Go To The Rodeo hail from the Western outskirts of Johannesburg and consists of Robert Mitchley (on bass guitar, backing vocals and keyboard), Corne van Niekerk (on vocals and guitar) and Craig Atkinson (on drums).
Their sound is a blend of indie rock, pop, and blues influences, inspired by the likes of The Kills, Twenty One Pilots, The Neigbourhood, The XX, Alt-J, and Chet Faker. The duo was formed in 2014 and was joined by former members Wikus van Rensburg and Tiaan Maartens in 2015. After performing various shows during 2015 and 2016 and releasing singles ‘Devil Under The Sheets’, ‘Top Heavy’ and ‘Ghosts’, the band was stripped back down to the original duo, Corné and Robert.
After a short hiatus, the duo came back with a fresh sound, now joined by Craig Atkinson, drummer for the electronic/post hardcore band, Bombs and Issues. Go The Rodeo are causing quite a stir in the short time they’ve been around. This Johannesburg based electro-rock band have recently released their new single “Set Fire” along with a video for the track.
“Set Fire” was written in April, a month which has held particular bad memories for vocalist Corné. In the song, the month of April is symbolized by a certain side of the moon, and the topics of death, love and frustration form the theme. The video is a mash-up of old public domain clips containing moon travel, fire, protest, and educational propaganda. Check it out below:
I know that there are a lot of things that are catchy (like the Black Plague and Ebola) but this tune is a good kind of catchy and I really like it. If you enjoy this track as much as I do you should really share this article with your friends to spread the word. Sharing is caring after all.
Watch this space for regular updates in the Music category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
