Just got back from Eason’s Life in KL Concert 2013

The last time I watched a concert was on two years ago by Sammi Cheng, a ‘Cantopop Queen’ at Genting Highlands. Over the years, Cantopop in 1990s and early 2000s remains as my most favourite music genre. This year, another Cantopop legend came to host a concert in KL, and he is Eason Chan. Eason is a prominent Hong Kong male  singer whom is often regarded as the third ‘God of Song’ after Samuel Hui and Jacky Cheung. His concert themed ‘Eason’s Life in Kuala Lumpur’ was held successfully at Stadium Merdeka on 19th October 2013 from 8.30pm to 10.30pm.

(Image source: http://www.my.com.my/getmedia/940b13dc-4c4e-42d5-9c13-75ed0d7e9c40/EASON_MAIN_1.jpg.aspx)

My sister first shown interest to watch his concert few months back and I decided to join since it has been quite some time for me not attending any concert. It’s time to reward myself a time of live music entertainment on a Saturday’s night. We bought the lowest-priced ticket at RM138 per pax for free seating which is expected to be at very far behind from the stage. Today is not really a good day to hold an outdoor concert because it’s raining all day long with no sign of stopping. Luckily, we went out earlier and managed to reach the destination on time after a traffic crawl. We were all wet as we had to walk all the way from our car parked several hundred metres away to the stadium. We were all wearing raincoat and I felt really uncomfortable, but I tried my best to improve my mood few minutes before the show starts. Shown below; that’s before the concert starts.

The concert is delayed 30 minutes to provide some time to many latecomers whom were also frustrated with the rain that made things much difficult for all. On 8.15pm before the concert, Vincy Soo, a guest performer entertained the crowd but is not really that welcomed. By 8.30pm, Eason finally graced the stage with a warm welcome. His appearance set the atmosphere high and proven that the downpour did not dampen our spirit and desire to watch Eason’s performance. However, I have not heard the first few songs he sang and so I find things a bit boring in the beginning. I believed those are some of his new songs which aren’t really popular. He did brighten up the crowd with some of his short humorous talks between his songs. I didn’t know he is that entertaining and is quite a funny guy.

Not long after, we were all excited when Eason sang the popular theme song for the drama ‘Triumph in the Skies’. Everyone loved this beautiful song. As soon as the song’s melody started playing, many people were seen lifting their phones up to record. It was followed with many other popular hit songs by Eason of which I’m quite familiar with despite not having heard of them for quite some time. I had to say some Eason’s classic songs are really good and are quite unforgettable. I did sang along at some parts to join the fun. There is a guy sitting besides me whom I believed is a hardcore fans of Eason. He whom attended the concert alone knew and sang almost all of Eason’s songs of the night. Incredible.

Eason’s concert tonight was a mix of his old and new songs. Of course, I’m in favour of his old songs then which are much more touching and memorable. The concert only took two hours and so there are several popular songs that he did not sing on the night like ‘Fau Kua’ and ‘Yu Sam Yau Kuai’ of which I am eagerly waiting for. Hence, I’m slightly disappointed that he replaced those with his recent ‘not-so-cool’ songs. Nevertheless, Eason Chan delivered energetic and solid singing performance for the night. He really had a very powerful voice and he controlled every songs very well from low to high notes. There are not many fast songs performed for the night and so he danced very little, except for the last song of the concert. There are also quite a lot of creative usage of stage props and the lighting and projection displays are awesome. Overall, Eason Chan’s concert tonight was between average and good, but definitely not an outstanding one as I find almost half of the concert quite boring and not that engaging. Luckily, I didn’t pay that much for this. Anyway, Eason Chan is still a very great singer both in Cantopop and Mandopop. No one can question that.

Thinking of my past, when I was a school kid, going to school everyday, listening to Westlife songs, which the band is going to break off this year….

Today when I drove out to buy my lunch, it was like chaos everywhere along the roads, where there are many cars stuck in congestion even on this weekday alone. Today is the first day of school for all the children, and I saw the streets and the bus stations crowded with kids with their school uniform. Ahh…that reminds me back to my childhood many years ago….and things keep on getting through my mind…I have not wear those uniform for more than 4 years.

I recall when I studied in the morning session, I have to wake up very early (around 6am) but then I would be lazing on my bed for another 5 to 10 minutes, not willing to leave my bed as always (even until these days). Then, I would walked like a dead corpse to the living hall, lying on sofa and waiting for the cup of milk prepared by my mother to cool down so I can drink. It took me only 5 to 10 minutes to prepare myself for the study of the day (very fast, right?!), and so by 6.25am, off; my mom fetched me to school which is at KL, quite far away from home.

It’s still dark out there, and it’s very comfortable to take a nap even in the car along the route to school. When it’s traffic congestion especially on the highway leading to the city, I would get ready to seriously wake up. Everyday at the time, I would then started to pay attention to music played from the tape in my mother’s car, and the most unforgettable ones are the songs from Westlife. It is a very popular band back in end of 1990s and early 2000s. I guess many of us have heard and gets interested to their songs before definitely. I still remember their most fam0us songs like ‘Uptown Girl’, ‘I Lay My Love On You’, and some others.

So, even yesterday’s night, I searched YouTube for Westlife songs, and everything in the past just cross through my mind when I listened to their songs again. There is a strong nostalgic feeling on me, which gets me quite emotional at the time, alone in my bedroom, even when it is already almost 3am in the midnight. When I listened to all those songs which I have not heard for so many years, uhhh….I couldn’t resist all the good memories I have when I was still a childish innocent kid pampered by my mother….and naturally, there was a smile on my face. So, I have to admit I am now not a kid anymore, and it’s always nice to think back of the past, cherish the moments and even learn from it.

After so many years, Westlife songs are still my favourites. Those classic songs are always the best. Westlife is like the band of the generation, so famous until it accompanies our childhood years. So, it is definitely true that; Westlife ruled the music world in early 2000s, Rihanna (with its ‘Umbrella’ song) ruled mid 2000s, while currently Lady Gaga topped the list. Oh, Westlife is going to disband in 2012 after their farewell tour. Why not organize one tour here in KL? I would then go for it. Many would go for it too, seriously. Their songs would be forever part of our generation. Okay, time to listen to their songs once again….just too nice and lovely to listen to!

Movie review: Justin Bieber – Never Say Never (2011)

Even when I finished watching the movie, I still can’t believe that I took my precious time to watch it. It is released way ago on few months back and I had no intention at all to watch it until the trailer of the film is released. It is seen from the trailer that the documentary-based movie on the famous young singer, Justin Bieber would be very emotional with those early footage of him, added with some interviews by his family, friends and of course his fans.

Okay, so in one day soon when I’m free, I will give a chance for the movie, and it’s given today, eventhough I’m not free but the download is completed. Before watching this movie, I have seen many reviews on the movie. On its first few weeks of release, the movie generally received quite a positive or good rating. Even some of my friends whom are not his fans are happy with the movie. However, few months later (which is around now), the rating from IMDB dropped tremendously to only around 1 out of 10 points. Oh my God, then it would be the worst movie so far for the year. It is not the same case for me as I would have no prejudice to anyone and my point of view is only for this movie.

I guessed on its first few weeks of release, many of Bieber’s fans watched the movie and gave very good comments, and so the rating flies up to over 7 which is incredibly good. Then, as months pass by, Bieber’s haters started to put their time on it and try to bring it as down as possible, and they made it. I’m not Bieber’s fans or his hater. I don’t like or hate him, but what I can say is that I admire his talent, and I do like some of his songs, like his benchmark song, ‘Baby’, ‘Never Say Never’ and the more recent ‘Pray’. I also like the early footage of him which is quite a lot in number and it is seen that younger Justin is much more adorable.

Back to the movie, the story focused on the ten days to Justin Bieber’s My World Tour on Madison Square Garden, known as the world most famous arena in New York City, USA. However, almost half of the movie is showing the concert itself while flashing back to the ten days countdown to that particular concert which is seen to be very important to him. Some interviews with his mother, grandparents, friends and fans are also added in between. The great thing is that even many early footage of him as a younger boy are shown in the movie. What a child, that has so many videos of him when he was small, and now he is only 17 years old, and he had achieved so many records and can be considered as the current most famous male singer in the world.

Showing part of his concert is good, as I can listen and watch his performance at the same time during the movie, and even better in quality and viewing angle due to the brilliant camera position. However, I find it to be too much and trying to pull the length of the film to reach almost two hours. I prefer this movie to be in less or at 1 hour and 30 minutes the most, as it is more than enough to show off all his talent, his fans’ craziness for him, and those exaggerated bieber fever which I find it funny to watch (those girls in tears and screaming out loud for Bieber). Anyway, the movie is well composed in documentary feature. Out of 10 points, my rating for this movie to be fair is 6.8. Quite satisfying, but just not emotionally-evoking enough for us to feel more on Justin Bieber.

A great concert of Love Mi yesterday night

Ahh…finally the day of the conert arrived, it’s Love Mi Concert 2010 at Arena of Stars, Genting Highlands. Everyone know the singer, she is Sammi Cheng, the famous Hong Kong diva and commonly recognized as one of the Four Heavenly Queens of Hong Kong music. I have been waiting so long to watch her concert, and I bought her ticket around a month ago at a price of over RM180.

It seems so expensive, right? Sitting near the stage? Not really, RM180 seats are still at the back, but at the center area. Luckily the arena is not so huge, so we can still see the stage clearly. Before that, we were stuck in serious traffic jams along the highway to pass through Ampang and Bukit Antarabangsa before going for Genting. Traffic jams for over 1 hour 30 minutes. Our journey began at 5.45pm and ended up at Genting at 7.45pm (the car ride usually took only 1 hour the most). The traffic jams is due to a freak car accident, and everyone is like so busybody to look at it, causing few kilometres long of congestion.

Luckily, we are still on time for the concert. Of course, we don’t hop for any late cases. I am watching with my eldest sister. We want to watch from beginning till the end, since the opportunity for her to come here for concert is very minimal. Eeiihh…she had Show Mi Concert 2008 and Show Mi Again Concert 2009 at Genting too. However, I did not attend both. How come? Forget why already….haha…When I was child, I treated her as my singing idol because she has good voice and great songs, especially those classic love songs…now also ,I like her songs too…

The tickets and the paper fan given on each seat:

The concert is amazing and great, but kinda too short, only two hours 15 minutes like that…seems not enough, I wished for a three-hours one. Anyway, Sammi is kinda humourous on that night especially when she received presents from fans and requesting for exchanging suites. Wow,,, she changed so many weird-like suites that day…it is like every three songs, she go change clothes…but beautiful also, since she is pretty also despite her current age of 30++, nearing to 40. There are two invited guests, both are music producers, so we don’t recognize them. They sang few songs but not nice.

She sang very well yesterday’s night. Great performance especially her dances. She even sang some famous English songs like ‘You Raise Me Up’, she sang another good version of it. Of course, we like her classic love songs which compacted into only one Medley song. When the concert began as well as going to end, everyone is like screaming for her. At the end, all screamed for encore which I hope for too. Haha…she went up to stage back to sing her most famous song, ‘Zhong Sang Mei Lai’, theme song for the Hong Kong movie ‘Love Diet’, starring her and Andy Lau.

The concert began not at the precise time of 8pm because the Genting ‘boss’ still not arrived yet as told by Sammi to the crowd. Who is him? Probably Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, the founder of Resort World and current chairman of Genting Highlands. He is such a ‘big’ person, until Sammi also want to take a look at him. So many people guarding him to the front seat, probably it’s Tan Sri. The concert ended on 10.30pm with not all her famous songs sang..she had also explained that she had sang for over ten years, hence all her beautiful songs can’t be sang out that night, if not, it will be until 3am concert…haha