MOONSHINE. Again.

The 2nd installment of MOONSHINE is happening on the 15th of December, another addition the a large list of things to do before the year end. Personally it's been a very interesting year for me, and it looks like things won't be any different in the year to come. So if you're free this Thursday night, drop by coz we've got another night of live acoustic music put together just for you.

Kohl - Formed in 2000 and fronted by the talented (and cheeky)Sara Lo, Kohl is in fact a full fledged electric band. They have however developed a really strong acoustic set which I feel works well with Sara's chilled, laidback vocals and lead guitarist Fahmi's personal brand of progressions and arrangements. Sara's own songwriting ability has been showcased many times in singer-songwriter gigs around KL and her penchant for calm, peaceful, emotionally charged tunes can really draw you in sometimes. A good thing I assure you =). I just got off from sharing a stage with her a few days ago and she's heaps of fun having around, a quality she exudes both on and off stage.

Tempered Mental - Definitely one of the more interesting local bands to watch these days, Tempered Mental sets the bar high with their technically proficient arrangements and sweet vocal melodies.The band currently consists of singer/bass player Melina, drummer Jimmy and a session guitarist currently gigging with them. I first saw these cats play at Peter Hassan Brown's currently defunct Acoustic Jam series where they played an acoustic set. I was blown away. Very talented bunch. I vividly remember being awed by Melina's multi-tasking skills (complex bass lines AND pitch perfect singing at the same time???) and Jimmy's spot on drumming. They play an eclectic mix of styles and influences performed with progressive rock panache so they're definitely not to be missed. More about Tempered Mental here.

Isaac Entry - KL born and raised Sydneysider Isaac Entry has been
busy the past 7 years earning the moniker 'wandering
minstrel'. He has busked everywhere from the streets of Sydney to
Melbourne, and from Nice to Madrid. Playing a blend of acoustic
funk and blues and armed with a soulful voice to go with it, he's a welcome change to all us angst ridden rhythm based singer-songwriters. This will be his last show before he returns to Sydney so if you missed his last blistering set at the previous show make sure you come for this one. Girls bring your girlfriends.

Aminah - Traveler, poet, musician, and songstress. Extremely talented and largely unheard of amongst the masses, only a select few have had the pleasure of being exposed to Aminah's music. I met her 2 years ago in a little pub in KL where we both sang a few songs. She's currently based in Ireland, her second home (she's half Irish), and has been touring there for the better part of the last 2 years. Equipped with an album she finished sometime last year, hers is a prime example of how good a locally produced album can be. Buy it. Really. I was very impressed and to be honest, I still am. More about Aminah here.

Kluk Kluk Adventure - Ska laced with pop, served with soul. Yea I know it sounds abit twisted, but hey that's what makes this band so enjoyable to listen to. Their infectious, well thought arrangements and lead singer Keeta's sweet soulful vocals make for a slightly different sort of take on what genre-specific listeners might be used to. Formed in '98, they went through a few lineup changes before finally settling down with keyboardist Ajeep, bassist Congo and drummer Lin. Citing bands like Save Ferris, Pot Shot, Bruce Lee band and Operation Ivy as initial influences, they have since grown alot musically and have managed to chart their own direction thanks to each band member's individual tastes. I saw them for the first time at a charity event a few months back and they rocked the place. Definitely a band to watch out for.

posted by bob @ 5:16 PM