Die Heuwels Fantasties rock the Lounge
THE mood at the Lounge on Friday evening was initially a little tense when one of the amps blew up, and staff were seen running around to fix the sound before the two guest bands took to the stage.
However, due to their hard work before the show, concert organiser and Lounge manager Antony du Bruin was confident that everything would be working when the show finally began. And he was correct in his assessment, with the opening band, Ace Decade, blasting out their music with no apparent problems.
While the staff worked furiously on their fix, Talk of the Town managed to speak to frontman of Die Heuwels Fantasties, Pierre Greef, and asked him about the band’s music.
“Music should be a conversation between all participants; the singer, the band and the audience,” Greef said. “There is no better way to experience a song than when it evokes your own image of what is being played.”
Greef said that the band’s music was a collaborative effort by all of them.
“The band members get together and start a conversation about things that have happened or are happening, and a song develops from that,” Greef said. “Different people may hear different things in the songs. It is up to them how they interpret them.
“The music grows organically. The interaction of the band members inspires the music.”
Die Heuwels Fantasties are the hottest Afrikaans band on the charts at the moment, so their trip to Port Alfred was a boon for the younger people in town who flocked to the Lounge after dark on Friday to experience some great Afrikaans music.
“We have never played in Port Alfred before as a band, and we know that we must go out and meet our fans,” said Greef.
“Some young bands think that, because they produce a good single, that is all there is. But, there is no longevity unless you get out and support the people who are supporting you.”
Although Friday evening’s show had the amps switched up loud, the band’s music can be quite mellow and heartfelt, and can be listened to on headphones. However, nothing beats the deep bass (played by bass guitarist Hunter Kennedy of Fokofpolisiekar) and drums (Sheldon Yoko), interlaced with lead guitar (Frederick den Hartog) at a live concert.
The audience, mainly although not exclusively comprising under-30s, rocked out to the songs from their albums Die Heuwels Fantasties, Wilder as die Wildtuin, Ales Wat Mal Is, Wens jy was hier and their album released in 2014, Ja Nee Lekker.
“There is a lot of good music out there,” said Greef. “But what makes it great music is the people.”