~ Come Rayne Or Shine ~: Videos

Showing posts with label Videos. Show all posts

Stephen Rahman Hughes

Monday, January 16, 2012 by Audrey

I have been a fan of Stephen Rahman Hughes since I first saw him as Hang Tuah in Puteri Gunung Ledang - The Musical (Season 1) way back in 2006....not only because he has a handsome face, but his voice can melt any girl's heart (Yes, even mine...heh!)

The most recent performance of his that I attended was April last year, where he performed with Ramin Karimloo and Simon Bailey for "West End Stars in Concert". SUPER amazing, and everyone was so swoon-worthy...*sighs*

Okay, back to reality a bit...LOL! SO...during that concert, Stephen sang a BM song that he says is going to be in his new album (YAYYY!) and the song is SOOO pretty! LOVED it to bits and made me anxious for his album to be out...I mean, with HIS voice and songs similar to that one which he performed, I figured it's going to be a KILLER album!

Well, the album is FINALLY out =) A self-titled album, Stephen's album consists of 8 songs...all in Bahasa Malaysia. Bit of a dampener considering he's more British than Malaysian (even though he IS half-Malaysian!), but it's quite nice to see that he's trying his hardest to please his Malaysian fans. I couldn't find a copy until I read his fan FB page stating which stores carry his album and I got there JUST in time to get the last copy of the album at the store...hehe! So, what's my 'verdict'?

I guess I am on the fence with his album.....while I do admit that the songs do kind of cater to his range, I very much prefer him singing slow, ballad-y songs compared to uptempo or even mid-tempo songs. Unfortunately, the album cuts right in the middle with the number of slow and uptempo songs....and I'm not too sure who arranged the sequence of the songs, but there is the typical 'fast song followed by slow song' formula which is a little irksome, if you ask me.

The highlight for me is definitely the song that he sang in the concert - "Bertemu Di Syurga". For lack of a better word, it is very 'pretty'....with the piano intro, strings and big chorus, it's a lovely song that one dedicates to their loved ones =) Still, I find it a little bit 'overproduced' in the sense that there are too many things going on as the background music. I so much preferred the way they arranged the music during the concert...gives a much better flow to the song. Watch the song performed here (I recorded it with my phone, so excuse the bad quality!):

However, there are some other songs which I find grew on me with a few more listens...need I say more that they are ballads as well? =P "Hati Berbisik" is a lovely duet with Jaclyn Victor, though I have to say that Jac's voice is featured so little here! Still, the song is cool =) "Cinta Masih Ada" is another song that grows on you...it's a song about sacrifices that people make for their loved ones, and above it all, there. is. love. And my second most favourite song is "Ku Lepas". Another pretty song with a big chorus and soft ending...but I think what spoke to me most were the lyrics, where it talks about letting go for the best of both parties. =')

My only 'complaint' with this is the emo-Malay Rock song that is "Ekspresi". I don't know what it is, but I didn't like it one bit...even after a few listens. LOL! It JUST doesn't fit with Stephen's voice and I guess I am biased, but the jiwang rock thing is just....weird. I find it a bit wasteful to put this up in the album, but I guess the rocker fans might enjoy it. *shrugs* So yup, there is my two cents' worth. I like it, but I can't say I'm absolutely thrilled with this album....let's hope he comes up with another one soon where he sings material that really gel with his voice and style =)

The Drive

Friday, November 18, 2011 by Audrey

I have an...affinity with ghost 'stuff', if you can call it that. While I'm not a big fan of these things, somehow or other I get quite a few opportunities to catch horror movies and the like. Some I'd come to enjoy and appreciate, while some made me cringe and laugh.

Yesterday, however was quite an eye-opener...quite literally too! LOL! I had the chance to catch a friend of mine performing in a play called "The Drive" at The Actor's Studio in Lot 10 (which by the way, was a very cool place to have a performance studio! Loved the rooftop there!) I have to shamefully admit that I didn't really give much thought to the description of the play before I attended the performance. All I knew was my friend is going to be one of the main cast and I'm there to support her :) What I came away with at the end of the performance was a mind-blown, awe-struck experience and the impression that theater in Malaysia can be quite cool with the right people...so much so that I HAD to blog about this ASAP!

The main 'frame' of the story is about these 3 guys on a drive out to hunt for ghosts as fodder for their growing blog readership. On the way, what better way to fuel their imagination than to tell each other ghost stories? And so, we're taken into these stories and boy, they are kind of scary! Yes, even coming from me...the one who had to watch quite a few horror movies (not by choice) and had gotten quite immune to these things. I don't want to spoil the plot so much for those who are planning to catch it so please go and watch it to experience it all.

You'd probably think I am biased because I went there to catch my friend performing....that's true in a way. I was there to just see how good she did in the play, but after it all ended, I admired a lot of the other cast as well....so much talent in the cast! From the goofiness of the three guys, the intensity of the scenes brought on by the characters, the comedic timing breaking the tension at times, to the creepiness in the stories that I can only just say kudos for a job well done!

What really impressed me also was the synchronization of the sound effects and lighting with the timing of the actors...although it is a scripted play, I do think that to synchronize everything down to a T takes quite a bit of effort and LOADS of practice. The lighting, sound effects and even the songs used during the transitions really made it so believable that for some time, I was immersed into the whole experience. Probably that's what made it quite scary for me...even though the actors are playing characters, but because they're in the flesh and so upclose (I had front row seats) that creepiness just intensifies that much.

At the end of it all, it really was loads of fun to catch awesome plays like these....do catch it if you can! The run of the shows are only until THIS SUNDAY, so go catch it quick! Ticketing information can be found at The Actors' Studio's website here (click) or you can even check out the Facebook page that they created for the play! (click) Here's a preview video of the play in case you're wondering...*grins*

Les Misérables - 25th Anniversary In Concert

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 by Audrey

A quick break from my trip blogs *wink* I can't believe I have not blogged about this amazing concert when I had watched this previously! Watching it again a few days ago still gives me goosebumps and I feel that I HAD to blog about this amazing DVD.

Les Misérables (or more fondly known as Les Mis to fans) is no stranger to anybody who likes / loves the theatre / musicals. Actually, even if you aren't a fan of the theatre / musicals, there are still many songs that are covered by many contemporary artists here these days. I'm pretty sure many have heard Susan Boyle's rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream"...or even if you live under a shell until today, perhaps even the ever popular TV series Glee's rendition of it (and some other songs from the musical too!).

The musical is set in France in the 1800's, a time where the poor are plenty and many are oppressed. Prisoners are worked hard like slaves, justice by the police is kinda weird, business owners are not as honest as they seem, and ladies with nowhere to go end up selling their own hair and bodies to stay alive; just to name a few of the scenes you will see in the musical. Then in the second act, there is drama as zealous young men rise to the occasion and fought against the injustice of the government to try and free the people from poverty. Quite a sombre musical, but very inspirational and touching as we also see the strength of the human spirit when put against the odds!

This DVD though is not a full-on musical. Rather, it is a concert (as the title mentions), where the cast stand in front of microphones and sing the musical numbers. Everyone is dressed in costume though, and there are some props used in the scenes as well as sound effects that are well-timed to bring out the feel and atmosphere of the time.

While at first I was put off by the idea of the actors just standing there and singing, by the second song I was hooked and couldn't take my eyes of the screen as I was swept into the whole experience. This, I believe, is due to the excellent casting...they really brought out the emotions of the characters and making you feel as if you're in the moment with them! For the 25th anniversary concert, they have roped in some of West End / Broadway's biggest names like Lea Salonga (best known for her role in Miss Saigon), Ramin Karimloo (the current Phantom in Love Never Dies!), and Norm Lewis (who originated the role of King Triton in the musical version of The Little Mermaid).

(Left to right): Norm Lewis as Inspector Javert...LOVED his interpretation of the character! His deep voice just brings something to Javert; Lea Salonga as Fantine....although her voice has changed a bit since her Miss Saigon days, she still brings a lot of depth to Fantine. Her rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream" really brought tears to my eyes as she sings of what she had lost.

Ramin Karimloo!! ♥ He was superb as Enjolras...the leader of all the young men who fought for their freedom! I first wanted to watch the concert after hearing about him being in it after seeing him perform live when he was in KL with Stephen Rahman-Hughes, and he did not disappoint in his turn as Enjolras =)

The biggest surprise for me was Alfie Boe, cast as Jean Valjean (the protagonist). I have no idea who he was at the time, but his voice is amazing and OMG there's something about his eyes...I don't know, I guess I'm a sucker for guys with lovely eyes. Whenever he sings, there is always a twinkle; so much kindness in his eyes, which really befits the character he plays...a doting father to his daughter and a man with a really big heart. The biggest solo for Jean Valjean just tugs at the heartstrings when he sings and prays about bringing Marius safely home from the war. Couldn't stop listening to it! Video is below...watch and you'll see what I mean *wink*

Ah yes, forgot to mention about Nick Jonas as well! He was another surprise...cast as Marius, he actually held his own quite well even though his voice was not as strong and not really made for theatre. Not bad for a teen pop star =)

And just when you thought the end of the concert was amazing enough (I was tearing and smiling as the audience rose to their feet applauding the cast), there is yet another surprise! For the encore, they brought out the ORIGINAL 1985 cast of London who proceeds to perform some of the numbers....words can't describe it! Especially the performance of "Bring Him Home" by the Jean Valjean Quartet - which are the 4 gentlemen who have played Jean Valjean throughout the years, including Alfie Boe....listen to the oldest Jean Valjean (Colm Wilkinson). I was absolutely gobsmacked that he can still pull those notes even at his age (though I shouldn't be surprised since he IS a performer)!

A highly recommended DVD to watch especially if you're a big fan of musicals or just music in general....just remember to have some tissue at hand =) Now, if they could bring this musical over to Malaysia that would be just AWESOME! Or, I could go to London...even better idea! LOL!

David Choi - A Definite Surprise!

Saturday, July 23, 2011 by Audrey

"David who?" was the question that I asked when I was first told of David Choi. I am, 'shockingly', not an avid Youtube viewer so I was oblivious to all the famous Youtube personalities. Never heard of David until a friend mentioned him as a very good singer who did great covers, is involved in some videos of Wong Fu Productions AND he was coming to KL for a concert. And I thought, cool...but never really gave much thought about it after.

Up until Wong Fu released one of their latest projects, that is this song:

And I was hooked! Really loved the concept of the video, and the music is oh so...cute, for lack of a better word! The lyrics really captured the essence of finding that someone and wanting to share everything with him/her.

By that time, it was a little too late to catch his concert (silly old me...always missing out on good acts!) but I did manage to find a video on his time here at his website, and it looked like so fun! Wish I was there...=)

No point dwelling on the past I guess, so I went ahead and got both his albums (which you can also listen to on his website!) and I cannot stop listening ever since!

David's first album is titled "Only You". Released back in 2008, it contains 14 of his original compositions. My first impression when I first listened to it was that his style is somewhat like Joshua Payne's second album (raw, very acoustic and intimate, probably cut in his own studio instead of a big studio) mixed with a little bit of Ryan Cabrera (love the guitar riffs and the tone of his songs).

There is something about the lyrics of his songs...they are real, like it could also happen to you and me, and at some points, they really hit home with the feelings described as he sings about love, hurt, etc. Couple that with his uncanny ability to come up with some very catchy tunes and his smooth vocals, it is a joy to listen to! Whether it be a fast-tempo, happy song or a melancholic song that reminisces about lost love, "Only You" is a great debut from this independent singer/songwriter.

Some of my favorites include "Always Hurt" (where he sings about not wanting to go through love again, because he always ended up getting hurt), "Won't Even Start" (his only single released from the album, which did quite well on iTunes and Youtube), "Heart" (about a man who appears to be cold, but actually yearns to be loved by the girl) and "Hold On" (an uplifting song that encourages us to hold on despite the hard times).

Reading about his biography on his website, it is intriguing to learn about how he started and the accolades that he won with his songwriting. Kudos to him for sticking it out as an independent artist and still bringing good music to the masses!

His second album, "By My Side" is a step up from his debut album. While maintaining his style of (mostly) acoustic accompaniments, the album also feels a little bit more polished compared to the first album; not so raw and organic like his debut, but I still like the songs produced =)

This time around, the instruments used in the songs really bring the feel of the song to life and take you back through memory lane. I really loved "By My Side", the titular single. While the video talks about making 'balloons' (sacrifices, promises) for that someone, the lyrics and music brings me back to happier times =) It's whimsical, cute, yet also quite meaningful when you listen to him sing about wanting someone by his side forever.

Other standouts from this album for me include "So Weightless" (LOVE the use of the xylophone-like instrument here! It really evokes the feeling of weightlessness and being amongst the clouds), "Deserve To Be" (quite a melancholic song about a guy telling the girl that she deserves much better than him) and "Amy Ave." (where he reminisces of the times he was back in his neighborhood as a child)

I couldn't stop listening to his albums when I was in Bali...the music is just perfect to listen to as you sit in the car driving by vast green fields, windows down, the wind is in your hair, breathing in fresh air and just...bask in the peacefulness, bliss and tranquility. I don't know...I guess with all the over-processed, too-much-bass-that-it-affects-your-heartbeat songs that we hear on the radio today it is a very welcome change to listen to songs that are just pleasing to the ears and go back to the basics. Sometimes the best things are the most simple ones, in my opinion...=)

So, if you're in the mood for something more simple, yet also having some substance in the music...give David Choi a listen. You won't be disappointed! I hear he's coming out with another album soon too, so I can't wait! *grins*

Unforgettable Royal Charity Concert Relived!

Thursday, February 18, 2010 by Audrey

Phantom Of The Opera Medley:

Jessica Lee performing Cinema Paradiso:

Sean Ghazi - Bridge Over Troubled Water:

Sean Ghazi - Semalam:

Sean Ghazi - Ku Impikan Bintang:

Sean Ghazi & Estee Pook - The Prayer:

The Jiwang Queen Reigns Supreme!

Thursday, February 18, 2010 by Audrey

I recently got invites to Mia Palencia's new album launch at Wisma Bentley Auditorium on 13th November. Naturally, I was excited because I've heard Mia before when she was in the group Double Take...she has an amazing voice! Breezy and sweet, yet she can also belt out big notes too! Her new album is called 'Songs From The Jiwang Kingdom' and she was showcasing songs from that plus some songs from her first solo album 'Finding My Way'.

I went with my sister, and we reached early...got our seat numbers (which was the last row from the stage...*sigh* Oh well, we came for the music, no?) and headed out for dinner first before going in.

The view from our seats...SOOO far!! Thank goodness for zoom in cameras...LOL!

Another view of the auditorium...the setting was nice! Looks quite posh, and acoustics were VERY good...and I liked the wood paneling on the sides (I think those helped with the acoustics or something...I seem to notice these kind of panelings at concert halls. =P)

The lady of the hour! The showcase started late, but Mia was very nice and apologized for starting late...very true her words: "...true to Malaysian style, we all have to start with a delay..." LOL!

Mia with her band and Jun (far left) - her collaborator in her new album. I was really interested in the band member playing the 'drum beats' on the right...I don't know what's it called, but it gives a nice sound to give the songs a lift in beats...soft and gentle for the tender moments in song, but can also bring a nice bass-y beat for more uptempo songs!

Mia with a friend who plays cool violin!

And another friend who played a whole song with just the bass guitar...cool! It was quite funny at the beginning when he asked Mia, "Jazz ah?" and Mia replied with, "Yes yes, Jazz" LOLLL!

All in all, it was definitely a cool night! Mia not only kept everyone entertained with her breezy voice, but she was quite a showman as well...always having a funny remark on her songs, cracking jokes about her shiny hat ("Low budget ma...I have to DIY, throw some light!") or poking fun at her friends who joined her on stage *grins*

From the title of the album, I thought it would be something 'emo' because when the word 'Jiwang' comes to mind, images of sad rock love songs spring up...LOLLL! But as Mia aptly puts it in her album, "Jiwang is not a single emotion, but a web of many. If you have ever stood at the edge of the great ocean, looking out to the horizon, your toes buried in the sand, the water washing gently over your feet, and felt small, significant, grateful, blessed...humbled and proud all at the same time, then you know what I mean." Yes, Mia, I definitely know what you mean after listening to your tracks...*grins*

Her songs always have a great melody and meaningful lyrics...some are great to listen to in the middle of the night whenever you are pondering, or on your way to a destination - looking as the road and trees passing by. =) Some are great to have a good laugh over, like Poor Mary which has a little moral story cleverly infused with a very famous nursery rhyme! Definitely get this album if you like listening to Jazz or 'quiet music', as Mia puts it. :)

And here, I enclose some videos from the showcase to let you have a taste of why Mia, the Jiwang queen, reigns supreme...enjoy! *grins*