button pusher

only through destroying myself can i discover the greater power of my spirit - chuck palahniuk

oh em gee, i want his scarf

source: whatisrealityanyway

Not only I want the scarf, I wish Jeff Buckley was still alive and I'd be at CBGB watching his gig. If only, if only. Oh my, how much Axl Rose has aged. I wouldn't mind catching GnR too.

Baby, I didn't forget to take my meds

With Brian Molko of Placebo! Photo with Nokia X6 by a rather shaky hand

My awesome XL Topman shirt with cutout sleeves, cassette tape icon and not one or two but three of Placebo's autographs: Brian, Steve, Stefan. Not for sale.

If you were born a rock star stalker, you die a rock star. Apparently, I'm this close to that transition; someone left me a message on my status. Anyway, I got a call to rush to a nearby hotel, to which I did and didn't regret it one bit.

I totally forgot my Sharpie (a must-have in my bag alongside one million other things) so I got a very nice hotel staff to go dig a marker pen for me.

I was with a writer from a magazine when we were making small chats with Brian. And I have all of this in recording:

Brian: "Do you know that 'junk' means male genitalia in the US?"
Me: No! Tell me more!
Brian: (laughs and smiles shyly) Ah... never mind.
Me: No really!
Brian: (laughs)

Then I actually fumbled because I thought Brian was going to be intimidating (but he turned out otherwise) and I asked him: "Can you interview my shirt?" (when I meant autograph, whatthefuck).

So, naturally, Brian LAUGHED AT ME and held the marker pen to my shirt and said: "Hello, I'm interviewing you."

I realised what I said and rolled my eyes silly and played along: "Yes, the cassette tape on my shirt is recording, haha, autograph I mean, ohmygawd."

He was so nice. With a capital N. He uses MAC eyeliner by the way. I was interested in his polysexualness but couldn't ask him with time running out. Shook hands, exchanged smiles and I was left starstruck.

I think the last time I was this starstruck was when Incubus was in town, and that interview with Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie. Yep.


Then there was Steve who was lingering in the lobby, to which I struck a conversation with him and telling him that: "your band's only been here like what, once in a thousand years, so yes, I'm definitely gonna be at your concert" when he asked.

Stefan didn't say a word when I got him to scribble my back, though. I is sked of him.
After that, I smsed everyone and went 'oh em gee, oh em gee'. Yep, that was pretty much my day before the concert. Serious interview transcript, I will link the url later.

The concert? I climbed over railings and stood on a chair to get a better view alongside Loque of Butterfingers. I is not ladylike. But I had so much fun; all the stalking, climbing was well worth it. Don't learn from me; it's my trade secret. Read it from my book.

Oh, which reminds me, the PR was such a bitch to begin with, that I actually ended up with four tickets. Two unused extra tickets which I could have peddle off for money; wtf is wrong with me. Of course, I didn't, hello!

XX-rated Machine

awesome pictures by X6

A while ago, I was lying in bed, just enjoying the lazy afternoon with The XX playing in the background. I remembered the scorching weather, the sweat on my skin and the smooth synth beats – that moment felt like it only just happened yesterday.

I said to myself that I enjoyed how the music came together; at times it was quiet, then sporadic and desolate. I predicted that, The XX, alongside another fave new band of mine, White Lies, would make it big in 2010. I also swore that I’d attend their concert if they ever stop near our shores.

I was right.

When rumours were swirling about The XX opening for Florence & The Machine, I squealed and the second the ticketing counters opened, I didn’t think twice about getting the floored seats near the stage.

Fast forward to the concert, I was catching up with Mike and the good ol’ Universal folks at Fairmont Hotel, where we’d meet Florence at an intimate session. I was hoping to catch up with The XX but they were nowhere to be seen, sadly.

Florence was such a doll. She had the cutest smile and her bright red hair was pleated in plaids. She was warm and giggled when I said I’d like to have my hair braided up like hers.

Still no sign of The XX.

It was eight when I finally walked into Esplanade and the second I heard the familiar beats of ‘Intro’ blaring from the speakers, I ran up the stairs in pitch darkness. I immediately pulled out my X6 and went straight to the stage. Soon, everyone else followed suit.

For those who have been diligently playing their record on repeat, you’d know the words to their songs and the sonic beats Jamie Smith bangs on the drum machine. Then there’s Oliver’s and Romy’s hush-hush purring vocals soaring through the mic, scattering syllables and alphabets to our delight.

It has begun.

Haunting, piercing, mellow – the blue rays that wrapped around the three-member band transported me back to the intimate and sadness of a time lost. I shut my eyes and sang to songs like ‘Fantasy’, ‘Shelter’, ‘VCR’, ‘Crystallised’ and more. If you ask me, the trio may have had little crowd connection – Oliver was given the task to mouth a couple ‘thank yous’ and occasionally stared at his feet (shoegazing, mates, Mike said) but I couldn’t help but realise how he was so much into the music. With black their main dress theme, Oliver kept swinging his hips in tight ¾ pants and layered necklace – it was quite a enthralling sight. Romy was quiet but her soothing vocals kept the crowd wanting more; it was as if she was reading passages from a love journal.

The mood was intense and personal.

I especially liked the throbbing bass of ‘Fantasy’ which shook the stage and balconies. Then there’s Oliver banging on the drums which upped the beats further. Sure the band sounds like their debut album, fresh and different as it sounds, I thought it wasn’t monotonous at all and the 45-minutes set felt too short. I was even adamant that they should extend their set to one hour max and that Florence should cut down hers by 30 minutes.

Ah, Florence. She was squealing like a banshee and truthfully, I could only tolerate her within 30 minutes. I liked ‘Dog Days Are Over’, ‘Hurricane Drunk’, ‘Cosmic love’ – which she sang and it was pure bliss to watch her flap her witchy outfit and prancing around in her sparkly underwear. But after that I got tired and sat down. Presence-wise, Florence was a doll; she captivated the audience with her cutesy stance of Polaroid moments: taking pictures of crowd and herself, headbanging to her own songs and bending over like she was practising some very important yoga moves. I was told that Florence’s set could only be made up of her and Chris, the drummer, and it would just be equally mesmerising like that.

By the time it was over, I felt like I was overcome with much heavy-laden emotions. It was like a huge knot inside of me that continued burrowing its way through. I was blown away by The XX. It’ll be interesting to see what their next record would offer: more dance-y synth beats, perhaps? Once a bedroom band that’s now touring around the world, The XX makes for niche music that is specially crafted with adulation and rapture. I’ll never forget this moment in time.

For more reviews:

Eyeris

Smalltimetraveller

Are day Green?

Where & when: 14 Jan 2010, Singapore Indoor Stadium

Since I've volunteered to write a review for MSN Malaysia Entertainment, I shall refrain from writing more here, except to say that I'm a renewed Green Day fan and that I had fun and it was a fucking awesome punk rock concert. How does Billy and the rest have the energy to prance from one end of the stage to the other - beats me. My favourite part? The accoustic-stripped down medley by Billy Joe during encore. I sang my heart out. And I'm gonna stick my confetti in my Moleskine; upon closer inspection, there are skulls imprinted on them. How lovely!

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

January 2010 has proven to be concert overload. In Singapore. You may now cry. And empty your piggy bank. Because rumour has it, The XX and Florence and The Machine might drop by too. Hey boss, if you are reading this, I'm going to move temporarily to Singapore and work from there.

12 Jan Yeah Yeah Yeahs
13 Jan Cat power
14 Jan Green Day
(Might as well take the whole week off)

Some details of Yeah Yeah Yeahs live in Singapore from Greenhorn Productions (the same peeps who gave us Death Cab For Cutie, ya'll). Check out the Facebook page:

Host:	Greenhorn Productions
Type:	Music/arts - Concert
Network:	Global

Date:	Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Time:	19:30 - 21:00
Location:	ESPLANADE CONCERT HALL

Have a Green Day

My new friends at Lushington (whom I met during Coldplay's concert, sent me this an hour ago):

Lushington Entertainments is proud to present GREEN DAY – the Grammy Award-winning American rock trio starring Billie Joe Armstrong (vocals, guitar), Mike Dirnt (bass guitar, vocals) and the Tre Cool (drums, percussion).

This will be GREEN DAY's first ever shows in South East Asia with performances on 14th January 2010 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium for 11,000 + fans.

Formed in 1987 and now in the top tier of rock establishment , they have chalked up a remarkable 65 million worldwide album sales.

When they were 17, they first recorded as Green Day, signing with the punk label ‘Lookout’ and releasing the 1989 EP 1,000 Hours with drummer John Kiffmeyer. The next year, the group recorded its first full-length album, 39/Smooth, in a day. Two more EPs followed, with Kiffmeyer leaving to focus on his studies and Tre Cool, with whom Armstrong had played in a band called the Lookouts, taking over on drums for 1992's Kerplunk. With a solid fanbase built on the nurturing, all-ages hardcore scene in Berkeley, the group signed with ‘Reprise’ in April 1993

Concert info:

Singapore tickets will be available from all SISTIC outlets at S$128 (standing), S$88, S$128 and S$148 seated plus S$3 SISTIC fees.

Green Day is represented by Warner Music.

Green Day – Live In Singapore!

Date : 14th January 2010

Venue: Singapore Indoor Stadium

Time : 8.00pm

Public Sales Date : 15 October 2009

SISTIC Hotline : (+65) 6348 5555

Web bookings : www.sistic.com.sg

Singapore tickets will be available from all SISTIC outlets at S$128 (standing), S$88, S$128 and S$148 seated plus S$3 SISTIC fees.