Travel Tips

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1 1/2 MINUTES FOOTAGE FROM THE GIG !

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This was the first EVER concert that I attended to in my own country ! HONEST.
No matter how I love music, I would rather enjoy the music that I love in the comfort of my bedroom....on my walkman then & on my mp3 player now.
I thought that I would never enjoy myself at a live performance...importantly, the bands that I love have never come to Malaysia to play until NOW.
The bands that I love are indie bands hence I am the real bed-sit indie kid !

This is a page where I would be waxing lyrical over the music that I love...if you are not keen on reading further, please leave quietly.

I first heard about the gig from a show on TV, mentioned that Mogwai would come here for a concert !
I just couldn't believe my ears.

2 days later I bought the ticket, cost me RM 150, about 25 British pounds.
Hhmm, probably the same price I pay if they were to play in their home country, Scotland.

I first knew them back in 1995. They were the so-called 'new' shoegazing band then.
Read about SHOEGAZING.

Right, bought the ticket 1 week before the concert (rather it was a gig, like a showcase than a fully-fledged concert), I was anticipating for it...like every night I would be dreaming about the gig.

On that day, 21st of January...Wednesday, I finished early. The gig started at 8 pm but I was there at 5 pm. Nobody turned just yet, only some security people & some people from a local label who organized the gig. I asked them questions:
They said that the door would be opened at 7.30 pm.

I waited.
Had time to explore the building where the concert was held.
Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, very nice world class building, just over-looking KLCC (the Twin Towers). Had some drinks at the food area downstairs; Chatted with some British elderly couple.
Told them that I had been waiting for any 'shoegazing' bands to come to my city for more than 20 years !
They could feel my excitement !

At 6.45 pm, people started to line up. In front of me were probably 20 people so I said to myself that I should be heading as close to the stage as possible.
At 7.30, the door to the stage was opened & one by one we handed the tickets & our bags were checked. I unzipped my bag saying, "Just an umbrella".

I handed my ticket & walked through the door & head straight towards the stage.
I didn't want standing by holding the banister.
So I chose a spot behind these 2 girls where I could move freely, taking photos & videos with my new toy !

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Line up for the door to open...

There were about 200 to 300 people, filled up only half of the free-standing venue. Great !

Just what I expected.

There were a few guys doing some sound checks. I also saw some lap-tops strewn across the stage & of course the effects pedals, the core sound of shoegazing music.
I also fine-tuned my new gadget...my toy.
I almost couldn't figure out how to take video ! Panic a bit there...
I glanced to my right, 2 girls.
To my left, a girl holding the banister with her bf behind her.

Finally, the band members came out & we're all shouting.
They looked different to me.
Bald & getting old.
So different when I saw their photos like like 14 years ago.
I smiled to myself.

I spotted Stuart right away. His curly hair is now gone instead he's bald now. I just smiled to myself again.
Stuart was a sort of main man in Mogwai as he always explains things in interviews.
(His photo below)

To me, Mogwai music devoid of any song titles...they are an instrumental band after all (with rare muted robotic singing).

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Noisily dreamy...

Coloured lightings spraying the stage.
They started strumming. The 2 girls in front of me started their recordings. One was using a digital camera, the other used her mobile phone. A camcorder was not allowed to be brought in.

2 girls next me also captured the gig with their digital cameras whilst the girl on my right just hang to the banister.

Started softly but surely, the band played.
One song done, the audience clapped. Stuart said, "thank you !". The crowd cheered back, "You're welcome !" with some laughs.

Me, I was waiting, waiting for that to happen...waiting for the band to blow me away into orbit.

2nd song started...the crowd cheered. They seemed to know the song title better. Neither the band mentioned the song title.
The music started to get noisy...I was just 2 feet away from the speaker & my ears vibrate nicely. I wanted it to be more noisy as noisy as they could get. Hey ! I waited 20 years for this, you know !!

The song ended, Stuart said, "thank you !"
By now the crowd collectively, laughingly saying, "You're welcome !"

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Distortedly Serene...

The 3rd song started...again the crowd cheered & my moment came when the heaven gate was opened so wide. The huge speaker in front of me vibrate when the most powerful noise was flowing through it...& I was in the state of euphoria ! It was so loud, unbelievably loud !

The noise was so distortedly dreamy, so brashly serene...I was deep in space buy yet it felt like I was drowning deep in the vast blue sea.

The band just plucking, strumming their guitars as if it's their chores in life ! No head banging, but deep in meditative stance. The drummer pounded his drum kits profusely as if not to be drowned in the vast gale of guitar noise !
DAMN ! That was just so mesmerizing !

I glanced around me, the girls stood frigid not knowing how to react to such a force.
I personally thought that they were lacking in any emotion. Their way of appreciating the music perhaps. I don't care. Each to their own.

Me, I closed back my eyes & felt the super strong guitar tsunami embracing my eardrums.

It went on for like FOREVER !
It was much better than sex for sure.

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Squall of White Noise...

One song after another, the crowd cheered; Stuart kept on with his 'thank you's' & the crowd replied back with 'you're welcome'.
Huge slaps of guitar noise were pouring upon us, in disguise of uplifting melodies created by this highly influential band.
The band kept on playing....I wanted it to be FOREVER !

45 minutes past, the crowd was bewildered in excitement !
Stuart said, "thank you very much !" & he's out from the stage followed by other band members.

The crowd chanted, "We want more !"...for a few minutes.

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Totally Pure Bliss...

The band came back for an encore.
What an encore was that !

Layer upon layer of guitar noise was force-fed through the huge speakers & the crowd was dumb-founded with such vigor !

20 minutes later, the band bid farewell.

We cheered !

It was such a great experience !
My ears were sore & it was so good to me.
Damn right ! It's unhealthy to most of you guys out there.

The doors were opened...slowly people started to walk out.
Suddenly there's an announcement saying there's an autograph session with the band !

I saw some people ran towards the left side of the stage, I followed. Behind me, everybody else followed. We lined up.

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Meeting the band backstage...

Backstage on the top floor, the band was seated at a table.

I came upon the band telling them how I listened to their music since they first started.
Nonchalantly, I thought that every single person would say the same thing to each of the band members. Although 95% of their Malaysian audience were much much younger than me.

Nevertheless, it's good meeting them face to face.

Thanks guys ! Thanks for making me happy.

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Stuart, bald & getting old...

I walked out from KL Convention Center feeling so out-of-this-world.
Walked towards the Twin Towers, down the escalator & took the LRT back home.

On the LRT, I called a few friends.
Telling me how I felt then.
One thing for sure, each & everyone of them nodded their heads agreeing with me.

I had a noisily serene dream on that night...

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All the photos were taken with my mobile phone : HERE

You can sample 1 1/2 minutes of their concert footage in KL Convention Center, HERE. This video was also taken from my mobile.
There are also some videos of this same concert on youtube uploaded by other people.