JINJER and SÜMER are Heading to South Africa and the Local, Supporting Bands Speak Up! [Show Preview]

South Africa will have the privilege of hosting two international acts in early May when Ukraine’s metalcore giants, Jinjer, and United Kingdom’s prog rock up-and-comers, SÜMER, grace our stages for two shows. Thanks to Turning Tricks Entertainment, you can catch both these bands on May 3rd, 2019, at Mercury Live in Cape Town and May 4th at Platteland in Centurion.

The bands will be visiting our country for the first time, while some members will be enjoying their first visit to Africa. I pray to the weather, gig and wine gods that they’ll get to experience the best of what South Africa can provide. I am almost 100 percent certain both groups are going to return the favour in a big way. Besides the fact that these bands are objectively cool, here’s why we should be looking forward to the shows:

01. Firstly, the support acts. Jinjer and SÜMER are going to be great, but a good show also requires a good support lineup. And we have found some really top-of-the-pile openers in Deity’s Muse and Bleeding Spawn for the Centurion show, and Ohgod and Zombies Ate My Girlfriend for the Cape Town gig. And what a perfect mix of warmth and fire (see point number three). All of these local bands are going places in their respective ways, from owning the metal awards to touring overseas. They have finesse, experience and fucking good music. Barring an earthquake or the second flood, these shows are going to be perfect.

02. Secondly, we are getting two international acts on one stage. Talk about value-for-money in these depressing economic times. Even though the credit ratings agencies hate us right now, not everyone does, because we have two bands willing to take a chance on us.

Here is a recent shot of the dudes that make up the UK’s Sümer.

03. Thirdly, these shows are going to be both a rock and metal treat, all in one. While Jinjer will bring the heavy, and I suspect the sweat will be flying, we are going to be equally well-warmed by the delicious progressive rock sounds of SÜMER, who take their music very seriously. Although they have been around since 2010, they have only produced one album, The Animal You Are. No judgement there, it means that we are well-versed in their music. In the same vein, the supporting bands have been carefully chosen to mirror this careful mix, with Deity’s Muse and Ohgod veering into the progressive side and Bleeding Spawn and ZAMG offering up a death metal platter.

04: Fourthly, have you heard that voice? Vocalist for Jinjer, Tatiana Shmailyuk, is a force to be reckoned with. My favourite game to play of late is to show the live session video for “Pisces” to unsuspecting innocents. The look on their faces when she breaks out her growl is classic. To have that vocal dexterity and range is a blessing in this world, and I can’t wait to feel that voice getting personal with my eardrums.

05: Last, but not least, we will be welcoming “old friends.” Both Jinjer and SÜMER have toured with a respective South African supporting act; Jinjer with Ohgod and SÜMER with Deity’s Muse. I asked the supporting bands what they are most looking forward to.

Sashan Pillay, drummer from Deity’s Muse, had this to say, “If Jinjer’s live show posts online are anything to go by, we’re in for a humdinger of a show. I’m also really excited to catch up with the Sümer dudes. Such a great bunch of guys and they are musically exceptional.” Just as an aside, Deity’s Muse is travelling to the UK this year to support the mighty MONUMENTS – what an un-fucking-believable opportunity!

Here is the “Pisces” live session as mentioned below.

Also at the Gauteng (Centurion) gig, Bleeding Spawn will be bringing their best heavy metal. They’ve really proven their worth in the last few years. Bassist, Dominic Voster, invokes a beautiful image of the “rising of Jinjer”: “We are super excited to have Jinjer and SÜMER here in South Africa, we cannot wait to slam the stage along with them and show them what Bleeding Spawn is all about. We are most excited to witness the rising of Jinjer here and to get to hang out with these amazing musicians. It’s going to be a very amazing show. Big up to Turning Tricks Entertainment for hosting this brilliant event.”

In Cape Town, Ohgod, who have toured with Jinjer, will be one of the supporting acts. Guitarist, David Houston, knows best how cool this show is going to be. “I cannot wait for the Jinjer show! Not only because Jinjer are one of the most bad-ass bands on the scene – but also because Ohgod has been a bit quiet lately on the gigging front, and this marks our very first gig of 2019! And what better time, place and lineup to be a part of. Having shared the stage with Jinjer before, we know what kind of show they deliver and we are all in for a treat. So yeah to say we are excited is an understatement.”

ZAMG are currently producing some new music and are keen to show it off. ZAMG’s guitarist, Adriano Rodrigues, tells us that, “There’s a lot about this show that’s getting us excited. Getting to share the stage with metal’s latest rising star and reconnecting with our home-based fans certainly score top marks. That the show was sold out with almost two months to spare is a feat unto itself around these parts. We’d like to think that we played our part in that persuasive lineup…. As for the show, we’re coming in fucking hot! We’re about 6 months into the release of our latest album, with some notable shows already under the belt. With this set obviously being a bit shorter than what the infected have become accustomed to lately, we’ve trimmed all the fat. It’s going to be fast, it’s going to be epic and it’s going to be fucking disgusting.”

There you have it! This is not to be missed.

The official Jinjer South African tour poster: