Here's a really badly written diary of LEEK AND THE BOUNCING UPTONE'S tour...it makes some good reading I suppose.
LEEK AND THE BOUNCING UPTONES 2000 TOUR
I guess being around as a band for 6 years we’ve played hundreds of gigs and I’m not to sure of the exact amount but it’s probably been around 700 shows. But one thing we’d never done before was a tour of South Africa so a good couple of months planning and we had it organised - It might not have been the biggest tour and we definitely didn’t get as many dates as we wanted but we got it planned and this is what happened over the days…
The Team:
Andrew on vocals & guitar, early morning driving shift and all-round organiser.
Pieter on drums, lunch-time driver and "peace-keeper".
Jaco on bass & backing-vocals, evening driver and all-night drinker.
Mpho on trumpet & backing vocals, all-day sleeper.
William on trombone & backing vocals, all day sleeper.
Sasha – merchandise lady and hardest worker on the tour
Day 1 (April 21)
We actually got off on time – 04h30.
We had to pick up Mpho and Jaco who were trashed from the nights party but we all got in, and off we headed for Cape Town. We were going to stop over-night at a couple of places but after not liking what we saw we decided to shoot straight through to Hermanus and catch some zzzz’s there.
Arrived at 22h00 and half the team went to sleep and the other half went out to find some beer and girls.
Day 2 (April 22)
We eventually all got up & it was Jaco’s job to show us around Hermanus before we leave for Cape Town. First morning and we start to realise that Pieter, our drummer, seems to take longer than anyone when it comes to showering and getting ready. Halfway down to the beach and Pieter starts to panic and bitch about his nails. He needs a nail file…and quickly. We get down to the beach and can you imagine 5 punkers walking on the beach with one of them filing his nails…yep, something wrong with that picture.
Anyway, Hermanus is one of the nicest places we have ever seen, but it was soon time to pack and leave for Cape Town to play the show that night. Thanks to Mr. Pretorius for putting us up that night.
We eventually get to Cape Town’s Waterfront and await for George from Hog Hoggidy Hog to pick us up and take us to our place of stay for the weekend.
He eventually arrives with the biggest chain wallet we’d ever seen and red spiked hair.
After dropping our gear off at our respective places of stay we head off to the club. The Purple Turtle was the club and what a rad venue it was. The local beer drinkers soon left, we all did sound check and the club soon filled up with Cape Town’s punkers.
The evening shot off with Dijit on first. These guys were brilliant, on and off the stage. We had a great time chatting to them before and after the show and they were really good on stage. The closest I could get to comparing them would be Nofx I guess. These guys were there to have fun and that is what they did.
Then we were up next….well, all I can say is we had no idea what to expect. Were we going to get stoned to death or would we make some new friends? From song one the Cape Town crowd went crazy and everyone was on a natural high. The Cape Town scene is a bit different to back home in Pretoria as Mpho got the crowd singing in the mic, hardcore-style, to a couple of our songs which has yet to happen in Pretoria/JHB.
We finished our last song, all sweating like dogs and can you believe it but the crowd shouted "encore"…so we had no choice to shout out another song!
Up next was Hog Hoggidy Hog – need I say more…these guys are absolutely brilliant. They started off with a punked-up version of that "baby, baby" song by Britney Spears – what a good laugh. Anyway, the rest of their set was brilliant and the crowd was going crazy for the home-towners.
Up next was the way-too-underrated hardcore band Neshamah from Cape Town. These guys kick the ass of any hardcore band I’ve ever heard. It’s such a pity that the hardcore scene is so small in SA cause these guys are definitely the leaders in SA hardcore. Check them out next time!
We (OK, half the band) were pretty waisted but the other half were up to a bit of partying so as we found out…Cape Town does not sleep till about 12h00 the next morning. So off we went to a club called The CornerShop (I think that’s right).
It was a looooooooong night!
Day 3 (April 23)
I don’t think I’ve ever slept this long in my life. We all got up at about 15h00 which was just about time for us to pack and go to the club for Sunday’s show.
The Jam was the venue and we liked the look of it. It was the perfect shape for a live venue and with the exception of one poster the place looked great.
Everyone was still trashed from the night before and the band started getting on each others nerves. We were all tired and while doing sound check I started getting a bad feeling about this show.
21h00 appeared and the venue was empty. Our fears were starting to visualise.
But alas, we had the guys from Dijit and the crew there to entertain us. The place soon started to fill up and before Dijit went on the place was packed. Cape Towners obviously party late.
Dijit were up first and as usuall they did not dissapoint. I really like these guys and I understand they have a new CD on the way. Keep an eye out for that.
Then Hog Hoggidy Hog were up and started off with their Britney Spears cover. The rest of their set was brilliant and as usuall they were a good laugh.
Hay, then we were up and we all looked pretty tired but as soon as the song got going and the crowd got running around things were back to normal. OK, we screwed up a lot more than usual but hell, it’s punk rock. Halfway throught the set it struck 24h00 and whalla, it was my birthday. We ended the set and yet again the crowd shouted for one more and then the whole club burst into the song "Happy Birthday"….Aaaahhh jeeeezzz guys…thanks a lot. Probably the highlight of my day – thanks Cape Town. So we shouted out another two songs for the crowd and left the stage for the kids of hardcore.
Neshamah, yet again, absolutely brilliant. I cannot wait for their new CD…it will be good!
Yet again half the band went to sleep and the other half went out and partied.
Day 4 (April 24)
My birthday…yep, I’m an old man, but what better way to spend your birthday than on tour with your girlfriend and band!
We didn’t do much that day. We went to the Waterfront and took boat rides and did the tourist thing.
We eventually headed back to Hermanus for another nights stop at Mr. Pretorius’s place.
Things were going really well, so I was thinking, until Pieter decided to take half the houses wall with him on the side of the combi….there goes our Hawaiian vacation!
We had food and watched TV to eventually all fall asleep.
Day 5 (April 25)
We all got up early to head off to P.E. I took the first driving shift and headed in the direction I was told.
It was probably one of the nicest drives going trough Knysna and Wilderness.
We eventually hit P.E. and unloaded our stuff at William grandparents house. Thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Mullen for the hospitality and great food.
After phoning around we came to the conclusion that not much had been organised for us and basically nothing had been advertised or done for the show. Nevermind, we were determined to play so we headed off to the Skatebarn and started to set up. Thanks to Paulo and the gang for letting us use their equipment. Well, the gig was no where near as big as Cape Town but the 15 or so people that were there seem to enjoy it and as usual we made the best of it and enjoyed too.
That ended and we shot off for burgers at The Works in P.E. Got home watched T.V. and woke up the next morning to a big breakfast. We had a day to waist in P.E. and that is what it was. P.E. is not the most exciting place and the weather was crap, so we walked around some malls and found a guy to pierce Jaco’s eyebrow…it bled for a couple of days and we all thought Jaco was going to loose his left side of his face – oh well, it’s still there.
Day 7 (April 27)
We didn’t have too long of a drive to East London so we got up at whatever time and headed off to East London.
We stopped off at Sasha’s family just before East London and had a quick game of Cricket on the beach…yea, yea, we’re all jocks…hahaha!
William (who is a scout by the way) had the duty of getting us to the back-packers where we were staying. He had them all written out on a piece of paper with phone numbers and everything. Well, yes, he got us lost. He lost the piece of paper with the directions on. Sasha remembered what turn off we had to take but William wouldn’t listen and so we went to Gnubi and when the road went no further we had to get back on the highway and try again. But yet William still didn’t listen to Sasha and so we ended up taking the long way round. Nevermind, we eventually go there and what a beautiful place it was. The back-packers was called "Dolfin Inn Surfers Lodge" and run by William’s great Uncle and Aunt. This place is incredible and a definite must if you’re a surfer looking for a cheap, yet stylish, place to stay and a brilliant beach to surf. Go to http://www4.50megs.com/dolfininn to find out more about this place. Thanks to Peter and Desray Cuff for putting us up and feeding us for the night.
Day 8 (April 28)
We got up real, real early to head off for Margate. These roads were the worst I’ve ever seen and would definitely not want to do it again. Potholes, half roads, cows, people accidents, looters…it was all there and it was a long drive.
We eventually hit Margate and met up with an enthusiastic Cerven who was organising the gig for us at a guys 21st birthday party.
The guys from Still Thinking, who were supposed to play with us, arrived with the P.A. System (Thanks guys!) and we shot off to the house party.
Colin was the birthday boy and he seemed pretty stoked to have us there. So quick sound check and the party started to fill up with people.
It was eventually time to play so we got up. Jaco, Mpho and William were only just standing after visiting the liquor store two or three times that night. The shit went down and we had half the party going crazy. I seriously thought the sliding door was going to get smashed and other breakables would get broken soon enough. But thank god, nothing broke and Colin was as drunk as the rest of the band and was thankfull that we played. Thanks to Colin and his mom for letting us destroy there house and eat there food.
It was a long drive to Durban that night but we eventually got to Still Thinking’s place (Durban) and hit the sack!
Day 9 (April 29)
Waking up wasn’t too hard to do and we were soon off to grab some breakfast at Maxi’s. Food was good as always and we went back home to meet up with Humphrey The Tea Cup who felt they needed a practice in the Still Thinking band room. While that was going on Sasha and myself decided to take the combi in for a wash and hopefully get the scratch and dent along the side to look a little better.
The combi looked good, clean and all…but unfortunately with it being so clean it made the dent look even worse…oh well!
Back we went to Still Thinking’s place where it was soon time to leave for that nights show.
The Bat Café’ was the venue and it did not look too good. I guess even punk rockers need to go to Splashy Fen. But soon enough the real hardcore punkers arrived at the show and the first band Burnt Out were up and playing. These guys rock – fast paced punk rock with a nice original edge to it.
Then Humphrey The Tea Cup were up and as usuall they had something up there sleeve or should I say up there bikini briefs. Yep they were pretty close to nearly naked and their music rocked as always. Screeching Weasel meets the Ramones…that’s Humphrey The Tea Cup for you.
Then we were up next. Jaco and Mpho were only half as drunk as they normally are so we played a pretty good set. We had a lot fun and saw a lot of friends from our last time in Durban.
Still Thinking were the last band up and they sound a lot better now with their second guitarist. Big Millencolin influence but yet still original.
Day 10 (April 30)
OK, we’re all tired and no one is in the mood for anyone’s crap so we all get in the combi the next morning and drive home. It was a quite drive home.
Objective accomplished!!!
R1720 on petrol and we traveled over 4500km – I’m sure Jaco and Mpho’s alcohol bill came to somewhere near that too.
We made it through the tour and I have to admit it was probably one of the best times of my life. We met such a lot of nice people and made a whole lot of new friends. Hopefully we can do this next year again. Thanks to everyone who made this tour possible!!
A huge thanks must go out to the following people:
George, Sean, Adrian and the rest of the HHH gang and their families, the guys from Dijit, the guys from Neshamah, the sound man for doing such a brilliant job at both shows in CT, Mr. Pretorius, Mr & Mrs Mullen, Paulo and the Four Minute Warning gang, Jason at Skatebarn, Peter and Desray Cuff, Cerven, Colin & family, Juane & Still Thinking, Brandon at Racket Records, Burnt Out, Humphrey The Tea Cup, Mr & Mrs Strydom for the use of the combi (sorry about the dent), everyone who came and said hello, everyone who came to support, everyone who bought merchandise…and last but not least…a big thank you to the person who worked the hardest on this tour – Sasha!
Later!!!
