Monthly Archives: January 2010

Nettwotone


Rewind to 4th November 2009, for Andrew Netto’s Having A Look At Laughter (H.A.L.A.L.) at No Black Tie!


But first, opening act The Ramanados! Here’s Greg bringing out the soul in Gypsy Girl.


Jared on drums.


Herman the bass man, with a most kickass bass wah sound! I loved their little funk jam!


Then came Andrew’s cousin, Kavin, who also does stand-up comedy!


And then it was headliner Andrew Netto, arguably Malaysia’s youngest stand-up comedian!

I like how Gutenbergian the Threshold filter came out (of course, several layers and masks were used.)


In comparison, here’s the normal-colored one, slightly cropped.

Dude I’m looking forward to your next gig, too many interesting things have happened in Malaysia! In that sense I like localized comedy by local comedians because they are likely to make fun of recent events, some more than others. Andrew’s always got something to say about current affairs.


I’ve posted many pictures of him, but what about the audience?


Front row!


Jojo Struys is a fan!


Melissa is a fan! (And the toll-collecting keeper of the passageway.)


Alex has distinct laughter! I heard him from way in front and went to say hi.


Prema who I didn’t get to say hi to!


I don’t know this amused lady’s name.


Full house means you gotta double-park on the staircase.


Jojo and Andrew back to back!


Albert and Greg back to front!

Mirror Not Lock Down


Those of you with Sony Alpha 700 bodies who have been using it for a long time and accumulated a large shutter count might want to inspect your mirror assembly for wear and tear.

Here, the Main Mirror Retainer was broken! I found it resting outside (on the lower area of this picture, outside the shutter) when I was changing lenses once.


This was the main mirror retainer. There should be a third piece to the right.

I sent it in for warranty and got it fixed for free, fortunately. The part number was 3-269 002-01. It costed RM12 in their system!


A similiar fate befell a friend of mine – the main mirror retainer keeps the mirror from dropping off, in case the glue wears out. Here, his main mirror retainer is gone too, and his mirror can slide out when raised. So when he takes a picture the mirror locks up!


It could move about inside, like so.


Behind the mirror was this – a black mask. You can see the glue marks.


When the mirror and mask were removed, you could look right through, to the secondary mirror, which reflects light down to the AF sensors (you can see it in the reflection.)

For the moment, his main mirror is held in place by scotch tape until he has time to send it in for repair. It is holding well, he says.

On a side note, the Alpha 900 does not have a main mirror retainer – instead, the retainer is built in to the mirror uh… cartridge so it cannot possibly break.

Ram A New Dose Of Funk Rock


29th October 2009: The Ramanados live at UrbanAttic, Capsquare KL!


But first, DJ Dizzle Fizzo!


It was Stevie’s birthday and guess what he got, a most sweet Fender Stratocaster!


He immediately got to rocking with it.


The night was filled with a lot of funky covers; Jamiroquai – Love Foolosophy, Red Hot Chili Peppers – Havana Affair, Incubus – Pardon Me and the ever bouncy Red Hot Chili Peppers – Purple Stain!

Of course, they have originals like Gypsy Girl. But I am glad for the night celebrated the Red Hot Chili Peppers and other like-minded sounds because very few bands actually do so!


The second set had not-too-early Incubus, with Stellar, Wish You Were Here and The Warmth.


When Jared the drummer kinda looks like Chad Smith you know they gotta do more Red Hot Chili Peppers covers like Suck My Kiss and Around The World


…this picture reminds me of John Frusciante sitting down at Slane Castle playing Under The Bridge. Which is what Stevie was doing, too!


Camellia the hitz.fm Cruiser!


I borrowed Jie Qiang’s Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG for this!


More covers like Incubus – Drive


And a big singalong for U2 – With Or Without You.


Again, at 12mm on the full-frame Sony A900…


Deep inside of a parallel universe… it’s getting harder to tell what came first, and!


You’d be surprised to see how many people were singing along to Californication-era Red Hot Chili Peppers!


This reminds me of a picture of Bob Marley – they did his Redemption Song.


Some Indian ditty and Mahesh chimes in!


Ash guest drums…


…while Jared (in the back sings.)


The other covers were Sting – Walking On The Moon, Incubus – Are You In, and their perennial remixes of OasisShe’s Electric and Wonderwall.


Greg and I have this tradition of camwhoring after every gig. The purple tint of this shot just makes us look like the Two-Headed Monster from Sesame Street!

Bratpack Nite!


24th October 2009 was when I stepped into the new Lepaq Cafe, in Kelana Mall (behind Giant, Kelana Jaya.)


Some props were very familiar, like the liquid-papered table.


Anyway, it was Bratpack Nite, to raise funds for the Electric Minds Project. Here’s a Russian comedian (I did not catch his name) who looks a lot like

Alfred Loh, who many say looks a lot like me.


It was dim and ISO3200 was the order of the day.


Zawen Anwar, male model.


Khai, male.


Effa Desa, female.


Nick Dorian, part of the Electric Minds Project.


Davina Goh doing a kickass cover of Ella Fitzgerald – Black Coffee.


Precariously, she hit the high notes spot on. Very solid!


Khai was next!


Ollie Johanan, stand up comedian. (Pardon the misfocus and amateurish attempt to correct it.)


Nick takes the stage and sweeps us off our feet.


Guitar-playin’ man.


Elza Irdalynna sings along.


The Russian comedian asks if he can sing along with Tony Leo Selvaraj.


Lepaq’s own Ain Zulkifly! What a voice.


Among one of the fundraising activities was an auction of Ollie and the Russian comedian on a date. Er, as in, the bidder dates both of them…

Moonshine 09-09


10th September 2009: Moonshine: A Homemade Music Show at Laundry Bar, with Will Ng.


He sang cheery Chinese songs and ballads.


Ever so cheeky, with jokes I did not understand because I am a banana!


Milli’z! A fair bit different without a guitarist.


Ling looks like a cartoon character in that striped top.


Melina gets sniped.


I borrowed Fazri‘s Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, and I have to say it is excellent on the A900, even in full-frame! The vignetting is quite a nice effect.


A nice tight crop from the Sigma. It has a bit of a plasticky rendition in the highlights, though. Here’s Snow Symphony!


I love this shot, and I love the Sigma for its focal length on FF and the vignetting. It just works!


Arrr, Savy?


Rohnie who was on violin earlier with Milli’z ups the scale of his stringed instrument.


Cassandra Chong makes her Malaysian tour again. Wow, how she has morphed!


Jazz, funk, soul and a real groovy vibe.


I loved how Fook just played a very… gritty jazz bass? I don’t know what to call it. Everything that I like about the double bass sound, the way each note bounces, he maxed out.


Eddy snipes with my Carl Zeiss 135mm F1.8. Dude when are you getting a camera back?


No drama he’s just the drummer.


I can’t wait for her to do her Malaysian tour again (and get Fook again!)

This Is A Tribute!

13th August 2009 was a special edition of Moonshine – it was the Moonshine Tribute Edition! Each band would pay a tribute to one particular band.


Pitbull Inc. covered Tenacious D! I have to say Steven really embodies Jack Black when he rocks out.


Storm The Gates! Lee!


Kickapoo! (Yes, that rockin’ song from Tenacious D In The Pick Of Destiny where a young JB argues with his dad.) In movie sequence, there was KG’s intro song Classico!


You could tell they were having too much fun playing the songs – and we had too much fun rocking out with them!


Master Exploder!

I do not need, (he does not need) a microphone (a microphone)
My voice is f–king, (f–king) powerful!
Aaah! Arghhh!

+10 points for actually having his voice come out of nowhere without a microphone!

Then came Karate and F–k Her Gently (with the gestures).


Who be that masked man?


This is not the greatest song in the world…


…this is a Tribute!

Every little solo and lick was covered. Honestly the best tribute band that night!


Oh yeah, I dig the new background lights in Laundry Bar.


I really didn’t recognize Amanda there!


Mari Soul Faith Leaper was next, covering the Foo Fighters!


They played My Hero, D.O.A.


…newer song The Pretender


and not-so-new No Way Back and Best Of You.


I guess I was hoping for more classic stuff from The Color And The Shape or their self-titled album.


Next up – HamsterDamnAged, covering the Yeah Yeah Yeahs!


Khai is like… what?


They covered Rich, Date With The Night


Men and Tick.


Sharon does an excellent Karen O!


When you have an all-girl band you gotta have a girl drummer…


…and a girl guitarist.


Yeah we don’t have a bassist just like them Yeah Yeah Yeahs.” Not that they need it – they already pull off high-octane punk with just 2 main instruments!


Ending the night was Auburn, covering what was obviously a strong influence in their music – Silverchair! I myself didn’t realize this until later exposure to early grunged up Silverchair.


Aizat Amdan AF5 sings along to Without You.


Long time no see Natalie on keyboard!


They also covered Asylum, The Greatest View and Slave. I remember wishing they played Untitled!


Amanda revisited.

#yorais the trend!

#yorais is so ancient, Twitter is not able to produce the older tweets! So much for going all the way to the first one started supposedly around 4pm or so.

Oh wait, here it is!
Transcript for #yorais – What the Hashtag?!

And these are my contributions to helping #yorais get on the trend (albeit a bit late to see it hit #3 and drop off the list.)

  • Before there was politics #yorais founded paleolithic, mesolithic and neolithic parties.
  • #yorais will find out about this tomorrow on Beriteks News.
  • #yorais is so old when he walks into a coffeeshop filled with white-haired uncles he asks, “do your parents know where you are?”
  • Sukar untuk #yorais membayar *tukar mode* parking *tukar mode* kerana mesin tidak menerima pohon pitis, kupang, jokoh atau jongkong buaya.

That makes our dear eloquent Rais Yatim cool in my book for two things – making it into the Top #3 trends in Twitter, and having a Sony Alpha 900. Now I just got to find that picture of him again…

Interestingly, it seems that using humor is a surefire way to being retweeted. Such that it even beat Haiti for a while. Yes, we Malaysians brought a minister higher up than a earthquake of epic porportions!

A Shameless Covers Night!


7th August 2009: A Shameless Covers Night at PJ Life Arts Centre in Jaya One, a one-night only performance by Mia, Reza, Melina and Zal. Here’s Mia Palencia on the recorder, a schooltime classic! She started with the notes to Seal – Kiss From A Rose.


The performers took turns on instruments. Mia was on the recorder, vocals, shaker, organ and guitar.


The set, with interesting decorations.


Comfy seats on stage – it was set up such that it looked like a house and they were just having a little jam. Which felt like it in a very nice warm way. In between songs they’d have little public conversations.


You could feel the level of comfort and ease between all four musicians.


Melina was on vocals, guitar, organ, djembe and shaker. I guess you could see who wanted which song to be covered e.g. Bjork – Isobel and Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight.


Yeah hit that!


Normally, you would not see any of these four using sheet music!


The way the covers were divided amongst the members was quite interesting, and to see how they rework or substitute instruments. Quite a performance to keep your eyes glued onto really!


I didn’t know PJLA was looking mighty like the old Actors Studio Bangsar, just a heck shorter.


Bootleggers (who would later put it up on Youtube!)

One of my favorites was their cover of TLC – Waterfalls. Mia even did the rap!


Zalila Lee! She was on vocals, guitar, organ, shaker and djembe.


Oh, and hand percussion. Snappy!


Reza Salleh has a djembe.


He also sang and played guitar. I wonder myself what programs they use instead of sheet music on a Mac.


Dusty guitar.


Reza, during the anthemic march of the Pinky And The Brain theme song! This, among other cartoon theme songs, was played as a encore medley.


Outside, there was an advisory on a low-hanging beam.


Ling and Steph.

And this was the setlist:

1. Boyz II Men – Water Runs Dry
2. Seal – Kiss From A Rose
3. Eagle Eye Cherry – Save Tonight
4. Weezer – Buddy Holly
5. TLC – Waterfalls
6. John Mayer – Stop This Train
7. Bjork – Isobel
8. Saber Rider Theme Song
9. Marvin Gaye – What’s Goin’ On into
10. Madonna – Secret

(Break)

1. Boyz II Men – Thank You
2. Sheryl Crow – Strong Enough
3. The Cranberries – Salvation
4. Aerosmith – Jaded
5. Alanis Morisette – You Oughta Know
6. Radiohead – Creep
7. The Clovers – Love Potion Number 9 into Ghost Busters into Apollo Chocolate Wafer Theme
8. Oasis – Champagne Supernova
9. Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight

(Encore)
Cartoon Theme medley: Captain Planet into Denver The Last Dinosaur into the Flintstones into Smurfs into Pinky And The Brain into Transformers into Thundercats

The Transformers theme was particularly cute – everybody was chiming in to make the transforming sound effects!

The gig was too awesome – I wish it ran for at least 2 nights so I could pimp it out to people to come for the second show!

And here’s a video (you can then click on the related videos, once finished, to see the other bootlegs):

Moonshine 07-09


16th July 2009: Junk Lo-Fideo x Moonshine: A Homemade Acoustic Show, down at Laundry Bar. Malik introduces Laundry Bar, which has been around for uh… 4 years?


Faiz emcees and introduces the bands.


We welcome back mysteriously alluring Ywenna…


…and drummer Jimmy…


…and Nicole, in Rhapsody! Yes, my favorite jazz-funk-soul band is back. And if you wonder why this picture is strangely familiar, here’s why…


You might have seen it in the September 2009 issue of KLue magazine.


Yes with photo credits.


The Wongs, one of two Junk Lo-Fideo finalist bands.


Britpop was their flavor, and they won the contest!


Next was Bite Me Butterfly


…the other finalist band playing that night.


I finally get to catch Najlaa’s full band!


As I told Tarquin in the crowd, someday she’s going to be famous.


So don’t forget me!


He’s watching you.


All the way from Johor Bahru…


Laila!


The new vocalist has that similiar Thom-Yorke-ish swagger.


I have to say, he is a lot more “there” than the previous vocalist was. Which is a good thing.


Trippy indie sounds.


Camwhore time!

Moonshine 06-09


11th June 2009: Moonshine: A Homemade Music Show, down at Laundry Bar.


Joshua Foong the singer-songwriter.


He pulls the Nobita look down pat.


Ywenna keying in notes for another band with all-too-familiar members…


…of Rohnie Tan’s band, Naked Olive! Here we get to see him go full force on violin.


There was something nice about having very directional lights.


Objek Bulat was up next!


I wonder if it is hot where the drummer is sitting.


Again, loving the side light!


The classic Power Rangers theme song was played!


Not-so-long-haired Eddy took to the stage for Rollin’ Sixers.


For some reason, this picture of Khai reminds me of…


…the Untalkative Bunny.


And this one, of a Red Hot Chili Pepper headbanging.


Cool shirt dude!


Drum rollin’.


Whoa how do you do that lick again?


Eddy has a cool vintage-looking mike for his blues harp.


Dang, I wanna be in a rock and roll band too!