Cooling off in the sea

NO holiday is complete without a boat trip, truly it would be a crime to visit Victoria State and miss out on experiencing some of Australia’s most amazing marine wildlife up close.

For sure, the best way to do this is aboard a Phillip Island seal watching cruise. We boarded the good ship Kasey Lee at Cowes Jetty in the late afternoon and quietly cruised out into the Bass Strait, the body of water that lies between Melbourne and Tasmania.

Seals fully camouflaged

The Kasey Lee is a good-sized, double hulled catamaran. The vessel, with capacity for 120 pax was under the helm of the experienced Captain John Dickie. The seal watching cruise that travels between Phillip Island and Mornington Peninsular is two hours long. Being one of the world’s deepest shipping channels, it wasn’t long before we got our first sighting of these amazing creatures and close to 5,000 of these charismatic, sleek mammals call this channel their home.

Seals under the sun

We saw hundreds of seals basking in the late afternoon sun on the appropriately named Seal Rocks, 2km off Phillip Island. This is the largest fur seal colony in Australia. They are such friendly looking creatures and not shy, judging by the way they swam out to greet us. Commentary on the boat kept everyone informed of the sights and on the historic coast as well as what creatures are to be found where in the surrounding sea and skies above.

A pod of dolphins accompanied our cruise briefly, thrilling all who were fortunate enough to catch a sighting, before they swiftly headed off
on their own underwater cruise. At certain points in the year, especially around May and June, whales can frequently be seen from these cruises as well. Myriad birdlife is also to be seen – I for one was thrilled to see an elusive Pacific Gull and a magnificent Sea Eagle.

As a gentle, family friendly excursion that combines nature, scenery and fresh air, Phillip Island’s Wildlife Coast Cruises are hard to beat.
See www.wildlifecoastcruises.com.au for more information.

*Brought to you by Shyam Priah &  Tourism Victoria

TEDD Chan’s

But I’m glad that Love Anthem proved my anxiety false. After a couple of listens, I feel it deserves all the hype that surrounded the release of the CD. And the album pleases both fans and first-timers.

Here’s what to expect from Love Anthem.

The album has a selection of both Mandarin and Cantonese tracks that never fail to impress. The messages are clear. Like most Mandarin and Canto pop of the same genre, the music is pretty soothing and the lyrics usually say a thing or two about relationships, break-ups and patching up. However, this time round, I find that Tedd’s lyrics are better interpreted in Cantonese; we say Mandarin, so-so. Cantonese, applause, please.

However, Love Anthem can be a “slow burner” in a way. It needs repeated listening, time for the messages to sink in. And when it does, I’m sure you will appreciate the album as it is. Tailored for fans too, who have been waiting patiently for this to come.

Track two of the album, Private Party, bears resemblance to Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi’s intro. It’s got a fast beat and energetic vibes. It’s a dance track that has the same feel as Paparazzi, especially towards the end.

I like the way how Qing. Liu Gan, was put together. There are bits of everything — acoustic guitar, keyboard, drums, piano, electric guitar, and violin as well. Combined with the soothing voice of Tedd, it just makes the whole song really good. I like Tedd’s singing in this song and how he conveys his emotions and yet controls his voice well. Somehow, the ending reminds me of Danny Elfmans’ Finale taken from The Kingdom’s soundtrack. It’s sad, but there’s also a sense of pride and relief.

Quan Min Ai, the last track of the album is another power-packed song. It gives so much jive in that one song alone. It’s catchy, and you would find it hard to stop yourself from tapping along to the melody. I have to admit that I’m a total-sucker for love songs, especially those slow and sad ballads about holding hands, walking on a beach with the sunset as the backdrop …and then the girl dies of some illness. I have to say that the seven-track album has really nice lyrics to sing to, good interpretations of what love is and soothing melodies.

All in all, Tedd never fails to impress his audience, especially his fans. Having sampled his previous tracks before, his latest release just gets better with every listening. It’s still early to judge the success of this album but I won’t be surprised if fans and newfound fans are already lining up at music stores to get their hands on Love Anthem.

Pop Shuvit donated a guitar to Hard Rock, represented by John Primmer, General Manager of Hard Rock Hotel Penang.

Hard Rock Hotel Penang continues to excite in-house guests, tourists and local Penangites with events and non-stop entertainment last Saturday, 24 July 2010. Two big events which are scheduled to be held here include the 4thPenang International Skimboarding Competition at the hotel’s beach front and a showcase by renowned local band, Pop Shuvit at Hard Rock Café Penang.

Organized by the Penang Skimboarding Association with the collaboration of the State Government and Penang Sports Council, Hard Rock Hotel Penang is the official venue partner for this all-day competition, from 9am till 6pm. In addition to the competition, spectators learned a more about this sport by participating in the skimboarding, paddleboard and windsurfing workshops.

“Hard Rock Hotel Penang is indeed thrilled to be part of this exhilarating sport. This sport has been gaining popularity in Malaysia and this year we see the participation of skimboarders from more than 6 different countries. It’s definitely an exciting beach sport and for Hard Rock, a young brand which promotes lifestyle and entertainment, it definitely suits our brand,” said John Primmer, General Manager of Hard Rock Hotel Penang.

At the Hard Rock Cafe, local independent Rap-Rock band, Pop Shuvit performed a live showcase for a group of music lovers. Known for their adrenaline-packed live shows and eclectic blend of hip hop and rock, Pop Shuvit are being touted as Asia’s leading Hip Hop and rock band with a notable fanbase in Malaysia, Japan, Thailand and Singapore.

“Since we opened, Hard Rock Hotel has been the top venue for live showcases. Some of Malaysia’s top performers have performed live at Hard Rock Cafe including Faizal Tahir, Hujan, Zainal Abidin and more. We are proud to be part of the growth of the music scene in Malaysia,” said Primmer.

During this live showcase, Pop Shuvit also donated a signed guitar to Hard Rock Hotel Penang which adds to Hard Rock International’s collection of over 72,000 pieces of original memorabilia from rock stars around the world. Hard Rock Hotel Penang currently has 505 pieces of memorabilia adorning the hotel and cafe from well-known artists such as Guns N Roses, Madonna, Elvis Presley and local musicians like Zainal Abidin and Ella.

Skimboarding participants in action.

“That’s what Hard Rock is all about. As the leading entertainment hotel in Penang, we want to continue to bring more events and bands in the future. To know more about our on-going and upcoming events, do visit our Facebook page and official website. Our Facebook page has been one of our most powerful marketing tools to promote our events which currently has over 38,000 fans,” he adds.

Upcoming events at Hard Rock Hotel Penang include the National Air Guitar Finals on 8 August 2010, Summerbreak (a pool party featuring Miss Hard Rock Penang) on 21 August 2010, Pinktober (a month dedicated to the cause of breast cancer) in October 2010 and a Rock to Rock Charity Run in November 2010.

Colonial Tramcar restaurant, Melbourne

FRIENDS who had visited Melbourne had heartily recommended the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant. So I was delighted when the opportunity to experience the wonderful city of Melbourne from this most peculiar yet most agreeable perspective presented itself.

It’s a brilliant idea, part Orient Express and part city tram, as it allows guests to dine in style while watching the metropolitan Melbourne glide by.
Obeying instructions, we were at the departure point, the corner of Normanby Road and Clarendon Street, 15 minutes before the tram was due to embark. And it did so right on time. Also, in keeping with the Orient Express type feel, I’m glad we dressed up. The dress-code is smart casual but going by what we saw, I’d say the emphasis was much more on smart than casual.

All aboard!

We had several dining options – a four-course lunch (1pm), a three-course early dinner (5.45pm) or a five-course late dinner (8.35pm); we went for the early dinner. Considering the chef had barely enough room to swing a shrew, the food was excellent.

After a glass of dry sparkling wine, some of our team members enjoyed starters of roasted red capsicum dip with crunchy bread while I really enjoyed my chicken and brandy pate. Since the restaurant is an old wooden tram carriage, space is at a premium but this somehow works in its favour. There’s a happy chatter, even a clamour that is energising and invigorating, …or perhaps it was just the bubbly. Onward through the entrees of a delicate ocean trout from Tasmania and artichoke soup with a street lamp-lit city peeling past.

Somehow the staff skilfully kept up with the many demands placed on them, not the least of which was keeping each diner’s glass topped up. With only four staff on board including the chef, I must truly raise my hat, or glass, to all four for they did a truly terrific job. It’s worth pointing out that, courtesy of the fourth member of staff, the tram meanders along ever so gently. The driver manoeuvres the restaurant with aplomb, there’s no lurching and no spilt wine.

Colonial Tramcar - Sweet interior.

Getting ready for a scrumptious dinner.

Our main courses arrived, a choice of chicken or beef but with all dietary requirements catered for; they looked great and tasted even better. Some interesting local cheese follows, continental style, and they are paired with a wonderful local red and then an unsurpassable sticky date pudding. There’s even a liqueur to conclude but too soon it’s time to disembark from the tram/restaurant.

It’s a glorious creation and wonderful way of spending an evening and of seeing Melbourne. See www.tramrestaurant.com.au for more information.

* This article is brought to you by Shyam Priah and Tourism Victoria

Members
Sooryun  Guitar
Hyunsong  Vocal, Guitar
Sunbin  Bass
Saron  Drum
Shaun  Keyboard, FX, DJing
http://www.myspace.com/thekoxx

History
SARON, Hyunsong and Sooryun were friends at art college. They usually played Jazz. At the end of 2008, they wanted to perform the kind of music they really liked .. They formed a band and debuted at a friend’s year-end party. And the reception was so amazing, they decided they would continue being a band.

They soon found a bassist, Sunbin, and started to make songs together. After several club gigs, they applied for a rookies contest at Grand Mint Festival and this led them to sign up with HAPPY ROBOT RECORDS which is a leading indie record label in Korea. Soon DJ Shaun joined the band and their 5-piece band was all set to go places.

Now they are among the hardest working bands in the Korean indie music scene.

Music
Although they are seasoned performers in every genre of music, they listen to and desire to play rock. They are influenced by Foals, MGMT, Justice and other English rock bands and performing on the stage is most important. Their music is based on rock and heavily influenced by UK garage and electro.

Discographjy
2010-06-15 The KOXX ?NTER (EP)
1. 531
2. ACDC
3. Over And Over
4. A Fool Moon Night
5. Freeze
6. Trouble Maker ( promotion video : http://dai.ly/a5gCfh )

This EP proves why fans and critics in Korea paid attention to The KOXX in the first place. Based on rock and electro, their tight rhythm section reveals their unique play in rhythm. Also guitar riffs and chops show how they uplift the energy of their music.

Contact  Mr. Chang LEE (Director) / tactics@mpmg.co.kr / +82-10-2070-9217
2F. Shin-Hyun Bldg. 401-1, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 121-840, Korea
Tel)82-2-322-5684 / Fax)82-2-322-0015

Golden Dragon

THE  thrilling redAMP 2010 Finals Concert and the crowning of Golden Dragon from Indonesia as ASEAN’s Best Band recently were the climactic finale to the nearly two-month long online band competition organised by AirAsiaRedTix.com and MTV Asia.

AirAsiaRedTix.com, AirAsia’s new entertainment events online ticketing subsidiary, launched the ASEAN-wide search for the region’s best independent unsigned bands on 22 May 2010. MTV Asia was AirAsiaRedTix.com’s strategic partner in this ambitious quest to seek out new and emerging talent and champion homegrown artistes.

redAMP 2010 saw participation from 2,575 bands from across all 10 Asean countries, with the most submissions coming from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. From this, over 20 bands were shortlisted for a live audition in Kuala Lumpur.

This was followed by a judging session in Bali, where 10 bands were picked by a panel of judges led by Chief Judge Roslan Aziz, a prominent music producer in Malaysia. Next, music lovers from across the region logged their votes as to whom they thought deserved to be named ASEAN’s Best Band — toting up some 737,870 votes in all over a 15-day period!

The Top 3 Bands that made the voters’ choice: Sixty-Nine from Thailand, Golden Dragon from Indonesia, and Pancake 80 from the Philippines.

But in a twist to the contest, the judges slid Malaysian band Stonebay in a “wildcard band” at the Finals Concert, adding to the already intense competition.

The four bands were assessed by a panel of five judges based on their live performances, with vocals, showmanship, songwriting, image and overall presentation contributing to their final scores. The votes that the bands had received during the two-week voting period also accounted for 30% of the final tally.

Golden Dragon tipped the scales for both the judges and the voting public, earning the band the title of redAMP 2010 ASEAN’s Best Band. In runner-up positions were Sixty-Nine (1st Runner-Up), Stonebay (2nd Runner-Up) and Pancake 80 (3rd Runner-Up).

“It was an incredibly difficult decision, as musically, all four bands are equally talented. But Golden Dragon’s dramatic performance on stage blew us away and they really deserved to win,” said Roslan.

The champion band won a RM50,000 band development package, a recording contract and distribution deal with an international recording label, and an AirAsia e-voucher worth RM10,000. Golden Dragon also went on to perform over the weekend at the roadshow for MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia 2010 at Sunway Pyramid Mall.

AirAsia’s move into ticketing for entertainment events with AirAsiaRedTix.com builds on the airline company’s successful foray into sports and music, and adds a new dimension to the company’s offerings while reaching a new segment of customers beyond the travel market. AirAsiaRedTix.com kicked off as the exclusive ticketing agent for Zee Avi’s homecoming gig in KL in March, followed by ticket sales for the 2010 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix race and 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix Concert.

All Four Bands

At 15, Roze was discovered by Imran Ajmain who is also a singer. In 2004, Roze made a name for herself when she won the The Uprising Star Award for Loreal: Beyonce Sound and Lookalike Contest. The prize? A chance to see Beyonce performing live in Tokyo! But the talented singer did not stop there.

She continued performing in music events such as Mosaic Music Festival, Hip Hop Hurray, Babe of the Week in Radio Ria 89.75FM and there was a live TV appearance in Singapore Live by Suria TV.

“When I first saw Roze at the SleeQ album launch in Singapore, I was impressed by her singing ability. She has a very unique personality and is true to herself. I’m sure anyone who meets her will be impressed by both her talent and personality,” says KC Ismail of Alibi Music.

Throughout the years, Roze has been working with many local artistes including Imran Ajmain (Kata Orang, Mengaku Kalah and Yang Ku Perlu), Taufik Batisah (Stuck Up Girl), Urban Sensation and Rauzan Rahman. But for Roze, her dream of becoming a real singer and releasing album has finally paid off with the released of her first single Harum.

Harum will be making its appearance soon in local radio stations this end of July. Watch this space for more news soon.

Unexpectedly the showcase was delayed almost an hour, with fans chanting Derulo’s name out loud and singing his songs. But the frustration soon dispersed when the 21-year-old singer took centre stage and brought the house down – literally. And if you still have no idea who the hell Jason Derulo is, here’s a news flash for you.

Born Jason Joel Desrouleaux in Florida to Haitian parents, Derulo changed the spelling to his stage name to make it easier for people to pronounce. He wrote his first song Crush on You at the tender age of eight! He graduated recently from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York.

Derulo has been writing songs for artistes like Sean Kingston, P.Diddy, Lil Wayne and Cassie, and was recently invited to perform as one of the opening acts for Lady Gaga’s The Monster Ball Tour. In 2009, Derulo released his first self-titled album with the hit single Whatcha Say. And like they say, “the rest is history.”

Derulo was a stunner on stage, vowing fans with his amplified songs like Runnin’ Solo, Whatcha’ Say, The Sky’s The Limit, What If and In My Head. The atmosphere was even livelier when Derulo broke into his dance routine with his entourage of awesome dancers. There wasn’t a dull moment throughout the entire showcase which lasted a bit more than an hour.

Excitement was palpable everywhere. Despite the OMG-deafening decibels, yes it was VERY LOUD – the showcase was a very-close-to-the-heart sort of gig. And yes, everyone had a great time singing along to Derulo’s songs.

And by the time Derulo was through performing his six songs, the crowd was asking for an encore. It was a spur of chaotic moment, when the fans refused to budge away from the stage, waiting for the encore performance. He then went up on stage once again performing Fallen and Blind before bidding farewell.

Overall, Jason Derulo’s performance was unexpectedly well above average, leaving fans with a night to remember. The smoke effects from the smoke machine was bad enough, but nobody cared. As long as Derulo was on stage, all that mattered were the great songs paired with some pretty slick moves.

Till we meet again, Jason!

Watch this space for the full review and pictures soon!

nakedbreed was created in 1998 in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, by singer-songwriter Justin Joe. The group released its first demo titled Breeding Ground.

With members comprising guitarist Ruben Thomas, bassist Jai and drummer Sara P, its first single, Tribute, was included on the compilation Pheaw! Volume 1, a compendium released by EMI in 2000 featuring the best works from the underground alternative /rock scene.

The compilation inspired a following; the band was picked up by the indie label Fat Boys and went on to produce its album, the self-titled nakedbreed in 2001. With the aptly-named Tribute as the breakout single, the band produced its first video, which received continuous rotation on MTV Asia, NTV7 and also massive radioplay on the airwaves including on HitzFM, MixFm, WowFM.

nakedbreed was featured on the AIM 2002 awards promotion and performed in the annual Rock The World concerts in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

This band has come a long way, starting from self-arranged gigs to corporate-sponsored shows; also performing at BayBeats ‘05 at the Esplanade in Singapore and opening for rock legends Deep Purple on their tour of Malaysia. The revised line-up in the new decade features “lightning-fingers” Jack on guitars rejoined by Jai on bass and Sara P on drums.

The latest single Cruise Control was inspired by the touring experience of a rock band and was selected by Intel for their recent top-of-the-line Core i7 Processor launch promotion.

The newly-released video for Cruise Control features the raunchier side of the roadtrip, the inevitable stopover by the local “bar”. The new decade is looking up for nakedbreed, with fresh material, a new sound and a fresh perspective for the road ahead.

Contact
• http://nakedbreed.com/
• http://www.youtube.com/user/nakedbreedrock
• nakedbreeder@gmail.com
• band manager 017 – 241 7515