21st February 2016: Feedback Open Mic Finale #2 2016 at The Bee, Publika. First agenda of the day was serious business: “The Business of Music 101” by Jennifer Thompson.

This was on a lazy Sunday afternoon!

Then, “Songwriting” by Moonshine Productions, moderated by Reza Salleh and featuring Liyana Fizi, Aidil Rosli of Couple and Anna Chong. They also sang a few songs to illustrate how their songwriting concepts ended up in songs.

“Rhythm For Beginners” by Paul Lau.

Liyana Fizi is cooler with shakers.

More random crowd shots.

Hameer having fun!

Fariz does not know if he wants a djembe.

Paul and the drum circle.

“What They Don’t Teach You In Music School (And Will Get You Work)” by Az Samad.

I went for a walk and discovered a rhythm section goin’ on in Publika.

Then, the main thing, the finale, with emcee and host Reza Salleh.

Hameer often does emcee duty, too.

First up: Kyogg!

Blast from the past with Josh!

The affable Happy Fingers.

Kahlilfornia who brings this infectious stage energy.

Heavy Defusion.

Hello Luqman loves the loop, man.

Hello Riana Adams!

Jude Macson Bensing is just another CLEO Most Eligible Bachelor.

Sophia Andersen.

Aina Abdul always sings with a smile, and boy does that smile enhance her powerful vocals!

Andy, ever happy to play guitar for her.

David Soh with feels.

Zqames, with a most expressive vocalist.

Time to announce the winners! Third place, Kyogg.

Second place, Sophia Andersen.

First place, Aina Abdul. Happy Fingers and I witnessed her enchant the audience, and our expression was that of a Facebook smiley. You know, the one with hands over the mouth, fingers curled in, eyes slightly teary in amazement. I’d post exactly that smiley, if I could find it…

14th February 2016: Stupid Cupid at The Bee. Here’s the first event, Breaking Up Moving On – The Big Fish with Elaine Foster hosting!

But first, the Flirting Point outside is neglected.

Jean-Bauptiste Toutcollé has a story to tell.

Anti-Valentine’s day posters adorned The Bee, Publika.

Fiona Reutens with a tale.

Prakash Daniel outside, looking like Profesor Serba Tahu from Gila-Gila Magazine.

Not sure who this is.

Outside, with Rita, Arisha and Francis.

Prakash on stage for a bit.

Kyo’s Game Mart has some vintage game consoles.

A real NES controller, with some real Pacman competition goin’ on.

Ice-cream eating competition!

Tarot Card Reading with Funnymen of One Mic Stand.

The evening plan was Feedback Open Mic ft Calico @ The Bee Publika / Stupid Cupid Edition with Reza Salleh as the host and emcee.

First up with anti-Valentine songs – Adam & Eric.

The next act was real interesting!

People couldn’t stop taking pictures and videos of her. Hi Sammy!

Ayesha! She had a name and a face!

Christina had this awesome drawl when covering Carrie Underwood.

Fais & Ruben.

Happy Fingers!

Markiza & Peter Brown.

Fariz Salleh and his strategic T-shirt.

Sathia.

The only featured act of the night, Calico.

Yvonne’s cool banana shaker!

A Band.

Fazil.

Random group picture time!

Oh Neo!, a band I hadn’t seen perform in a long time.

A blur picture of Reening from far away, as I came in just as he ended.

Naja.

Sounds Of Kites.

A Suspicious Act.

Soap bubbles, not a band.

Karishma.

The memorable, super-short song-slinging Hannan Azlan. Do not miss her for the world!

11th February 2016: Open Mic @ Barlai #19, at Barlai, Jalan Sin Chew Kee! First up, Nicholas Sia.

Shafeeq Shajahan, with Wai Leong on guitar.

Ian Tai.

Ian Tai got himself some new lenses. I like the size of the Sony FE 28mm F2.0!

The confident Debra Nita.

Lisa Spykers has the blues.

Azam Hisham makes some noise. I’d never seen him away from a drumset on stage before.

Sounds Of Kites.

Priscillia Xavier.

27th January 2016: WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIVE: Hameer Zawawi’s Album Launch at Merdekarya.

The place looks a fair bit different since the last time I came, 15th February 2014, for a Jumero show.

They’ve soundproofed and crowproofed the place.

More art!

I love one particular quote here.

Hameer Zawawi, emcee and host for the night.

The Last One Awake (Christian Palencia) looks like he just woke up.

He’s got that Edward Scissorhands look.

Ian Tai was next!

And then, Hameer Zawawi played his entire album, in sequence!

Since I had an early version, with a sound of some metal thing dropping loudly in the background in the last song, I was half-expecting to hear it live, since I usually end up hearing the version in my head. This is why I can’t tell if live sound is good.

In a strange twist, that loud sound is also on the CD that I bought that night!

Spotted Herman Ramanado with a very even beard! Love the T-shirt, too.

Cool chairs.

26th January 2016: Feedback Open Mic ft Zalila Lee & Yi Fen @ The Bee Publika / January 2016 Edition. Here’s emcee and organizer Reza Salleh!

Ikram went first, with much gumption.

Zaim‘s got a nice voice.

Niche, a rocking trio duo.

Yinthong.

She was backed by guitarist Kim Lim.

Her first song, I’ve Found You, had a melancholic melodion intro and outro, which I could not get out of my head.

You can have it stuck in your head, too. Here’s Yinthong Tan – I’ve Found You.

Kim Lim did some fingerstyle next, with some technical chops!

It was a tall order to beat, but her teacher, Az Samad, was next, with his fingerstyle and double-tapping.

Az Samad & Kirsten Long were next. First time I’d see Kirsten on keyboard! Jazz as expected.

First featured act, Zalila Lee, nudges you into 90s folk.

Isaac Ho, outside, practicing guitar and smiles.

The Message is on stage.

Yi Fen, second featured act.

I love how passionate her performance is, as if she was performing to a full stadium!

Narmi returns from his adventures with a new haircut. Perhaps, the new haircut was the adventure.

Mikha with Isaac.

Isaac Ho with noone else.

Nicholas does the 90s rock voice.

Sarah has that dark rock presence.

Tiah Ridhwani does some sweet harmonizing with her guitarist, Faz Aznam, on their cover of Mariah Carey – Always Be My Baby.

Kevin Theseira surprises us with his new style. It fits his derpfolk better, I guess.

24th January 2016: Moonshine Anniversary, at The Bee, Publika! Here’s emcee and organizer, Reza Salleh, introducing the show. This should make it a decade old.

But first, a most magnificent hair color, worn by Bihzhu (who played at the very first Moonshine.)

First up, a most multiracial band…

Nadir!

These guys play fusion worldly music, I guess.

I finally got to see the proper lineup. Here’s Farique on guitar.

Adil Johan returned from paternity leave to play saxophone.

The rest you’ve all seen before.

Some people asked why the show started with a loud, full band. I asked back why musicians release loud singles first before ballads, and why albums start with energetic songs. So why is it that shows start soft and go loud to the end?

One of the reasons, as I’d later find out, was to reduce setup time in-between acts. The biggest band would set up just before the show!

Jumero was next.

Beach boys keep it cool.

Beachy music. They turned up the rockishness that night, which I liked.

Melinya, sound engineer.

Daniel C..

Earnest singer-songwriter from Penang!

Reza Salleh.

Flanked by Sharon Chong…

…and Savy.

Q Sound.

I’d know them by Marques Young of The Bassment Syndicate!

This drummer is one half of the Juny Brothers. He has a killer patch, that when he hits, drops a bass sound that booms downwards and strikes you right in the chest. A most powerful, moving sound.

I’ve never seen Yvonne Chong like this!

Marques on trombone.

The other half of the Juny Brothers.

Crowd counts with them!

Love how he pimped up his Roland AX-Synth!

Brendan de Cruz took to the stage alone.

As such did Az Samad.

I love this blue backlight!

Last act of the night…

The Metaphor.

A traditional show-closer post-rock band with the volume level to match.

23rd January 2016: Crinkle Cut Live at Fresca Avenue K.

Yes boys and girls, that’s right – it’s not just Crinkle Cut, but Crinkle Cut, live!

It’s been a while since I’ve seen the regular lineup. Here’s Melissa on guitar.

Ashley on cajon and the Hide of Hide & Seek.

Frances on megawatt smiles and megawatt vocals (albeit through a vocal processor).

Grace on keyboards on land, not on a ship, where she was the past few months.

They’re back with their acoustic jazz-lounge-soul whatever.

Melissa is particularly bokeh today!

16th January 2016: Mary’s surprise birthday party! Mary is my metalhead friend who is so metal, she has decapitated flowers at her party. So brutal!

Surprise, there are performances! Here’s Mystery Tapes.

Temjin!

Rock and roll.

They did a cover of Backstreet Boys – Everybody and the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers theme song.

Gotta love the Epiphone non-reverse Thunderbird bass.

Beatrice & Anwar. I merged two shots together where the focus was different.

Beatrice then takes the guitar.

Jay Kughan!

Not sure which band this is.

Fabien Thomas, who planned the surprise for his fiancee Miriam, picks up the microphone.

He became a rock star.

Anwar the shredder.

That grunge look.

Birthday cake time!

I don’t remember why I didn’t have any cake. It has nothing to do with me being Team Mustaine, by the way.

So metal, she has a hidden Mickey with 3 ears.

More performances!

Velan, who runs BullsEye Pub, gets on drums.

Fabien then returns to bass.

Motorhead – Ace Of Spades was covered. We then wondered who would do a Lemmy tribute!

Jay sang, too!

Talking about momma’s briyani, for sure.

Abu sang Offspring – Self-Esteem. He has a damn cool job as a game scriptwriter. Seeing how games have barely any storyline, his role is rare!

Beatrice joins.

It soon became a We-Are-The-World singalong, except that wasn’t the song.

Nicole-Ann surprised us all with a cover of Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven.

Video!

As they say, Fabien is spoiling the market for us guys, throwing an elaborate surprise party with gig for his fiancee. They, with a third person, run Zazz Productions, an event company with some pretty spectacular events, some of which I’ve been for.

16th January 2016: LOT 36 Jan ’16 featuring Circus Maximus, at The Bee, Publika!

Lotsa familiar faces.

Sharon and gang.

Stephanie the drummer makes a surprise appearance!

15th January 2016: Melissa Sasa & Her Sakura, at Tunes & Pints, The Bee, Jaya One.

Everybody’s got their glasses on.

Melissa, who I’d know as a solo act, and member of Dotters’ Division and Crinkle Cut, plays solo this time. Her Sakura is in this case, her guitar.

This charming lass took this oppurtunity to perform stuff she normally would not play in her bands.

A noteworthy one is Darren Ashley – On My Toes though my battery ran flat when trying to record that.

And so, here’s a video of her covering Crinkle Cut – Slow Dance. She also plays guitar for Crinkle Cut but does not sing lead vocals in the band, so this is a different take.

Some people who came to see the show!