while 101 things affected me prior and during the prom, these are the sights, sparks, and small things that truely matters, that made me hopeful of the future, and glad that i am part of this once more.
- seeing the decor committee rise to the occasion. however brief and bleak their proposal and plans may seem, the backdrop was stunning despite the few glitches. them coming in matching outfits is a sign of unity.
- seeing the pageant contestants support one another. when Sharon and Rey were assigned the Q+A qns of dancing to a HSM song, Samuel's couple and the other couple (F4/M4) danced along with them at the back.
- seeing a surprising side of Samuel not seen thus far. his Patrick impersonation was hilarious, and the $120 mess of a hair became a nice crop on the night itself. no longer psycho lookin, now with a tad of dash. and Hamidah's hooking of her arms around Samuel says more than any unhappiness that's happened between them and the hooha before tt. and this is what the pageant is all about: giving them a chance to rise to the occasion and be exposed to a side what some probably have never experienced. the attention. the learning to dance. the catwalk. and the self discovery. it's not always about looks. but most of all, it's about being there for one another, and being in this together through thick and thin.
- seeing Hamidah love her contestants with the same passion and care that xiaojun and bee had then. though she missed out some details, this credible effort is proof that she is the right person for the job. i dun think anyone else in this committee has been more willingly self-sacrificial.
- for Junhua, whom is probably the most dependable person in the committee. for putting together a credible video.
- for those who offered to help out. guowei, ruslan, alan.
- having the longest chat ever with Cuijing, even thou it lastest 15mins at best.
- seeing Clara. the funniest 16 yr old i know then has now become the funniest 18 yr old i know, and she never fails to make me smile.
- seeing Clara working well with Marcus. i'm glad they became friends though they never knew each other prior. and this is what the Alumni is all about.
- knowing kaiyan and baoling and weilong better.
- Bahari's programme booklet. the cover was befitting of the theme and everything was SO NICE. colours rock.
- Jiahao and his selfless contributions. he brought in his own production crew at no extra charges, and singlehandedly assembled/dismantled most of the equipments. the contributions and sacrifices he's given prob made him the most valuable person in the committee.
- mrs Catherine Yeo, for turning up and staying for a while even though she has a wedding to attend.
- for the great response for alumni signup.
- for aunty jenny's constant support.
regrets aplenty, but never one for being part of it. scared of much, but not anymore of the astonishing stares and doubts. at least for now.
there were times when i thought of giving up, so badly. even during the event, i questioned my overstay, and swore never to be back again. yet, there's much more tt needs to do, and i felt that i still have so much to perfect, so many ppl to groom. i've yet to find someone truely self-sacrificial enough to devote himself/herself into this, and while there are many promising ones, no one seems to be ready for this yet.
but someone's gotta learn the ropes. and while i may doubt myself and be worried over what other people may think of me, this is probably what i've learnt most from. i've gained more than i could imagine out of this, and i'm glad i did it. this has been my blood and sweat. my time and space. my tears and joys. my pride and glory.
i'll stick around. even though it seems like a lonely ride from here.
Ever With The Best.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The Killers are back!!!!!!!!!!!
DAY AND AGE!!! 4 more days!!!
on what seems like a rare occasion where i blog, i'm gonna express my excitement over their new album i dun care. ahahahahhaa. COME TO SINGAPORE LEH!!!
Human (the second part of this clip is not them, nto their song)
SPACEMAN! this is Mr Brightside 2
on what seems like a rare occasion where i blog, i'm gonna express my excitement over their new album i dun care. ahahahahhaa. COME TO SINGAPORE LEH!!!
Human (the second part of this clip is not them, nto their song)
SPACEMAN! this is Mr Brightside 2
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
the Mary J Blige I miss
i miss the days when Mary j Blige was more 'soul' than 'hip-hop soul'. though her voice has improved trememdously, i miss the tortured and earnest Mary that just laid the track down like that to a simple melody, without any fancy beat, fluent rapper or even P Diddy.
Give Me You is one of my favourites from her.
Give Me You live
i remember seeing this performance when i was young during the Grammys and getting the shock of my life. this song came out timely before 9/11, and this performance was shortly after. it gave me goosebumps and was one of the more influential performances of my youth. i didnt know someone could sing as dramatic as that. from then on, i realise it's about the energy. some have claimed that seeing Mary perform is like an exorcism of one's demons, or an exhaltation. i'm hoping that when the day comes i see her live, she'll still have that raw energy in her. the way Tina had it all the time.
this is a more indulgent version.
Give Me You is one of my favourites from her.
Give Me You live
i remember seeing this performance when i was young during the Grammys and getting the shock of my life. this song came out timely before 9/11, and this performance was shortly after. it gave me goosebumps and was one of the more influential performances of my youth. i didnt know someone could sing as dramatic as that. from then on, i realise it's about the energy. some have claimed that seeing Mary perform is like an exorcism of one's demons, or an exhaltation. i'm hoping that when the day comes i see her live, she'll still have that raw energy in her. the way Tina had it all the time.
this is a more indulgent version.
these thoughts
While rationalising a friend's departure, it dawned upon me that it has reached a point where i need to choose between friends and commitments. and while i have no doubt that these 'commitments' come first this time, a deep pang of melancholy nonetheless struck me while i was apologizing at the thought of having to ever pick a side. i wanted to cry. it's not supposed to happen this way.
i was even reluctant to mention the word 'work', for it risks undermining the sanctity of these 'commitments', that now feels like responsibilities. but for convenience and not wanting others to risk feeling i'm overrating, it sometimes become 'work', simply.
these few days i hate opening my email. the floods of emails frustrate me with the amount of follow-ups i need to do. for the first time, i hated the excessive of emails that requires my dire attention, and contemplated deleting these 500+ mails.
my mum has been taking up dancing lessons, and i learnt this thru my sister. perhaps i have been too caught up in my own world. even without prom, i doubt i will get the latest updates in the house as well. my relationship with my parents, after learning the hard way, has become one of nonchalence and non-communication. naggings enter and exit, as silence is often the best way to handle whatever's being hurled at you: lies, inaccuracies, accusations, 'advices', etc. its 2 different world, and a house is not a home.
during the exams, i procrastinated and was distracted. i was unable to focus this semester, and ran away from books as much as i could. after the exams, i pushed myself to do more, more than what i did for this exam. days of full devotion to long meetings and mad rushes that drain me at the end of the day, resulting in nothing but frustration and agony.
if it is making me so unhappy, what's the worth in doing it?
though i might seem to have the answer, the fact is i do not. at least not whole heartedly. why do i have to cover up for other people's responsibilities? why cant others be more understanding?
and i feel like i am not given enough respect by these people i'm supposed to lead. this doubt has been troubling me for a while now, and this self-doubt hinders my progress. at times, it felt like what i've built to this day has been in vain. it makes me ponder my way of approach that warrants such levels of 'respect'. with that, i'm half convinced that when it comes to jj prom, i've failed in inspiring them to do better and beyond their capabilities. i've failed to motivate them, or guide them in the right direction. for both proms, it dawned on me that i have been a dictator. i have been a tyrant that speaks softly, and nothing is worse than a tyrant tt is unsure of himself.
an hour ago, i've entertained the thought of taking half a year off school. but the thought of wasting 6 months scares me. i have much i want to do with these 6 mths. if it pulls thru, this 6 mths will be carefully planned and no time is allowed to be wasted.
given all the self-inflicted drama surrounding me, i need to know that this will only strengthen me.
the first year was about finding my ground, creating a smooth event that would be enjoyed by my juniors.
the second year was a year of breakthrough and self discovery. i've gone the extra mile, and realised how it felt to pursue what i've set out to complete. although i've not accomplished all that i set out to do, i've pushed beyond borders and tested myself.
this year, i was able to take a step back and take a more objective look. with that comes the chance to see a bigger picture and make changes of a higher order. and being involved in jj prom tested my limits to go beyond in terms of scale and manpower.
time, as usual is never on my side.
the drifting is also killing me.
i was even reluctant to mention the word 'work', for it risks undermining the sanctity of these 'commitments', that now feels like responsibilities. but for convenience and not wanting others to risk feeling i'm overrating, it sometimes become 'work', simply.
these few days i hate opening my email. the floods of emails frustrate me with the amount of follow-ups i need to do. for the first time, i hated the excessive of emails that requires my dire attention, and contemplated deleting these 500+ mails.
my mum has been taking up dancing lessons, and i learnt this thru my sister. perhaps i have been too caught up in my own world. even without prom, i doubt i will get the latest updates in the house as well. my relationship with my parents, after learning the hard way, has become one of nonchalence and non-communication. naggings enter and exit, as silence is often the best way to handle whatever's being hurled at you: lies, inaccuracies, accusations, 'advices', etc. its 2 different world, and a house is not a home.
during the exams, i procrastinated and was distracted. i was unable to focus this semester, and ran away from books as much as i could. after the exams, i pushed myself to do more, more than what i did for this exam. days of full devotion to long meetings and mad rushes that drain me at the end of the day, resulting in nothing but frustration and agony.
if it is making me so unhappy, what's the worth in doing it?
though i might seem to have the answer, the fact is i do not. at least not whole heartedly. why do i have to cover up for other people's responsibilities? why cant others be more understanding?
and i feel like i am not given enough respect by these people i'm supposed to lead. this doubt has been troubling me for a while now, and this self-doubt hinders my progress. at times, it felt like what i've built to this day has been in vain. it makes me ponder my way of approach that warrants such levels of 'respect'. with that, i'm half convinced that when it comes to jj prom, i've failed in inspiring them to do better and beyond their capabilities. i've failed to motivate them, or guide them in the right direction. for both proms, it dawned on me that i have been a dictator. i have been a tyrant that speaks softly, and nothing is worse than a tyrant tt is unsure of himself.
an hour ago, i've entertained the thought of taking half a year off school. but the thought of wasting 6 months scares me. i have much i want to do with these 6 mths. if it pulls thru, this 6 mths will be carefully planned and no time is allowed to be wasted.
given all the self-inflicted drama surrounding me, i need to know that this will only strengthen me.
the first year was about finding my ground, creating a smooth event that would be enjoyed by my juniors.
the second year was a year of breakthrough and self discovery. i've gone the extra mile, and realised how it felt to pursue what i've set out to complete. although i've not accomplished all that i set out to do, i've pushed beyond borders and tested myself.
this year, i was able to take a step back and take a more objective look. with that comes the chance to see a bigger picture and make changes of a higher order. and being involved in jj prom tested my limits to go beyond in terms of scale and manpower.
time, as usual is never on my side.
the drifting is also killing me.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Barbra Streisand
k this is an extensive day of youtube entries, but i cant resist it. i guess it comes from spending too much time there.
Barbra Streisand is one of the most beautiful singers, both vocally and physically, in my opinion. she defines the word "ever green". if everyone could age as gracefully as her, the world will not have ugly people.
very old school i know. but it's really nice. esp in the night.
Close To You, with Burt Bacharach
If You Ever leave Me, with Vince Gill
Barbra Streisand is one of the most beautiful singers, both vocally and physically, in my opinion. she defines the word "ever green". if everyone could age as gracefully as her, the world will not have ugly people.
very old school i know. but it's really nice. esp in the night.
Close To You, with Burt Bacharach
If You Ever leave Me, with Vince Gill
I LOVE KATY PERRY!
I've been listening to her album, and it's SOOO catchy.
Katy Perry is the new Mel- C, with a touch of sassiness, fun, and Pink's edge.
"i kissed a girl and i like it! the taste of her cherry chapstick"
The Hours
no other show is more quote-worthy, and this, my favourite scene, is the epitome of terrific writing. every single line screams to be quoted.
for me, Nicole Kidman could have easily won the Oscars for this scene. and she forever won me over.
"come along."
Sunday, November 09, 2008
林一峰 - 喜歡你
喜歡你. those who've heard this song by Beyond will realise that this is a new arrangement. yet the lyrics and tone still fit. this is how a song is given new life.
Saturday, November 08, 2008
藍奕邦 - 時候尚早
曲/詞: 藍奕邦
編: Adam Lee
監製: 陳德健/李漢金/藍奕邦
何解我未曾問5與跟我講你懂
何解你所有口吻極其像個老頑童
而你不過廿來歲 無法可將一切看通
對所有事情漸忘掉衝動 談起你未來仍滿臉愁容
愈去估計前途 偏偏愈會幻想起暗湧
但秒針仍在跳 光陰也未窮
凡事也先有它答案 這刻不要碰
可知道 時候尚早
前面尚有幾多的起伏佈滿你一生旅途
很多個未知數 行前兩步你便看到一切總會有分數
時候尚早
讓老天替你一一安排 並未願知得太早
誰預先打小報告 快掩耳 當聽不到
人生裡總有幾對手去等你拖
人生裡問題逐條逐條地一一探索
活到七老八十歲 還有很多未曾尋獲
考究深奧的存在意義 何不試一試逐一的去試
人去偷看結局 多糟蹋 揭曉的真意思
若你心仍在跳 不需當先知
就趁有幸去生存時 你即管放肆
可知道 時候尚早
前面尚有幾多的起伏佈滿你一生旅途
很多個未知數 行前兩步你便看到一切總會有分數
時候尚早
讓老天替你一一安排 並未願知得太早
緩緩地跟青春跳舞 這一剎 人還未老
可知道 時候尚早
前面尚有幾多的起伏佈滿你一生旅途
很多個未知數 行前兩步你便看到一切總會有分數
時候尚早
學會將冀盼拋出窗外 便是最好的法寶
誰預先打小報告 答一句 我不知道
after lee-hom's concert tt day, while on the bus home, i unwrapped my new 藍奕邦 <藍> EP cd and popped it into my discman. it wasnt any of lee-hom's albums tt i craved, but his. after a night of excitement, i needed something to calm me down. and 藍奕邦 has never failed to do that, while inspiring me at the same time. cant wait for the <奕> EP.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
the longest friday
amidst the continuous commercials, of Rihanna, national geographic's global warming channel, cars, etc, i find solace in this messy mac at pioneer mall. the quiet of the night makes the surroundings more evident to the senses, and while observing others, i have time to observe myself.
the lights are brighter here, and the air cooler. back home, dad is probably operating on another one of his watches on the dining table, magnifying glass and cigarette on hand. room is too dark, too humid, and too messy for studying. it could onli induce frustration, which will be inevitably followed by sleep.
the last succession of nights spent here was when my internet connection at home sucked, and i took my sis' laptop out to play for a week or two. this period of study nights saw some familiar faces: fellow nocturnal students tryin to cram in work, familiar mac staff and regular customers, and this aunty who is here most of the nights. she looks bigger than i last saw her. she reads late into the night, sometimes falling asleep, almost always knitting. i ponder her reason for coming here, and wonder if she finds the same kind of peace of night that i find.
it's always this time of the year that i ponder most about existance. i've always known, but i am reminded again, that life's a standstill without challenges. life doesnt push me to become better than i am without troubles. life's a bitch, but it'll be a boring bitch without obstacles in the way. why does one have to learn about life through the hard way?
the exams always bring to mind how much one could have accomplished in the time of studying. it makes me ponder what i've been doing with my time when i wasnt muggin for the exams, and what i could have accomplished. if anything, it drives me to push harder for prom after this friday. if anything it creates a thirst for life after friday, to do anything and everything i could.
this sem has been a morale killer for me. the assignments were badly graded, the readings were a bigger killer than last sem (it could have been easier if i had put in more time), and i felt like i've not learnt much. i questioned my own ability, and the choices i've made. what if this was not what i'm meant to do all along? what if i actually suck at this?
of course, its nothing without harwork. i know about hardwork. the man who works hard for the money, that airs his sore feet on the train after a long day's work knows about hardwork. the construction worker under the sun knows about hardwork. the ah tiong serving me mac doing the late night shift and sucking in customer's annoyance knows about hardwork. so where does hardwork lead to? is it something that u need to know when u're young so that u can reap the rewards later in life? is it independent of luck, faith, or even karma?
i dont think so.
i believe hard work sometimes become a front u put up just so the world will judge u less cruel. some hardworking people don't do it for themselves even, they do it for others, for bigger-than-self reasons or not.
we all know better than to judge people based on their appearances. but no one actually does tt and put personal judgement aside.
i need an intervention. i will plan my intervention. after this friday.
the lights are brighter here, and the air cooler. back home, dad is probably operating on another one of his watches on the dining table, magnifying glass and cigarette on hand. room is too dark, too humid, and too messy for studying. it could onli induce frustration, which will be inevitably followed by sleep.
the last succession of nights spent here was when my internet connection at home sucked, and i took my sis' laptop out to play for a week or two. this period of study nights saw some familiar faces: fellow nocturnal students tryin to cram in work, familiar mac staff and regular customers, and this aunty who is here most of the nights. she looks bigger than i last saw her. she reads late into the night, sometimes falling asleep, almost always knitting. i ponder her reason for coming here, and wonder if she finds the same kind of peace of night that i find.
it's always this time of the year that i ponder most about existance. i've always known, but i am reminded again, that life's a standstill without challenges. life doesnt push me to become better than i am without troubles. life's a bitch, but it'll be a boring bitch without obstacles in the way. why does one have to learn about life through the hard way?
the exams always bring to mind how much one could have accomplished in the time of studying. it makes me ponder what i've been doing with my time when i wasnt muggin for the exams, and what i could have accomplished. if anything, it drives me to push harder for prom after this friday. if anything it creates a thirst for life after friday, to do anything and everything i could.
this sem has been a morale killer for me. the assignments were badly graded, the readings were a bigger killer than last sem (it could have been easier if i had put in more time), and i felt like i've not learnt much. i questioned my own ability, and the choices i've made. what if this was not what i'm meant to do all along? what if i actually suck at this?
of course, its nothing without harwork. i know about hardwork. the man who works hard for the money, that airs his sore feet on the train after a long day's work knows about hardwork. the construction worker under the sun knows about hardwork. the ah tiong serving me mac doing the late night shift and sucking in customer's annoyance knows about hardwork. so where does hardwork lead to? is it something that u need to know when u're young so that u can reap the rewards later in life? is it independent of luck, faith, or even karma?
i dont think so.
i believe hard work sometimes become a front u put up just so the world will judge u less cruel. some hardworking people don't do it for themselves even, they do it for others, for bigger-than-self reasons or not.
we all know better than to judge people based on their appearances. but no one actually does tt and put personal judgement aside.
i need an intervention. i will plan my intervention. after this friday.
Monday, November 03, 2008
lost
is it possible for someone to forget how it feels like to talk to someone?
or be at a lost when it comes to words?
i do not know what to say. or feel. or think. sometimes.
or be at a lost when it comes to words?
i do not know what to say. or feel. or think. sometimes.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Lee Hom Music Man concert 2008
"tt's crap!"
best line of the night (fr Lee Hom). but this is by no way describing the gig. it's the second best night of the year, and i'm officially a newly-converted Lee Hom fan. =)
the bad stuff first.
- the backup singers were terrible, even though one of them includes our very own Gong Shi Jia. they were dressed up as la-mei (yes, lame as well) with short minis and cheesy hair. they looked and sounded and harmonised more like getai singers than pro bkgrd singers. i kinda wished local guy fr DreamzFM Jim Lin were in the group. he did the backin vocals for Lee Hom's previous gig in Taipei.
- wat's up with the slew of sexy female dancers? instead of making him look like a rock-god, if that's the intention, those dancers made it look like a 50-cent video! hell even if leather is the new thing, but tt's pushing it a little too far. not good.
- the sound's a lil too loud on my side, and he forgot some portions of the lyrics.IMHO, he wasnt in top vocal form. he sounded a bit piercing on some songs, and there wasnt much improv unlike his previous gig. however, it's hard to remember all the lyrics when u have abt 15 albums under ya belt. tt's 150 songs, and some of which has rap lyrics tt will make anyone go bonkers. so yea, props still.
now for the good part:
- THIS GIG IS THE BIGGEST GIG I'VE SEEN SO FAR! It sure looks more than 90% filled! i mean, i haven been to a concert this huge, that when it ends, u see an even longer queue at the merchandise store than before the concert even started. i was there early at 4.30, intending to study. but fanatic Phuimun told me tt the merchandise store starts sales at 430, so i dropped by(i got myself a tee and cap!). thankfully i avoided the crowd. anyway, even 30 mins after the concert u still see people all over the stadium, waiting for bus, gushing about him, laughing and talking about how great the gig was , bla bla bla. u'd almost thought it was just an intermission and there's probably a round 2 coming (which might take another 2 yrs).
- the audience was CRAZY. i thought Sandy fans were devoted. but now i truely believe there's more to fans than i've ever seen. Starhub gave us whistles, which are cause for ear-concern. Bausch & Lomb gave inflatable balloons which made clappin easier, so every other person had white inflatable stuff tt worked longer than arms so tt he can see, and sounded louder than claps. the rich ones(ie the CAT 1 ppl) stood up since the first song la! (yes Belle, that's you!)
- it was one climax after another. after approx 15 albums, i guess most of his stuff are radio hits. we sang along to most of the songs, mostly with the help of the subtitles on screen. he played the usual violin, and he works best at the piano, or any other instrument as a matter of fact, just prob not so much dancing. but i believe someone as talented as him can learn dancing and ace it anytime.
the violin
- i'm glad he ditched the hip-hop, chi-western fusion stuff for the rock influence. honestly, i didnt like the way he fusioned chinese opera with hip hop elements, or the so-called "chinked-out" style. audiolly, it sounded interesting and catchy. but when putting up a concert, it seems jarring and tryin too hard with all the chinese dancers on stage, him waving a flag to sneakers and ma-gua, etc etc. though the intention of trying to prove tt there's more to chi music than k-hits and run-of-the-mill stereotypes is noble, there's still something amiss about it that wasnt really believable for me. was he trying too hard? or was it too in-my-face? in any case. i;m glad he didnt do any breakdance or wave a flag this time. even the chinked-out songs were rock-arranged, which i'm not complainin since i'm ok with the original anw. just didnt like the visual presentation.
- i love the new arrangement to 安全感. one segment featured a few remixes of his songs, and they were very nicely done. vocally, he's improved alot since his early days. i use to think his voice was piercing, but the last few albums were great improvements. yesterday night saw greater control and restraint with his voice as compared to his earlier days. but it cld have been better. i felt like he was shouting at some points.
- the lights were dazzling! at one point he was singing 唯一, and all the white lights were focused on him and the piano. LOVELY. the backdrop screens were also visually stunning. great for ppl like me who's sitting far far away to catch a closeup.
- and of cos there were a few surprises, like appearing at the back of the stadium.
- but his coy retorts were the best. he started off with th usual cheesy "i love yous" and all, which later saw him speakin in English, claimin he cant care less since he's in Singapore and he can say anything he wants. later on he spoke of how there's an unglamorous side to him tt the media is tryin to pry, and tt facade of a sunshine hardworking singer was "(that's) crap!". how candid. =) the taipei dvd was full of cheesy stuff. hearing those words humanised him, and tt's the best and easiest way to a fan's heart.
WHAT. A. NIGHT. how exciting it was to be amongst fans of such high energy and spirits. Phuimun, meiling, belle, and yuneng were there. and those after concert excitement had an outlet. Quin kept gushing it a crime to be that good looking. hahaha. i agree. though it left some of us with hangovers till today, it's a hangover to be proud of. if there's anything i learned from it, it's that i'm gonna work hard and be talented. "我可以改变世界 / 改变自己 / 改变 Q-mo / 改变消极 / 要一直努力努力 永不放弃 / 才可以改变世界 / come on 改变自己."
Sandy's concert was a personal experience. Lee Hom's concert was an exhilarating ride. if i had been a bigger fan and cried to some of his songs, it could have topped Sandy's gig. i saw the marks of a true music-man, the quest for self-improvement, the thirst for re-invention, the hardwork and desire to stay relevant, and, on a side-note, the powerful and lucrative business of concert merchandising. no wonder Madonna and Kylie are with Live Nation.
but it was a totally different experience and i'm glad i had the chance to be converted. mucho gracias to Hazzie for the free tic!!!
Quin, in High Definition.
just rubbing it in hahahahhaah
best line of the night (fr Lee Hom). but this is by no way describing the gig. it's the second best night of the year, and i'm officially a newly-converted Lee Hom fan. =)
the bad stuff first.
- the backup singers were terrible, even though one of them includes our very own Gong Shi Jia. they were dressed up as la-mei (yes, lame as well) with short minis and cheesy hair. they looked and sounded and harmonised more like getai singers than pro bkgrd singers. i kinda wished local guy fr DreamzFM Jim Lin were in the group. he did the backin vocals for Lee Hom's previous gig in Taipei.
- wat's up with the slew of sexy female dancers? instead of making him look like a rock-god, if that's the intention, those dancers made it look like a 50-cent video! hell even if leather is the new thing, but tt's pushing it a little too far. not good.
- the sound's a lil too loud on my side, and he forgot some portions of the lyrics.IMHO, he wasnt in top vocal form. he sounded a bit piercing on some songs, and there wasnt much improv unlike his previous gig. however, it's hard to remember all the lyrics when u have abt 15 albums under ya belt. tt's 150 songs, and some of which has rap lyrics tt will make anyone go bonkers. so yea, props still.
now for the good part:
- THIS GIG IS THE BIGGEST GIG I'VE SEEN SO FAR! It sure looks more than 90% filled! i mean, i haven been to a concert this huge, that when it ends, u see an even longer queue at the merchandise store than before the concert even started. i was there early at 4.30, intending to study. but fanatic Phuimun told me tt the merchandise store starts sales at 430, so i dropped by(i got myself a tee and cap!). thankfully i avoided the crowd. anyway, even 30 mins after the concert u still see people all over the stadium, waiting for bus, gushing about him, laughing and talking about how great the gig was , bla bla bla. u'd almost thought it was just an intermission and there's probably a round 2 coming (which might take another 2 yrs).
- the audience was CRAZY. i thought Sandy fans were devoted. but now i truely believe there's more to fans than i've ever seen. Starhub gave us whistles, which are cause for ear-concern. Bausch & Lomb gave inflatable balloons which made clappin easier, so every other person had white inflatable stuff tt worked longer than arms so tt he can see, and sounded louder than claps. the rich ones(ie the CAT 1 ppl) stood up since the first song la! (yes Belle, that's you!)
- it was one climax after another. after approx 15 albums, i guess most of his stuff are radio hits. we sang along to most of the songs, mostly with the help of the subtitles on screen. he played the usual violin, and he works best at the piano, or any other instrument as a matter of fact, just prob not so much dancing. but i believe someone as talented as him can learn dancing and ace it anytime.
the violin
- i'm glad he ditched the hip-hop, chi-western fusion stuff for the rock influence. honestly, i didnt like the way he fusioned chinese opera with hip hop elements, or the so-called "chinked-out" style. audiolly, it sounded interesting and catchy. but when putting up a concert, it seems jarring and tryin too hard with all the chinese dancers on stage, him waving a flag to sneakers and ma-gua, etc etc. though the intention of trying to prove tt there's more to chi music than k-hits and run-of-the-mill stereotypes is noble, there's still something amiss about it that wasnt really believable for me. was he trying too hard? or was it too in-my-face? in any case. i;m glad he didnt do any breakdance or wave a flag this time. even the chinked-out songs were rock-arranged, which i'm not complainin since i'm ok with the original anw. just didnt like the visual presentation.
- i love the new arrangement to 安全感. one segment featured a few remixes of his songs, and they were very nicely done. vocally, he's improved alot since his early days. i use to think his voice was piercing, but the last few albums were great improvements. yesterday night saw greater control and restraint with his voice as compared to his earlier days. but it cld have been better. i felt like he was shouting at some points.
- the lights were dazzling! at one point he was singing 唯一, and all the white lights were focused on him and the piano. LOVELY. the backdrop screens were also visually stunning. great for ppl like me who's sitting far far away to catch a closeup.
- and of cos there were a few surprises, like appearing at the back of the stadium.
- but his coy retorts were the best. he started off with th usual cheesy "i love yous" and all, which later saw him speakin in English, claimin he cant care less since he's in Singapore and he can say anything he wants. later on he spoke of how there's an unglamorous side to him tt the media is tryin to pry, and tt facade of a sunshine hardworking singer was "(that's) crap!". how candid. =) the taipei dvd was full of cheesy stuff. hearing those words humanised him, and tt's the best and easiest way to a fan's heart.
WHAT. A. NIGHT. how exciting it was to be amongst fans of such high energy and spirits. Phuimun, meiling, belle, and yuneng were there. and those after concert excitement had an outlet. Quin kept gushing it a crime to be that good looking. hahaha. i agree. though it left some of us with hangovers till today, it's a hangover to be proud of. if there's anything i learned from it, it's that i'm gonna work hard and be talented. "我可以改变世界 / 改变自己 / 改变 Q-mo / 改变消极 / 要一直努力努力 永不放弃 / 才可以改变世界 / come on 改变自己."
Sandy's concert was a personal experience. Lee Hom's concert was an exhilarating ride. if i had been a bigger fan and cried to some of his songs, it could have topped Sandy's gig. i saw the marks of a true music-man, the quest for self-improvement, the thirst for re-invention, the hardwork and desire to stay relevant, and, on a side-note, the powerful and lucrative business of concert merchandising. no wonder Madonna and Kylie are with Live Nation.
but it was a totally different experience and i'm glad i had the chance to be converted. mucho gracias to Hazzie for the free tic!!!
Quin, in High Definition.
just rubbing it in hahahahhaah
Saturday, November 01, 2008
lost and not found yet
wa lau.
i spent close to an hour, looking through the same few places where i put my cds over and over again, hoping i could find my Lee Hom greatest hits album, Evolution. after sweating my ass off, i took a bath, and remembered i lent it to someone! but to who i cant recall!!!
that friend must have been a trusted friend, or so i thought then, because i didnt mentally leave a note to remind myself to get it back!
now i dunno who took my cd. great. its prob karma for the free tic i got to tonight's show. darn.
here's a shoutout to all who's reading:
WHO HAS MY LEE HOM GREATEST HITS CD?!?!?!? =(
it looks something like this:
i spent close to an hour, looking through the same few places where i put my cds over and over again, hoping i could find my Lee Hom greatest hits album, Evolution. after sweating my ass off, i took a bath, and remembered i lent it to someone! but to who i cant recall!!!
that friend must have been a trusted friend, or so i thought then, because i didnt mentally leave a note to remind myself to get it back!
now i dunno who took my cd. great. its prob karma for the free tic i got to tonight's show. darn.
here's a shoutout to all who's reading:
WHO HAS MY LEE HOM GREATEST HITS CD?!?!?!? =(
it looks something like this:
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