C2AGE RAVE 2014

Day 2: 11th May 2014

To be honest I can't remember much about C2AGE this year lol, probably coz I didn't walk around the event. I was spending most of my time practicing with Kaoru and other Harmonia ACG members at some empty area. I have heard a lot about C2age recently (for last year and this), especially about the stage management which I don't wanna speak of them here (feel free to message me if you guys wanna know more in detail lol).

 

I've had a pretty bad experience for my solo performance this time, and FORTUNATELY our duet performance was quite a success so I felt better and trying to forget about what happenned during my solo.

 

Kaoru and I (and Alissa) reached quite early in the morning because we were told that the sound check will start at 8am. BUT! The soundman only reach around 9.15am WTH, and worse the reason he gave us was kinda hard to accept -- having breakfast. We were slightly pissed off because we haven't even had our breakfast yet, and we reached on time because we are responsible people and would never want to cause trouble to the organisers. But obviously the other party doesn't have the same mindset with us.

 

Anyway, here's some photos we took:

 

My OOTD.

 

 

Me and my best duet partner -- Kaoru!! I just love pairing with her and I'm looking forward for more collaborations to come~ We rarely have any good pictures together so I really like this photo ^^

 

 

Thanks Erin for supporting our duet performance~ Waiting for the day we go sing K and go hyper together and scare Adam off lolol.

 

So some insights on the problems we faced as a performer during the event. Besides the late arrival of the soundman (who don't even feel sorry for being late), their sound engineering and arrangements was a total mess! Okay let me list them down:

 

1. There's no monitor speakers (as usual), and the only speakers available were facing outwards, way in front of the stage blasting outside. So obviously those around the stage and ON the stage could hear a thing. We politely asked to push the speakers behind, and were rejected because they said the vendors complained about the speakers being too loud. I know. It's confusing. Why would you push forward your speakers towards the vendors if they are complaining about the volume being too loud? Won't it be better to push behind so that people around the stage could hear better, and the vendors won't get blasted? I don't know. Ask them.

 

2. The sound engineers keep adjusting all the settings DURING our performances. Our performances thus sounded instable due to all the adjusting. And so I don't know what's the point of having soundchecks.

 

3. The sound engineers told us "We can't guarantee that you guys will be able to hear ANYTHING on stage, so if you guys can't hear, just sing". Apparently they think of us as some genius so perhaps we should  be feeling proud about it.

 

One sad part is that I had to stop my solo performance half way simply because I couldn't hear a single thing. Not the music, not my voice. Luckily the audience seems to understand our difficulties and still supported us nevertheless. Thank you very much.

 

I'm really glad that after all complains and persistency in asking them to push the speakers backwards, they FINALLY did it reluctantly. Therefore we had quite a success in our duet performance! I enjoyed singing "For the first time in Forever" with Kaoru so much, one of the most joyful songs I've ever performed~

 

Some of the on-stage photos, thanks a lot to Joee for the photos. And for coming all the way to support us!

 

LOL Guess I was being kinda hyper on stage haha.

With my lovely partner Kaoru~

This duet performance was one of our best! And our first attempt on Disney songs. Wish we could perform more of these songs real soon~ We worked really hard for this performance, practicing every morning before I start work (Kaoru was working night shift so we practice after she finishes her work and before I start work). I'm really glad that at least our hard work paid off, if we had those speaker issues again I would probably rage.

 

I'll end the post with a video of one of our duet performance on that day. This is the one where we performed "For the first time in forever" from Disney Frozen. I did not upload all performances from C2AGE this time hahaha, and even for AMG this year there's no recording LOL. Actually not just that, I realised most of my performance this year were without recordings hahaha, wonder what happened to me.

 

JRock Gathering 4: A Tribute to ONE OK ROCK

JRockの集い JRock Gathering 4: A Tribute to ONE OK ROCK

Time and Date: Sat, 23 February 2013, 2:30 pm - 6.00pm
Venue: Studio Lounge, Sunway Pyramid

There has been JRock gatherings organised by JRock no Tamashii every month since last year October, which I've attended their first gathering (for blog post click here). Gatherings after the first were all tribute to some JRock bands, where local bands get to perform tribute songs for tribute band's fan, it's an event held by fans for fans~

And for the month of February this year, it's a tribute to the ever amazing band One OK Rock! I personally liked several songs from them because I find them rather different from other jrock bands as their music are quite western influenced. Really good for them because they captured even the hearts of many non-jrock fans and Taka's (One OK Rock's vocalist) voice and english sounds great too.

So Acap and I were usually chatting about how we wanted to join up both me (as a featured vocalist) with his band - Osiria Rose for a performance; Since his band was invited to perform for this tribute we thought that this could be a great chance since his band loves and usually jams One OK Rock songs and obviously I like the songs as well. Then I started becoming FB friends with Osiria Rose members, (thats always the routine to know someone right? lol).

Members of  OSIRIA ROSE (do visit their page and give them some support~) for this tribute performance:

Amir As Blood - Vocalist

Najmi - 1st Guitarist
Amzar- 2nd Guitarist
Fauzan - Keyboardist
Acap - Drummer
Mosh - Bass Sessionist

I've joined their band for jamming twice, at ICONS puchong jamming studio. Studio was really great and cozy and cheap, good props (I don't have to keep setting the mics' EQ like in all other studios); too bad my band members stay rather far from Puchong, if not I would definitely recommend it to them. Jamming with another band feels different (duh.) but I'm glad that Osiria Rose members were friendly and easy to talk to. However joining another band's jamming made me miss my band a lot, as I have not seen them since new year eve countdown (around two months), was really hoping to see them soon~

To be honest song choice was one of the hardest thing to decide as most One OK Rock songs are freaking hard for a girl to sing, especially when mine isn't those deep low kinda voice. "Wherever you are" was a must pick since it's the easiest for me to sing, Amir will be doing a duet with me so it suits the feel of the song. Other than that all other songs were all rocks, which I agreed to singing "The Beginning" (backing harmonies + bridge part), and half of "Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer". Was pretty happy that we all chose Dreamer because ever since I've listened that song it has been a little dream of mine to perform it on stage (coz I can't perform it solo and i doubt my band would want me to do that song lol).

Performance day!

Studio Lounge is Sunway Pyramid, not that hard to find but I seriously didn't know that place exist even though I've been to Sunway for like a zillion times haha. The interior for Studio Lounge was kinda cool, typical bar-like ambience; with mostly purple and yellow lights:

 

Caption: Not bad right? mirrors like these were around the venue...

While the sound engineers and stage crews were busying with setting up the stage, Osiria Rose and I were chilling around near the lounge, chit chatting and trying not to be nervous (especially the band members lol). I did not feel much nervousness probably because I was performing as a featured vocalist and it's more of a coordination thing rather than just me alone.

And, I had a nice surprise (not really surprise la, I knew about it the day before)....

 

Huge thanks to Josh Lemphek, a DJ from Australia who took the trouble to watch our performance (when he could have go visit other places during his vacation)!! A day before Lemphek and I were chatting and I found out that he will be in Malaysia for few days before going back to Adelaide. So I asked him if he is interested in watching the performance and so he cam to support~ He is just super cool: he actually travels for more than 3 months from Aus to M'sia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and China! Alone!! And he is like super young, still 15/16 something like that. It's currently one of my dreams is to leave home for a month travelling alone! Gonna keep quiet on that since it's still on planning phase lol.

By the way my OOTD is: Berska Limited Gothic Collection Dress; Black beret with white pearls; Metal Cross necklace; black and white crystal bracelet; ribbon tattoo stockings; Neko design wedges. Oh yeah and my punk coffin cross bag.

We were the first performance of the day, so while waiting, everyone poses for the camera haha.

Acap - Drummer

Vocalist - Amir

 

Keyboardist - Fauzan

The two guitarist of the day - Najmi and Amzar

Bassist (sessionist) - Mosh

(Sorry I forgot his name lol) and Lemphek. Don't know what are they starring at lol. Can see my hat in this picture haha.

Us posing for the camera but I think it's too dark.

 

When it's brighter Lemphek and Amzar not posing anymore =_=. Left me alone..

Oh yeah, before I forget, when I(we) first saw the stage, we were a little worried, because it was reallllllllllly small. We keep thinking about how to arrange ourselves so that we won't fall off the stage lol, as it's kinda difficult to fit all 7 of us on stage. So yeah, we ended up standing stiffly, dare not move too much scared we might hit someone and he falls off the stage haha.

Selina (Flying Pan) Making an announcement on stage.
And then it's our turn to set up the instruments and get ready to rock on!

Mosh and Seikan set up the amps.

 

As well as Fauzan and Amzar..

Of course the drummer Acap too doing his work to make sure everything's fine for the performance.

Najmi and the rest working. Lol I'm running out of caption, but basically everyone is busy prepping and setting up their instruments. I like the view from down stage (2nd pic). As you can roughly see, everyone is gonna be standing side by side, the stage fits justttt nice with all 7 of us standing straight.

In case you are wondering what I'm doing during preparation, I have to say that I'm the most free one among all other members because I have nothing to set up lol. There isn't even space for me to walk around on stage, so I figure I'll be just a nuisance if I stand there blocking their path while they are busy working. So I just pose for the camera haha.

Those who finish setting up early poses as well.

 

Done as well!~

The first song is by Osiria Rose only, without me. Let the main band heat up the crowd! In this picture: Dante the emcee introducing the band and they are ready to blast their first song!

First song they did was 'No Scared'. Song with loads of screaming.

Fauzan was the back up vocalist~

And....after the first song it's my turn~ 

 

 

Set up; and stand firmly on a spot securely (you can see for yourself how much space I have lol).

Started my performance with 'wherever you are', a super romantic song so we did a light rock duet!

Initially I could sing this song full of emotion but the band just had to spoil it lol (but I did ok during the performance la). During the jam practice Amir accidentally sang the chorus as 'wherever you are, i'll always make you cry', and i spotted that. Since then everytime we play that song we have to control our laughters =_=. And I had to focus a lot while singing because I was so used to the joke I may make the same mistake as him haha.

 

For our 3rd song we did 'The Beginning' and the last was my favourite 'kanzen kankaku dreamer'. I'm letting the pictures to speak for themselves:

 

I have to say,the audience were great!!! They were so supportive, and it was probably one of the best crowd I've ever encountered. They screamed, sang along and cheered for us throughout our entire performance. The front row even headbang with us; made us feel really appreciated ^^ 

One last picture of the full Osiria Rose band and me~~

I don't know how well I did on that day because none of us could hear anything we sang/played (plus there's no video recorded because the one who recorded for us lost the file - don't ask me how it happened), most probably due to the stage size and sound engineering settings. But with the crowd enjoying and cheering so much for us I guess it doesn't matter anymore.

I'm really glad to have joined Osiria Rose for this performance and am grateful to them who accepted me as a featured vocalist and treated me so kindly. I do wish to be able to perform even more this year; solo, duet, with my band, or collaborating with other musicians. Nothing beats seeing the audience cheering and supporting your stage. 

 

Max satisfaction.