Springbok Nude Girls

The Springbok Nude Girls will be performing at a live and streaming show on Saturday 31 October. Image: Supplied

Springbok Nude Girls back with a bang and ‘Rolling Thunder’

The iconic rock band will be following up the release of their new single with a live performance and streaming shows for Halloween and New Year’s Eve. And The South African has tickets to give away…

Springbok Nude Girls

The Springbok Nude Girls will be performing at a live and streaming show on Saturday 31 October. Image: Supplied

If you were stomping your Docs and moshing somewhere in the pit in the 90s, you were probably revelling at an epic live show of one of South Africa’s greatest contemporary rock bands — the Springbok Nude Girls.

As testimony to the calibre of the Nude Girls (aka SNG, the Nudies), the band performed as the opening act for U2 in Cape Town during their South African tour in February 2011.

Freedom of sound and stage

Arno Carstens, Theo Crous, Adriaan Brand, Arno Blumer and Francious Kruger played their first gig in a very small bar in Stellenbosch and released their debut album, Neanderthal 1, the following year.

Springbok Nude Girls
The Springbok Nude Girls rock the stage. Image: Supplied

Until the Nudies called it quits in 2001 — albeit a reunion and their 2007 Peace Breaker album — going to a Nude Girls live show was a dizzying experience.

Charismatic frontman Arno would strut the stage in his Doc Martens (and most likely a flowery dress) delivering a powerful dose of the Nude Girls’ eclectic mix of punk, rock, metal, ska and acid jazz with his swooping vocals.

Oh, and people would get seriously sweaty from bouncing and stomping around on Bubblegum on My Boots before getting all misty-eyed with crowd-favourite Blue Eyes

Springbok Nude Girls
Image: Supplied

Nudies back ‘like a bulldozer, like rolling thunder’

Fast-forward almost three decades after bursting onto the scene, the creative power of the Springbok Nude Girls — with 11 albums, two live recordings, an EP, two DVD releases and a UK-exclusive release of their coveted arsenal — is showing no sign of turning down the volume.

The platinum-selling award-winning band have just released their brand new single, Rolling Thunder, and no less than two live and streaming performances are in store before we exit this rocky year.

Since the release of their 2018 singles — Beautiful Evolution, and Best Friends, Best Enemies — the making of this stellar return showcases the groups constant evolution and maturity, all without compromising a beat.

And, according to producer and lead guitarist Theo Crous, Rolling Thunder is testament to this.

‘Rolling Thunder’ captures that Nude Girls live act feeling

“Previous Nude Girls recordings for me, never truly reflected how the band comes across as a live act. I think Rolling Thunder encapsulates the Nude Girls sound as a live act. I tried to approach the production and the mix specifically how the band performs live,” explained Crous.

“Examples of this are how I panned the band as they are positioned on stage,” he added.

“I enhanced Arno’s lead vocal delay effects in a way I thought he would use it with his pedal on stage. I kept the drum reverb to a minimum and only used it mostly in the choruses, while steering away from using drum samples.”

High-octane Springbok Nude Girls bliss

And without the pressure from a major record label to create music within corporate deadlines and budgets, the band was able to let the music and release plan happen without distraction where the outcome is pure, high-octane organic wall of signature SNG bliss.  

“In the face of adversity, we either falter or adapt,” said Carstens. “Rolling Thunder” is a declaration of determination ‘like a bulldozer, like rolling thunder’”.

Listen to Rolling Thunder here 

Rolling Thunder

The music video for Rolling Thunder was directed by Lionel Smit, a South African artist who pursues his craft in all manner of media with areas dedicated to sculpture, painting and printmaking.

“Working with Lionel was very easy. He made the video like we make songs. Fast, collaborative and fun. I think the video captures that energy perfectly,” SNG drummer Francious Kruger explained.

The ‘Rolling Thunder’ music video premieres on YouTube on 23 October:

Catch the Springbok Nude Girls live and streaming this Halloween

To celebrate and support the release of the new single, SNG will be streaming a performance in front of a live audience on 31 October, for Halloween, and again on New Year’s Eve 31 December 2020.

The event will be filmed in front of a live audience at The Daisy Jones Bar at OMG, Summerhill Wine Farm, R44, Stellenbosch.

‘Rolling Thunder’ Halloween

Tickets cost R150 for the Live Stream and R250 to be a part of the live audience and are available now through Webtickets.

‘Rolling Thunder’ New Year’s Eve

31 December 2020 – New Year’s Eve – Tickets cost R150 for the Live Stream and R450 to be part of the live audience and are available now through Webtickets.

The performances will be available on-demand for 72 hours after the event. Group bookings of 10 or more receive a 20% discount.

Win tickets for ‘Rolling Thunder’ live stream

The South African is giving away two tickets to the Springbok Nude Girls’ Rolling Thunder Halloween live stream show on Saturday 31 October.

Just fill in the competition form below for a chance to be the lucky winner! The Closing date for entries is Thursday 29 October 2020 at noon. No late entries will be accepted. The winner will be contacted telephonically.