It was time to see what the Ashtray boys were up to, and Harrington street was packed with cars when we got to Assembly. Doors opened at 8pm, and if you were smart, you could’ve gotten tickets on webtickets.co.za for R40, but you could also buy tickets at the door for R50. The venue was packed with people who were eager to see what Ashtray had in store for us. The band is Andre Pienaar on guitar with his amazing vocals, Regardt Nel on bass and backing vox, Rudi Cronje on guitar as well as Rupert Nel on drums.
Their new album, Measured in Falls, is a more serious album than their previous one “Bonjour”, which shows how they have grown – both musically and personally after just three years in the South African music scene. And no, they have not tried to be like all the ‘other bands’ by incorporating dance and trance and drum and base like other bands feel they have to do in order to fit in with changing times, which is a plus point. The sexy Ashtray Electric feel that you like, is still what they are about. If you missed out, you really have to check them out when they play another gig, because kicking yourself now is not good enough. Like all good bands who actually care about their fans, they played some of their older stuff like “Quite Overstared” and “When Sex Becomes a Sport”, not only new stuff that everyone still needs to get used to. The boys are so talented - it is sometimes hard to believe that you are not listening to the CD, but to the actual live act. Then you look up, and their presence on stage is something ‘electric’ which drags out your soul and makes you forget for a while where you are and who is around you.
“Release”, which is a bonus track on the album with Gazelle, is the popular track off the album at the moment, which has enjoyed high rotation at various radio stations like 5FM. The other eleven tracks on the album are lyrically deep buy touching on the concept of truth, deception and manipulation which comes along with it. According to Pienaar, this is everyday concepts that everyone has to deal with to define who we become and what we want to be.
After the band got off stage, G-Zis took over with their genre of “Belief”. Alex Fourie and Adriaan Louw started their own DJ-gig, and I might add that this will make you take your dancing shoes out.
Favourite tracks on Measured in Falls are “Here comes the rain again”, “When the Weather Changes” and “I’ll Change”. The album was well worth the small amount of R110. The new band merch is pretty sexy too, just like their sound and look. Check them out, because they have been doing their own thing – and like the lyrics to “Bittersweet Manipulator” go “I don’t need to dance, I’ve got music in my blood”.
Big thanx to Biz Lounge for the pics
Follow Biz Lounge on Twitter - @Biz_Lounge
Link to Ashtray Electric FB page ------ > Ashtray Electric
And Twitter - @AshtrayElectric
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