Weekend artsy reviews and more
Had quite a happening week (so happening I’m only starting to write about it THIS weekend, when there’s less happening). Let’s see if I can get this straight:
Saturday: Organised CAP farewell for the good ole Central Library. Though I’d be late, but everyone was later! Among those who turned up included Brendan, Dong, Del, Luke, Gracie, Stella (Gracie’s friend), and Pin. Slacked in the Café Galilee for the longest time, having lunch and talking about CAP/GEP and other inane matters. Decided we had to Do Something so got everyone out to see the Singapore section of the library. Bumped into Risse and her HCJC Litwing friends there. Managed to find several Eye on the Worlds, First Words, and even OneWinged! Gracie took a photo of them. Was tempted to read Alfian’s “Doomed Library” poem aloud just to be subversive (I BET he wrote it just for this occasion =p), but didn’t in the end.
We then loitered outside, sitting on the “DO NOT SIT” parapet, talking more irrelevant crap. Then we dispersed. In short, we commemorated the Nat Lib’s death the same way we commemorated its life: with friendship, chatter, lots of lounging and no fanfare. Goodbye Library, may we meet again in the Great City in The Sky! *small tear*
After that went for dinner at Soup Spoon with Del, Gracie and Dong. Waited there for Gerrie too, to go for Neri Per Caso's concert.
Neri was grreeat! But sadly the repertoire (the songs all the way down to the jokes) was almost exactly the same as last years’, so felt rather ripped off in the end. Playden acoustics: good but lots of feedback! Probably because it’s so small. Using wireless (and more feedback-prone) mics only aggravated it. Also Vocaloptuous opened Neri’s show and of course they ended with a combined song with a great display of intercontinental friendship at the end.
Sunday: Good church day. Although, as I’ve told people, I feel like I pretty much already have the knowledge but need to apply it to actions/attitude—hence I take lessons and Bible study very differently from others. I no longer bother about what they “mean”, instead looking to be affected (as opposed to enlightened) by the Word. Hence, uncle Wen Chian’s Crossover lesson (on Romans, as usual) was quite inspiring, thanks in good part to his earnest, impassioned demeanor. Moderate amount of facts, with a generous dose of impact and implication.
After that went for vocal jam (5-7pm) at The Arts House (specifically, the playden of course) with Yech and Gerri. Met Jiajun (fellow ex-VJChoir) there—her first time apparently. SWAT and Le Regazzi were there too, as were elements of Resonance (recognized Davina and their ponytailed bass Chris) and Owen and his friends (VJchoir junior friends—hm VJchoir-affiliated presence was quite strong that day eh!). Slightly disappointed as there was very little actual singing/jamming—but only because both Peter Huang and Neri showed up to perform. Liechuan (Peter) as usual did his smashing vocal percussions (Singapore’s best I think, with Edmund of Resonance a close second), with that near-impossible bass-lip-buzz I still can’t get consistently (and for a performer, not getting something consistently = not getting it AT ALL, y’know?). Neri did a couple of songs from the concert the night before, and even did a totally new song I didn’t hear last night—only made me feel more cheated. Oh well.
Mingled around after it ended and spoke with Angie, Peter, SWAT's Jeremy, ex-VJChoir senior Daniel of Le Rag., and bade Yech and Gerrie goodbye. Neri later left with Peter, I think for a farewell dinner with Vocaloptuous.
Skipped dinner as it was almost 7:30pm, when No Parking on Odd Days was about to begin just a room away from where the Vocal Jam had been held—in the Chamber. Woo! What a politically charged space. Imagine Lim Kay Tong, veteran actor, performing with minimal props in the “runway” space between Government and Opposition benches in the parliamentary chamber. Pure genius! (can’t put enough exclamation marks behind that last remark so I’ll just put one) Well worth the killer $42 I paid. Though the well-worn Kuo Pao Kun monologue lasted on 45 minutes, it seemed a lot longer. Lim, in the intimate setting of the Chamber (we were less than 2 m away from him, could easily touch him), easily reached out to all us 10-odd audience.
Post-production talk was then held, with director Jeffrey Tan and Lim himself answering audience questions and speaking openly about having to do such a deviously hard site-specific piece. Despite the unsuitability of the parliamentary chamber (poor acoustics, inappropriate lighting, etc) No Parking really came off well. Massive kudos to TheatreWorks, man! I bow in profound respect.
The audience also asked about/commented on Singapore opening up (George Yeo and other bigshots were reportedly present on the opening night, and they laughed at the monologue’s lampooning of brainless bureaucracy too). But such issues as were discussed were so trite and well-worn in my mind that I couldn’t be bothered to contribute, not even to mouth token agreements in the guise of a “concerned youth”.
Had quite a happening week (so happening I’m only starting to write about it THIS weekend, when there’s less happening). Let’s see if I can get this straight:
Saturday: Organised CAP farewell for the good ole Central Library. Though I’d be late, but everyone was later! Among those who turned up included Brendan, Dong, Del, Luke, Gracie, Stella (Gracie’s friend), and Pin. Slacked in the Café Galilee for the longest time, having lunch and talking about CAP/GEP and other inane matters. Decided we had to Do Something so got everyone out to see the Singapore section of the library. Bumped into Risse and her HCJC Litwing friends there. Managed to find several Eye on the Worlds, First Words, and even OneWinged! Gracie took a photo of them. Was tempted to read Alfian’s “Doomed Library” poem aloud just to be subversive (I BET he wrote it just for this occasion =p), but didn’t in the end.
We then loitered outside, sitting on the “DO NOT SIT” parapet, talking more irrelevant crap. Then we dispersed. In short, we commemorated the Nat Lib’s death the same way we commemorated its life: with friendship, chatter, lots of lounging and no fanfare. Goodbye Library, may we meet again in the Great City in The Sky! *small tear*
After that went for dinner at Soup Spoon with Del, Gracie and Dong. Waited there for Gerrie too, to go for Neri Per Caso's concert.
Neri was grreeat! But sadly the repertoire (the songs all the way down to the jokes) was almost exactly the same as last years’, so felt rather ripped off in the end. Playden acoustics: good but lots of feedback! Probably because it’s so small. Using wireless (and more feedback-prone) mics only aggravated it. Also Vocaloptuous opened Neri’s show and of course they ended with a combined song with a great display of intercontinental friendship at the end.
Sunday: Good church day. Although, as I’ve told people, I feel like I pretty much already have the knowledge but need to apply it to actions/attitude—hence I take lessons and Bible study very differently from others. I no longer bother about what they “mean”, instead looking to be affected (as opposed to enlightened) by the Word. Hence, uncle Wen Chian’s Crossover lesson (on Romans, as usual) was quite inspiring, thanks in good part to his earnest, impassioned demeanor. Moderate amount of facts, with a generous dose of impact and implication.
After that went for vocal jam (5-7pm) at The Arts House (specifically, the playden of course) with Yech and Gerri. Met Jiajun (fellow ex-VJChoir) there—her first time apparently. SWAT and Le Regazzi were there too, as were elements of Resonance (recognized Davina and their ponytailed bass Chris) and Owen and his friends (VJchoir junior friends—hm VJchoir-affiliated presence was quite strong that day eh!). Slightly disappointed as there was very little actual singing/jamming—but only because both Peter Huang and Neri showed up to perform. Liechuan (Peter) as usual did his smashing vocal percussions (Singapore’s best I think, with Edmund of Resonance a close second), with that near-impossible bass-lip-buzz I still can’t get consistently (and for a performer, not getting something consistently = not getting it AT ALL, y’know?). Neri did a couple of songs from the concert the night before, and even did a totally new song I didn’t hear last night—only made me feel more cheated. Oh well.
Mingled around after it ended and spoke with Angie, Peter, SWAT's Jeremy, ex-VJChoir senior Daniel of Le Rag., and bade Yech and Gerrie goodbye. Neri later left with Peter, I think for a farewell dinner with Vocaloptuous.
Skipped dinner as it was almost 7:30pm, when No Parking on Odd Days was about to begin just a room away from where the Vocal Jam had been held—in the Chamber. Woo! What a politically charged space. Imagine Lim Kay Tong, veteran actor, performing with minimal props in the “runway” space between Government and Opposition benches in the parliamentary chamber. Pure genius! (can’t put enough exclamation marks behind that last remark so I’ll just put one) Well worth the killer $42 I paid. Though the well-worn Kuo Pao Kun monologue lasted on 45 minutes, it seemed a lot longer. Lim, in the intimate setting of the Chamber (we were less than 2 m away from him, could easily touch him), easily reached out to all us 10-odd audience.
Post-production talk was then held, with director Jeffrey Tan and Lim himself answering audience questions and speaking openly about having to do such a deviously hard site-specific piece. Despite the unsuitability of the parliamentary chamber (poor acoustics, inappropriate lighting, etc) No Parking really came off well. Massive kudos to TheatreWorks, man! I bow in profound respect.
The audience also asked about/commented on Singapore opening up (George Yeo and other bigshots were reportedly present on the opening night, and they laughed at the monologue’s lampooning of brainless bureaucracy too). But such issues as were discussed were so trite and well-worn in my mind that I couldn’t be bothered to contribute, not even to mouth token agreements in the guise of a “concerned youth”.
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