After a musical hiatus from the local gigging circuit and a style revamp, Universal Translator (formerly known as Ten Story Fall) will be launching their debut album at Uptown Theatres next week on March 19 and 20, 2010.

Supporting acts include Andrew Osborne of Oz Fest fame and “The Rollers”.

Featuring eleven hot original tracks, “My Reality” was recorded by former Finkelstein, Bryan McLagan at Drop ‘n Roll Studios, and mixed and mastered by Rob Williams at Fountain-Eye Studios.

The band is made up of four talented young Bay musicians including Pieter Swart (vocals and guitar), Kurt Heideman (drums), Tim Robinson (lead guitar) and Brad Chamen (bass).

“We are hoping that the launch will show our fans that we are a force to be reckoned with in the competitive South African original music scene,” says Heideman.

Universal Translator’s musical style has evolved to encompass an eclectic blend of the diverse musical tastes and talents of its members. An amalgamation of rock, jazz, funk, blues and alternative musical genres contributes to an overall sound that is unmistakably and uniquely their own.

“The music and lyrics of each song are designed to capture the imagination of the audience and stimulate introspection,” says Heideman. “We hope that each song will make a permanent impression on our listeners and that they will find personal meaning in each story told.”

Don’t miss out on the launch of Universal Translator’s brand new album at Uptown Theatres on March 19 and 20, 2010. Show starts at 19h30 and tickets are R75 – which includes a free copy of the new album. This is a band that is sure to make waves on the South African music scene.

Media release for EC Talent (A project by Siyathetha Communications)

Contact: EC Talent/Siyathetha Communications:

Claire Warneke: 041 582 3750, Sibongile Xaluva: 041 582 3750

GUEST ARTISTS JOIN CENTRESTAGE BAND FOR KICKASS GUITAR SHOW

Centrestage presents its bi-annual presentation to all things musically pyrotechnical when it comes to smokin’ guitar-wizardry as the Kick-Ass Guitar Show takes the stage for one night only on Saturday 13 March at the MMM Loubser Auditorium, starting at 19h30.

The perennially popular tribute to the guitar maestros has become a tradition amongst lovers of 70’s blues influenced hard rock populated by awesome guitar, drum and bass solos.

Fronted by the prodigious talent of Donovan Hattingh on guitar and Wayne Kallis on ridiculously high vocals, this edition of the Kickass Guitar show will also feature 2 special guest artists.

Jack Rabbit Slim lead guitarist Rob Thomson will weigh in with his interpretation of classic Jimmi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn songs in front of the Centrestage All-Star band for the very first time ever, whilst Hattingh’s protégé’s, Arno Erasmus, will also take a turn trading licks in front of the band.

From much loved classics such as Smoke on the Water, Born to Be Wild, Little Wing, Little Red Rooster, Hey Joe, Voodoo Chile, Foxy Lady and Texas Flood, Pride and Joy, You Really Got Me, Eruption and the Boys Are Back in Town to the Lords of the genre, Led Zeppelin’s A Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog and Rock n Roll, Deep Purple’s Black Night and ACDC’s A Whole Lotta Rosie, the show promises to rock and blues things up respectively.

The rhythm section is provided by Gino Fabbri on drums and Mike McAully on super cool bass.

Fans of Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Metallica, Guns n Roses, Gary Moore and Van Halen will also not be disappointed as the the Kickass guitar show promises 2 ½ hours of musical heaven!

Tickets for this one-off show start at R70 each and can be purchased through Computicket.

Centrestage changes tack with its latest unplugged offering The Acoustic Sessions Part 1 – The Folk Heroes – a tribute to the great folk song-writers James Taylor, Carole King, Tom Waits, Janice Joplin, Cat Stevens, Rodriguez and Bob Dylan, taking place at Tonis Place (69 Mangold Street) on Wednesday 10 March (19h30) and Friday 12th (20h00).

The intimate show features local songbird Claire Harmse on acoustic guitar and vocals in the guise of the prolific 70’s songwriter Carole King, playing selections from her famous album 1971 Tapestry, which, incredibly, was the top selling solo album of all time for a decade before Michael Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller. She is joined along the way by Donovan Hattingh on keyboard and acoustic guitar in the alter ego of the much loved James Taylor.

The flip-side to these two gentle melodic performers will also be embraced as Harmse lends her interpretation to the misunderstood vocal powerhouse of Janice Joplin, while Hattingh displays the off-beat, bearlike sensitivity of troubadour and vagabond Tom Waits.

Big-voiced Jeffries Bay singing and surfing icon will make the popular songs of Cat Stevens and Rodriguez come alive before all 3 performers team up for a fitting Dylan encore.

Songs such as Its Too Late, Natural Woman, You’ve Got a Friend, Fire and Rain, Sweet Baby James, Summertime, Me and Bobby McGee, Piece of My Heart, Moonshadow, Father and Son, Wild World, I Wonder, Sugar Man, Rich Folks Hoax, Martha, On the Nickel, Better Off Without A Wife, One More Cup of Coffee, I Shall Be Released and Knocking on Heaven’s Door are just a few of the acoustic gems which will be played in the show.

With a cabaret styled indoor/outdoor environment with a bar and a kitchen available, The Folk Heroes is a perfect recipe for a relaxed and unpretentious evening’s entertainment.

Tickets, priced at R60, can be booked on 0413641964.

The idea of being able to have a robot version of yourself go into the world and experience anything you want without any fears or worries and not being able to die is very alluring. In this movie all of that becomes a reality in the world of the future. You control the robot version of yourself with your mind from the comfort and safety of your home.

Like with most things in the world there will always be people that are against something and will form protest groups around the world. Here we see the same thing happen where there are groups of people that oppose the idea of surrogates.

Tom Greer, (Bruce Willis), starts investigating the first murder in years where both surrogate and their operator were killed using an OD (Overload Device). He feels the need to connect with his wife Maggie, (Rosamund Pike), in real life and not through her surrogate. Their lives changed when their son was killed in a car accident and now Maggie feels she can only interact via her surrogate and not the person she really is.

More than that I won’t give away. If you are into sci-fi and futuristic movies then this is for you.

PEVibe Score: 7/10