Thursday, February 27, 2014

Hello Hurricane Switchfoot tour (Kuala Lumpur)




FLASHBACK concert review (May 2011)
by Felicia Chin

KL embraced an ‘Awakening’ when Switchfoot brought the house down at Dewan Mutiara. The San Diego rock band were not about the frills but delivered the thrills with their solid and uplifting ‘Sound’ that isn’t likely to be ‘Gone’ anytime soon. 

We gather it’s because they had a different purpose while performing - it wasn’t for their own glory. Jon Foreman (lead vocalist), Tim Foreman (bass guitar), Chad Butler (drums and percussion), Jerome Fontamillas (guitar and keyboards) and Drew Shirley (guitar) promised to be back when they go on tour for Vice Verses, their upcoming album, to be released this summer.

At the very start, Switchfoot made known what their ‘Sound’ was all about; it’s not about superficial ‘Stars’ or fleeting fads and temporary highs. After all, it will all be ‘Gone’ sooner or later. They had a good mix of their all time hits from back in the day like ‘Chem 6A’, ‘We Are One Tonight’ and ‘Learning To Breathe’.



Jon, in all sincerity, said “Aku cinta padamu,” but without cheesy additions addressing the ladies like most other artists, trying to score extra brownie points. All pretences out the door, they told the crowd that our love is felt and that ‘This is Home’. Imagine the delight of fans.


Overall, it was a solid show that provided somewhat of a spiritual plug-in with many euphoric parts. Switchfoot, ‘Your Love Is A Song’ that reaches out and bridges gaps inadvertently formed by race, religion and denominations. Thanks for being an inspiration and making a difference!






Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Stargazing: Getting chummy with celebs

Flashback-- pictures taken with the stars 2009-2011

Lead singer of Hoobastank : Douglas Robb

MTV VJ: Utt

All-American Rejects lead singer: Tyson Ritter

Kasabian: Tom Meighan and Sergio Pizzornio

Boys Like Girls


Lenka

Akon

Tyson Ritter again...

Ne-yo

Stereophonics

Tokio Hotel lead singer: Bill Kaulitz

Jason Derulo

Andy Lau

Louis Khoo

Nick DeMoura

Switchfoot

Tom Kaulitz -- Tokio Hotel

Colby O'Donis

Wang Lee Hom

Switched on with Switchfoot! (Video Interview)

Switchfoot flashback interview

KL embraced an ‘Awakening’ when Switchfoot brought the house down at Dewan Mutiara on 1 May, 2011. The San Diego rock band were not about frills but delivered the right thrills with their solid and uplifting ‘Sound’ that isn’t likely to be ‘Gone’ anytime soon. Malaysia has this to say: Switchfoot, ‘Your Love Is A Song’ that reaches out and bridges gaps — thanks for making that difference. Also, check out our interviews with the band packed with tidbits of their upcoming album Vice Verses and stories of their inspirational lives.

Vice Verses Scoop! Exclusive interview with the band





Pre-show interview with Switchfoot's Tim Foreman



FLASHBACK interview (May 2011)
Interview conducted by Felicia Chin


As you wait in great anticipation before rocking out with the Grammy-winning band from San Diego, here’s an interview Switchfoot’s bassist Tim Foreman. The 32-year-old gives us a deeper insight to their upcoming album Vice Verses, keeping faith and positivity alive in calamity, miracles, his fondest memories of Malaysia and more. Get your ‘Ammunition’ before you ‘Sing It Out’ at their show tomorrow.

Hello Hurricane talks about attempts to sing even when life throws a storm at you, what is the main message for your new album Vice Verses, besides being on the polarity of life? 

For me, Vice Verses is about life and death, birth and rebirth. These are songs birthed through struggle, so they have a strength to them.  It isn’t a concept record though, so it would be an oversimplification to say that’s what the entire record is about.  But certainly the title Vice Verses explores the idea that beauty is born through pain.  Songs are born through struggle. These are our vice verses.

Tell us something/anything about your new album that you have not revealed to anyone before. 
The title track, Vice Verses, which has been a band favorite since it was first written 3 years ago, very nearly didn’t make the record. We were struggling to find the right presentation of the song in order to fit the record.  It was recorded on the very last day.

One of the songs in Vice Verses is ‘Restless’- so what makes you restless?
In life, we are surrounded by beauty and pain. And the beauty often serves to contrast and illuminate all that is not right on this planet.  I often experience that contrast as a restlessness of sorts- a longing for change; for something beyond the world as we see it. 

How do you keep the faith and positivity when there is calamity everywhere? 
I like the word “Hope.”  Hope is believing in something that is yet to come; something that doesn’t exist yet.  Hope isn’t simply trying to see things positively.  There is nothing inherently positive in a tsunami, or an earthquake or a war.  It would be ridiculous to even suggest such a thing.  But to hope means that I believe in life beyond the pain.  That the story isn’t finished yet, and the pain is not the final word.

What was the last inspirational book read or impactful movie watched? How did it affect you? 
Well, it may sound ridiculous, but I just watched The Shawshank Redemption for the very first time yesterday on our way from Albany to Perth.  It’s an incredibly powerful film about hope.




You’ve been around since 1996, what keeps the music and inspiration alive and what do you think keeps your audience coming back for more
We only play songs that we believe in.  Songs that have meaning to us, songs that inspire us artistically and thematically.  It is impossible to guess what will connect with our listeners.  A much better approach is to write music that is meaningful to us, with the hope that if it resonates within us, it will probably find a home outside of the band as well.

Freedom is a common theme in your body of work, what have you learnt about it so far. 
Freedom is a word we throw around a lot within Western culture.  We are free to vote, free to love, free to worship, free to create, learn, think, feel, and believe.  We are also free to hate, free to destroy, free to become prisoners of ourselves.  Freedom is a wonderful and terrifying thing.  True freedom lives and dies on the inside.  And inner freedom is something that no one else can ever take from you.

What was the most scarring “Hurricane” you’ve encountered in life? And how did you come out of it shining? 
Well, I’ve lived my share of storms like everyone else, but I don’t think it would be healthy to divulge all of my most personal storms with people that I’ve never met.  That is what close friends and community is for, which I would say is a huge part of reaching the other side of any storm.  It is important to have people in your life that can help you weather the storm with truth and love. 

Can you recount one miracle in your life? 
My family, and I truly mean that.

Complete this sentence: Seeing_________ gives me hope.
Seeing children laughing and playing amidst poverty, loss, and disease gives me hope.

What’s your fondest memory of Malaysia and what are you looking forward to do when you guys return to Malaysia besides the show? 

We have great memories of hanging out with some locals and trying all of the great local cuisine.

Old videos of celebs (Part 1)

Just pulling up a few videos I took while I was working for an entertainment magazine. Reminiscing, you might say...


Wang Lee Hom in KL


Justin Bieber's crew arrive at KLIA


The protest at Adam Lambert's GlamNation Malaysia tour 2010











Louis Koo Tin Lok on playing a gay role (Video Interview)



Sunday, July 3, 2011

Chillin' with Secondhand Serenade



As the first international act to kick-start 2011, Secondhand Serenade definitely set the tone for the rest of the year at the Bentley Music Auditorium. We can safely say that the adoring fans were romanced by John Vesely’s soothing voice at the show. Fans were unmistakably singing along to almost all their songs – a sign that mostly true devotees were in the house.


So while they were here I had the chance ask them some of the questions posted on hot’s Facebook page and Twitter! Placing them in an intimate candle-lit setting, the boys shared their deepest thoughts about marrying a Malaysian girl, how they would romance their Valentine, their darkest ‘Nightmares’ and much more.


Their answers were stripped down and candid and the band came across as unpredictably funny and charming all at once. Yes, predictably so, we got them to serenade us.