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Tomorrowland 2012 – music festival shoutOut 1 day, 15 hours ago by Maike in peeps |
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I’m not sure, but am I the only one who is getting the feeling that everyone is talking about this year’s Tomorrowland music festival? Plenty of my friends are already constantly posting about it on Facebook. Others are saying that attending this incredible music festival is their goal for 2012. I don’t have any past experience with this festival, so I tried my best to get as much information about it as possible. I must admit that I’m really impressed with the sound of this upcoming event. It’s that kind of festival that every electro fan dreams of going to. Once you attend Tomorrowland you will find yourself coming back again and again, until it starts to become an addiction. Tomorrowland has been held in Antwerp, Belgium since 2005 and is a massive success every single year. People seem to have the most enjoyable time of their lives and the music brings everyone together. Tomorrowland is basically the Glastonbury of the house-music world and the Coachella of the trance nation. Tomorrowland always has an immensely diverse stage set up, which including dancers, a smiling sun with a functioning opening/closing mouth and amazing fireworks. This is something you seriously don’t want to miss out on. I wanna go there so bad!!
Tomorrowland – OFFICIAL DATES: 27 -29 July 2012
If you would like to find out more about Tomorrowland please cruise across to their homepage.
Now this is what I call the ultimate electro music festival. It’s insane!!
Miriam |
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Toffie Pop Culture Conference 2012 shoutOut 3 days, 16 hours ago by DuncanBoxie in peeps |
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The Toffie Pop Culture Conference is one of the most anticipated events on the South African design calendar. Jammed packed with the best local and international design talent you could ever hope to see, the Toffie conference is a spectacle of delights for those of us with a more creative perspective on the world.
This will be only the third Toffie Pop Culture Conference since its inception and promises to be bigger and even more explosive than in previous years.
We are talking about more than 60 of the most talented creatives from every corner of the world, amassing underneath one roof for a feast of ‘sensory glory’.
The Toffie ‘experience’ is directed more at hardcore industry peeps and those individuals who take design and the act of sharing it with the entire universe very seriously. It is a place where emerging designers can run shoulders with some of the biggest names in the industry. This is, especially for South Africans, a chance to network with people of diverse and thought provoking design backgrounds. Sharing ideas, collaborating, voicing opinions, being inspired, making offers that cannot be refuse….the Toffie conference is all this and more!
This insanely cool event will set you back R750 (+R250 for workshops) and will be held over three days at the Cape Town City Hall (30 March – 1 April).
I mentioned that there are workshops for an additional sum. Please be aware that these workshops have mega-limited seating. So if you would like to attend you will need to be very quick in snapping up some tickets. Each workshop will only allow a maximum of 20 people…yep, that is all folks. The event promises to be filled with fun and quirky activities. I hear they will also be running a contest between international teams of designers in celebration of the upcoming London Olympics. Teams will have to rush around the Toffie Conference doing all sorts of odd challenges and no doubt making complete fools of themselves in the process…sounds great!
To keep up to date with all the news and happening for the Toffie Pop Culture Conference its best to check out their Facebook page or their Twitter feed. This is going to be out-of-this-world boys and girls! If you are serious about design and creativity in general, then you simply cannot miss out on this event. |
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Up the Creek 2012 - REVIEW shoutOut 4 days, 17 hours ago by DuncanBoxie in peeps |
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The Up the Creek 2012 music festival lived up to its reputation and then some! No more will I wonder why this festival has such a strong following, or why every year people travel from all over the world just to sit in the river and listen to some bands. This festival is truly something special. I may have been to quite a few music festivals in my day, but I can honestly say that this is the most chilled, superbly positive and accepting festival I have ever had the pleasure of attending. What I really enjoyed was that the organisers managed to pull together a perfect mix of musical styles. It was also a great opportunity to see bands that don’t get nearly enough exposure compared to the usual commercial selection of bands.
I honestly don’t even know where to start when it comes to the bands. There was so much talent that it’s actually difficult to single out favourites. However, my ‘band of the festival’ and also a band I’ve been meaning to see for a frigging eon was Shadowclub. These guys are seriously good. They honestly have so much potential, solid lead vocals, inventive riffs and a driving energy. When Good Morning Killer came on the crowd went ballistic. To top it all off they even managed to get a little mini mosh-pit going at the front…which I attacked with much gusto. Who would have thought I would be moshing it up with a crowd that are famously laid back? Perhaps the most ‘commercially well known’ band that played was the ever impressive Aking. Singing along to Safe as houses was so much fun…what a song, what a band! They rocked a pretty groovy gig, even considering that the lead vocals got a bit drowned by the instruments. Machinery had a similar problem, but in reverse, Sanni’s vocals were too loud and crushed Andre’s insane guitar work. My worst moment of Up the Creek came when we realised that we wouldn’t make it in time for Jeremy Loop’s set on Friday night. We literally missed it by 30 minutes. I have been telling my girlfriend about Jeremy for ages and really wanted her to witness his musical genius. Luckily he joined Machinery on stage during their gig…however it was only for one song and he didn’t get to show off any of his looping skills, so sad! It is always a pleasure when I hear a band and instantly connect with their sound. The Kongos blasted the crowd with a fresh infusion of rock, which really got the audience moving. Interestingly enough their musical back ground resonate with the South African crowd, because the four band members, who are also brothers, spent much of their childhood in SA. Their father, John Kongos, is a well respected South African musician who is entrenched in the SA rock scene. They are currently recording in Arizona, but who knows maybe we will be seeing even more of them in the near future. They are on tour in South Africa at the moment, so check their tour dates here. This is a band I will be writing a dedicated post about very soon!
Just when Up the Creek couldn’t get any more surprising the crowd received a wonderful uplifting announcement! Two long time Up the Creek festival goers, Blues Broers band member Rob Nagel and his partner Maggie
The organisers did a pretty good job of coordinating the event itself. Yes there were a few stuff-ups, but that’s the same with any festival. There will no doubt be plenty of people complaining out there, I’m sure of it. To be honest about the biggest mess-up was the mobile Standard Bank machine, which was out-of-order from early Saturday evening…ouch fail! Maybe go with FNB next time, lolz. Oh and the guys at the healthy option food stall ran out of Jalapeno poppers way too quickly, hehe. Ok, that’s all ;)
What is the true magic ingredient of Up the Creek? Yes it’s the music, the atmosphere and the breathtaking prime location, but there is something more. Perhaps it is the fact that there is no divisible line separating the All I can say is that I am well and truly hooked! I have undoubtedly caught the Up the Creek 'bug' and will make the pilgrimage in 2013…I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
Up the Creek 2012 was insanely fun and now sits firmly as my favourite South African music festival. |
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Monday design inspiration - Alex Ruiz shoutOut 5 days, 16 hours ago by DuncanBoxie in peeps |
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These days it seems like there is such a vast multitude of amazing designers to spend your day perusing online. With so much inspiring design out there I find it pretty easy to miss out on designers that are truly noteworthy. One such designer, which has completely captivated me of late, is Alex Ruiz!
Although Alex is currently based in California, he actually grew up at the rather ominously named Black Caves (Cuevas Negras) of Mexico.
The work that Alex produces is mostly science fiction in nature with a smattering of fantasy infusion. Alex’s sense of scale is intense. All you have to do is take a look at few of his mind-bending sci-fi landscapes/terrains and you will see exactly what I mean. It’s rare that a designer is capable of expressing the immensity of far future mega-tech landscapes. First he amazes you with its intricate delivery and rich color, and then it terrifies you as you look to the future and ponder if Alex’s realities will someday become a part of our existence.
One of my favourite aspects of Alex’s work is his ability to create gargantuan high-tech facilities and colossal spaceship’s which seem to dwarf entire planets. His designs hit me with an overwhelming sense of awe – I just feel lost in their sheer size – they swallow up my senses. If Iain M Banks ever gets involved in creating a few graphic novels, this is the designer who he should hire for the job.
Would you like to see more of Alex Ruiz’s work? Time to get inspired – let your imagination run wild through spiralling alien corridors, leading into a realm of sprawling robot overlords and creatures of chilling power and magnitude! Alex Ruiz is simply EPIC!!! |
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Moss Art – a different way of design on the streets shoutOut 1 week, 2 days ago by Maike in peeps |
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Hey there guys and girls! For the past few days I have been looking at different kinds of street art for inspiration and was really amazed by the new discoveries I came across.
Moss Art, better know as Moss Graffiti, is such a great way to let creative people express themselves in an urban setting. Even better, moss art is eco-friendly as it lacks the toxins and chemicals of regular art materials. Normally the designer will use a mix of yoghurt and sugar to stick the moss onto bricks. However, another method is to blend moss with yoghurt and sugar and then paint it onto the wall. After a few weeks of being watered, the moss begins to grow. There are also some moss graffiti artists who prefer to attach their creations in a ready-made form. Whatever the process is, using moss as art invariably means that the nature of the art will change over time.
During the last few years artists such as Edina Tokodi and Jozsef Valyi-Toth have created many different kinds of Moss Graffiti throughout New York City. Their work is better known as ‘Mosstika’, which also describes their pseudonym. Their work even has the power to captivate people who are in a rush (New Yorkers are always in a rush!), who can’t help but stop by and take some time to have a look at their incredible artwork. It basically assaults passers-by on multiple sensory levels. It’s soft, it’s alive and it’s shaped in such a way as to remind us of life without big city lights, stress and noisiness. For a short moment you can relax, breathe and even rest your body just by looking at the Moss Graffiti. I must admit, I’m really surprised that a little bit of green art can truly change the vibe of city life in such a very positive way. I’m desperately trying to find more examples of this art form in other cities around the world.
Have you discovered green art or even moss graffiti in your neighborhood? It would be great if you could share some images or links to graffiti art with me! I can’t wait to see even more inspirational street art like this. Miriam |
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Massive Attack - South African tour 2012 shoutOut 1 week, 3 days ago by DuncanBoxie in peeps |
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Ok so I nearly swivelled straight off my chair! Ok, well, actually this is still very much a rumour. Apparently Massive Attack will be teaming up with the guys behind the Sonar music festival in Spain. Together they are looking to host Cape Town’s very own version of this acclaimed festival and all over the exact same weekend that Design Indaba will be on. That’s right - it coincides with Design Indaba which is running from 02-04 March. That is exactly a month from now…WOW so soon!!! Obviously details are still rather sketchy at this point, but I will keep my eyes and ears open for any and all info regarding the Massive Attack concert in Cape Town. I’m not exactly sure if the event will happen at the Design Indaba itself (CTICC) or if they will simply play ‘somewhere’ in Cape Town.
Does anybody have any solid reconnaissance to confirm this rumour? If you hear anything please let us know. Massive Attack concert Cape Town – please make this happen!
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Robot design - evolution shoutOut 1 week, 4 days ago by DuncanBoxie in peeps |
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Robot design has changed so much over the years! These days you seem to have three prevailing groups of robots that continue to make their presence felt: mecha, retro-robo, contemporary
Mecha is the term given to robots (more precisely gigantic robot-like battle armour) that come from a Japanese animation origin, otherwise known as anime.
Take a look at this perfect example of an anime style robot design. Ahbiasaaja’s illustration ‘And outcome the Wolf’ shows the scale that some of these mecha can reach (which can in actual fact get much, much larger). Most diehard fans will usually list mecha such as those from Macross and Gundam fame, as your stereotypical mecha designs.
Retro-robo is the kind of robot design that our parents and grandparents remember from their youth. Stretching as far back as the weird and wonderful rounded robots during Asimov’s time, to the shapes of the 80’s, I would consider all of these to be retro. The humanoid style of the time, such as the C-3PO automaton of Star Wars, was a very popular trend in robot design that continues today.
Finally, contemporary robot design. Wow, this is a rather difficult category to define. The reason for this is the fact that the robotic design trends of the past all seem to have been integrated into what we term modern robot design. Retro, and more recently anime, have totally entrenched themselves in the minds of designers and undoubtedly the influence has become inescapable….nothing wrong with this at all, this is the evolution of robot design! I found this awesome illustration of the Star Wars B-2 Super Battle Droid. This is the exact kind of hybrid robot that incorporates a retro aesthetic with that of the anime influence. While this droid didn’t exactly look super hot in the movie, this illustration does look pretty awesome. I’m afraid I could not find the designers name, apologies there…anybody out there know his name? Where do you think robot design will go in the future? Have you got any awesome examples of robots that you feel don’t fit any of these 3 categories…I would really love to see them. R0b0t5-4-3v3r! |
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Springleap Loves : Toya DeLazy - Pump It On shoutOut 2 weeks, 2 days ago by DuncanBoxie in peeps |
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There is so much talent in South Africa’s music industry that it is often difficult to spot the gems amongst the gravel. That is except for singer songwriter, Toya DeLazy (aka: Latoya). This talented young singer, who also plays the piano, writes music and composes mind blowing music. Wow, that’s like the complete package isn’t it?
Toya deLazy started playing piano at the tender age of 9 and has since gone from strength to strength to become one of SA's most promising muscial talents. When you try and dissect Toya’s unique sound you are hit by a multitude of influences that range from R&B, soul and pop, to more classical sounds and the before mentioned jazz edge. The resulting sound is so spectacularly unique that it, please forgive me for saying this, doesn’t sound like it was produced in South Africa. Toya DeLazy has released her first single entitled Pump It On This has been performing very well on the local scene and fast become one of the songs of the Summer. Pump it on made its debut on 5fm (play-listed instantaneously…by the way) and has subsequently infiltrated just about every station in the country, including the college radio station, which I suppose makes sense when you think about this tracks party vibe. Definitely one of my best summer hits for 2011! It was impossible for me to shake the feeling that Toya is destined for big things. Everybody I have spoken to here at the Springleap HQ is in love with this girl’s voice and the creative blend of soulful pop infusion. Her music, particularly Pump It On just makes you wanna dance until your feet catch alight. Toya has now released the music video for Pump It On The video which was created by Adam Thal and Tristan Holmes of Star Productions. Well, these guys did an ace job of the music video, let me tell you. Although with the sheer power and talent that Toya DeLazy puts out there it was important that the video look and feel of the same quality….which they certainly pulled off with style – Great work!!!
One of the first things that struck me about Toya DeLazy’s music was the fact that it was very slickly produced. I mean you have to hear how well this music is put together. When I found out that Pump It On was produced by Jax Van Heerden and Johnny Deridder of Soft Light City, the dudes who put the zing in Jax Panik, it all suddenly became clearer. There is so much we would like to know about Toya. I feel determined to discover more about the woman behind the music and how she is able to create such a unique sound, especially when originality in the music world is seemingly dying at an ever increasing rate. Thanks for making my summer that much more special Toya, you kick serious bum! |
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Samsung Smart Window - see the future shoutOut 2 weeks, 2 days ago by DuncanBoxie in peeps |
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Geeks and techno-fiends alike erupted with cheers as the CES (Consumer Electronics Show 2012) let rip with a barrage of amazing devices that will undoubtedly trickle into our lives throughout the year and give the commercial market a boost into this-is-the-future tech. There were big strides by all the usual giants, but the device that got me the most excited was the preview of the new Samsung Smart Window. In essence this is a transparent LCD display, without back light units (BLU), but which incorporates a sort of ambient light display. This now means that the screen, or ‘window’, is completely transparent – you could now place this as a window overlooking your garden, or perhaps the window in your office.
The Samsung Smart Window may use ambient light, but the device will still work in low-light settings by harnessing the power of an “invisible BLU”. This creates luminosity when night falls or when you switch off the lights! The Samsung Smart Window has already been likened to the interactive screens of Minority Report and bear a striking resemblance to rudimentary ‘vid-screens’ found throughout popular science fiction *happy dance*.
Somebody I spoke to about the Samsung Smart Window was worried how much power this baby would suck! However, I read that most of the power drawn from your typical LCD display actually goes to the BLU’s, which this device goes without. This means that the Smart Window actually uses a tenth of the power a traditional LCD would….how about them apples, hehe. For you secretive types don’t worry that people on the opposite side can’t see what you are seeing, because the screen itself is one-way, with a mirrored effect on the opposite side. When these tasty gadgets will go into mass production is anybody’s guess. Samsung is keeping ‘mum’ on the release date, but when you watch the video you will see just how close they are to developing a commercially viable product (honestly they probably already are).
Who knows, we may be pulling Tom Cruise Minority Report impersonations by the end of the year!
I would love to hear your thoughts on the Samsung Smart Window. |
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Die Antwoord - new album - Ten$ion shoutOut 2 weeks, 3 days ago by DuncanBoxie in peeps |
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Love em or hate em, South African music group Die Antwoord became an overnight sensation with their own unique blend of Zef music, which seems to be here to stay. Yup, that’s right, Die Antwoord are back! There has been quite a bit of hype surrounding their future and musical direction lately. Other than the massive billboard for SCAR Hair in the Cape Town CBD, featuring Ninja, I haven’t seen much of them.
Fans have been wondering whether they would keep their new material close to what we have come to expect from them or if there would be a new evolution to their sound. Last week, Die Antwoord fans were treated to the release of the first single from their upcoming album, Ten$ion, which is due for release on 07 February 2012. The track, I Fink U Freeky, has a seriously retro video-game sound to it – you know, the ‘shooty pew-pew’ sound effects. Also, after I finished listening to it, I felt like I had been taken on a rather nostalgic joyride back to the early 90’s ‘techno’ scene. It has an almost 2 Unlimited sound and vibe…no insult intended by the way! Die Antwoord have now subsequently released a teaser trailer to promote their forthcoming album, Ten$ion, which is set to release on February 7.
This rather dark and quirky video clip shows Yolandi Vi$$er transformed into an evil looking 'Tikoloshe'-like creature with a vicious visage and a penchant for the taste of demon blood. The short video is a teaser for the new album and features their newly released single, I Fink U Freeky, mentioned above.
The costume and make-up design in the video seem to resemble the artwork of South African born Jane Alexander…more specifically her work entitled, The Butcher Boys. There are so many people that give the group flack for their ‘dirty’ lyrics and hate the idea of South Africa being associated with a bunch of people who they consider “common” trash. Fact of the matter is, they have a legion of fans here in SA. People, especially the youth, identify with their sound and choice of lyrical savagery. Burying your head in the sand and acting like they have no impact on our local scene is pretty much like omitting the “G” from a gin & tonic…it just can’t be done! Here is the full track and video for I Fink U Freeky - GIVE IT A LISTEN (WARNING - explicit language)
As you can see, Die Antwoord never fails to cause a stir! They make people stop what they are doing and pay attention. It may be ‘shock factor’, it may be crude and at times embarrassing from a South African social perspective, but it is nearly impossible to not keep an eye on their movements, such is their own inherent magnetism. Just do yourself a favour and prepare yourself for more Ten$ion in the traffic :P Follow them on Die Antwoord Facebook Page and their Twitter account to keep up to date with their album launch. Also check out their website - WWW.DIEANTWOORD.COM - and MySpace profile for more zef-ness. Die Antwoord are still perched comfortably on their Zef Throne! PS: Check out I Fink U Freeky and let me know what you think ;)
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The organizers of the event are enticing the crowd with not only an impressive line-up, but also by only announcing little bits-and-pieces of info at a time. Updates of which top international DJ’s will be attending are released slowly over a 6 month period. This is cool because the year is then filled with gifts and mysteries – true to their motto ‘Yesterday is History, Today a Gift, Tomorrow is Mystery’. You can get a little impression of the line-up 



































