Music News South Africa

New aKing album and tour

aKing are now recording their third full length album, Red Blooded Years, which is due for release early in March 2011 and is said to be influenced by the pop-rock sounds of the late 1970s and 80s. Additionally, the band are planning a tour in December, 2011.
New aKing album and tour

New memberAndrew Davenport (Thieve) is credited with injecting a new dose of melody into the musical partnership. Said drummer Snake Venter "The songs are quite varied: we have an upbeat pop-rock number, a heavier rock number, a ballad, an African-inspired rock track and a dark-sounding 80s' track. There's a lot of variation in sound and it should be quite interesting to see which songs will make it onto the album."

The band will also be featured in two major advertising campaigns next year, one for Engen Wimpy and one for Woolworths.

Tour in December

In December, the band will perform a number of gigs along the coast, as well as the Just Plain Christmas Up North-Down South Party with Die Heuwels Fantasties, Die Tuindwergies, and Frankie Fire at Menlyn Centre, Pretoria on 10 December. Bassist Hennie van Halen said: "We'll be playing a few shows up the East Coast and further North in Joburg just before Christmas. Our East coast fans can expect a repeat of the nightclub van tour we undertook a few months ago. There's also a show in Swakopmund, Namibia in the pipeline close to New Year's Eve, but peeps who are spending their New Year's Eve in Cape Town can expect a show at the Waterfront. Our set will definitely incorporate a couple of new songs and the addition of a keyboard on stage."

Tour Dates

* 1 December - &union, Cape Town
* 9 December - BAT Centre, Durban
* 10 December - Just Plain Christmas Show, Menlyn Piazza, Pretoria (with Die Heuwels Fantasties, Die Tuindwergies & Frankie Fire)
* 19 December - Diaz Hotel Outdoor Concert Series
* 20 December - Vegas in Plett, Plettenberg Bay
* 21 December - Havana Club, Jeffrey's Bay
* 22 December - Pool City, Port Elizabeth
* 27 December - Port Alfred (with Just Jinjer)
* 29 December - Assembly Cape Town (featuring Civil Twilight)
* 30 December - Swakopmund
* 31 December - Waterfront, Cape Town

Let's do Biz