I have yet another theory. Ordinary events don’t get stuck in my mind. Extraordinary events do. I love to seek out opportunities to do something crazy, if circumstances permit. To make my life a bit more memorable. For instance, that one time after my buddy Sam and I got our miserable laughable bonus, we impulsively headed for our breakfast at The Fullerton and spent what seemed like more than S$40 for a hotel breakfast in our home land. The power breakfast, as we called it. No local does that. Unless you are very rich. At least we weren’t. At least I am not (can’t say the same for my friend now that he is a big shot). And that probably is the most memorable breakfast I had ever had to date. It is out of proportion. It is laughably ironic.
When I told my band manager Selrol that I was planning to bring along all the band equipment from Singapore and practice with Wieke in Malaysia over the weekend, her response was, “No shit!”. Uh-huh. Everyone thinks that I am nuts. OK. I can be nuts some time, because I can. So I have weighed my gears. Close to 70kg of equipment that filled up the entire car boot. And I had to align them carefully so that they all fitted nicely. So what exactly did I bring to PJ Malaysia with my car (in the order of importance)?
- Cynthia the bassist and backing vocalist
- My Les Paul Deluxe electric guitar
- Cynthia’s Warwick bass guitar
- Wieke’s Yamaha acoustic guitar
- A heavy acoustic guitar amplifier
- My huge guitar amp and effect processor, VOX ToneLab LE
- A 12-channel mixer
- 2 microphones and 2 mic stands
- Handheld recording device, Zoom Handy Recorder H2
- Cables, lots of cables
- Clothes and other stuff
- A laptop to store recorded materials from the handheld device
After that horrifying experience with the Malaysian Custom, I was worried that they would tax my close to S$10k worth of used gears. But they didn’t inspect my car. Phew! At the hotel lobby, I was asked twice: Are you the wedding singer?
I love Facebook. I really do. Thanks to Facebook, my two long lost friends Kah Lok and Kenneth turned up at my hotel room (last seen more than a decade ago with zero contact since then … I remember that one bus terminal scene with tears in my eyes). And we performed for them, inside our PJ Hilton hotel room, with the studio set up. Like real! Like how we are going to perform in The Heeren this November. We played a song, we took a break and chatted. I love the intimacy between our band and the audience. I am inspired. While Jason is aspired for online broadcast, Cynthia is aspired for public performance, I think I have found my own aspiration: private performance.
All five of us surprisingly got along really well. We’ve had so much fun. And that is another story to tell.
Mental note: Write to Ovi by Nokia and suggest that they should display the captions and titles within the slide show.
Related Blog Entry: Yet Another Road Trip, Yet Another Small Step Towards Our Goal
No sh*t!! Lugging all those equipment to JB!
How come can play in the hotel room ah? The other guests didn’t complain about the noise?
I would never spend S$40 for a person on breakfast. *shakes head*
ECL – To PJ, not JB! Ha ha ha. We kept the volume of the acoustic amp low. It was probably a bit louder than the normal TV.
Yes, that was excessive. S$40+++. Don’t think I will do that again … ha ha ha. The bonus and increment was so low that my friend and I just blew it on an expensive breakfast!
So, I am on the list of the things you bring? Was I in the car boot? 😀 The 70 kg of equipment didn’t include me for sure..
But OK lah, you were politically correct by putting me as # 1 based on importance.
Kah Lok and Kenneth were good audience ::clap clap::
Woo so they contacted you before that or jus turned up at the hotel room?
Yap definitely not me to spend $40 on breakfast haha but I would have done the same thing- if its too little of increment I will blow it on something to “remember” how little the increment haha
The only times I spent close to $40 on a meal were in the Brazil restaurant. And that was all free flow meat! So what exactly did you eat for breakfast?
Oh man! What will happen if the customs really did check your phat lewt?
Cynthia – Ha ha ha … certainly you are not part of the 70kg equipment. Yep, Kah Lok and Kenneth are great audience. Kenneth was so engaging and Kah Lok looked immersed into our songs. So very touch, I am.
Si Ying – Oh no … I wasn’t the wedding singer … ha ha ha. We needed a place to practice for hours in different sessions so I reckon the hotel room would be the best choice. Hence all the equipment to convert the room into a mini-studio.
Ya, the increment was like not even a few percents, from what I remembered.
Darkspore – It was a very normal hotel breakfast, with fruits … lol.
Not sure if the customs really did check. I guess unlike the last trip, my gears are obviously used items. Hmmm.
Oh ya i know you arent the wedding singer haha!
Er whats the norm for pay increment? I heard its ard 4-6% at my side.
Si Ying – Lol … my bad!
Oh, that was quite a number of years ago. The increment was really low. And my friend and I were more like giving up to the reality that partners take home so much money while the staff who brought in the cash got nothing much in the end. And at that moment we just wanted to feel rich nevertheless. Silly I know … lol.
WOW u rocks !!
As your unofficial camera-guy-wannabe-without-a real-DSLR, something suddenly popped into my mind. Do you guys have costumes for the gig? Hairstylist? Make-up artiste?
Wow!!! You actually brought everything and kept them in the car boot! I am impressed! Haha. Looking forward to your live performance!
Oh… Re the really expensive breakfast… I would do the same thing, in fact I did! My increment from my first job was a miserable $24 and I actually rewarded myself with an expensive card holder, which was way more than $24! Hahaha… 😛 I told myself that I deserve way better!
Limleen – Thanks! Rock we shall!
Darkspore – Our band manager talked about this. You reckon we shall wear … costumes, make-up, and a new hairstyle? Not sure what suits the band though …
JT – Ha ha ha … yes! It was that “I deserve way better” mentality. I was trying so hard to find the right word.
Hey, you just gave birth. Shouldn’t you stay at home for months before you can come to a … rock concert?! Ha ha ha.
I am not sure what suits your band, but I think maybe clothes are the basic for live performance. Makeup and hairstyles maybe not so much, but it does help to look pretty on photos. Visual impact is as important as audio impact. Maybe the same color? Or same themes?
Darkspore – If it was up to me, I would go for minimalistic-yet-legal-in-Singapore theme. I think the ladies in my band would kill me for that. Shhhh … please don’t tell them (I doubt they will see this comment … ha ha ha).
I love the slide show of the pics – that bowl of noodles in front of your friend looks REALLY GOOD!
It is super amazing that you managed to fit everything in the boot!
I must muster up enough courage to part with $40 for breakfast sometime!
G – Thank you! And the food in Malaysia tastes very good too!
Ha ha ha … no need for that expensive breakfast. I am sure you can have the breakfast everyday at your hotel / service apartment chain, right?
No shit! Don’t meddle with the pro! lol
Ghim Seng – Lol … not pro yet though. More like an obsessive hobbyist.
Haha unfortunately, we have free lunch at the staff canteen….. but oh well. I shall not go there!
I do have 30% off at the cafe though! which is not too bad 😛
G – I am sure you can ask your kitchen to cook something special for you. Or you could buy those live lobsters and ask them to cook right? I bet they would be so happy cooking something off-the-menu.
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