First Project | 1st Project

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Last updated 18 07 11

First Project | 1st Project

By using only drums to create what can be best described as ‘Aggressive Percussion!’, 1st Project has truly made their mark on the entertainment industry, and over the past eleven years, have continued to captivate audiences with their unique musical style, passion and vigor…The History: 1st Project started in 1999, at a music school in Johannesburg, South Africa. The concept behind the group was to change the common view of drumming groups - a bunch of hippies banging drums around a fire, to four young males smashing drums and sweating out a live show that demands attention!

Since then they have played over 1500 shows, toured over 20 countries, and been featured in hundreds of media spots worldwide, marking them as South Africa’s biggest drumming act.
1st Project boast being the only drumming act to receive 2 South African Music Award nominations; win a World Music Award in China, as well as the first South African band to have a full one hour music special on MNET and across DSTV South Africa, Africa and Asia.

Do you suffer from percussive aggressive behaviour?

...PLAY IT TO BREAK IT!
 

First Project | 1st Project

Genre
Aggressive Percussion
Members
Shannon Ellinas - toms
Kevin Dike - timbales
Paul Boyter - percussion
Justin Badenhorst - drum kit
Hometown
Johannesburg
About
Do you suffer from Percussive Aggressive Behaviour?
Description
1st Project - South Africa’s pioneer industrial percussion act.
 

First Project | 1st Project


PRESS

(2008) 1st Project signs international management deal
1st Project have signed an international management deal with the largest drum agency in the world - The DRUM CAFE, which boasts over 27 branches worldwide, including New York, London and Sydney.

(2008) 1st Project back in studio
1st Project are back in the recording studio, and 2008 will see the release of a new album through top record label ‘More Music’. The anticipated CD is entitled ‘Percussive House Grooves’, and will be a complete house album. It features 1st Project teaming up with top DJs – among them, Ryan Dent, Roger D’lux, Small Paul and Lady Lea.

(2007) ‘Shannon Ellinas’ Drum Cafe vs
1st Project’ SOLD OUT!
The ultimate drum-off began on Tuesday, 8 August 2007 at The Liberty Theatre on Nelson Mandela square, Sandton, and immediately started receiving rave reviews – including four stars from The Star’s Tonight! The show received such an awesome audience response that the run was completely sold out, with fans calling and begging for tickets, and additional seats being installed in the aisles in order to meet the high demand.

(2007) SAMA Nomination for ‘Play it to Break it’
The dynamic collaboration of percussion group 1st Project and production company 9mm Films takes off!
After high exposure from M-NET broadcasts, and sold out stock across South Africa, “Play it to Break it” has now been nominated in the BEST LIVE DVD category in the prestigious 13th Annual South African Music Awards.
Representatives from 9mm Films and
1st Project walked the MTN yellow carpet at the star-studded Nominees Launch at Johannesburg’s stylish Design Quarter on the 8th of March to receive the nomination.“We have been so proud of this product, and the enthusiastic way it has been supported by the market … it is so fantastic to receive this formal recognition for our work.” (Peter Heaney, director of the DVD and Managing Director of 9mm Films).
Being up against Ringo; Grammy award winners, the Soweto Gospel Choir; beloved South African legend Hugh Masekela and Afrikaans heart-throb Nicholis Louw, makes the clichéd comment, ‘it’s an honour just to be nominated’ ring true for 1st Project and 9mm Films.
Shannon Ellinas, who couldn’t attend the event, as 1st Project is currently representing SA at the Cricket World Cup opening ceremony in Jamaica, called in to say: “This is rocking! To be recognized in your industry by the SAMAs – it just adds more fuel to the fire!”
The 13th Annual South African Music Awards will be broadcast live on April 14th 2007 at 20h00 on SABC 1.
 

First Project | 1st Project

(2006 / 2007) ‘Play it to Break it’ on MNET
1st Project and 9mm Films have signed a broadcasting deal with MNET!
After viewing the DVD, MNET producers knew that they had to get the exclusive rights to broadcast the awesome show, referring to it as “the benchmark of South African music”. This marks 1st Project as the first South African band to receive a one hour music special on the top channel.
‘Play it to Break it’ will debut on MNET at 19h30 on Monday, 18th December 2006, and will continue to be broadcast across MNET, DSTV South Africa, DSTV Africa and DSTV Asia after this date.

(2006) 1st Project DVD out now!
9mm Films are proud to present 1st Project’s anticipated DVD, Play it to Break it!
Directed by Peter Heaney and filmed in front of a live audience at the Liberty Theatre on the Nelson Mandela Square, the rocking 60 minute show of ‘Play it to Break it’ pushes the boundaries of audio and visual entertainment, providing the limitless, unstopping, pure primal energy that has come to be expected of
1st Project.
Created by Shannon Ellinas, the show pulls together energetic performance and musical panache using drums, matchboxes, cane sticks and marimbas.
Technically impressive, musically exciting and visually astounding, 1st Project and 9mm Films guarantee a DVD that will impress audiences of all ages and musical interests.
The DVD also includes a special featurette, “All Access Pass”, which follows 1st Project on international tours and gives fans an in-depth view into the band.

First Project | 1st Project

(2005) THE MERGE – 1st Project & Basadi release CD!
The amazing response to the sounds of
1st Project & Basadi have led to the recording of a 12 track CD, titled ‘The Merge’. Live,
1st Project & Basadi combine contemporary percussion, guitars, marimbas and African drumming. For ‘The Merge’, producer Shannon Ellinas used this impressive live sound as a base, and collaborated with house DJs Scotty & Ricardo Da Costa, radio personality Unathi, hip-hop artists Old Mol and kwaito artist Smash, to create an album full of South African diversity.