It is not often that you actually come across a good live band performing at the clubs, pubs, bars and cafés (ok, maybe not cafes but I just like to end the list of joints with the word, cafe. So French!). During my recent trip to Kuala Lumpur and Phuket, there were a really bad band, a fairly decent and a great one.
The bad one was one that we saw in Kuala Lumpur. I think they are wannabes. We were quite happy with the music which the deejay was spinning - a combination of retro and latest music (of which Kevin was more into the retro ones). Then the band came on and I think that was the reason that made us left the bar. They totally destroyed Usher and Alicia Keys' My Boo. I think they tried too hard to be cool but unfortunately, their diction was quite bad and I could barely hear the words they were singing. I hope they didn't quit their day jobs.
The fairly decent one is this band who was performing at an Irish Pub in Patong, Phuket - probably one of the few decent joints to have drinks at. As I've said, the band is fairly decent - so their performances were soon forgotten after each song ended. I could only recall this French guy, who is not a member of the band, who went up to sing the French version of Frank Sinatra's My Way i.e. Comme d'Habitude. He did a fine job and I just have to say that he was cute too (What is the deal with me and cute French men?) Probably why I remembered this moment.
The most outstanding one is the resident band at Hard Rock Cafe in Kuala Lumpur. They are from the Philippines and they were fabulous! That Monday night when we saw them perform was their very first set of their 6-month long gig at Hard Rock. They started slow but towards the middle, I began to dig them. There were a couple of performances that stuck in my mind up till now. One was the lead female singer did Ashlee Simpson's Pieces of Me. I don't like Ashlee Simpson - I think she sings from her nose - but the version done by this Filipino singer was better than the original version. The other standout performance was when they sang U2's Pride (In the name of love). This is a classic U2 and the band did it very well. Bravo, you guys! I can vividly remember their performances in my head. It is such a shame that I don't remember the band's name but no matter. I think I might just travel up north again between now and the end of the year to see them perform again.
Because of this band, I am now constantly listening to Pieces of Me and all of U2's music from all the way back to 1980s. What is it about the strumming of the lead guitar that make you want to do the air-guitar? U2's music, they are timeless classics. Pride is from 1984 still sounds very current now. U2's lyrics are profound too. Their songs seem to be written about a political and social situation or a tribute to someone:
Pride was written about Martin Luther King Jr.
New Year's Day was inspired by Polish Solidarity Movement.
Sunday Bloody Sunday is about the troubles in Northern Ireland in 1972 and 1920.
Where The Streets Have No Name was inspired by the social situation in Belfast in the 1980's.
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own was written by Bono as a tribute to his father who died in 2001.
Crumbs From Your Table is about relief efforts in Africa.
U2 has been around for over 20 years now and they still have a strong following. They are not sleazy like Rolling Stones, which I don't quite like. They are also actively involve in addressing issues concerning poverty, disease, and social injustice, be it with with other musicians, artists, celebrities, and politicians. When you buy their album, you know that part of that purchase, no matter how small, goes to a good cause.
I have found some untapped U2 tracks from my collection which are perfect for my runs - The Edge' lead guitar solo in those tracks just make me run faster and also I just want to turn the volume on my speakers at home to full blast!! I am looking forward for U2 to release their next album and hope there will be more tracks with great lead guitar solos by the Edge.
The bad one was one that we saw in Kuala Lumpur. I think they are wannabes. We were quite happy with the music which the deejay was spinning - a combination of retro and latest music (of which Kevin was more into the retro ones). Then the band came on and I think that was the reason that made us left the bar. They totally destroyed Usher and Alicia Keys' My Boo. I think they tried too hard to be cool but unfortunately, their diction was quite bad and I could barely hear the words they were singing. I hope they didn't quit their day jobs.
The fairly decent one is this band who was performing at an Irish Pub in Patong, Phuket - probably one of the few decent joints to have drinks at. As I've said, the band is fairly decent - so their performances were soon forgotten after each song ended. I could only recall this French guy, who is not a member of the band, who went up to sing the French version of Frank Sinatra's My Way i.e. Comme d'Habitude. He did a fine job and I just have to say that he was cute too (What is the deal with me and cute French men?) Probably why I remembered this moment.
The most outstanding one is the resident band at Hard Rock Cafe in Kuala Lumpur. They are from the Philippines and they were fabulous! That Monday night when we saw them perform was their very first set of their 6-month long gig at Hard Rock. They started slow but towards the middle, I began to dig them. There were a couple of performances that stuck in my mind up till now. One was the lead female singer did Ashlee Simpson's Pieces of Me. I don't like Ashlee Simpson - I think she sings from her nose - but the version done by this Filipino singer was better than the original version. The other standout performance was when they sang U2's Pride (In the name of love). This is a classic U2 and the band did it very well. Bravo, you guys! I can vividly remember their performances in my head. It is such a shame that I don't remember the band's name but no matter. I think I might just travel up north again between now and the end of the year to see them perform again.
Because of this band, I am now constantly listening to Pieces of Me and all of U2's music from all the way back to 1980s. What is it about the strumming of the lead guitar that make you want to do the air-guitar? U2's music, they are timeless classics. Pride is from 1984 still sounds very current now. U2's lyrics are profound too. Their songs seem to be written about a political and social situation or a tribute to someone:
Pride was written about Martin Luther King Jr.
New Year's Day was inspired by Polish Solidarity Movement.
Sunday Bloody Sunday is about the troubles in Northern Ireland in 1972 and 1920.
Where The Streets Have No Name was inspired by the social situation in Belfast in the 1980's.
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own was written by Bono as a tribute to his father who died in 2001.
Crumbs From Your Table is about relief efforts in Africa.
U2 has been around for over 20 years now and they still have a strong following. They are not sleazy like Rolling Stones, which I don't quite like. They are also actively involve in addressing issues concerning poverty, disease, and social injustice, be it with with other musicians, artists, celebrities, and politicians. When you buy their album, you know that part of that purchase, no matter how small, goes to a good cause.
I have found some untapped U2 tracks from my collection which are perfect for my runs - The Edge' lead guitar solo in those tracks just make me run faster and also I just want to turn the volume on my speakers at home to full blast!! I am looking forward for U2 to release their next album and hope there will be more tracks with great lead guitar solos by the Edge.
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