In 2020 during the early days of The Pandemic, Internet Girl was a recently formed fledgling Indie Rock act from Gauteng with dreams of conquering the world. I first discovered their music a year later whilst scrolling through TikTok trying to stave off lockdown-induced boredom, when a promo video from American Alternative singer/rapper Payday (now Cr1tter) promoting ‘Bitter’ their collaboration with Internet Girl popped up. Something about the band’s sound, aesthetic and energy really grabbed me. It was in your face, reverberating a raw Punk energy, with the band possessing an undeniable rockstar-like charisma. All of this and they were local and I had to know more.  I immediately went to check out more of their music and not long after they had become one of my favourite acts. In the months that followed they began receiving more attention, in particular attracting American and international audiences with their ultra-modern take that incorporates elements of Hyperpop, Trap and an endearingly braggadocious confidence.  

At the beginning of this month, Internet Girl touched down in Cape Town for the final leg of their Family Values Tour at The Alley in Paarden Eiland. Like many of the venues in Paarden Eiland, The Alley is rather unassuming from the street. Opposite The Shred skatepark, you walk down a narrow alley and then emerge into a spacious outside area that leads into a massive, ambiently lighted warehouse. The venue continued to fill up throughout the night but its size prevented it from ever feeling claustrophobic. Saturday the 1st of February, along with the previous day’s show at Sognage in Johannesburg, felt like a homecoming in more ways than one.

When I arrived, I immediately picked up on the tangible sense of anticipation for a band that has established itself as one of the country’s biggest young acts over the past few years. The energy in the room was electric, charged by the anticipation of fans eager to see the band back on home turf.

The night was opened up by one of Cape Town’s best-kept Punk secrets, Cistamatic, whose fierce energy helped establish the tone for the night. The in-your-face Riot-Grrrl influenced ‘Psycho Bitch’ from their recent “Live At Motel Studios” EP was one of the highlights of the set for me. Up next was Brotherkupa who maintained the energy levels that Cistamatic had set, albeit in a slightly different vein. One of the kings of the local underground rap scene his distinctive, distorted Trap sound included influences as diverse as Gqom and Hyperpop. His pitched-up vocals sliced through the bass-heavy production, each track shifting dynamically yet maintaining a cohesive and at times riveting set with some of my favourite tracks being ‘Gqom Freestyle’ and ‘YOUNGKUPA’, the latter of which had the crowd chanting his name. 

By the time Internet Girl took the stage the crowd’s anticipation had reached a fever pitch and they didn’t hold back, launching straight into one of their recent hits, the anthemic Punk ode to drug-infused charisma, ‘Cokehead’. Then onto a slightly deeper cut with one of my personal favourites ‘Brokeboy’, a high-octane Rock track with soaring guitars and poignant lyrics about the pressure of trying to make it big. ‘Role Model’, the slick Indie Pop lead single of the band’s most recent project of the same title, proved to be as much of a banger performed live as when I first heard it on the EP. The middle portion of the set saw the band previewing a few unreleased tracks that sent the crowd into rapture, although I don’t think I’m allowed to give too much away on that front.

In an unexpected turn, they also threw in an exhilarating cover of Blur’s ‘Song 2’. Although that may have been slightly overshadowed by the revelation of the new tracks, and a potential upcoming project from the band. It was ‘KIDS’ that turned the dancefloor into pure chaos, its punchy blend of Hyperpop and 2000s Emo amplified by the sheer volume of bodies moving in sync. In closing with ‘Boss‘, an Indie Rock banger from the “Role Model” EP whose closing riffs harken back to the Garage Rock of the early 00’s, the band ended things off on a high.

Visually, the set was just as striking. The red lighting cast an almost surreal glow over the stage, heightening the intensity of each song. Lead singer Ntsika, barely visible through the haze of flashing lights and smoke, still commanded full attention. His now signature Ushanka hat has become an integral part of his stage look, pairing unexpectedly well with his baggy pants and stripy T shirt. Somehow, even as the sweat poured down his forehead, the winter headwear felt effortless, serving as a parable of the ease with which he and the band performed. One particularly memorable moment saw him turning his back to the crowd with the sea of faces behind his back, a display of trust that the audience reciprocated by hardly missing a word in echoing his verse along with him. Guitarist and producer Griggs had his own moment in the spotlight during ‘Boss’, contorting himself into impossible angles as he shredded with his guitar behind his back. It was a fittingly thrilling end to a set that felt like a prodigal return for Internet Girl.

The band’s co-producer Neese kept the crowd going with a DJ set packed with classics including Dead or Alive’s ‘‘You Spin Me Round’, Daft Punk’s ‘Around the World’ alongside a healthy dose of current club bangers. Tactix followed with an eclectic DJ set that showed their incredible range as a selector in weaving between genres with effortless ease. Opening with Azealia Banks’ Acid House-infused 2012 hit ‘Liquorice‘ gave a taste of the entrancing sonic journey to come.  One of my favourite moments was their smooth transition from the ‘Club classics featuring bb trickz‘ remix into Mura Masa’s ‘SXC’. Some of the other highlight tracks from their set were House remix ‘Feel The Rush’, 100 Gecs’ Hyperpop banger “Dumbest Girl Alive” and Chicago Electronic music innovator RP Boo’s ‘Bang’n On King Dr.’

Everything came together to make the final stop of the Family Values Tour one to remember, a night of genre-defying chaos, incredible performances, and a whole lot of sweat. Internet Girl’s set perfectly blended recent tracks from the ‘Role Model’ EP with older fan favourites and a sprinkling of unreleased work, which along with their unrelenting energy and charisma made for a performance that won’t be easy to forget. It’s quite something to see the growth and evolution that the band have gone through over the past years and I’m sure their rise is only going to continue. The perfectly curated ensemble of supporting acts ensured that there were no lulls with the high-octane punkish intensity maintained throughout. This evening was another reminder that in spite of the many challenges around, the local live music scene continues to find ways to thrive.