Masqueraids

"You be careful. People in masks cannot be trusted " - The Princess Bride

Find your disguise for Saturday night . . .

Bring or come make your hystorical hysteria headress or mask 

from Sat 12h00 on the lawns under the wishing tree. 

Bring gems, plumes and the like.

" All great things must first wear terrifying and monstrous masks in order to inscribe themselves on the hearts of humanity."  - Friedrich Nietzsche

Improvising is very in right now.

If you are a person who likes old things..like viewfinders, or listening to stories or telling stories or looking at pretty things or sitting on blankets and pillows in cosy places or listening to music that sounds like fairytales..then you should come to this.

Introducing... JUMPOLOGY

"Philippe Halsman was a photographer in the earlier part of the 20^th century. He took the first portraits of people jumping He coined the term ‘Jumpology’ as he believed that in the moment that you jump your attention is mostly directed toward the act of jumping and the mask that you wear falls away. One can in that instance see your true essence.

So to explore his theory, we will bring a little trampoline and get everyone jumping to show their true colours and take their photies to tell them what it is.

And on top of that jumping is good for everything – makes you laugh, helps your body detoxify, gets the blood flowing, …the benefits are endless.

Come on…we’ve all wanted to see ourselves fly just a little."

From "a very excited Annelie and Guiseppie"

Toys are us

Nathan is in charge of remembering the toys to keep us happy! Get in touch with your inner child...

Space Olympics

"This is a real opportunity for South Africans to actually win a gold medal at an olympic event in 2008 with the added incentive of the winning team representing SA in the 2012 Olympics in London.
This comprises of 3 events, all of which involve contestants traveling on unique gravity defying Space Hoppers actually used by scientists in the recent Hadron Collider experiment. Inappropriate head gear will be provided and must be worn at all times. Contestants and teams will be organised prior to the event.

Events: Triple Moon Bounce, Speed Hop and Relay.

Event hosted by real astronauts."
- Claire and Andy B

Priya and her paints

Priya will be bringing face paints to throw into the mix. Think outside the box, think face painting for grown ups...

miraculous, futuristic poetry.. or something

"I shall display a MIRACULOUS MYCHANICAL MIND! A MACHINE that THINKS! This creation, an evidence of modern ENLIGHTENMENT and PROGRESS, is able to REASON as a MAN DOES, and spew forth from it's gear-filled guts POETRY and PROSE, so BOGGLING to the senses that is appeareth UNLISTENABLE. I shall carry this DEVICE with me, and read from it's ramblings to those FEARLESS enough to confront the FUTURE! [sic]

(Postscript. I am currently confounded by an gear that refuses to mesh. The mind's appearance is dependent upon technical considerations. Sanity will not be refunded.)"

If you bump into Bryn, ask him what he's on about.

"My backup plan, in case of technical difficulties, is to wander around in something ridiculous reading Edward Lear _DRAMATICALLY_."

Air Guitar Competition! HELL YEAH!

Choose from the following songs: (More to be added tomorrow)
Actually, we probably have any song you want....
Post requests in the comments area.
Woo Hoo!
And do bring props: Leather Pants, headbands, tights, bandanas, glitter, facepaint, etc.

Voodoo Chile -Jimi Hendrix Experience
Still Got The Blues -Gary Moore
Run To The Hills -Iron Maiden
Nancy Boy -Placebo
My Sharona -Knack
My Generation -Who
Misirlou -Dick Dale
Let Me Entertain You -Robbie Williams
Layla -Derek And The Dominos
Johnny B. Goode -Chuck Berry
Gimme All Your Lovin' -Zz Top
Fool For Your Loving -Whitesnake
Down Down -Status Quo
Crossroads -Cream
Can't Get Enough -Bad Company
Born To Be Wild -Steppenwolf
Bohemian Rhapsody -Queen
Black Betty -Ram Jam World
All Shook Up -Paul Mccartney
All Right Now -Free
Ace Of Spades -Motorhead
20th Century Boy -T-rex
Wipe Out -Surfaris
Wild Thing -The Troggs
White Wedding -Billy Idol
Walk This Way -Run Dmc/ Aerosmith
Tie Your Mother Down -Queen (Air Guitar Edit)
The Boys Are Back In Town -Thin Lizzy
Summertime Blues -Eddie Cochran
Sultans Of Swing -Dire Straits
Song 2 -Blur
Smoke On The Water -Deep Purple
Since You've Been Gone -Rainbow
Silver Machine -Hawkwind
Rocky Mountain Way -Joe Walsh
Rebel Rebel -David Bowie
Paranoid -Black Sabbath
Monkey Wrench -Foo Fighters
Hi Ho Silver Lining -Jeff Beck
Free Bird -Lynyrd Skynyrd
Black Magic Woman -Santana
Animal -Def Leppard
Tush - ZZ Top
Please Don't Touch - Motorhead & Girlschool
Bad To The Bone - Thorogood, George & The Destroyers
Living After Midnight - Judas Priest
Back On The Road Again - REO Speedwagon
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Vengeance - Malmsteen, Yngwie
Peter Gunn - Eddy, Duane
No Particular Place To Go - Berry, Chuck
Ballroom Blitz - Sweet
Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) - Offspring
Blurry - Puddle Of Mudd
Feel Like Makin' Love - Bad Company
Over Under Sideways Down - Yardbirds
Have A Cigar - Foo Fighters
Suffragette City - Bowie, David
One I Love - REM
Unwanted - Lavigne, Avril
Gay Bar - Electric Six
Let's Go Crazy - Prince
Can't Explain - Who
Eruption - Van Halen
Cum On Feel The Noize - Slade
Fool For Your Loving - Whitesnake
All The Small Things - Blink 182
Spirit Of Radio - Rush
Going Underground - Jam
Still Got The Blues For You - Moore, Gary
Don't Believe A Word - Thin Lizzy
Hero - Kroeger, Chad & Josey Scott
House Of The Rising Sun - Animals
Somethin' Else - Cochran, Eddie
Rock Around The Clock - Haley, Bill & The Comets
Bad Case Of Lovin' You - Palmer, Robert
Man Of Mystery - Shadows
Two Princes - Spin Doctors
Caroline - Status Quo
Badge - Cream
Higher Ground - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Unbelievable - EMF
Armageddon It - Def Leppard
White Wedding - Idol, Billy
Summer Of '69 - Adams, Bryan
Now I'm Here - Queen
God Save The Queen (live) - Brian May
Parisienne Walkways (live) - Gary Moore
Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) - Pink Floyd
Wishing Well - Free
That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly
Guitar Boogie Shuffle - Bert Weedon
F.B.I. - Shadows (The)
C'mon Everybody - Eddie Cochran
Saturday Nite At The Duck-Pond - Cougars (The)
Hold The Line - Toto
My Sharona - Knack (The)
Inside - Stiltskin 2008/07/16 05:15 PM
How You Remind Me - Nickelback
Jean Genie, The - David Bowie
All Night Long - Rainbow
Roll Over Lay Down - Status Quo
Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top
School's Out - Alice Cooper
Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf
Black Night - Deep Purple
Sunshine Of Your Love - Cream
Pinball Wizard - Who (The)
Hate To Say I Told You So - Hives (The)
Teenage Kicks - Undertones (The)
She Sells Sanctuary - Cult (The)
Paper Plane - Status Quo
Hocus Pocus - Focus
Sabre Dance - Love Sculpture
Fat Lip - Sum 41
Run To The Hills - Iron Maiden
Action - Sweet (The)
Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy
All Day And All Of The Night - Kinks (The)
Walk Don't Run - Ventures (The)
Should I Stay Or Should I Go - Clash (The)
Fight For Your Right (To Party), (You Gotta) - Beastie Boys (The)
Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard
Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer
Run To You - Bryan Adams
One Vision - Queen

tennis is not just for retired people

Bring the essentials...

Photo: Greg Lomas
make use of the tennis court at Matjiesfontein! Just don't arrive at the clothes swap all sweaty.

rokkies and suits and bowler hats and your grannies coat

Dressing up is fun. I use the term broadly so go wild... or keep it subtle. Saturday night is dress up/vintage dinner but please remember that the dress code in hotel restaurant is semi formal. Keep the chicken suit for the lawn games.

But don't stop there! The whole weekend is a chance to play. Wear things that might get a sideways glance in Cape Town. Don't be shy now...

And the clothes swap might be just the place to refresh your wardrobe too so please contribute to take part!

"I have a problem. I know what to tell, but where do i show? I am not
thinking I will be reading from my novel, because I am so un inlove with it
its frightening. i was thinking of reading some poetry - which is even more
frightening. or a short story. or i could from all 3, or i could read from
my new novel (that would be 4) , as yet unedited. i think i will get people
to choose page numbers maybe, or letters.
but where / when should i do this? any suggestions would be loved."
thanks Kathryn White

Dont be scared to show and tell.. this is an open platform and an informal space to share and play..
looking forward to hear some reading.. xx

don't forget your armbands

There is a gorgeous old pool across the garden in Matjiesfontein. There will be various activities happening there:

*Swimming. Sounds obvious but the amount of people who forgot to pack their cossies last year was shocking!
*An installation in one of the change rooms.
*Beautiful handmade swans floating in the pool!
*A pillow fight.

So make sure you head down there at some point on the weekend and pack your suncream!

One man's trash is another man's treasure

There will a Clothes Swap at Matjies!! Oh the joy this brings to my little vintage bargain obsessed heart...

Carmen says:
"So lets do the big swap-owski... Bring your clothes that you never wear, we'll throw them onto a pile and chop and change. Be a sweetheart and bring pristine things."

You heard her. Get sorting!

Wild Slide Show and talk

Greg Nicolson will share some of his experiences from his recent month long trek from Namibia to Canal Walk. He must have really wanted to go to Canal Walk I hear you cry in dismay!! Well no, actually he was researching and documenting the rare and endangered wildflowers of the N7 road reserve. Get up to speed on his blog and then don't miss the talk and slideshow on Saturday morning in the coffee shop!

Mighty Tiny Space Cadettes

"They have come from far corners of the imagination to bare witness to our activities at maitjies. they come in herds, troops, schools, giggles, gaggles and as loners on shooting stars to set up camp in the nooks and crannies of our little planet. If you happen to pass any on the way there please collect them and show them the way as hospitable and respectable earthlings should. On your way home again to the (not so) real world take them with you, introduce them to your toys and cleaning utensils. These tiny creatures have traveled far to seek new spaces and places and faces and are gathering at this here festival to set up their colonies and find their new homes. Well, until they feel like taking off again."

From Meghan & Sarah-Jane

Colourful ladies

Yippee!! The weekend's madness and small acts of beauty and genius and hopefully a ghost or two... will be captured forever as Lois and Carmen have decided to film Show 'n Tell. They are "the colorful ladies grouped in two, filming all round the karoo."

I heart.

A message from Luke who will be co-ordinating the short film festival and subsequent informal fiilm screenings through out the weekend. Try to get shorts to him very soon or you can bring DVD's on the weekend and put him in charge of putting them in the machine and pressing play.


We welcome anything old school, funny, clever, subversive, poignant, magical, weird, very short... Rose what were you saying about an ancient Thomas Edison clip of a pillow fight??

email LUKE

Sky as a height

A group of arty farty smarty pants are taking it upon themselves to provide us with some airborne entertainment. This involves them making some beautiful KITES as well as teaching you to make your very own! They have the knowledge, you just need to bring some basic materials, ie: dowls, fishing gut, paper or plastic bags, packaging tape and scissors.

Also if you happen have a kite that is hiding under your stairs, lonely and feeling unloved after a winter of rain and winds that would have ended it little life given half a chance, bring it along too!

Contact Dannali at dannaliw@gmail.com for further info and kiting tips.

Matjies, dreams, words

So Mr Adam Cooper has jetted back into the country, booked for Matjies, and come up with a great contribution... all in the last few days!

"Okay, so basically I am compiling a collection of writing, the theme is:

"It is easier to bury REALITY than it is to dispose of DREAMS"

It can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry, prose whatever. If it's a piece and not poetry, it should be about 800 words long. I would also like some kind of Cape Town vibes, but that is not essential. Hopefully the organisers will let me read a few of the special lines

at some stage in the proceedings"

We will Ad, we will.

Please email the man your words sharpish at adcoops1980@gmail.com.
Also if anyone would like to contribute illustrations, please also be in contact with him. Greg? Jess?

are you seeing things....?

matjies.
as i'll be in new york over the show 'n tell weekend,
for my contribution i plan to have an out-of-body experience
and make random appearances.
if you see me at the bar, by a girl a drink will ya?

Slideshow

Matjies people...
Don't forget to get your photo's for the slideshow to Sam ASAP. Scroll down for details.
Confused? Call Sam on 078 121 3098 or e-mail her on samreinders@gmail.com

It's all about G & T's and Bleeding Mary's.

So bring your own ingredients and we make them on the lawn, by the pool, at the tennis court, everywhere. Lazy Saturdays. Shaky Sundays. Nice.

Grand-pa

You'll need this....

Train Timetable

Travel to Matjies on the Shosholoza Meyl.

Arrive in style in what is possibly the best looking train this side of um... the rails or something.
The colour combo and flowing lines will make you the talk of the town, as you step off in style with a polony gatsby in your hand, fingers stained red.

Contact Number: 086 000 8888

Call them to book! It is advisible to book sooner rather than later, as the train is often booked out. I have just called them and there is space now in both Tourist (R80.00 one way) and Economy (R60.00 one way) class from Cape Town. What a perfect way to start and end the weekend!

Johannesburg - Cape Town - Johannesburg

Frequency - From Johannesburg on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. From Cape Town on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Town	Arrival	Departure	Town	Arrival	Departure
Johannesburg		10:30	Cape Town		12:30
Krugersdorp	11:14	11:19	Bellville	12:55	13:00
Potchefstroom	13:16	13:20	Huguenot	13:41	13:45
Klerksdorp	14:01	14:15	Wellington	13:55	13:59
Christiana	16:50	16:55	Worcester	15:35	15:50
Warrenton	17:29	17:34	Matjiesfontein	17:50	17:55
Kimberley	18:35	19:07	Laingsburg	18:20	18:30
De Aar	22:50	23:05	Beaufort West	21:30	22:00
Hutchinson	01:15	01:25	Hutchinson	23:55	00:10
Beaufort West	03:20	03:40	De Aar	02:10	02:40
Laingsburg	06:37	06:47	Kimberley	06:25	06:45
Matjiesfontein	07:10	07:15	Warrenton	07:45	07:50
Worcester	09:20	09:40	Christiana	08:20	08:30
Wellington	11:10	11:14	Klerksdorp	11:15	11:30
Huguenot	11:25	11:30	Potchefstroom	12:13	12:18
Bellville	12:10	12:15	Krugersdorp	14:22	14:27
Cape Town	12:40		Johannesburg	15:20

don't be a tennis biscuit

So seriously people. there is a tennis court at Matjiesfontein. Last year someone dressed it up all pretty and held a tournament. We could do that again if anyone is keen to take control. Otherwise just arrange with a few sporting mates that you all bring rackets. And yer balls. Unless there is something completely new and improved that one could do with a tennis court??? Anyone?

Collis and Ray on the decks! Woop woop!

Michelle, with an endless supply of fantastic ideas up her sleeve, is teaming up with Ray to treat us to some tunes!
"i have great frenchie & spooked ghost trax and he is a bit kwaaitokrazee & keen for dubstep and crazy mixes"

Here comes Tru-boule!

The lovely lass that goes by the name of Clare Thomas is kindly offering to bring her Boule set to Matjiesfontein!

Lawngames!

whip out that croquet set!



Take along your boule!


Let the games begin!

Sit...

on a camping chair if you wish to bring one. It could be the best thing you brought. Other than your contribution.

Its going to be cold at night!

So dress appropriately! and bring your own bedding if you are staying in the train!

Have Camera, Will Show

The annual Matjies slideshow is calling for participants. It’s been a solid favorite of the festival from year one, and this year promises to be no disappointment. Sometime on the Saturday in question the coffee shop’s windows will be blacked out, people will gather, and a friendly PhotoHire projector will spew forth some of the finest images this side of Ouagoudougou.

Sam Reinders is going to make it all run smoothly…and for this to happen she needs you to get her your images ASAP.

Here’s the deal. Listen up.
* Bring disk of images (up to 10ish) to 403 Buxton Heights in Tamboerskloof. Its on Firdale Road – which is off Kloof, just past the 711.
* Buzz me on number 403 and I’ll come down and fetch them. Maybe you can even come up for coffee. I have good coffee.
* If I’m not here there is drop box at the door. Drop away. Make sure my name is on it though.
* Don’t make the images too small – otherwise they look crappy in the show. Maybe 150dpi? Jpegs would be rad.
* There is NO theme. Photo’s of anything. Anyone. Any place. Be creative. Use your creative juices.
* You don’t have to be an award winning, Leica-around-the-neck-wearing photographer to participate. Anyone can show photo’s. The more the merrier and all that.

Here is the deal breaker. I leave town on 10 September for a little pre-Matjies Karoo sojourn.
SO it is REALLY IMPORTANT you get Sam your photo’s before this. There is a chance you can e-mail her one or two after this…but you all know that downloading photo’s in the Karoo is as slow as a tortoise stuck in molasses…. So if you want to be sure your photo’s make it in….get them to Sam before she heads north.

Over and out.
Call Sam on 078 121 3098 if you have any questions. Or e-mail her on samreinders@gmail.com

come hang out in the Karoo!

Time is speeding up and soon we will be chilling, g&t in hand, with the warm Karoo wind on our backs... in the magical and mysterious town of Matjiesfontein. I, for one... cannot wait! There are lots of surprises and fabulous things lined up and we will be giving you more and more clues over the next few weeks. So watch the blog!

I want to hear your questions, answers, ponderings and darkest secrets. Whats the word on the street? Are you getting enough Matjies love? If you are confused and lonely, or even just want to know if there is a plugpoint for you to use for your contribution, email me, Julia.

there is NO NO NO bedding in the sleeper train.. remember to bring your own to camp out with.. it can get cold in the karoo at night...

we suggest you consider staying in the grand old Lord Milner Hotel.. its worth the money.. real luxury it is.. remember that you wont be paying to see anyone's contributions so consider your accommodation your expense for the whole weekend experience

Photograph: recuenco

remember to pack yourself your best outfit for the dress-up dinner in the hotel..

this is not the Lord Milner Hotel but it is a shot of some little cottages around town .. how nice to go for a walk about in the karoo...

two mystery figures " plan to blaze into town in a pall of smoke
and stench of burning rubber; we'll cruise down the high street, side by
side on our bright red postman's motorbikes and cross a finish line
accompanied by the screams of cheerleaders and hurrahs of the crowd.

Well that's the plan... The bikes are small and quaint (there'll be no
burning rubber and hopefully no smoke) a big part of the project will be our
outfits, and I'll create some kind of badges - think daredevil stuntdriver.
I thought having a ring of fire( real fire maybe too much? so I could make
one out of board and paint perhaps) at the end could be fun. Or we might
ramp over a row of matchbox cars. We will rope some volunteers/friends in to
help as cheerleaders. Some kind of anthemic music to accompany us in would
be nice.

Our original idea was to ride from cape town to maatjies on our bikes - and
that would be the adventure...however the bikes are very low cc and are
actually not allowed on highways nor can they travel much over 40km/h, so we
thought to transport them most of the way there and then ride on into town.
As a secondary project we plan to make a film documenting this
trip/moc-trip."

Organising people

So if you are out and about and want to chat to any of the people who are helping put Matjies together, here we are. On the left is Simon who is in charge of weekend commentary. Nothing else. Marc is next to him and will not always have a cigarette to his mouth. Julia is the main Lady, she is rad and is very organised too. On the far right is Raffa. She is in London and New York, so if you see her, you are seeing things.

ONE month and counting!

Matjies! One month till Show'nTell and counting.....
Empty your In-box and open your mind.