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Rewriting SA's rock landscape
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November 18, 2009
By Therese Owen
The popularity of The Parlotones is mind-boggling, to say the least.
Probably not since the days of Rabbitt, back in the 1970s, have this country's rock and pop fans gone so crazy for a South African band. And even then, because of technological progress, the band's impact on our lives is greater than that of Rabbitt.
Their Facebook account, through which the band marketed their historical performances this weekend at The Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg and at Grand West Casino in Cape Town, has some 29 000 friends.
Their Sony Ericsson cellphones sold 10 000 units and the band's new album, Stardust Galaxies, went gold in the first week of its release.
The album is at number one on Musica's Top 40, very rare for a South African band in this genre.
And besides that, they played to more than 17 000 people in two days, with lighting and sound of an international quality.
The Coca-Cola Dome's concert brought home the enormity of the band. People had travelled from all over Gauteng and a few had even came from Bloemfontein and Durban.
The Golden Circle was sold-out, while the standing and seating areas were 90 percent full.
What was most noteworthy and unusual for any rock concert, local or international, was the wide age difference of the audience members.
From kids as young as 12 to adults aged over 50, all of them poured in to enjoy one of the greatest local rock concerts of all time.
While the youngsters went crazy in the front, with screams of "Kahn, have my babies!", the older folk sat at the back, clapping politely after every song. However, they were just as enchanted by the band.
For some people, it seemed as if this was their first time at a live gig, ever, like, they had come from the deepest part of the East Rand to see this phenomenon called The Parlotones.
Singer Kahn Morbee, drummer Neil Pauw, bassist and keyboardist Glenn Hodgson and guitarist Paul Hodgson did not disappoint. They were incredibly tight and professional, proving that there is nothing better for a band's live performance than constant touring.
It was also amazing to realise just how many really strong hits the band has garnered over the years, so much so that someone wondered whether it was time for a Best Of. "Oh, no, I hope not!" replied Kahn very quickly.
Everyone left knowing that South African music was taken to its highest level yet.
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