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South Africa

A postcard from Cape Town

October 2001

By [Loophole]

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the closure of SA's premier beats club, 206live. It was the local council demanding all the correct licences and the fact that the neighbours started complaining about noise levels. 206live championed our scene for over 5 years and that was our beats HQ. It gave us the freedom to "fuck it up" every weekend. They hosted most of the breaks DJs that have visited our shores, including The Runaways, Aphrodite, Cut la Roc, Derek Dehlarge, Jon Carter, Mampi Swift, Stanton Warriors and more. The scene in Johannesburg has taken a serious knock and it's been back to the undaground for all the DJs and supporters. There's a party once a month, or so, that brings the original hedz back together, but this is all on a small scale. The drum 'n' bass and hip hop scenes have also felt the knock. Respect to Alan & Rob for keeping it going for as long as it did!

Blunted Stuntman

Here in Cape Town, however, things are stronger than they have been. The winter months encouraged a lot of fresh ideas and these are what we look forward to becoming a reality. District 206's Friday night Breaks is still the regular hedphunk session, with DJs like Damani, AK-47, Grinder, Chesh & Anton all putting in there share of hard work to keep it cooking. Chesh & Anton are having a great time in the psychedelic outdoor scene. Chesh's brother Reagan is signed to Nano Records for his contribution to the Trance scene and this rubs off on his brother nicely. I have started a new residency in Stellenbosch, in a fantastic club called LIFE. This happens on a Thursday night in this student town and they are really up for the new sounds. I did a radio show there for most of last year, so the seed's been planted. At this time of year there are a couple of new venues opening up, in anticipation for the summer season. Eyes have definitely been open to the new sounds so we can all, hopefully, get some gigs in some bigger venues.

The drum 'n' bass massive is still fairly massive in Cape Town, with their regular "Homegrown" party at The JAM being supervised by Animal Chin and the Algorythm Recordings stable. They are getting represented by a Canadian label for a couple of vinyl releases and have invited DJ Red to play at the end of the year. Cause 'n' Effect have taken over The Lounge again with the aid of DJ Trouble. He's still one of the hardest working drum 'n' bass DJs in town and has built up a decent size rig for the outdoor events!

African Dope Records have been well received by their European distributors, Lowlands and their performance at Pukkelpop did them no harm. We walked into a record shop after the festival and found two kids listening to their "Acid™ made me do it" album on the headphones. Studio Brussels is still punting "King of the Swingers" although the new version of the CD features Animal Chin's remix and not the original any more. The fourth album to be launched on the label is Kalahari Surfers. This will happen on 10 November here in South Africa. There's more exciting news that week as Sony SA releases "African Dope Vol.1", a compilation of Moodphase5ive remixes, new Felix Laband tracks and an introduction to a whole bunch of new artists. 2002 sees the start of Ready Rolled Records, a new off-shoot of indie label, Sheer Sound. They intend to indulge in the same fresh sounds that African Dope have showcased and will be taking some tasters over to Midem in February.

The Oppikoppi Festival (SA's biggest and most diverse musically) was unbelievable this year, with international guest including Luke Vibert, Gavin Hardkiss and Buscemi (Belgium). It featured Myles, Damani, Nutrix, Krushed & Sorted, Felix Laband, Bob and a Blunted Stuntman as the local representatives and the dancefloor cooked way into the mornings during the weekend. I was then off to Pukkelpop (Oppikoppi has a exchange program running) to do roadie work for Krushed & Sorted and Max Normal, SA premier beats collectives. I never got to spin at the festival, but did, however, get to play at an after-party which got the promoters keen to have me play at the festival next year. C U there?

March this year was the last breaks DJ visit, Stanton Warriors (oh, let's not forget Dieselboy). I got to see them at Fabric (shit that place rocks!) and at Pukkelpop. They are booked to come out in February, when I'll take them on a national tour. The big-one in the pipeline is an outdoor festival in February. 3 dancefloors and a massive sound system, never before attempted here. There will be more about this soon. "Urgent - Nu Step on the Breaks" happens at The JAM on 9 November and features all the Cape Town DJs doing the beats on 2 floors.

A scene fit and healthy and waiting for a bit more inspiration from visiting DJs. Cape Town is always open to guests, so if anyone needs an African holiday, Summer only ends after Easter and with the exchange rate at 13:1 to the pound, this should be a pleasure. How about you and some friends?

URGENT
Nu Step on the Breaks

Since it's creation in the early 80's breakbeat culture has crossed the boundaries of all the genres of dance music, from Hip Hop to Electro, 'ardkore to Drum'n Bass and 2 Step to Nu Skool Breaks. Come and celebrate 20 years of breaks, over 2 floors, with the DJs making it happen today.

In 206 we represent one of the strongest drum'n bass scene's in the world with 4 DJs who have dedicated their lives to breakbeat science. Fletcher is the DJ behind the ubiquitous Krushed & Sorted duo making waves globally with their African Dope Records. Alon, or as he calls himself A-33, is the strongest member of Cape Town's infamous Sublime crew and a co-host of the drum'n bass show broadcast on Bush Radio every Tuesday night . Animal Chin and his Algorythm Recordings stable are now global playaz in the drum'n bass arena and host the hugely popular Homegrown parties. Trouble is the hardest working breaks DJ in Cape Town. His input is ever present, his nights at The Lab are the talk of the underground and now that he has time in the studio, beware!

The Jam with a fresh vibe plays host to the more boppin', get down beats. The real party pot that throws in all the best bits and comes out with a sound championed by 206 since the Mad Blunt Posse took over Friday nights in 206live (JHB) in 1997. It has continued to rock a Friday crowd in Cape Town and promises to do just that on this occasion. Damani has known how to rock a crowd since he opened The Shack all those years ago, his keen interest in breakbeat music has led him to be one of the key residents at the club weekly. Blunted Stuntman is fresh from a stint up north where he got to play a couple of impromptu sets in Belgium and a great gig at Oppikoppi. He is constantly promoting breakbeat music nationally and is the key playa at District 206. Chesh, along with his partner Anton are prominent on the out door circuit and touch on the more psychedelic edges of the music. He, at one point, described their style as "Gangsta Trance", but yes, breakbeat all the same! AK-47 finishes off the line-up as the success story of the year. Adam is now giving lectures on DJ technique and the culture that surrounds us.

On Friday 9 November, this event will take place at the home of Cape Town breakbeats. The Jam & 206 venues are situated at 43 deVilliers Street in District 6. With a fresh vibe, it will cost R30 before 11pm (be aware that by this time you have already missed Fletcher and Damani!!!) and R30 thereafter. For any more information please contact The Jam's office, at 021 465 3099.