Watershed Live @ The Music Kitchen PE

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Watershed Live @ The Music Kitchen PE

Date: Sun 30th Dec

Time: 19:30

Tickets: R180

All seating is allocated, food and bar available.

Watershed, one of the most successful and well-loved bands ever to come out of South Africa, will be

embarking on a national tour of South Africa for 12 months soon after the launch of their new album.

This multi-platinum selling band have released 5 studio albums so far, along with a greatest hits album during their 18 year career, as well as receiving 2 SAMA awards for best pop album. They are also multiple winners of SA's best band award by People Magazine.

The band are currently wrapping up their 6th studio album 'Harbour' which is due for release on 14 November 2018.

The new album HARBOUR

The band started putting the album together in the early part of 2017 and decided then that they didn’t

want to feel any pressure getting this recording out.

“We know it’s about songs. It’s always been about songs” explains lead singer Craig Hinds. “It’s been an interesting journey so far, regarding how and where we have worked on the new tracks. We did the album pretty much remotely jumping from studio to studio and city to city. This made it interesting. The nice thing about remote recording is the fact that you have time to think about the parts, the melodies and the music between each recording session”.

The success of our 5th studio album “Watch the Rain” and the live energy those songs created

became a big influence on the writing of the songs on “Harbour”. The new songs have moved into a

Celtic space and the band have been experimenting with flutes & violins, mandolins and banjos. The

melodies have also moved into this space and influenced where the instrumentation went. Watershed

have always prided themselves in the lyrics to their songs and they feel they have “nailed it” on this

album.

The first single from the album is the 1988 cover version of The Waterboys, “Fisherman’s Blues”.

Watershed has molded the song into their own unique sound incorporating Craig Hinds’ inimitable

vocals, violin and other acoustic elements. The song has been a crowd favorite at live shows around

the country and after months of touring, the band fine-tuned the production in studio.

You can expect to hear singles out on your local station soon.

Background and Accomplishments

Watershed is:

? Craig Hinds - vocals, acoustic guitar, piano

? Howie Combrink - drums, vocals, acoustic guitar, ukulele

? Gideon Botes - electric and acoustic guitars, vocals

? Quintin Askes - bass

? Paul McIver - acoustic guitar, vocals

Having toured both locally and internationally over the years off the back of their smash hits 'Indigo

Girl' and 'Letters' the band have carved an acoustic rock sound that is undeniably Watershed in its

uniqueness and crowd pleasing in its boldness. 'Watch the Rain', the lyrically intense and groove

filled song off their 5th studio album mesmerized audiences and took them into a space where ending

the show is not an option for the band. Watershed throws out hit after hit in their 2-hour performances

and never disappoints. This multi-talented 5-piece band switch from acoustic guitars to pianos &

ukuleles seamlessly whilst their sound remains fresh, powerful and melodic.

Since their breakthrough single in 2000 with “Indigo Girl” South African rock icons Watershed have

built their way up to be one of the most respected and decorated bands to come out of the Southern

Tip of Africa. Their distinctive melodic guitar sounds blend with the sultry tones of lead singer and

songwriter Craig Hinds voice to create a soothing and classic rock sound that is easily recognizable

and yet utterly unique.

Their albums and singles have consistently been rewarded with gold and platinum status both locally and abroad but Watershed pride themselves on being a touring band and always have a full gig schedule with loyal and vociferous support wherever they play out.

Acoustic rock outfit Watershed emerged as one of the most successful South African exports of their

generation when the single "Indigo Girl" topped the German pop charts. Formed in Johannesburg in

1998, Watershed was the vehicle of singer/songwriter Craig Warren Hinds , a former high school

English and history major. After a series of early lineup changes, the supporting cast solidified with the

inclusion of guitarist Paul McIver , bassist Vernon Hodgetts , drummer Tulsa Pittaway and viola player

Lizzie Rennie . This incarnation of the group signed to EMI South Africa in 1999, issuing In the

Meantime the following year; the debut single "Shine on Me" launched the group to national stardom,

and the follow-ups "Indigo Girl" and "Letters" made them superstars.

A German radio DJ on holiday in South Africa heard "Indigo Girl" and upon returning home began

spinning the single on Germany's SWR3. The record emerged as a left-field blockbuster throughout

Europe, and vaulted them to international renown. They launched the 2003 follow-up Wrapped in

Stone at an all-star concert in Johannesburg's Nelson Mandela Square. The first album to feature

keyboardist Graham Smith, it was also the last to include McIver, who at year's end exited to make

way for guitarist Nic Rush. Hinds again reshuffled the lineup in advance of 2005's Mosaic, only Rush

remained from the previous incarnation, with bassist Ozzy , keyboardist Hylton Brooker and drummer

Peter Auret completing the roster. Rennie rejoined the ranks in April 2006.

The band itself is structured around singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Craig Hinds who has

always felt he is a man with a positive message to convey. After teaching high school for two years

while playing his own material out in smaller venues Craig decided to take the opportunity to form a

band and make his voice and songs heard across the world.

Watershed’s travels have led them to perform at the prestigious SXSW Music Festival in Austin Texas

and Canadian Music week to various dates across Europe where their music is particularly well

received in Germany, Austria and Switzerland after a radio DJ on holiday in South Africa heard

“Indigo Girl” and thought it would enchant his listeners. He was absolutely right. The play listing of the

song on the local German station quickly built momentum and lead to them to be picked up by EMI

Germany who released “In The Meantime” and every album & single since.

2015’s album “Watch the Rain” tips the hat to the new-age country sound while still remaining

grounded in the cultured acoustic rock that Watershed is known and loved for and the first single off

the album “Magical Energy” has built momentum on the local South African charts.

While the term Watershed is universally used to describe a turning point, a lesser known use is in

broadcasting field where it is used to describe the transition time when adult content can be shown

and maybe now that’s a better fit for a band that has matured and realized the strength and depth of

their sound and trusted in their process and abilities.

Watershed are 18 years in the making and nowhere near ready to stop.

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