“It’s easier to speak than to listen.”This is the view of Durbanville band, Gee Oor.
It is also the inspiration behind their band name.
They believe that there is a need in today’s society for people to connect and truly listen to each other.
Johan Louw (rhythm guitar and vocals), Wilbri Vorster (bass guitar and vocals), Barry-John Gouws (lead guitar) and Sidhartha (Sid) Philander (drums) have been playing together for about 18 months.
Barry and Johan have been friends since high school and they met Sid at Stellenbosch. They met Wilbri through his brother.
“We struggled to find a combination that worked,” says Johan, who points out that he wasn’t originally the lead vocalist. “Somehow I was just given a mic,” he says.
Barry describes the band’s music as energetic while Sid adds that they have a positive vibe.
He says their music is a unique brand of “melodic hard rock”.
The band have performed at popular venues around Cape Town like Nameless Pub and Aandklas and have even joined big names including Van Coke Kartel on the stage at the Vlakvarkgat Festival.
The band agrees that their most “rock star” moment is accidentally breaking the stage at Leonz Pub in Montague Gardens. Sid explains that they were busy performing their song, “Oorlog”, and they all jumped at the break in the song – when they all landed the drum kit moved forward and the stage cracked.
The band is hoping to release an EP by the end of the year, but in the meantime, you can hear some of their music on their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.
Gee Oor will be playing alongside Acastella, Parable, Bottomless Coffee, Johnny Feel Good and Frontline for the Armed Melodies charity gig on Friday (13 May) at the Boston Church Hall.
The show will raise money for a group of women in Scottsdene who have decided to stand up against woman abuse in their community.
Tickets cost R20.
For more information visit the event page or to book tickets, call 082 977 8118 or 084 812 2739.
Rocking the suburbs 