Cool Cape Cats #2

The Valley with some local legends at Park Acoustics - Photo courtesy of their Facebook page

With the winter over and this "four seasons in one day" emotional roller coaster hitting us, the scene has withered a bit. Like every phoenix that will eventually rise from the ashes, the poor bird needs to endure a slow and painful death.

A trio turned four made a tour to our urban jungle. I faintly remember being sober enough to see them at Mercury Live earlier this year. The Valley started their recent "Ritual Fear" tour and blessed us with a visit for their Gautengeleng leg of the tour. They kicked off the usual show with our outstanding welcome community giving them a warm embrace at The Irish. Uncle Mothers, we here at Dystopia applaud your work. When a band makes their debut visit every year up north they usually commence in hate city. 

Friday passed and the next day they came to The Grind Bar, located on the infamous "strip". Now when you see the stage and setting you'd think it would be difficult to pull off the sound. Trust me, it looks impossible to succeed. Let's get down to brass tax, and I am not referring to the work Le Roux does, they nailed it. Should we start with the national anthem? Welcome to the big leagues. The tight end zone. People struggle to understand what a crazy year it has been.

People struggled to understand what had been The Valley, them bringing something new to the table. Support for the wild traveler grows weary. The world and all its many pleasures don't present itself often right in front you close to your friendly neighborhood shit-street. Like I mentioned in an early article that three may be a crowd. 4 > 3. The more the merrier? For someone like me to say a band needs more sound is not heard of very often. Toning it down and focusing on your core strengths tends to do wonders. Then again, look at bands that have 7 members. Fact stays. The Valley fucking rocks!

It saddens me that I was too hungover to attend them in broad daylight at Park Acoustics. Now that's a lineup. I have the pleasure of seeing them not so later this year in their home province. Whenever you see a CPT band making their way up here, show some appreciation. Even when you visit down there. It doesn't matter where you are from or where you are going. Appreciate the peeps and the work they put in order to melt your brain.

Now here comes the part where I try to explain how they sound. A heavier, tamed, doom stoner rock with psychedelic influence. The lead singer wore a QOTSA shirt if that helps. I have never seen a more comfortable drummer behind the kit. The bass was solid. The newest addition of a second guitar was a bonus. More sound, more brain-melting. Beautiful vocals with lyrics that drift your thoughts to another dimension. That's the best I could do.

These peeps spent some time overseas and it shows. Professional at the very least. Take some notes if you are starting a band or you're already trying to figure one out. A tight set never killed anyone.

So next time you see them in your Valley (if you see me in person please hit me in the face for that pun) give them a warm welcome but always keep the beer cold!

- Wessel Moller

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Video: The Valley - Twist The Knife (Live at Endless Daze)
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Photos courtesy of The Valley's Facebook page and Michael Ellis