Music in The Hills 1 February 2017

 

DIRECTIONS TO MiTH:

 

Take the N3 to Hilton, take the Hilton turnoff and go South into the Village (away from Hilton College). Travel 5,2km along Hilton Avenue (past two sets of traffic lights and Old Main Brewery) and keep going straight as Hilton Avenue turns into Dennis Shepstone Drive. At the 5,2km mark, Knoll Drive will be on your right – the entrance to MiTH is the *second* entrance on your left into The Knoll Historic Guest Farm. (Dennis Shepstone Drive is currently under heavy construction – so please be very cautious.)

 

7pm ***NEW - OPEN MIC***

If you have some talent and you'd like a shot at the MiTH stage, now's your chance. Speak to the MC on the night.

 

7:30pm - Ilan Lax

 

Local human rights lawyer, Ilan Lax, graces the MiTH stage once again. This time it's just Ilan and his guitar, doing a unique mixture of blues and folk. Major influences include CSNY, John Martyn, (many old blues legends) Marley, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, etc. More recent favourites of Ilan's are Ben Harper, Dave Mathews and Norah Jones. Says Ilan: "I have been a singer and songwriter for more years than I can remember. Music was around me in my mother’s womb and remains a mainstay and fundamental component contributing to my life-force. I write songs that reflect the many facets of my life experience, from love and family to work, the world around me and the things that move me – in the words of Douglas Adams: “Life, the Universe and Everything."

 

8:00ppm - Tim Parr

 

South African guitar and songwriting legend, Tim Parr, shot to fame at a very young age with the Joburg-based cult band Baxtop. In the 80s Tim Parr and Heather Mac formed the band EllaMental. They were huge in SA during the mid-eighties and regarded by many as the biggest pop rock act in the country. They recorded two albums and many singles for EMI Records and had several Number One hits in South Africa. The head of the Warner Brothers in New York heard EllaMental live at the Marquee club in London and signed them up to do an album with Simply Red producer Stewart Levine, after which EllaMental supported Joan Baez at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 1989. In 1985, they performed to a crowd of 125,000 people at Ellis Park. In 1994 Tim returned to SA and started the very popular South African grunge/Afro folk punk band the Zap Dragons, which included Josh Hawks on bass (now with Freshly Ground), Kholeho Mosala on marimba and Ashley Reed on drums. The Zaps quickly drew a large, enthusiastic and diverse following; playing to jam-packed rooms each time they took to the stage in many trendy Joburg night spots. Sadly the group disbanded before taking to the studio. But Parr wasted no time and 1996 He released a solo album, "Still Standing," from which the single “If you Rush You Crush” reached No. 4 on 5FM SA, and the songs “Love Will Find A Way” and “Still Standing” both reached No. 1. A timeless gem, 19 years after the album was released, “Still Standing” reached the top 4 in the International Songwriters Awards of 2015 in USA. The album, a treasure of afro jive rock which has a truly unique South African sound, was released in limited quantities, now regarded as a collector’s item. Tim has performed to audiences in South Africa, USA, Ireland and England and has shared the stage with international artists such as Crowded House, The Hothouse Flowers, Joan Baez, Paebo Bryson, Rory Gallagher, Champion Jack Dupree, Little Steven (guitarist for Bruce Springsteen band), Tribe after Tribe, Millie Jackson, to name but a few. Tim now lives in Cape Town and performs regularly with the all star team of the Tim Parr Greenworld Collective

 

9:00pm - Gerry van Rensburg

 

A Maritzburg local, and a very skilled and entertaining performer, Gerry Van Rensburg will have you smiling, singing and stomping your feet in a heartbeat. His covers range from old faves to contemporary blue-chip hits...and his searing sense of humour will have you smiling, guaranteed. Gerry's mixture of blues, rock and pop appeals to every ear, and he's well-known for getting many a KZN party going.

 

ABOUT MiTH:

 

MiTH is a semi-open mic music club. An opportunity for musicians to share the joy of their music with a friendly audience which includes fellow musicians – who have all “been there” too. (Non-musicians welcome too!) Whether you’re a newbie looking for your first opportunity to perform publicly, or a more experienced / mature musician simply looking for people who are as passionate about music as you are – come along and join us!

 

News supplied by MiTH.