.

Gyppo-pirate-hooker-rockers, punks, drunks and afro-funks hit the floor in a big way to party in honor of LMG’s contribution to the Music industry. The bizarre combination of patrons is a testament to the diverse appeal of the music magazine. Shout out to Mike ‘LMG’ Smith and his crew: “Hail!”

Bands like Enmity, A Walk with the Wicked, Heathens, AB Turbo, Fox Comet and The Sleepers rocked-out in the crowd showing their support.
What a sterling night! The foot of the stage was packed with sweaty happy people bumping about from the very first band until the DJ booth put forward some good old one-hit-wonders and some classic 70s/80s tunes till 3ish… everything after that gets a little messy.

Quality drink specials all night may or may not have been a contributing factor to the anorexia of my wallet! And the contrasting growth of my belly!

After a killer international standard event like this I am proud to be a supporter of local music. If you love music and you love Cape Town here are some gems to litter your conscience: Buy local Merch, Don’t bitch about paying entrance, take taxi’s home and will somebody please knit those bouncers some gloves!!!