By Ash
“Introducing the greatest cover and original band alive” – a bold statement lying in a subject line of my mailbox. Opening up the email, I was introduced to a trio from Krugersdorp comprising of Adriaan Schoombie on drums, JJ Schoeman on vocals and rhythm guitar, and Heyden Gary Genner, a multi-instrumentalist, on lead guitar, each with more than a decade of experience in the industry. Not knowing what to expect from the artists, I was more than pleasantly surprised when I had the opportunity to experience them in their element at Jock Pub and Grill on Heritage Day 24 September 2018.
Their gig started at 12PM, with the sun blazing down on Nelspruit and Jock as lively as it usually is – walking into the venue promised an enjoyable afternoon with friends.
Expecting the usual pub band that we have become somewhat immune to here in the valley, I became distracted in the early stages of the gig – while the beer and the conversation closer to me seemed a bit more appealing to my attention. As quickly as I became distracted is as quick as Dagdroom managed to grab my interest and I was immediately singing along to their cover of Fool’s Garden’s “Lemon Tree”.
Dagdroom emphasises on Afrikaans, Rock n Roll, Indie and Pop music genres – portraying their sense of flexibility and accommodation towards all crowds. Their broad styles allow the band to perform songs from the 50’s to the present and has the ability to satisfy all ages alike.
From one cover to the next, Dagdroom managed to both excite and impress my Monday music ears, covering songs that only raw musicians could appreciate. Hearing the first track from a free CD found in the Quicksilver magazine from 12 years ago was a shock to the system and brought nothing but pure joy and nostalgia to my soul as the band managed to recreate my youth right in front of me. For those that weren’t there to experience it, the cover was of Matt Costa’s “Behind the Moon”.
For a four-hour gig, the members of Dagdroom handled themselves exceptionally well as they covered some of the most well-produced songs, with a little splurge of originals. One of their originals was released and turned into a music video, whilst some of their songs continue to play on radio stations such as RSG, Mix FM, Edenvale Radio, Radio Laeveld and other smaller stations.
(photo by Ash/Small Town Music)
For the diehard or undercover Disney fans, Dagdroom had one for you too – their rendition of the Little Mermaid’s “Under the Sea”. The cover allowed for just the right amount of sing-along spirit to get the crowd embracing their inner dancing child and a few spectators were caught singing along to the lyrics SHAMELESSLY.
In the last few hours of the show, covers of incredible musicians such as the Violent Femmes (one of my favourites), Shakey Graves, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Mumford and Sons finally found Dagdroom a place deep in my heart, where they sang, drummed and strummed their way into with each passing song.
The benefit of having two vocalists is that two people with two entirely different personalities, off stage and on results in a duo of originality and uniqueness. JJ with his soulful sounds and his indie heart connected ideally with Heyden’s rockabilly bountifulness and pirate personality. The two perfectly balanced out with their drummer, Adrian, the leader of the pack and the man pushing them towards success.
The three members have known each other since childhood, with Heyden and Adrian establishing their roots in their local church band. Adrian has a recording studio where the three usually get together and write and develop their music – a unity evidently visible in their performance.
Asking the three where their inspiration comes from was probably as difficult as asking a chef what his favourite spice is. A beautiful arrangement of colourful sounds, however, is what I ended up with on the receiving end of my broad question. Adrian being inspired by bands such as Nofx, Propaghandi, Trampled by Turtles and God Mother; Heyden being influenced by En Siferum and JJ being moved by the lyrics of Bob Dylan and the poetry in sound.
Dagdroom exceeded my expectations within moments of me stepping into their arena and I am very excited for any upcoming events they choose to have in our valley. The members told me that they found Nelspruiters to be kind and accommodating, something I myself have grown to love about the friends and family I have met along the way, and I look forward to spending further music Mondays and more with Dagdroom.
Their album “Middernag Trein” is available online and you can get to know the band through their social media accounts:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXuvL5l7GSo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DagdroomSA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DagdroomSA
