hiii... just woke up at 1 pm... and then suddenly i have the mood to write in something...
actually i'm feeling a bit happy yet melancholic... i dont know... the feelings keep on contrasting each other... maybe it's the effect of last nite's show, the Perfume Garden Communal Gathering at Mokhtar's house... it is really amusing to think what beautiful music can do to your soul... how it can touch you and leave something that makes you ponder about yourself... ok enough about that... let me review the gig...
As its name propose... the gig was not like any typical gig... it truely was a communal gathering... upon entering his house i could see some kids running around in the red Perfume Garden t-shirt... an then i saw a group of old (our parents generation) folks talking to each other... an then there's those familiar faces we can see at gigs... it really impressed me... the vibes was really harmonious... then we went on to the 'stage' where the performance will be held... it's not really a stage though... it was a tent set up at the side entrance of his house... to those who are used to Mokthar's house, you should know which one... so under the shelter was everything a music stage should have... quoting a performer who said, it was a fairy tale setting... hhahahah.. yeap it was true.. Mokhtar really had done a great job... the sound system was great and the ambience was perfect for a show like this...
the show started at 6.30 with the opening act from the guys of Soft Touch.. you know those guys... a 60 something guy who played guitar and harmonica and a women on the keyboard... they've played in RTW3 if i'm not mistaken... their set was good as a warming up... and then we had a break for about 30 minutes to give way for the maghrib prayers... after that, the second performance was irman's new band... i didnt get their bands name but they are really good... showing off their own brand of post rock... i really like em... owh by the way, loque of Butterfingers play bass for them... ( and i get to shake hands with himm... wawawa...)
next was a young group that i also didnt get their bands name... they have a guitar player, a violin and two percussion players ( it's indians traditional percussion, maybe tabla and bongo i guess... i'm not sure what they are called.. heheh )... at first i thought they are going to play something ethnic, but once they started, my mind was blown away.... i dont know what they call their music but it was really pleasant and refreshing.... it's not really rock but it also not ethnic... it just great music... i like the violin the most... very melodic and really nice.... plus, they were still young... wawawa really talented aaa those guys...
after that was Sara Lo's band... ( well Sara Lo is Jason Lo's sister... but way cooler than he is )... her pleasant voice really makes me wanna cry... ahahaha... their songs was groovy and at the same time mellow enough to melt your heart... honestly... ok after her, came in a guy with an acoustic guitar... his name was Az and my first impression on him was not so good... at first i thought he was going to sing some crappy mellow Malay songs on his acoustic guitar... but once he started doing his thing, all of my skepticism went away and i started to like him... by the time he's doing his last song, i began to worship him... hahaha... okay why...? first of all he is A Samad Said's son... second he plays the guitar like no one... he plucks the strings like playing a six string bass but at the same time he can strum in a really harmonious notes... he even managed to add some groove by beating on the guitar's body... so basically he can use one acoustic guitar to sound like three different instruments... and what more, he didnt even sing... he's showmanship was also great... by this time, i was wondering... where the hell did Mokhtar find these guys... these great performers... i never thought that this kind of people exist here on this side of the world... hahahah... exaggerating..??? nahhh.... it's true...
okay after that a band called Lurks took the stage... but we didnt pay much attention to them actually coz we were busy taking pictures of us... hahaha... but i think they were great also... actually they intend to perform an electronic set, having theramin, keyboards and all but only two members can make it that night so they decided to perform an acoustic set instead... well nevertheless the crowd applause them...
the last show was from Shelley Leong and her band... okay... i think i need no intro about this... Shelley Leong was a hit already... so was her performance last nite.... her nice voice kept me glued to my seat and her pretty face kept my eyes focused on her... hahahahah... err and then a girl name Zal..?? or Haz..?, err i cant remember her name, was the special guest that night performing on demand... Mokhtar's mom wanna hear her singing coz she likes her voice...
so there you have it... the Perfume Garden communal gathering delivering its scents... a very pleasant one... though some of the acts didnt make it that nite but what we didnt expect was that the show was really great and a job well done... sometimes when we least expect something, we will be surprised by how things turn out to be.... and for once, we realize that great music shouldnt be experienced by moshing around.. instead we have to sit and enjoy it loosely and calmly... a gig is not about hard or loud music only... maybe this is what Mokthar intended to convey the message... and he did it grand-ly.... well the crowd maybe not a big one but still everybody was satisfied that nite... and perhaps they would also giving out this message to others... just like me now... hahhahah...
well... i got some picture on this here at http://apik.fotopages.com
so thats it...