Travel Vignettes
I know this is the first update in a while, and I do apologize. I’ve been busy burning in the African sun, and generally being a waste of life. Here’s a list of the things I’ve been up to recently.
1) Surfing
I hadn’t been since 7th grade, and I forgot how fun/hard it is! My housemates and I took a Saturday about two weeks ago to spend all day at the beach and give surfing a shot. We got up early – 8am is early to those of us under 25 – made some breakfast and some strong coffee, and headed off. We took the metro rail – wait, that requires some explanation, timeout.
The Metro Rail is Cape Town’s rail system – it’s all above ground and runs through the center of the city all the way out to the suburbs. It comes in two flavors, Metro and Metro Plus. Metro Plus is kind of like business class, except the tickets only cost about $0.80 anyway. Safety is too much to ask from public transit in South Africa at the moment – I wouldn’t ride it alone, and certainly not at night. Security is tighter for the World Cup (which yes, everyone is crazy about), but no sense in being reckless. The trains can also get pretty packed – I think I may have posted this before, but youtube Cape Town’s “metro surfing” for an idea of how some people get around here.
Anywayyyy, we took the metro out to Muizenberg, a great beach about 30 or 40 min outside of Cape Town. It’s the Indian Ocean. That’s right, I’ve now been in 3 oceans. Big stuff. The water is much colder in the Atlantic, so everyone tends to just go to Muizenberg for the warmer water. We rented a few surfboards to split between us, and got cracking. It is hard, and exhausting. Maneuvering on a surfboard is cumbersome if you’re not used to it, and I wiped pretty often. After a few hours in the water, I was exhausted and I had ingested way too much salt water for my own good. I managed to get up a few times, hopefully I’ll give it another shot before I head back to the US. I might just stick to bodyboarding, though, such an easier/more entertaining activity.
2) Pride Cape Town
Cape Town just had Gay Pride week, and this past Saturday was the Pride Parade. It’s the biggest pride event in Africa. When we saw the small size of the parade, my housemate reminded me – we’re in Africa. “Biggest parade on the continent” is all relative when you remember that gays may face the death penalty in Uganda and gay marriage (or just being gay) is off the table in most countries.
Regardless, a fun time was had by all. The parade was pretty solid, and we just hung out at a gay bar all day – my housemates were dismayed to learn that gay bar bartenders are almost universally straight. Apparently to keep their minds on their jobs and not other things. I actually had to dip out early in the afternoon, because…
3) DJing on UCT Radio
I met a guy at a party a few weeks back, and he happened to DJ. He had a friend, who DJ’d on the radio. Call sign? 104.5 UCT Radio Maximum Respect. Apparently people listen to college radio here. Anyway, he’s got this Saturday 6pm to 9pm slot and has been doing the show for quite a few years. It’s mostly really really groovy deep/soulful/jackin house. The sound of South African electronic music is unreal.
Well, anyway, I was invited to show up last week and hang out in the studio. Short story even shorter, I got invited back for this past Saturday to do a set. Played a little american pop, but quickly worked into some heavy bass and indie/disco/filter house. It was a great way to spend an afternoon, minus the fact that it was 80 DEGREES IN THE STUDIO. SO SWELTERING. No fans, vents, etc.
4) Goldfish Live @ Kirstenbosch
Kirstenbosch is a botanical garden at the foot of Table Mountain. It is so surreally beautiful. They throw concerts in the summer, kind of like Tanglewood but cooler. Today was the sold-out Goldfish show. Goldfish? Ah, yes. Two guys who play house music live with a 909, a few synths, an upright bass, a few saxophones, and a flute. It is exactly as good as it sounds. I first saw them at beach-club La Med a month ago, and both shows have been a lot of fun. They’re so well respected and liked by South Africa, the entire crowd was cheering non-stop for 2 hours. Including the guy who climbed one of the speaker towers and danced on top of it.
I turned around to see what everyone was staring at, and there he was, 50 yards away, dancing on top of a 20ft speaker tower. It was both hilarious and frightening – I kept waiting for him to fall. Finally Goldfish stopped the music, had him climb on down, and they started up again.
I highly suggest youtubing their song Fort Knox. It made for a great evening, just relaxing to great music surrounded by the Kirstenbosch gardens.
I’ve got some pictures to throw up, and some more updates to throw out (I’ll be Pony Trekking in Lesotho in a week and I want to hike Table Mountain for sunset). I’ve also got a few more DJing gigs in the works at some of the really great venues around town. Should make for a good few months.
MOOMBAHTON!
Dave Nada took some dutch house and slowed it down, putting a reggaeton beat behind it. The first track he did this with was Afrojack’s Moombah, so out popped “Moombahton.” It’s groovy, and definitely worth a listen.
Just for fun I threw together my own “moombahton” track this afternoon, you can grab it right here. It’s not nearly on Nada’s level, but it’ll let you get your fix in. The original track is Mowgli’s “London to Paris,” and yes, that is a Cruel Intentions sample you hear in there.
Ezra Mechaber – London To Paris (Moombahton Edit) [mp3 download]
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Pon De Foley
This is massive. “Axel F” (of Beverly Hills Cop fame) pushed up against Major Lazer’s “Pon De Floor.” One of the grooviest things I’ve heard in a minute, expect to hear this at every hipster dance party for the next month and a half.
And here’s the link: http://maddecent.com/blog/pon-de-foley
Music & Neocolonialism
Pop music is pop music. That’s what I’ve learned. It doesn’t matter where you are – the US, UK, Australia, France, Italy, or Germany. Take a look at the Top 10 on iTunes and dollars to donuts you’ve got some pretty similar lists. I mean really similar lists.
But South Africa is on a different continent, maybe we’ve got something different?
Nope. Most of the clubs here play straight Top 40 – Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Ke$ha, David Guetta, Kanye West. You name it, and I’ve heard it here.
A few weeks ago, when I visited a middle school in Oceanview (a township outside Cape Town), we heard that some kids had a hip-hop dance troupe and were going to be performing. And I was stoked to hear some local hip-hop. There was a DJ there, who played with them. What did I he play? Top 40 hip-hop. Some TI, the David Guetta remix of Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling,” and a few other songs that just weren’t very noteworthy. They were amazing – apparently they’re internationally ranked – but I couldn’t shake the idea that middle school students in a poor suburb are growing up and listening to our incredibly materialistic music.
I think it’s interesting that South Africa imports music from the US like it does – it’s such a different culture, but they want the same things we want in their music. I don’t know if that’s escapism, or consumerism, or what, but I do know that they like our music, and absorb our messages. For us Americans, our pop music sometimes just feels like stuff we happen to listen to because its on the radio. But by importing it, are South Africans tacitly saying “I support that message, I like the lifestyle they’re selling”? Maybe, it’s hard to tell. Maybe it’s the same reason white kids love gangster rap.
As my hipster-ish professor of African culture likes to say, Cape Town thinks of itself as “a city in the world.” It wants to be global and cosmopolitan, which often has the effect of really pushes aside a lot of issues and local culture.
That’s the other thing – there is SO MUCH GREAT LOCAL MUSIC. Either the really rough kwaito sound or the incredible deep and jacking house sound, they’re so lush and emotive. They have a sound that is definitely not like the music of the US. Now I just have to find some places to actually hear it.
All of this is to say that I don’t really know how much any of this matters – is music just music? Are we making a statement when we listen to particular kinds of music? Is there anything even wrong with that? With the internet making the world global and the easy access to mp3s, is this even a valid conversation anymore? And maybe I’m just being ethnocentric.
Music:
This is kind of a weird selection, but I’m going through old stuff on iTunes and I felt like sharing. It’s hardly new, this song got leaked to a blog in October of 2008. The quality is terrible, because it samples a video game commercial. Seriously.
But it’s so good – I love how playful this thing is. I don’t have a direct mp3 link – I’d upload it, but there’s no way I’m paying $1 just so that you don’t have to wait 15 seconds.
Camron – Oh No You Didn’t [4shared link]
Dear Authentic Bagels
I miss you.
There’s not a lot from the US that isn’t available over here. Tobasco is imported (which is good, because I forgot to bring my hot sauce), and there’s an even better local alternative: peri-peri sauce. I have yet to see Siracha, but I’m sure I’ll find it at some point. Crackers (like my dearest Cheez-Its) are a little hard to find like they come in the States, but once again there’s usually an alternative.
No, my biggest gripe is the lack of great bagels. Sure, you can buy some from the grocery store but they just aren’t the same. I’m almost too afraid to go to the breakfast place marked “New York Bagels.” Will I just be setting myself up for disappointment? When coupled with the expensive price of cheeses over here ($3 for a tiny block of cheddar, $4 for 8 or 9 small sprinklings of parm for pasta), it means I need to start learning how to make different foods. My old standbys of cheese sandwiches and bagels just aren’t feasible. On the upside, I’m learning to cook halfway decently. I have a feeling that a lot of Mediterranean food will play well (minus the cheese) – the climate is pretty darn similar.
Also, what’s the deal with coffee here? Cape Townians love to drink hot coffee, espresso, cappucinos, lattes, mochas, you name it. But do they ice them? No. That’s a little weird, considering that the temperature was 96 degrees fahrenheit yesterday. I’m making do – lots of cold smoothies and mango lassies are doing quite nicely, but that doesn’t answer my question of why hot coffee is so prevalent here.
United States beverage companies really need to start pushing “Dry Lemon.” It’s sparkling lemonade that’s just the tiniest bit bitter. I don’t know if the drink is readily available in the US, but it’s everywhere here. It also happens to be amazing. Actually, it’s a bit like the San Pellegrino Limonatta, but even less sweet. Really perfect for a hot afternoon. It pulls double duty as a great mixer out at clubs and bars – generally mixed with a splash of vodka to give it an even cooler taste.
All of this is to say that I miss a few foods from home, but I’m not real upset. Chances are when I’m back in the US I’ll have all sorts of food that I miss from Cape Town, and I will have something else to complain write about.
This looks so cool
Charge your iPod, camera, phone, whatever. In a wall socket. Like you’re supposed to, instead of attaching it to your computer. Whatever, I think it’s awesome. And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
(via TUAW: Macworld 2010: Fastmac’s USB-enabled wall outlet.)
First Day of Class
^Yes, this is our house, yes we grilled all of this, and yes it was delicious. Grilling like this in South Africa is called a braai, it’s Afrikaans for “roasted meat.” I checked wikipedia, so you know it’s good. Oh, and check out the new promo mix. I’ll get back on topic now.
On a scale of 1 to Cool, I would most likely rate my class schedule as “Cool.” I’m taking Mythology, History of Southern Africa through Colonialism, History of Feast and Famine (economic rises and falls in the world), and a grad-level class on race and identity.
The classes have all been incredible so far. My Mythology prof. is sassy and incredibly well-read, and my Southern Africa class started with a talk on dinosaurs. Feast and Famine should be interesting, and my grad-level class is allowing me to do a non-traditional work for 25% of my final grade. For those of you wondering, non-traditional includes a soundscape/mixtape, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have such a chance to do sampling and delve into local music some more. And for those of you wondering, yes there are a lot of hipsters in that last class – with this much discussion on post-modernism, how could there not be?
But that’s not important. The important part is that my classes will be delightful, and, broken-hearted though I am over dropping African Traditional Religion, it was definitely the right choice. The class, all Americans, will be focusing for the first few weeks on ideas that Rochester’s religion department taught me freshman year. Incredibly important things, certainly, but I don’t really have the patience to sit through a month in which the professor attempts to explain to non-majors the importance of recognizing ethno-centrism’s influence. How’s that for an ethnocentric outlook?
CPT Summer Club Promo
Just a short promo mix I finished up a few days ago. A lot of Cape Town clubs cater to the Top 40 crowd, in case you’re wondering about some of the uncharacteristic song selections. Enjoy!
Ezra Mechaber – Cape Town Summer Club Promo [mp3 download]
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Tracklist:
- Tittsworth – September
- Major Lazer – Keep It Goin’ Louder (Tommie Sunshine remix)
- Ke$ha – Tik Tok (DJ Skeet Skeet remix)
- Chuckie & JD – Let the Bass Kick
- Ce Ce Peniston – Finally (Kam Denny & Paul Zala remix)
- David Guetta & Akon – Sexy B**** (Yoni Edit)
- Amanda Blank – Shame On Me (Chew Fu refix)
- La Roux – Not Your Toy (Jack Beats remix)
- Wiley – Never Be Your Woman (Solo “Loves Garage” remix)
- Kid Cudi – Day N Nite (Sneak Bang Acido remix)
- Little Boots – Meddle (AC Slater & Skeet Skeet remix)
- Robyn S – Show Me Love 2009 (AC Slater remix)
- BBD – Poison (B. Rich remix)
- SubFocus – Could This Be Real
Oops
An apology to those of you reading this and looking for a music blog, I’m well aware this has shifted tone pretty substantially over the last few weeks/months. The real problem is the internet connection here – it’s expensive. When I get a chance I’ll post a few new songs (google: “major lazer vs r kelly hood internet” for an incredible blend). Also, I’m about to sit down and write a post about the club and music scene in CPT, so look out for that. I’m passing out demos like CRAZY, trying to talk my way into the booths. Oh, and I finished a new promo mix – it’s got a hefty dose of top 40 for the clubs around here, but I’m reasonably proud of it. When I get the bandwidth, I’ll throw it up.
A Fresh Set
Registering for classes was a pain. We really take for granted the technology-access in the states – the internet is so cheap that we use it for EVERYTHING. Like registering for classes. Not in Cape Town. No, at the University of Cape Town we register in person.
At the University of Rochester, there are about 4,000 undergraduates. When they register online for classes, it’s sort of like a virtual line – first come, first serve. Now imagine that line in person, with people winding around the academic quad just waiting to sign up. A royal pain, right? Now imagine that you go to a school like the University of Cape Town, with an undergraduate population of 20,000. Welcome to class registration.
I lie, a little – Semester Study Abroad students have their own line and classes don’t usually fill up, but it’s still 700 students all trying to register at the same time. I waited in various lines for a good two or three hours, enjoying the lack of air conditioning and kicking myself for forgetting my book. But here’s the thing: when you’re abroad, everything is an experience, and even the most ridiculous bureaucracies seem novel. Definitely makes life more palatable to view everything with a fresh set of eyes. Note to self: remember this when back in the states.
When everything is an adventure, a learning experience, or a way to pass the time, how could you ever be bored? Getting lost on campus or getting ripped off by a taxi is a learning experience, and if you can frame it that way it feels much better. Why bemoan a process that takes forever when I’m not really in a rush anyway? Life here is a constant adventure, and as long as I keep that in mind, how could it ever be bad?