Safe 19 rocking hard
Safe 19, an alternative rock band, rocking it hard at one of their shows.
Since the inception of the band they have received a lot of support from their many fans, even though Namibia is such a small country, said Stephen. “People do not realise how much money and time we put into our music. Therefore it is not possible to make a living out of music, and this is the reason why we all have day jobs, but we still manage to practice four times a week. This is a passion for us,” he said.
“I am very impressed with the Namibian band, we write our own music and have our own style, not like some of the South African bands who copy other bands. Do not get me wrong, there are good South African bands, but they are not as unique as Namibian bands,” emphasised Stephen adding that they are inspired by everyday life and influenced by different styles, from reggae to hard metal. “And we have also collaborated with wambuseun” he interjects with a smile.
“Three of the main challenges that bands face in Namibia are obviously money, venues, and the small audience.A band can spend almost N$20,000 to record quality songs, plus there are not a lot of venues in Windhoek to play at. There is the Warehouse Theatre and Dylans, but people get bored of going to the same place over and over and advertising is also very expensive,” he explained.
Asked how the band members get along, Stephen said emphatically he has learned over the years how to handle and work with different personalities. “All our members have been in other bands before so they are all tuned to how a band gels” he said.
Safe 19 is playing this Friday 31 October at Dylans for their Halloween party which starts at 20:00. “Entrance is N$40 or N$20 if you are dressed up,” he said.
“We are also planning on having shows in Swakopmund in November and December, and I also want to say to our fans to keep the music alive and Rock On” he concluded.
