IT WAS the perfect day and the perfect setting to discover the pop rock music that is Monark.
The venue was Durban’s Botanic Gardens on Sunday for the monthly Old Mutual Sessions. The lush, manicured lawn next to the pond was littered with pretty people lounging on picnic blankets enjoying the music. Also on the line-up was Hot Water and Matthew Mole.
It was Monark’s first major gig in Durban and they were amped to perform.
Earlier, I had met the quartet in the tea garden to speak about their debut album, Negatives.
They had just finished their sound check and were in a relaxed Sunday morning mood. While we ordered cold drinks, other customers were munching on toasted sandwiches and scones, this, at times, to their misfortune.
Our interview was frequently interrupted by a hungry, cheeky monkey who was sneaking up on customers and pouncing on their food, then rushing away when a kitchen staffer chased him with a powerful water gun. All to the amusement of Monark.
Hmm, even potential rock stars can still be boys. And with the release of Negatives and the success of their first three singles, Smiling, Build it Up and Something, they are well on their way.
They say that their gigs have “picked up like mad around the country and that it has taken time to establish our career, but Monark is now a business worth mentioning”.
However, mention the words “rock star” and Monark disagree: “We are passionate about music and the product that is Monark, but we never wanted to be rock stars.”
Ewald Jansen van Rensburg, who is the producer and guitarist, and his friend, vocalist Eugene Coetzer, are the creative brains behind the band.
Monark officially formed in August 2012, with their press release saying they were “intent on making popular, yet tastefully engineered music with a cinematic feel and a musical twist of realism”.
They fondly admit that they nearly come to blows when they are creating music together, but when they finally settle on something they agree that the people love it.
Says Coetzer: “We are the last two people to be working together as we are both used to flying solo.”
It is also apparent that Coetzer had to be encouraged to sing as he was a reluctant vocalist.
Later on that afternoon, his voice is impressive. He opens the set with the remark: “We love plants.”
As they begin playing, swallows start swooping above, as if they are dancing to the music. Monark’s sound is big and people are singing along to the words already. They have a big drum sound and, at times, Coetzer’s voice has a retro ’50s feel, like Buddy Holly’s.
He is completely transformed on stage and has an authoritative energy. With his vocal range, how could he not want to have pursued a career as a singer? Unlike many other vocalists in this genre, he really can sing.
I look above and a flock of pelicans are circling, sighing on the wind, some really close, some near the clouds, fitting for the dramatic, big music that is Monark. It was a perfect day and the perfect setting to discover Monark.