Dan Patlansky is a South African blues guitarist, singer and songwriter and one of the world’s finest blues-based storytellers of his generation. With a barrage of brilliantly executed electric and acoustic blues rock albums released since 1999, Dan’s albums brought with him a tighter and more engaging lyrical twist. 10 studio albums to his name and his has received over the years the status of globally respected artist.
His latest album was recorded over a three-year period from 2019-2021, which allow him to take his time to really think about how he wanted the songs to come across. It covers a period of many ups and downs and Patlansky believes that the process has been a very interesting journey.
One of the biggest moments of his career is when in February 2014, was chosen to open for Bruce Springsteen in front of 64,000 people at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, the biggest audience he has ever played to, on his High Hopes tour.
I get into the venue as soon as they open the door and I realized that I would have to wait around an hour before the show starts, but that gives me the time to get to the photo pit and be ready.
Soon its 8pm and Arielle with her guitarist hit the stage. Born in New Jersey, and raised in California and Hawaii, Arielle’s musical journey began at the age of 5 when she joined the Peninsula Girls Chorus of California. It was a truly magical moment that was equalled only when she got her first guitar at the age of ten. She found herself a sort of soul mate and at ease with the way music could speak.
Proudly self-identifying as a “nineties child, with a sixties and seventies soul”, she has written and recorded seven self-released EPs and two long-players to date, gaining ever-increasing international notoriety.
Arielle is a fiercely independent your performer with a crystal clear, four-octave voice, incredible guitar riffs that combines organic, classic folk-rock stylings. Her lyrics are clear and steady and seems like she is narrating a story to us with every song. There are a couple of tempo changes, while she is also switching guitars, that make her performance even more exciting and intimate. Impossible for everyone in the room not to tap their feet!
She stands fiercely on stage with her Two Tone, created in collaboration with Brian May and Brian May Guitars, taking us into an incredible journey.
Everyone is so engrossed in listening to her that we are not realizing that unfortunately is time for her to leave the stage to Dan Patlansky. No doubt that majority of people in the room tonight are already familiar with him as soon as he appears, a roaring noise invades the room, and everyone is ready for it!
He starts off with an instrumental, high paced rock‘n’roll style track that includes incredible guitar riffs intro that blows everyone away, but just until he starts singing with his roaring and warming voice delivering a raw range of sounds. But don’t worry this is only a little taste of what is yet to come, like is outstanding solo.
He is accompanied by his band, Ben Matthews on drums and Tom Swan on bass that he introduces to everyone before continuing with his superlative performance. He keeps delivering more and more through all night, yet he never overwhelms the individual songs. You can really tell what an incredible artist he is!
If you are familiar with him, you know that Patlansky is excellent on record, but on stage he brings it to another level! Go and see him live if you can, because you are in for a treat!
Dan Patlansky Setlist:
- Lift Off
- Soul Parasite
- Snake Oil City
- Lost
- Stop The Messin’
- Bad Soul
- Heart of Stone
- Hounds Loose
- Big Thing Going Down
- Backbite
- Scuttle Buttin’/Say What! (Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble cover)
Encore
- I’ll Keep Trying
Arielle Setlist:
- Voices in My Head
- (unknown)
- (unknown)
- Tie Your Mother Down (Queen cover)
- (unknown)
- (unknown)
- (unknown)
- Magic Again
Photos by Selena Ferro