8/7/2019 Nerd concert - TNA Woza!ife

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www.thenewage.c.za10Friday, 18 FeboTS [ON THE SCENE]

Helen Herimbi

PHARRELL Williams pouts.Like a girl. But its so darn sexy

when he does it that he getsaway with it.

Its Saturday night, theStandard Bank Arena inJohannesburg is packed and

beads of sweat are tricklingdown peoples foreheads. Ifthe golden circle wasnt like afurnace wed blame the sweaton Skateboard Ps hotness.N*E*R*D are setting up when asubtle uh huh comes throughthe booming arena speakers.Hes only testing if the mic is on

but the screams in the buildingthreaten to pierce the cochlea.Its almost time.

When Hansa Pilsenerannounced they would beembarking on a LegendsIn The Making tour featur-

ing some of Mzansis musos,many were intrigued. Whenthey announced that PharrellWilliams would be the head-line act for the l ast show of thetour, every girl in the land wentmad. You see, the frontman ofhip-hop rock band N*E*R*D isa hit-making producer, singerand designer whose face is, asGabrielle Solis would say, proofof Gods existence.

OK, perhaps that is a bitfar-fetched but Pharrell is sone that I swear a few journoshearts stopped for a few sec-onds when he sauntered intothe press conference withN*E*R*D singer Shay Haley

close behind him. The thirdmember of N*E*R*D, ChadHugo, had chosen to stay in Vir-ginia with his family instead of

being here, we are told.Pharrells look seems eort-

less with a white tee, blue jeansand a fresh pair of Nike JordanIII with the classic cement greycolourway. Shay wears a PlayCloths jersey and never takeso his sunglasses. A member ofthe media asks them what theaudience can expect from the

show later on that night.Pharrell utters only one word,

Energy.Hes right. The ladies are still

screaming. A couple who have been cutting up the rug to astellar performance by Malaikaseem a little out of place. Theyeventually concede they can-not contend with tattooed white

boys with long hair and girls who are spilling out of their

dresses in hopes that N*E*R*Dwill spot them, and they pushthrough the crowd, stepping onour jerseys as they eagerly leavethe circle.

The lights bolt into the skyand on to the stage come thepeople weve been waiting for.

Their popular, frenetic SheWants To Move has starteda mini mosh pit. They are noRammstein but they sure are

rocking the crowd.The Billionaire Boys Club

and Ice Cream clothing labelfounder wasnt kidding when hesaid to expect energy. Friendsscream at each other. Mister!Look at your girl! She loves it!Pharrell shouts back. I can seeit in her eyes. He licks his lips.

Were clearly more excitedthan the band could ever be butat the press conference Pharrell

attempted to counter that with,You guys need to understand,

were from America and wenever thought we would see allof this, he said, pointing out tothe city beyond.

He continued appreciatively,And all these beautiful, beauti-ful girls. Its like the girls heregrow on trees. There is laugh-ter all around.

With an darkroom red light behind him, Pharrell croonsHypnotize U, the single o

their fourth and latest album,Nothing. Hes already caused aruckus with Spazz and Lap-dance and brought the housedown with the electric guitar-led Rockstar.

Hands shot up like skyrock-ets when the excellent drummerstarted Sooner Or Later andthe nostalgic among us weretransported back to a time

when God Bless Us All lyr-ics, With the world on yourshoulders, what can you see?

were all that gotsome tough time

Now PharreHes come a lonsounded like he ing with his vothe iconic singIts endearing, breal. Imagine thpeople who fll Bank Arena sinevery word of Pof Snoop DoggsIts Hot. Pharrel

out to the crowd aFor the whole ve

This is the lgirls have not givchance to be withThere is an aftall. But, I wondehe do the rock party with the responded whehis high-profle Girls dont likeand tell. He pau

winked, See you

Pharrell Williams: a one-man heatwaThe multi-talentedmusician,Skateboard P,is more than aN*E*R*D. he is,in fact, a lyricalLothario

N*E*R*D WHIP THE JOBURG CROWD INTO A FRENZY. PICTURES: SCOTT SMITH

PHARRELL WILLIAMS AND SHAY HALEY CHARM THE PRESS.