Kahn, coz I can (a music post)
I like to (on occasion) pretend to be a grownup and spend some time with my hubbie having a grownup evening out. Having kids do make this harder, coz now we are talking babysitters as well, but when the event is important enough plans can be made.
So when I heard that Kahn (yes, Parlotones' Kahn) will be performing at "Die Boer" in Durbanville, gears started clicking...
First, I strongly hinted at my hubbie. Soon enough I outright nagged, and started looking for a babysitter in the hope that we will be going. So when he let me know that he got tickets, I was thrilled. As one does when you leave your kids in someone else's care, last night I told the young ones to "be good" (what does that mean anyway?) and had the 6 year old pipe up... "listen to the kidsitter you mean, we are NOT babies." The 10 year old just rolled his eyes, and I am unsure if it was aimed at me or the little sister.
Sporting a black dress (any colour as long as it is black, right?) and Dr Martens boots I was ready to go. I mean hair washing and make-up happened, so you know I wanted this. We went a bit earlier so that we could have dinner as well. And man was it worth it.
I decided to try "Die Boer's" speciality dish, "pap en vleis." It was a revelation. "Pap" is a maize dish (think mashed potatoes, but not made from potatoes) and the "vleis" (meat) was sirlion steak (I asked for it rare, as one should) and it was covered with a delicious blue cheese sauce, with slices of biltong. It was amazing and I am slightly salivating thinking about it now...
And then there was the music.
The show was opened by Michael Lowman, who mostly stuck to a melancholy ballades - a dude, wearing a cap, playing his guitar vibe. He semi-apologised that his songs for the evening was mostly about a breakup, and mentioned that us listening was a great way to get things off his chest. It was the right sound for the start of the evening though, and I was wondering if the fact that I haven't managed to write a great song, might be related to me being a little too happy. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm a miserable git most of the time, but maybe just not miserable enough to write great music...
But let's face it, I wasn't there for Michael, I was there for Kahn (sorry, Michael).
I have been a Parlotones fan long before I needed babysitters to be able to have a night out, but I have never seen a "Kahn" performance. This made me curious, does Kahn sound like the Parlotones, or do the Parlotones sound like Kahn? Or am I in for something completely unfamiliar to me?
I had reason to be optimistic when Neil, also drummer of the Parlotones, took to the stage. He was joined by Rob on keyboard and Trevor on bass guitar. And then of course: Kahn.
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| Kahn at "Die Boer" - photo by Suki Lock |
I must admit, Kahn's beard threw me a little... Not as much as it would've though, coz at least I did see the makings of a beard in a picture of Kahn and Rob with my muso/world-wanderer friend, Jacques "die groen man" Geldenhuys - Jacques, you will always be a little green to me ;)
And then the music started, and it was exactly what I wanted. Guitarry (that's a word, right?) sounds with Kahn's voice. Reminiscent of the Parlotones of old, the Parlotones I love.
What was also great was the intimacy the venue allowed. The last Parlotones performance I went to was in the Artscape, but this was an up close and personal experience with Kahn and his band. More so even with the quips from Rob regarding "not punting" their album and Trevor, tight jeans and all, desperate for a drink (don't worry, he'll get the jeans reference). And then Neil and later Kahn stopping and restarting a song coz "I lost it for a moment" - it made it real... they're only human after all...
I was also greatful that a couple of Parlotones songs did make it to the night. Well, really it was just "I'll be there" that mattered: one of hubbie and my "songs." Even knowing that it was written as a wedding song, the kind that couples can gush over at weddings (I read this in the Parlotones book, if you are a fan - you either have it or should have it), didn't stop hubbie and I from staring into each other's eyes and bordering on inappropriate kissing...
Of couse, for me a standard emotion during an evening like this is the regret that I gave up on music 20 years ago. I'm not sure if a life of venue to venue is what I want, but for a moment I wished I was the one on stage... Or hubbie. Maybe I should have married a muso, coz my man spends his days with the wrong kinda keyboard - the computer geek kind. He does have the "look" though. Unless you know the band (or my hubbie) you will be hard pressed to figure which one is my one in this photo:
He's the one in the red scarf, second from the left. The picture is from a show the Parlotones did with the ZipZap Circus last year - it was astounding!
The other option (other than being a musician or marrying one), is to be a groupie. Unfortunately the fact that I have a husband and children make this a bit harder, along with the fact that I have just a little too much self respect to toss my bra at the stage...
This didn't stop us from getting into the vibe though. Both hubbie and I did a lot of "leg-drumming" and I may have spent a little too much time staring at Neil trying to match his drumming style. Apparently this was noticed, in the car back home hubbie mentioned that when he was chatting to Neil afterwards he commented that he saw us "rocking out". And this is a perfect example of how hubbie and I differ: I felt immediately embarrassed and hubbie is like: "what's with you, it's cool!"
I have admired the sounds Neil can produce with a smaller drum kit for ages (just to clarify, it's not miniature or anything, it's perfectly normal sized, he just has fewer drums in the set). But after seeing how many guitars Kahn totes around I'm starting to wonder if the toms (drums) weren't left behind coz there wasn't space for them ;)
Either way, embarrassed as I was to realised the drummer noticed my leg-drumming do-along, I am likely to repeat the action when the mood strikes.
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| One of Kahn's guitars with drums in the background - photo by Suki Lock |
I loved last night's show and if it wasn't for the babysitter requirement, I would have very likely been off to see Kahn tonight again.
But you can, here is where they will be the next few evenings:
Tonight (26 July 2018)
Cafe Roux in Noordhoek
Tomorrow (27 July 2018)
Ou Meul Teater, Paarl
Saturday (28 July 2018)
Evita se Perron, Darling
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If there are stupid spelling etc mistakes, please try to ignore for now. I typed this up on my phone, sitting in my car in a parking lot, while killing time before a meeting. Will read and correct where needed later.
xxxSuki
Jagged Daisy ::/ www.jaggeddaisy.co.za
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