Monday, April 30, 2007
Breakfast with Corne & Twakkie
I received a reminder message this morning, from the comedy duo of T*M*A*S (The Most Amazing Show), the most magnificent Corne & and most lovely Twakkie, who have a show starting now at the beginning of May.Lenny & I have bumped into Twakkie twice in the last few weeks; the first time when he was trying to get in the backstage entrance at the Springbok Nude Girls Peace Breaker launch at the Tafelberg Tavern (we eventually got him VIP tickets so he wouldn’t cause a scene!); and then last week when we were in a meeting with our design team at iaminawe shouting something about breakfast (it was lunch-time by then) and so we told him to just mail us!
"Like your lady bringing you breakfast in bed on the morning of which you of forgotten her birthday, here we are - Me, Corne, and my little friend Twaks, as a gentle reminder.Our show, which is called 'Breakfast Bonanza' is on Saturday and Sunday mornings at the Kalk Bay Theatre. The time which it will be is 1030 am, every Saturday and Sunday from May 05 till June 24th. Pre-booked tickets cost R65, and are combined with, included kind of a thing... the loveliest free coffee...Could you believe it?"
You can telephone the Kalk Bay Theatre on 073 220 5430 to book yourself a place for the greatest show in the world.
PLEASE NOTE: Breakfast is NOT included.
So here is a little piece that iaminawe put together for T*M*A*S Very Late Show, when they hosted the Smirnoff International Comedy Awards… it’s the very late show, so you can get to the Kalk Bay Theatre nice and hungry for breakfast!
Have a great day folks!
Labels: Corne and Twakkie, iaminawe, shows, T*M*A*S
Thursday, April 12, 2007
i am in awe
OK - I am excited! I have been mentioning that we are in the process of imploding our present look, and that there should be a huge explosion when we hit the road running with our new corporate image, around the end of the month, beginning of the next. And of course, it also means that I am also going to get the blog a magnificent new set of clothes!Iaminawe are incredible (Gregg & Angella...love you guys). I wanted a warm African design; one that spoke of the powerful emotions that this continent evokes, warm deep colours, full of the silhouettes of people, performers, & African design.
I wanted it to show some of the spirit of South Africa, and I think we're damn well getting there! More to come.
Labels: iaminawe, peak performances
Monday, March 05, 2007
From BBC Food to T*M*A*S
The day before we arrived at the Beach Camp last week, there had been a mini production going on with the filming of the second series of Justin Bonello's Cooked: Weekend's Away for BBC Food. The idea of taking a whole lot of friends away for a weekend, and cooking up some storming meals, while filming the lot, just does not seem like hard work to me!Thing is that I went to school with Justin, and was in his sister Tanya's class, so it's great how leaving your secure home area by visiting a new place, you not only get to meet people from around the world, but from your own past too!
I think I need to sit down and find more reasons to go and chill in Paternoster!
But, back at the office things have been running very nicely, and Angie & Denise have had quite a few awesome bookings come through, that I'll chat about as they come on in time.As a small hint about one of the artists we've confirmed, we do want to congratulate Dozi on getting engaged yesterday!
He will be sending through some material for me to upload and get out there, so more about this English/Afrikaans/Zulu singing man who also gave us that wonderful version of 'Die Donkie' (The Donkey):
Ja die donkie is 'n wonderlike ding (Yes, the donkey is a wonderful thing)
O, die donkie is 'n wonderlike ding (o, the donkey is a wonderful thing)
Hy trek as hy staan en hy vrek as hy gaan, (He pulls as he stands, he dies as he goes)
Die donkie is 'n wonderlike ding (The donkey is a wonderful thing)
On another exciting note - it looks like we have our first tentative date for the official launch of our new sites, and iaminawe is going to be working their butts off to get the whole Peak stable streamlined and looking funky!
They have been very busy of late, and now that they have the 2007 Design Indaba behind them, we are next in line! Gregg sent me a short clip of some of the stuff they have been putting together for Corne & Twakkies T*M*A*S (The Most Amazing Show), and so I'll end off with some of their animations!
Have a great week folks!
Labels: beach camp, Corne and Twakkie, Dozi, iaminawe
Monday, January 29, 2007
Rodrigo and Gabriella - Mexican Acoustic Guitar
Last week our designers – I would love to actually be able to say our designers, but unfortunately we don’t have enough money for that – so I’ll rather say the designers from iaminawe, Angella (Kuch Coppen) & Gregg (Coppen - Mr. Coppen!) came by, for what eventually amounted to an 8-hour meeting!They are in charge of designing new logo’s and a new-look website for Peak Performances, as well as a funky new image for Peak People, my own personal little ranting & raving space!
Having worked very closely with iaminawe in the past on our own projects; and having seen much of the exciting work they have done for other companies (including designing the stage for the 10th Design Indaba) we are always very excited when their emails start arriving, giving us loads of choices by playing with different themes that they just know are up our alley!
So exciting times are ahead – after all, Peak is in its 11th year now, so it deserves a bit of spoiling!
Today I would like to introduce something a little different, but very much in the World Music genre. I found a video of an unbelievable Mexican acoustic guitar duo, Rodrigo (Sanchez) & Gabriella (Quintero), while searching for acoustic music. I was spellbound. And so its seems are many others, as they are doing pretty well on the general charts of Ireland, where they are based.Having met as teenagers in Mexico City, Gabriella joined Rodrigo’s band Terra Acida (Acid Earth) that played at some of the roughest clubs in the city, with them having to survive off day-jobs to make ends meet. They did record one album at the time, but there were issues with the record label, and so the couple decided to head for the greener pastures of Europe in 1999.
This exotic couple immediately made an impact in Dublin, getting gigs at private parties, weddings and art exhibitions, and then headed for Denmark during the winter time to busk – being from Mexico I am sure nothing could have prepared them for busking the streets in 3 degree’s! From Copenhagen, they went to Barcelona, Manchester and then back to Dublin where they were asked to open for a busking friend at the new Sugar Club. In 2003 they released “Re-Foc” and a year later, “Live Manchester and Dublin”.
So now you know who they are – but what do they do?They are both heavily influenced by their love for Metal, and it comes out especially in Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”, but there is no one name for the style that they play. They describe it as ‘straddling both World & Rock’, but there is lots of classical acoustic, along with their Hispanic roots.
Let this little clip stream, and then watch Rodrigo’s amazing finger-picking style; he is able to get your heart to beat at full pace with the speed of his fingers, while Gabriela builds a rhythm that makes you feel like you got ants in your pants – Mexican ants full of Tequila!
So enjoy this lil bit of Southern Hemisphere solidarity and respect I have for these World music artists – they are creating sounds that are influenced by their lives and surroundings, no matter where they are, or how far from home, the result is pure music!
I am in awe.
Labels: acoustic guitar, iaminawe, peak performances, rodrigo and gabriella, web design
Friday, October 20, 2006
iaminawe - show reel 2006
I have mentioned the iaminawe crew a few times this last week – Gregg and I have had some contact, as he is going to be assisting me with upgrading my websites at the beginning of November. (Whoohooo - excitement!) Angella is visiting her family in Canada, and I am sure will be visiting the UK too, so poor Gregg is pretty snowed under at the moment.
I love hearing that small companies are too busy for words.
The funky thing about Gregg, is that he is not only a pretty pro animator – having produced works for artists such as David Kramer and Goldfish, and the Corne & Twakkie comedy duo, but he is a very good VJ – that’s a Visual DJ for those who thought it sounded abit strange: an artist who accompanies a regular DJ or band, and produces visual images to compliment the music.
Iaminawe's high quality motion graphics and animations can be used for a variety of different mediums for broadcast, live events and also web delivery. And in order for Gregg to be able to create the animations he does, he needs Angella's illustrations and design - and what a pro?! She has developed such a unique style, that no mater how different the product, you can feel Angella's vision making it alive. You can see some of their work here, but know it involves some crazy creativeness!
These were some cliches Angella and Gregg created for our Freedom to Celebrate range of CD's & DVD's (more info coming soon) - and without them The African Music Collective would've been drab!
So whether in design, or as a funky VJ combination, they are pure artistic expression. Incorporating live footage into the visual mix, and abit of style and professionalism iaminawe is all of the above and more.
Check out their show reel for 2006 – and all of us at Peak hope you enjoy your weekend as much as we plan on doing!
I love hearing that small companies are too busy for words.
The funky thing about Gregg, is that he is not only a pretty pro animator – having produced works for artists such as David Kramer and Goldfish, and the Corne & Twakkie comedy duo, but he is a very good VJ – that’s a Visual DJ for those who thought it sounded abit strange: an artist who accompanies a regular DJ or band, and produces visual images to compliment the music.
Iaminawe's high quality motion graphics and animations can be used for a variety of different mediums for broadcast, live events and also web delivery. And in order for Gregg to be able to create the animations he does, he needs Angella's illustrations and design - and what a pro?! She has developed such a unique style, that no mater how different the product, you can feel Angella's vision making it alive. You can see some of their work here, but know it involves some crazy creativeness!
These were some cliches Angella and Gregg created for our Freedom to Celebrate range of CD's & DVD's (more info coming soon) - and without them The African Music Collective would've been drab!So whether in design, or as a funky VJ combination, they are pure artistic expression. Incorporating live footage into the visual mix, and abit of style and professionalism iaminawe is all of the above and more.
Check out their show reel for 2006 – and all of us at Peak hope you enjoy your weekend as much as we plan on doing!
Labels: Corne and Twakkie, David Kramer, goldfish, iaminawe, VJ Gregg
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
David Kramer's Onnerwater
I have mentioned before, with a sense of pride and belonging, my ‘boere’ blood and how my roots run deep into the South African earth. My mother, Gaynor Brand, born and raised in the Boland town of Worcester was raised in an English speaking household, and so the tradition has continued – which is why this blog is in English, and not Afrikaans.But it wasn’t always so. I mean President Brand was pretty Afrikaans, as was the Springbok Gerry Brand (who I think still holds the record for the longest drop-goal scored against the English at Twickenham, and whose 100 conversions were only equalled by Percy Montgomery this year!), as was the Portkeeper of Simonstown Christoffel Brand, who regularly hosted Lady Anne Barnard at his home, as well as officers like Captain Cook. Pictured right are my grandparents with their Wolseley (I stand to be corrected...)
I always enjoyed the stories my mom told me of her childhood in the Hex River Valley, and all the people she knew there.
One such person was David Kramer, an icon of the South African music industry since the mid seventies. David or ‘Sweetpea’ as he was known as a kid, was slightly younger than my mother, and went to Worcester Boys High School before going to study textile design at Leeds University in the UK.David wasn’t your regular Bolander, and my mom always said that she knew he would end up doing something different to his peers. He released his first album in 1980 – Bakgat – but it was immediately banned by the SABC and government, because of the language he used to portray a satirical look at life, politics and because of the way he mixed his languages.
David had a number of hits such as Blokkies Joubert, Royal Hotel & So Long Skipskop – a song about forced removals of people in small fishing villages around the Cape. But David really became something special to us all after he was asked to become the image of Volkswagens microbus in 1983. With his red veldskoene, his bicycle, old guitar and lekka grin, David was seen travelling up and down the country-side dusty roads for 13-years, winning the hearts of South Africans.
David collaborated over the years with a number of artists, producing many hits such as District Six with Taliep Petersen, The Eyes of their Whites with Paul Slabolepszy, Fairyland and Poison, another successful collaboration with Peterson. He directed Marc Lottering’s From the Cape Flats with Love & Big Stakes and Slap Chips, shows such as Karoo Kitaar Blues and his latest CD release Huistoe, which looked at the development of Roots music in the dry Karoo. And of course there is Goema, once again a magical pairing with Taliep Peterson, where he explores the roots of Cape Music.David is proud of his roots, that much is evident looking back at his 25 year career.
So we were very excited when our friends at iaminawe came and brought us a copy of David’s new music video for Onnerwater at the end of last year – and we’re pleased to be able to present it to you now!
Labels: David Kramer, iaminawe, Taliep Peterson
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Goldfish'ing all night
The wind just hasn’t stopped pumping in the last few days; battering the entire peninsula with and endless howl and whistle as it squeezes through every little crack in the house; under every closed window; rattling every door in its effort to go through, instead of over the top. So we’ve been living in a sort of goldfish bowl, unable to open anything for fear of it landing on Robben Island, looking at the world outside and wondering when its going to end.
It’s quieter now. The Cape of Storms is taking a breather.
So in celebration… (I am so excited!...) I am going to let you watch a very cool Goldfish vid, made by some friends of ours on the other side of the peninsula in Fishhoek – Gregg & Angela from iaminawe (I-am-in-awe for all those thinking you had suddenly stumbled on a Xhosa site!) Greg & Angela do some of the most awesome work – see for yourself – and are involved with some of Cape Town’s most progressive entertainers, musicians & corporate clients, and as they describe the work they do ”Iaminawe is a nomadic experiment in lateral living. It is travel, passion, culture, movement, originality and creativity."
Damn – that wind was blowing all day, and All Night!
Labels: goldfish, iaminawe, Robben Island
