IMPORTANT NOTICE!
WELCOME, You are in the old website section up to 2011, please click HOME to view the website in the new 2012 design and system. THANK YOU!
LAUDIOLOGY Paris and Rome Adventures
Published Date
08 June 2009
Author / Submitted by
DJ Mo Laudi
Article Image
From dining at the Gabriel Pavilion opposite Nicholas Sarkozy’s house with European dignitaries, having discussions about the new SA president, to celebrating SA Day, drinking copious amounts of champagne and playing on the rooftop of the biggest festival in Rome.
Greeted by South Africa’s female ambassador to France, Dr KLM Sebati, along with many military attired guests, it was quite intimidating and I felt under-dressed in jeans, shirt and blazer. There were only a small group of South Africans compared to the SA Embassy events in London. Serving biltong and fine SA wines, I spoke to ambassadors who expressed their joy for SA as well as the anxiety of what kind of president Zuma will be... a man who tells business leaders what they want to hear; and people in poorest areas what they want to hear! A man who mentions he wants to return to Mandela’s style of government, to be inclusive, and also a gentle slight to Thabo Mbeki’s style, to be exclusive.
Political insights aside, I played Dissonanze, Italy’s biggest festival, in the centre of Rome featuring some of the hottest acts - Bat for Lashes, Buraka som sistema, DJs Dixon, Ame, Radioclit and the legendary Laurent Garnier (who some credit as one of the first to bring house music to the UK)! He told me how he met Tumi from SA rap group ‘Tumi and the Volume’, and was stunned by Tumi’s stage presence, clarity of his words and humbleness, and how he then invited him to feature on his album.
I also spoke to German house masters Ame, who love playing in SA and the great crowds there! The highlight of the evening (except for me rocking the mic with Afrikan boy and Radioclit), was Portuguese collection Buraka som sistem who mixed kuduro, kwaito, rock, drum ‘n bass, dubstep house, baile funk and miami booty bass - going crazy on stage with their African inspired dance moves!
Kuduru is Angola’s version of kwaito, but faster and absolutely mental! As Laurent Garnier says ‘you listen to 50 songs and feel like you’ve heard it all until you see Buraka live! This is furious Afro beat mixed with electronic synths and guitar samples... this is the future!
Greeted by South Africa’s female ambassador to France, Dr KLM Sebati, along with many military attired guests, it was quite intimidating and I felt under-dressed in jeans, shirt and blazer. There were only a small group of South Africans compared to the SA Embassy events in London. Serving biltong and fine SA wines, I spoke to ambassadors who expressed their joy for SA as well as the anxiety of what kind of president Zuma will be... a man who tells business leaders what they want to hear; and people in poorest areas what they want to hear! A man who mentions he wants to return to Mandela’s style of government, to be inclusive, and also a gentle slight to Thabo Mbeki’s style, to be exclusive.
Political insights aside, I played Dissonanze, Italy’s biggest festival, in the centre of Rome featuring some of the hottest acts - Bat for Lashes, Buraka som sistema, DJs Dixon, Ame, Radioclit and the legendary Laurent Garnier (who some credit as one of the first to bring house music to the UK)! He told me how he met Tumi from SA rap group ‘Tumi and the Volume’, and was stunned by Tumi’s stage presence, clarity of his words and humbleness, and how he then invited him to feature on his album.
I also spoke to German house masters Ame, who love playing in SA and the great crowds there! The highlight of the evening (except for me rocking the mic with Afrikan boy and Radioclit), was Portuguese collection Buraka som sistem who mixed kuduro, kwaito, rock, drum ‘n bass, dubstep house, baile funk and miami booty bass - going crazy on stage with their African inspired dance moves!
Kuduru is Angola’s version of kwaito, but faster and absolutely mental! As Laurent Garnier says ‘you listen to 50 songs and feel like you’ve heard it all until you see Buraka live! This is furious Afro beat mixed with electronic synths and guitar samples... this is the future!
Images (1)
Prev
Next
