31st March 2012: Earth Hour 2012, at Publika. Here's The Metaphor!


The police wanted in on the hipster action with the bicycles.


The police were proudly part of the Eco Riders. Nice to see them being part of this, and it would be nice to invite them more to this side of town (when they'd more likely be invited for government-related functions.)


Qings & Kueens made a comeback, without a bassist.


I didn't catch this band's name (or its performance) but check out that fanned-fret bass!


Seconds To Collide, who bear some Saosin-ity.


Ryota Katayama on vocals.


I don't know what was going on here.


Malaysia Ukulele Group.


Pfft, I had one since 4th September 2004, way before all you hipsters. I was a proto-hipster. Credits go to Dustyhawk for the picture-taking.


Darren Ashley, in full band mode!


He played his electro pop out of a shopping trolley. "Hey man check out this I just bought this down at the BIG Supermarket..."


Random audience shot. I am always a sucker for hair light.


Likewise. Whenever I see a professorly German-looking guy I expect him to have played in a UFO cover band in a past life. Granted, UFO isn't exactly German, but you get the idea better than if I was to say early Uli-Roth-time Scorpions.


Random snipe of Megan Tan and Hansen Lee walking past.


An Honest Mistake, a high-energy band. I always miss their rock kangkang synchronized guitar breakdown.


Luna strikes See "Moon" Mun. They brought me to the next place...


Ecoba, for the Pray For Alda Evan Tan Fundraiser Gig! Here's Cats In Love, classic rock outfit with the venerable N. Rama Lohan.


Jin Hackman and Coex.


Coex does some mean multi-layered beatboxing! 4 layers!


I like the audience they bring.


Kirstie & Cass3y, I think? They did some R&B duet, among other things.


Roland PK-5 Dynamic MIDI Pedal. Don't know whose this was or whether I heard it in play.


Relent!


They did a more acoustic, stripped down version of themselves.


Themselves, normally being good ol' anthemic rock, none of that emo nonsense.


The organizing committee.


Alternate pose.


Freeloaders Inc.


Another good throwback to 90's rock.


Don't know why people keep thinking I'll put their faces in the newspaper or some magazine. But yeah.


Gotta dig the violin bass!


Red Ruby Avengers.


Rendra Zawawi, backed by his brother Hameer Zawawi (far right) and David (back).


Nick Davis brings a modern sound.


I don't know if this was Zul.


The poster.

This follows my tribute to Alda, here:
What Do These Bands Have In Common?

23rd March 2012: Twin Towers @Live 2012 at Petronas Twin Towers.


Here's Korean girl group Girls' Generation/So Nyeo Shi Dae (SNSD).


I'm not going to bother labelling them, because I am not a fan of Korean music, and I can't tell them apart.


Fans strewed out into the main road from the outdoor area with the fountain where the event was held, on the other side, away from KLCC Park.


James Baum, local hip hop artiste, was next.


His crew.


Reshmonu, a much more worldly musician.


Here's Bo!


Jojo Struys, emcee of the night.


Nicole Scherzinger!


She brought her ensemble, not in any the Pussycat Dolls which she was a part of.


I managed to get in to the area before the photographers' pit. I don't remember how.


That, and the Sony Alpha 77 with the Carl Zeiss 135mm F1.8, got me real tight shots. Add that 24 megapixels allows for plenty of cropping.


It does occasionally make it hard to get group shots like these...


...but moving about gives you that leeway.


I'd consider myself lucky this time, as I'd otherwise not get in to the same area the next day.


DAT ASS.


24th March 2012: Day 2, with Faizal Tahir.


A remote-controlled blimp hovers above the crowd.


I don't remember what this on-stage competition was about.


Orianthi!

I thought I heard Orianthi say that she left her slide at the dressing room but she can get by with a rabbit. Geez now I'm thinking of the suitable form factor of a guitar slide.


She came to fame as Michael Jackson's guitarist for his upcoming tour, but he died so that didn't happen.


Nevertheless, she is a shredder in her own right, down to the floor.


EVH 5150 in the back!


So here's where the 24 megapixels were stretched to its limit, cropping tightly. Also one of the rare shots where her eyes are actually visible under all that mascara!


Another on-stage competition.


She won, I think.


Fireworks ensued.


DJ Nadine Ann Thomas! For when being Miss Malaysia Universe 2010 is just another item on a bucket list.


Kelis! I was looking forward to her, really. I enjoyed her fourth album, Kelis Was Here, but I don't think she played anything from that album - instead it was a lot of trip hop/electro. I don't remember if she even performed Milkshake or not!


Her awesome bendy glowstick microphone stand.


The night ended with DJ Nikki.

15th March 2012 was the first ever Moonshine: A Homemade Music Show at The Bee, Publika!


This is opening act Ryota Katamaya.


He has this haunting melancholic voice, which is quite different from his rock voice when singing in Seconds To Collide, and yet very authentic and enjoyable.


Here's an anachronism - Reza Salleh the organizer during the setup. This shot and Ryota's second were shot with the Sony Alpha 900 with the Sony 135mm F2.8/T4.5 Smooth Transition Focus lens, for a wonderful rendition of out-of-focus areas.


I have to say, I enjoyed the lighting at The Bee - shot with the Carl Zeiss 135mm F1.8 at 1/30s ISO5000 on the Sony Alpha 77. Other than that ever-magenta-ish tinge coming from the stage LED lighting, the rest of the restaurant is in good ol' warm tungsten lighting.


Moonshine had a new format with an opening act, a featured act and a headliner act. Here's featured act, alternative rock band Mordo Blasters. A900 and the STF.


These guys are serious stuff. In comparison here's the A900 and 135mm F1.8 from this shot onwards.


I always like Ryan Lee Bhaskaran's T-shirts. He's always got a cool one on.


More cool T-shirts.


Darren Ashley was filling in for bass duties for Joe Loy. Samyang 35mm F1.4 on the A900.


A near year and a half later I see the wisdom in double-locking guitar straps. A77 with 135mm F1.8 for that extra tight close-up.


Headliner act Rendra Zawawi.


Alda Tan on bass. Rest in peace. This would be the last gig I would ever see him at!


Rendra brought his brother, Hameer, on stage. In the beautifully rendered bokeh from the STF lens is keyboardist...


Sharon Chong!


Brothers. At T4.5 1/15s ISO1600 there is just a bit of motion blur... but the best out-of-focus rendition you can ever have.


Group shot. All shots of Rendra and band with the STF except this one shot on the A77, with missing EXIF data because I used either my unchipped Opteka 85mm F1.4 or Samyang 35mm F1.4. I'm thinking it's more likely to be the 35mm because I wouldn't bring the 85mm, Carl Zeiss 135mm F1.8 and STF all at the same time, all being too close in focal length.


Alda, through the beautifully rendered bokeh.


Rendra has this haunting voice and a bunch of uncommon-sounding chord progressions.


Stephanie on drums.


David and Alda. You should ask him about his Alda story.

Feedback Open Mic, at The Bee, Publika, one 20th of March 2012. Here's Raksasa.


Reza Salleh, organizer, is up on stage next.


Offroads.


These guys play blues rock and roll in the vein of Led Zeppelin and Stevie Ray Vaughn.


You gotta have at least two guitarists, one for the lead lines, and another for the rhythm.


Relent.


They did an awesome cover of Adele - Rolling In The Deep.


Markiza and Peter Hassan Brown, good ol' folksters. They were joined by Wong Lip Kee on guitar.


Carpark does some hard-rocking rock kapak (80's metal.)


Najwa joined last minute. Here's the jazzy soulful singer with Faz on guitar. I've not heard her do acoustic, but she was awesome at it. She did a Erykah Badu cover as well.


Her brother joins her for a duet. Man can these siblings sing!


(Of course, this being impromptu, Farhan had to look up the lyrics.)

All shots with the Sony A900 with Sony 135mm F2.8/T4.5 Smooth Transition Focus. Yup, still workable in low light despite the T4.5, if you put your mind to it!

Here's Reza Salleh at the Feedback Open Mic at The Bee, Publika, 6th March 2012.


Joe Loy has a thing for open chords.


James and the Mini Peaches. When I Googled their band name, I finally realized how they came to their name!


Free Loaders Inc., 90's rock of the good kind.


Az Samad, fingerstyle and guitar tapping specialist.


N. Rama Lohan, guitar specialist. He reviews guitars for The Star!


He was playing with a bunch of music journalists (except Kevin Theseira on bass, I think). This was classic rock band Square Circles.


2side1BRAIN. Proper post-hardcore from Japan!


They made full use of the space.


Bassist with funky contact lenses.


That is one long cable.


One wonders how they monitor themselves.


Raksasa tends to end the show.

All shots with the Sony A77 with Opteka 85mm F1.4 and Carl Zeiss 24mm F2.0 ZA SSM.