I'm getting my first byline in the Straits Times tomorrow!!!
So look out for my travel article of Taiwan okay?????
I'm so happy... this week turned out to be fairly okay.

I'm on the right track, and God is Great! :)


xxx

This was posted way back in July of 2009, I can't believe I haven't heard it before!!! >:(
Don't know where it came from but it definitely ain't on any of his albums.
Awesome song!



I think I will love his work despite anything, because he just has that appeal for me. :)

& my baby boy has grown up! He uses swear words! :o hahah. :)

After today, I've realised how shallow a life I have been living. I have not immersed myself, or even bothered to, try and dig deeper and understand more about a tiny miniscule part of something, anything, not even mentioning the whole universe.
I'm just mentally drained, and so many emotions all squeezed into my head simultaneously I think I might just be numb in the mind right now. Or maybe my brain has exploded, and truth is, I can't even feel it.
I don't know why I'm even here now, what I am living for. Yes, I may have been living on a bed of roses these 18 years, so this is really the thorns that are starting to slowly poke themselves through?
I have to be strong enough to take this, I really do. But I'm really starting to doubt myself, perhaps really really really really really really doubt, for the first time in my life.

out.

It's been two days since school officially started. Why is time passing by so slowly? I feel that I need it to move faster!!! But in the meantime I guess I can focus on stupid things like making covers. Here's one. I haven't posted any videos of myself singing in close to three years I would say. I guess I should take a step now? AHAHA. Not really. But I'm just so bored out of my mind I would actually do so now. So whether or not you listen isn't really my concern (see it rhymes!), but just know that I was insane when I posted this up. & NEVER talk to me about it when you see me. NEVER. or 我就会跟你翻脸。




I shall go die from embarrassment now. Bye.

might be posting a 1minute version of a Paramore cover here, so watch out for my horrendous vocals soon! ;)

So I wasn't as nervous as I was the other time, going for a Jamie Cullum concert. The first time he was here back in 2006 was when I was 14, and it was my first ever concert, and I went alone. All those fears added up and I ended up not really knowing how to bask in the amazingness of the jazz prodigy.

Fast forward four years. It's 2010, and I'm 18. I'm older, wiser, and all that shit. Then I heard he was returning for another concert. I was determined to enjoy myself thoroughly with this one, and boy did I. But I'll get to that later! I wasn't going to go for the 150 dollar ticket, no siree. I know my limits now. Took the 3rd level / 4th level seating, with no obstruction to the view whatsoever. & besides, it was at the Esplanade. Acoustics were supposed to be of standard, and it's a better environment to engage the audience, than the Suntec Convention Centre really. So I bought tickets to go with a friend of mine, who wasn't into his music, but was kind enough to agree anyway.

Come Tuesday, April 13, 2010. 7.30pm. Giddy with anticipation, I sat down in my plush seat, that could be turned to the degree I wanted to face the stage. Amazing view, on the side of the stage where I could see his fingers fly up and down expertly and effortlessly on the piano keys. People watched from above (told you it was a great seat) and saw Tan Kheng Hua & Jamie Yeo in the crowd.

But they weren't the highlight of the concert.

7.35pm. The band comes out. Cheers and clapping ensue. Then I spot the man himself. Jamie Cullum in the flesh, in the same theatre hall as I am. He immediately took centre stage, with the microphone, and started bopping in rhythm to Don't Stop the Music by Rihanna. Starting with a cover and not his own song, seems to me he's not a guy who's narcissistic! Even though I said before I didn't like this particular cover because it was for eclectic taste, I found myself vaguely grooving to the tune. Such is the charm Jamie has during his live shows. He can make people change their opinions of his songs because they've heard them live. I can now say that I'm a fan of that Rihanna cover.



He continues with Just One of Those Things immediately I think, off his latest album The Pursuit. I have to say that it's one of my favourites off his record. But then again, I like almost all the songs in his latest album so there really isn't a comparison. Then comes the fun part, where he acknowledges the crowd, and tells everyone to keep their mobile phones on, and that he doesn't give a damn whether we video all of the rest of the show, or take pictures. The crowd is immensely delighted by this, and erupts into cheers and laughter! The man is humourous, and is indirectly giving the organisers the middle finger if I may say so! You can see it in the video below. He even address the latecomers who were streaming in. I love the inflections in his voice omg. He makes it seem so easy to change between notes argh!!! Oh, and he even takes off his jacket in this next one! :p



& then he plays another off his new record. One his grandmother loves apparently - If I Ruled The World. I love it too!



Then he starts going on about him stopping to sing this particular tune because it just didn't feel right. He didn't feel right singing about being Twenty-something when he was already in his thirties! Haha, what a lovely man. He shares his anecdotes with the audience, and then he goes on to play the song woooo! & he makes jokes about himself. :)



I do love his live songs, he normally sings it differently from his albums, which is refreshing, and definitely unpredictable!! Next up was I'm All Over It, also off his latest album and his first single from that album wooo!



this one has better sound quality though.


I remember him playing the next song at his last concert here, and he sings it again, which made me happy cos it's one of his other great pop-jazz crossovers. The melody in this live version sounds awfully great! :D Photograph ftw!



Get Your Way was next!!! :D This is another quirky awesome song of his!!!! J'adore!!! He does his famous piano jump right here!!! YAHOO!


The next song was a little forgettable for me, but that really doesn't matter because the whole show was full of hits and the misses are all cancelled out because of that hahah! He also plays the drums on this one, and there's a great trumpet solo! Only have that for ya though! You & Me Are Gone...



Another from the Twenty-something album (my favourite!) was a Pharrell cover, Frontin'. I haven't heard the original, but... he has made it his own in my opinion! This was the part where I was truly wowed and blown away and just in awe and in shock because he started beat-boxing. WHOEVER knew he could beatbox?! But the way he did it, and then recorded it on the looping machine and then turned the whole thing into an amazing performance is what I call pure magic. Seriously, you will be rendered speechless just by watching him come up with this beats, and then go on to sing and beatbox almost simultaneously. & I don't know what he was strumming inside the piano but I think it was too great. Just MARVELOUSLY BRILLIANTLY FANTASTICAL. He should get an Oscar for that performance, is how unbelievable I thought it was. So slick!



High & Dry by Radiohead was his next cover. I think it's one of his best covers ever!!!!! He made a song that was kind of meh to me, good! :D In the midst of the song, he threw in a little Singin' In The Rain & Umbrella (by Rihanna) EESH, this man is just unffff!!!



Haha, then he broke into a Golddigger cover. He's so unpredictable!!! >:D At first I think all of us thought he would sing Golddigger (like he did at his last concert) but then he changed it into These Are The Days!!!!!! & halfway, he took off his tie, and this lady in the front row reached out wanting to take it, but then he said it was his favourite tie, making everyone laugh ahhaha! :D & he started to play around with the last couple of words from the song "& I feel fine" & some audience members shouted "You look fine"... which made him go into an impromptu song about his lousy haircuts back in the days, and his dressing, and repeating "& I feel fine" and (screaming fest ensues) so many times it was hilarious, & he even ended on the right note woooo.



Afterward, the band left the stage, leaving him with only the bassist, Chris Hills! They broke into I Get A Kick Out Of You, a effin' good song that I can never get sick of. There was also a solo by the bassist on the cello or bassoon or whatever that huge-ass instrument was. Brilliant, because it proves he doesn't need a whole band to back him up & he can still sing pitch perfectly! He sang most of it without touching the piano you know!!! XD


Oh, then he announced that his next music video and single was WHEELS My favourite song off his latest record by far. Well, Mixtape also is... AIYA! He looked really happy singing it though!



This next part should be the climax of climaxes I think. He went into the audience, and plopped himself and the band in the middle area. Oh My God. Then he started slow and simple, singing Cry Me A River by Justin Timberlake. The camera flashes went off really fast at that point, seriously. I saw him hugging one of the audience members later. :( So cool you know, because he sang most of the song without a mike, and he still sounded so clear! Esplanade definitely has great acoustics, and also credits to Jamie because his voice is just so awesome.



The quality's not that great, but make do! :D He jumps around and whatnot!
Another perspective here:




His encore starts around this point, even though I didn't know it at the time. :D Mind Trick was brilliant. I think he sang it at his last concert as well. YES!!! X) I love this song.


He went on to play Mixtape, which got the crowd going because it's quite fast-paced. Got my feet tapping!!! I can even feel goosebumps forming at this point, because he sings it with such soul! :) Oh my, and to top it off, his accent is just bloody unf-worthy.

He called the crowd to the front at this point I think, everyone went wild la! :( Wind Cries Mary is a good upbeat song. I like! Glad he chose to sing this song.


The last song, he asked the band to leave, and only him and the piano came out with All At Sea, one of my favourites as well eeeeee!!! It was too mesmerising, and what a way to end I must add!!!



When he left, there was a standing ovation for quite a while! Then everyone rushed out to join the queue for the signing of his cd, which unfortunately did not include me. I went to the toilet,and after I came out, the queue was far too long and they had to cut us off. :(

But it was indeed a night I will never forget until the next time he comes and sweeps me off my feet again. :)


All videos were taken from youtube, credits to those kind people who recorded and uploaded!!!

 I was blown away by how awesome the Jamie Cullum concert was on Tuesday. I really want to do it justice so I think I might need more time to review it. But in the meanwhile, here is the setlist for his performance on Tuesday. He apparently rarely sticks to setlists, preferring to go with the flow of things, like doing stuff spontaneously, on the spur of the moment. It's amazing isn't it? Gosh...


Please Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna cover) 
Just One Of Those Things 
If I Ruled The World 
Twentysomething 
I'm All Over It 
Photograph 
Get Your Way 
You And Me Are Gone 
Frontin' 
High & Dry/ Singin' In The Rain/ Umbrella 
These Are the Days 
Wheels 
I Get a Kick Out of You 
Cry Me A River 
Encore:
Mind Trick 
Mixtape 
Wind Cries Mary 
All at Sea 

When I first heard the latest S.H.E song 爱就对了 off their latest album SHERO, I immediately felt that the tune was vaguely familiar. Especially so when the chorus came around, but I couldn't quite place it. So I left it at that.

Then came the MV, and I came to know that the melody was written by Kate Elizabeth Voegele. Voegele is a very rare surname, and I happened to know an artiste by Kate Voegele. Hence I started thinking and while watching the video, it finally clicked!

The word 'Angel' came to mind, and I Youtubed it with Kate's name, and up came a song Angel! Ho ho ho. Trust me to remember things like these!

SO ANYWAY, the point is that S.H.E got her song translated to Mandarin and sang it... I'm gonna post both versions. I really like the English version more. I feel that not all English songs can be translated to Chinese successfully, but this one... I'm a'ight with.

ENGLISH VERSION OF ANGEL



TRANSLATED MANDARIN VERSION



I can finally lay to rest my 懊恼的心！

I believe that, in our lives, we are constantly chasing after people, or things. Whether it is about love, money, friends, careers, etc... we are always on the move. And sometimes we catch up to what we are looking for, but then there are times when we are not so lucky.

Mind you, I'm not talking about chasing after love today, if that is what you have come to assume, because I'm so not after that right now. But I just realised that when you try and try to reach out for something or someone but you never seem to actually get close enough to even touch them, it can get really exhausting.

Is it because my stamina's not on par? By that I mean my mental stamina. I feel that I'm getting really really tired of running after people that just do not get a sense that there are being chased. It's, frustrating emotionally really. I want to scream at them and ask them to wait up, but perhaps they are plugged into their iPods and cannot hear me over the music that is blasting so loudly through the earphones.

Everything I say is figurative okay?

It's so obviously clear what I'm trying to do, but they just do not get it. And they start moving on so fast, they catch me off my guard. Before I even have time to think about what to do, they are gone. So starts the chasing.

But too long have I been chasing after people, and too many times have I not caught up with any of them. I'm not giving up chasing, I just wish they would slow down and try to put themselves in my shoes for a moment. Then maybe they will be able to understand where I'm standing, and how far away they are from me. Putting them in that perspective might get them running back, this time, after me.

Spent the weekend in Malaysia for Qingming. Friday woke up at 4.20am. Seriously. Amazingly I could actually wake up. Then we reached around 9am after setting off round 5.30am. Not bad, I slept all the way. Normally I don't, on trips like these. I must be getting old.

Then went to have breakfast with a couple of relatives. Awesome wanton mee plus charsiew & chinese sausage. OMG. But it cost RM100 over. For around 9 people I guess that's okay?

Then we went to visit my ma's mom & dad. I tried. I really did try. But I couldn't find the courage to. :(

Dinner was at this restaurant in the middle of nowhere, & there were a lot of dishes I remember, but no pictures sorry.

Saturday woke up at 5.30am to head to the memorial park. Then the next few hours were spent around the grave, tombstone, whatever you call it. It's quite routine to go there every year, but this was my first time visiting since my grandmother passed. I don't know how I felt. Probably the same... just a little weirder. Can't believe she's been gone almost 2 years. Time really flies too fast.

Lunch was forgettable. Went back to Hillary's to chill and I slept. Then dinner at Damansara Village, probs in KL because I could see the Petronas towers from where we were. & there were fireworks. Steamboat + cooked dishes. Apparently amounting to 500RM a table. :o & I saw Patrick Teoh, who came over to talk to my uncle, who he's apparently friends with. :o My extended family knows people in the media industry. What???????

Anyway, came back round 930 this morning, and then went to buy Mcdonald's back for brunch. BREAKFAST DELUXE is awesome!? And then didn't do much until headed out to NTUC with the 'rents & bought food back for dinner.

Okay, so my life story is complete.

Thank you.

Bye bye.

I am first and foremost a galaxy defender.
If there's 3 words to describe me, it would be:
mcfly, cameras and travelling.
I have an unhealthy obsession with waffles and teh tarik.
I love acoustic sounds - and I sing.
Also a proud #brookster - Joe Brooks certified!
2012 is going to be the best yet, just wait and see.


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Drown
Last time we went swimming
the sea stood up and hugged you
as though you were responsible
for keeping it blue
Copyright © 2011 Bianca Stewart


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