Temples on Mars to rock Bay fans
London-based progressive rock band Temples on Mars will embark on their first South African tour and perform in Port Elizabeth on Saturday January 26.
The quartet – including two South African members bassist Darren (Daz) Carikas and guitarist Gerald Gill – materialised in 2017 when former members of Agent, The Spindle Sect and Starseed came together.
The South African tour follows the band’s return from a UK headline tour of their debut self-titled album and festival dates at Euroblast in Germany and Progpower in The Netherlands in 2018.
“It’s only fitting to go full steam ahead into 2019 with a tour of half the band’s motherland. The scene is thriving in SA with amazing local bands and a great amount of international touring acts pulling in,” Carikas said.
Gill said there were amazing bands coming out of SA.
“We really enjoy the other bands that we are going to be playing with in SA. We had a chance to see Deity’s Muse on their UK tour and grew up with bands like Lithium, Springbok Nude Girls and Boo! We really love the scene,” Gill said.
The Port Elizabeth leg of the tour was added after the band noted interest from their fans in the city after the initial announcement of the tour.
“We had an overwhelming response from people in PE asking as to why there was no show there after the initial tour was announced,” Carikas said.
Carikas and Gill said they looked forward to giving their other band members – guitarist and vocalist James Donaldson and drummer Dean Gibb – a taste of SA.
“We are going to spend most of the time in the Cape – drinking wine, eating seafood and having lekker braais,” they said.
Temples on Mars will be at:
● Mercury Live in Cape Town on January 25;
● Pool City in Port Elizabeth on January 26 with Bay band All We’ve Known;
● Arcade Empire in Pretoria on February 1; and
● Rumours in Johannesburg on February 2.
All shows start at 8pm with doors opening at 7pm. Tickets are R100 at www.plankton.mobi