MOONSHINE: a homemade music show

MOONSHINE turns 4!

2009-11-18T15:22:00.001+08:00

Hey folks,

This Thursday 19th November Moonshine turns 4 years old. I'm proud to say that's 4 years of Malaysian acts pretty much every month. We've got the usual homemade music line-up and I really hope you can make it, even if its just to say hi =) Show starts at 7pm.

MOONSHINE 4th Anniversary

featuring

David Knight - Electro acoustic overseas import
Diandra Arjunaidi - Sweet-voiced newblood
Kien Lim - Back from the UK, born in Malaysia guitarist
Otam - Beach/Bossa Nova troubadour
Isaac Entry - Roots/Reggae/Blues man
Reza Salleh - Chronic ice-cream eater
Najwa - Soul/R&B songstress
Stoned Revivals - Alternative/Funk/Rock&Roll outfit

Thurs 19 November 2009
7pm till late
Laundry Bar, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, PJ Selangor
moonshinekl@gmail.com
FB event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=193107871672

One more Moonshine...

2009-10-07T12:54:00.001+08:00

Hey folks,

Swing by Laundry bar this Thursday to catch your monthly dosage of MOONSHINE with another line-up of acts from the Malaysian independent music scene. This month we've got roots/reggae/blues man Isaac Entry, folk rock duo Shahridir & Nizam P, electro-acoustic import David Knight and rock & roll outfit Kyoto Protocol.

End the raya month with some good ol' music! See you there =)

MOONSHINE: a homemade music show

featuring

Shahridir & Nizam P
Isaac Entry
David Knight
Kyoto Protocol

8th Oct 2009
930pm - Free Admission
Laundry Bar, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, PJ, Selangor
moonshinekl@gmail.com
FB link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=290237510130

September Sounds

2009-09-07T07:21:00.003+08:00

Hey folks,

This month's pre-Raya Moonshine comes lined-up with another stellar cast of local musicians. Check out Will Ng's delicate and heartfelt mix of Mandarin pop and folk, alternative outfit Mili'z, recently returned piano-playing, french-singing Cassandra Chong and the ever intense Snow Symphony. See you there!

MOONSHINE: a homemade music show

featuring

Will Ng
Mili'z
The Snow Symphony
Cassandra Chong

10th September 2009
930pm Free Admission
Laundry Bar, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, PJ, Selangor
moonshinekl@gmail.com
FB event link:

April Acoustic Goodness

2009-04-04T20:29:00.002+08:00

Hey folks

Make sure you don't miss out on this month's acoustic MOONSHINE happening at Apartment Suria KLCC. We've got severly underrated singer-songwriter Zalila Lee and rnb/soul songbird Najwa to facilitate some seriously good music vibes. See you there!

MOONSHINE: a homemade acoustic show

featuring

ZALILA LEE
NAJWA

18th April 2009
930pm Free Admission
Apartment Suria KLCC
Off Jln Ampang, KL

Last MOONSHINE of 2008!

2008-12-07T19:13:00.002+08:00

Hey folks,

Swing by Laundry Bar this Thursday night for a not-so-local Moonshine line-up. It'll be last MOONSHINE fr the year so you better be there!

MOONSHINE: a homemade music show

featuring

Deb Fung & Alarice (Aus)
Emmett (Butterfingers)
Jack & Rai (Sg)
L-Mo (UK)

11th Dec 2008
930pm - Free Admission
Laundry Bar, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, PJ, Selangor
RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=46139587550

Acoustic Mayhem!

2008-11-19T06:46:00.002+08:00

Hey folks

If you're up for some good ol' original acoustic music swing by the Apartment this Saturday. We've got songbird MIA PALENCIA (fresh from a musical and in the midst of promoting her new album), MELINA WILLIAM (Tempered Mental frontwoman and recently came back from a gig in Tokyo), ZALILA LEE (one of the most underrated singer-songwriters around) and SLOWJAXX (indie music legend from down south and frontman for the Stoned Revivals). See you there!

MOONSHINE: a homemade acoustic show

featuring

MIA PALENCIA
MELINA WILLIAM
ZALILA LEE
SLOWJAXX

22nd November 2008
930PM - Free Admission
The Apartment, Suria KLCC
Jln Ampang
Kuala Lumpur
moonshinekl@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=39848450799

Post-Raya Moonshine!

2008-10-08T00:23:00.004+08:00

Hey folks,

Just a reminder that this Thursday's Moonshine at Laundry so come down for your monthly local music fix.

MOONSHINE: a homemade music show

featuring

Nick Davis
Slunk
Shahrider & Nizam P
Man Under Zero Effort

9th October 2008
930PM - Free Admission
Laundry Bar, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, PJ, Selangor
moonshinekl@gmail.com
moonshinekl.blogspot.com

Also if you're an aspiring performer/musician/songwriter/whatever come down for Feedback this Saturday at Cloth & Clef.

FEEDBACK is an open mic show that happens once a month (every 2nd Saturday) at Cloth & Clef in Changkat Bukit Bintang. If you're interested to sign up come slightly earlier to sign up for a slot.
You get to play 1-2 songs depending on how many sign ups there are. Set-up wise a full band can be supported (we have 2 guitar amps, a bass amp a drum kit and vocal mics). Please bring your own cables. Bands as well as solo acts are welcome.

FEEDBACK Open Mic

featuring

AUBURN
JOSHUA FOONG
JEROME KUGAN

11th October 2008
930PM - Free Admission
Cloth & Clef #30 Jln Changkat Bkt Bintang, KL
moonshinekl@gmail.com

Reza

Homemade.

2008-09-26T17:05:00.003+08:00

Hey folks,

If you're not doing anything Saturday night come check out more homemade music.

LIVE AT NO BLACK TIE

featuring

OTAM
SHAHRIDER & NIZAM P
REZA SALLEH
E.V.O.L.

27th Sept 2008
930PM RM20
No Black Tie 17, Jln Nagasari Off Jln Mesui
moonshinekl@gmail.com

Holy Moonshine!

2008-09-18T18:26:00.003+08:00

Another acoustic installment of Moonshine is happening this Saturday at the Apartment KLCC. Don't miss it!

MOONSHINE: a homemade acoustic show

featuring

Reza Salleh
Rashdan Harith
Joshua Foong
Joe Loy

20th Sept 2008
930pm - Free Admission
Apartment Suria KLCC, KL
moonshinekl@gmail.com

Moonshine Madness!

2008-09-08T02:46:00.002+08:00

Hey folks.

We've got 3 Moonshine events lined up for you this week. This Wedsnesday we have Live at No Black Tie, an acoustic show featuring new but experienced pianist Cassandra, Jerome 'Dance on my laptop' Kugan, radio-friendly Yuri Wong and heart tug roadtrip Zalila Lee.

The day after at Laundry in the Curve we have Moonshine with bands Furniture, Qings & Kueens, the Stoned Revivals and Tokyo Blue and finally this coming Saturday we've got new open mic on the block Feedback, with Paolo Delfino, Sherry and Seihon as the feature acts for the night.

Make sure you squeeze some time for some good music this week. Click on each flyer below to go to its respective Facebook events page.

Wayang what?

2008-08-21T11:14:00.004+08:00

Greetings folks,

Moonshine has teamed up with the good folks at the British Council to bring you Wayang Kata: The Music Edition. It'll be a night of poetry/readings by Kim Trusty (UK) and Dizzy & The as well as music by Mia Palencia, Najwa and myself. It'll be happening at acoustically-awesome live music venue No Black Tie in KL. Do come down for it if you're free (bring your friends too!) =)

WAYANG KATA: The Music Edition

featuring poetry by:

KIM TRUSTY (UK)
DIZZY & THE

and music by

MIA PALENCIA
REZA SALLEH
NAJWA

27th August 2008
9PM - RM20 admission
No Black Tie 17 Jln Mesui Off Jln Nagasari
Kuala Lumpur

A Double Shot Of Moonshine.

2008-08-13T18:54:00.004+08:00

Get your Moonshine fix this week!

MOONSHINE: a homemade music show

featuring

Rashdan Harith

Seven

Pesawat

Stonebay

14th August 2008
930pm - Free Admission
Laundry Bar, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, PJ, Selangor
moonshinekl@gmail.com

MOONSHINE: a homemade acoustic show

featuring

Izzy

Cassandra

Nick Davis

Jasemaine Gan

16th August 2008
930pm - Free Admission
The Apartment Lot 139, 1st Floor, Suria KLCC
Off Jln Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

See you there!

Reza

The Acoustic Show #2

2008-06-17T03:54:00.004+08:00

Ok folks its time for your monthly dosage of acoustic goodness. Check out what Moonshine has in store for you this Saturday:

Slowjaxx
Lead singer of veteran southern scenesters Stoned Revivals and now based in KL, Slowjaxx or better known as Esam holds nothing back when delivering his funkadelic vibes and 'good times' attitude toward music and life in general. Everytime I meet him he's good this big smile on his face. Expect a lot of grooviness.

Yuri Wong
Guitarist for local band Frequency Canon and organiser for the now defunct Project Bazooka gigs at Laundry, Yuri also wears his heart on his sleeve from time to time, belting out numbers on love and life. Solid guitar playing and down-to-earth material.

Zarul
I've known Zarul since my first gig in No Black Tie in '02. He's a regular even till now and I saw him sing once wearing an orange baju melayu at an NBT open mic. He had this deep baritone of a voice and I always wondered why rarely sang. He plays a pretty mean blues harp to and is known to session for the Curtis Blues Review and fellow singer-songwriter Isaac Entry. Watch out for this one.

Mia Palencia
What can I say. Free gig and you get to see Mia sing. Mia Palencia. Nuff said.

MOONSHINE: a homemade acoustic show

featuring

Slowjaxx
Yuri Wong
Zarul
Mia Palencia

21st June 2008
930pm - Free Admission
The Apartment, Lot 139, 1st floor, Suria KLCC
Off Jln Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Reza

The Acoustic Show.

2008-05-15T02:41:00.003+08:00

Hey kids. I've put together an acoustic installment of the show that's happening this Saturday at the Apartment KLCC. It'll be a quiet, toned-down affair so if you're in the mood for some homemade music come down for the show.

MOONSHINE: a homemade acoustic show

featuring

Isaac Entry
The roots, reggae and blues man is back from extended stay in Sydney. Eager for some stage time and even more refined and engaging than I remember (if that's possible), he'll be plucking that heart of yours out. Watch out for 'Cinta-cinta'.

Reza Salleh
I was supposed to be in Singapore for work but that got canceled so here I am kepo-ing.

Yuna
If you haven't heard of her shame on you. Easily one of the brightest gems to come out of the woodwork recently. Yuna writes, sings and interacts on stage effortlessly, pleasantly shocking followers of local independent music with her simple, honest and engaging lyrics and her disarming level 67 vocal capabilities. Not. To. Be. Missed.

Zalila Lee
Annoyingly modest and probably one of the most underrated singer-songwriters in the scene, Zal pops up from time to time and and when she does you better count you lucky ganoodles. She'll put a smile on your face with her spontaneity (if she's in the mood for it :-p) and slow you with the emotional freefall that is her music. Hell of a guitar player too.

Bo. - Bedroom Sanctuary
Bo's all over the place when it comes to music. He fronts a jazz rock/funk band called Seven, is one half of CosmicSpaceMunkeys a down tempo/house duo, works at local sound studio 2AM and does his own solo stuff too. He's known for having a technical and experimental take on things so expect an interesting set. He'll also be backed by a sax player and violinist (or so I've been told) for Saturday night.

17th May 2008
930pm - Free Admission
The Apartment, Lot 139, 1st Floor, Suria KLCC
Off Jln Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
moonshinekl@gmail.com

Reza

Almost at the halfway point.

2008-04-29T12:41:00.004+08:00

Hey folks.

Two thousand and eight is looking more and more like the year for music. Releases left right and center, international acts raiding our shores and local bands and shows going all out. I like. Have a look at May's serving of Moonshine:

F.L.U.
F.L.U. or Fugue Liberalize Underground have actually been around since '95, a young band part of the grunge wave back then. Recently re-activated and heavily recommended by a few reliable sources who saw them play at a recent Annexe gig, this will be their first time at Moonshine.

Forty Winks
A big ska sound, a big line-up and feel good vibes are what make up this young band I saw earlier in the year. They were playing at a youth fest BOB (which they won) and looked like they were having a hell of a time doing it. Check 'em out here.

Reza Salleh
My favorite colour this week is green. More here.

John's Mistress
A member of the local music vanguard of old, John's Mistress is back. They were signed to top (but now defunct) label Positive Tone, got nominated for AIM awards and received a generous amount of airplay. I'm looking forward to what they have cooked up for the show. More info here.

Moonshine next week!

2008-04-04T18:09:00.005+08:00

MOONSHINE is back with a brand spankin' new line-up of acts from the local independent music scene. Check it out:

Catterpillars & Butterflies
A fairly new act but in no way a stranger to the scene, Catterpillars & Butterflies consists of They Will Kill Us All frontman Hafizul and vocalist Alice. Essentially an alternative folk act, this will be their first time playing Moonshine. Think mid-tempo progammed beats meets the Beach Boys.

Paolo Delfino
Singer-songwriter and part of a team that organised the Fireflies & Something Something series of shows last year, Paolo's known for his witty, down-to-earth lyrics about life and love and Mraz-ish approach towards guitar playing. He describes his music as 'soul mixed with pop sensibilities and a dash of retro vibes'. A fairly calm and collected guy, he's as comfortable on stage as they get. He'll be backed by a band for the night.

Neomedicus
Their 2nd appearance at Moonshine, the band has gone through numerous line-up shuffles and now features Jimmy from Tempered Mental on drums and Stonebay frontman Ojie on vocals. Citing major changes in their sound (which were a cross between RATM and Incubus-like modern rock) as part of their new outlook on music, I'm looking forward to what they've cooked up.

E.V.O.L.
Billed these guys way back when I did Feedback in KL Jam Asia but they couldn't make it due to unavoidable circumstances. This time around they'll be gracing the stage for real. A huge band, this 8-piece act includes the presence of a sampler and sax player that adds a few more layers to their modern rock sound. Come and check them out.

See you there folks!

MOONSHINE: a homemade music show

featuring

Catterpillars & Butterflies
Paolo Delfino
E.V.O.L.
Neomedicus

10th April 2008
930PM - Free Admission
Laundry Bar, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, PJ, Selangor
moonshinekl@gmail.com

Reza

Moonshine Oh Eight

2008-01-10T11:53:00.000+08:00

Moonshine 2nd Year Anniversary!

2007-11-02T04:00:00.001+08:00

Moonshine is baaaack. And just turned 2!

I honestly can't believe its been another year. This one went pretty fast. There won't be any fanfare this time around (there never is anyway :-p) but do come down and check out the super sweet acts we have lined-up for you:

Estrella
I see more and more of these 2 these days. Essentially made up of stage sweetheart Liyana and laidback Yob, they'll be playing their sweet calm melodies backed by a full band. They've been playing a lot, getting a lot of stage time under their belt. Always a joy to watch and hear. More info here.

Kluk Kluk Adventure
One of my personal favs in the scene, they're tight, seasoned and will make you wanna groove. With musical direction by keyboardist Ajeep, sweet manja tones by vocalist Keeta (jangan marah! :-p), sessionist Duan's guitar licks, Lin's tight drum lines and backboned by Congo's bass, their pop-ska-rock sound is infectious. More info here.

The Otherside Orchestra
I saw them play at KL Jam Asia once and they blew me away. It sounded like a post-rock band had fornicated with a drum 'n' bass DJ and out came these guys. Fronted by Man Under Zero Effort frontman Wan, he applies alot of M.U.Z.E.'s unpredictability into the band's arrangement. At the same time their stuff is very much driven by strong, unforgiving drum beats and ambient electronica sounds. A must watch. More info here.

Push
A mysterious act on the bill. These boys are led by boy-genius John Thomas, a very young drummer who regularly makes his rounds in the local jazz circuit. I knew he was doing a side thing and have been asking him to come on to the show for ages. He asked,"Do we have to play jazz?" to which I replied, "You can play anything you like,"

They're coming in as a drum 'n' bass band. This will be interesting.

So there you have it folks. We're turning 2 and like every other Moonshine, there's a very talented line-up of homemade acts waiting for ya. Make sure you mark your calenders.

MOONSHINE: a homemade music show

featuring

Estrella
Push
The Otherside Orchestra
Kluk Kluk Adventure

date: 8th November 2007
time: 930pm sharp
venue: Laundry Bar, The Curve
admission: FREE
e-mail: moonshinekl@gmail.com

Reza

We Shall Bring The Rain.

2007-08-04T02:18:00.000+08:00

Moonshine in July

2007-07-08T02:05:00.000+08:00

*Click poster for larger version*
I can't believe it's already July. Anybody going to the Rainforest Music Festival this week? Well if you can't wait for the weekend we've got a rockin' line-up waiting for you this Thursday at Laundry. Enjoy:

Mili'z
Spearheaded by vocalist Michelle and keyboardist Ling, I heard these two jamming with their band in Gombak one day. Whatever they were playing then sounded dark, edgy and digestible. They claim a wide variety of styles, from acoustic folk to heavy rock. This will be their first time on the show.

Meet Uncle Hussain
Made up of musicians not-so-new to the scene, this relatively new act has been increasingly active in terms of gigs. Plays straight up rock. Voted 'Best DIY 2005' by local music mag ROTTW. listen to them here.

Stonebay
The played Moonshine about a year ago if I remember correctly. They played an acoustic set back then (I had a whole acoustic theme going back then) but this time they'll be going all out. Expect a lot of grunge-tinged 90s rock. Listen to them here.

Lied
Another rock act, Lied's track 'Binky' (as well as one other, can't remember what its called) will, from time to time, pop up in my head for no reason. I blame it on their dark 90s rock hooks. Listen to them here.

See you there!

Reza

Moonshine Invades The Month of June!

2007-06-09T23:12:00.000+08:00

Gawd it's been one hell of a week. I think I'm going to take a break from music and just chill out for awhile.

NOT.

This coming week is going to be jammed pack with music (click here for more info) and rest assured Moonshine is part of it. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the June line-up.

Karen Nunis Blackstone
Previously based in Japan, Karen's a folk singer and visual artist who has recently come back to KL. She's only here for awhile as she's moving to Singapore (Yea I know) so you better catch her while you can. Hear her stuff here.

Moods
I've been trying to bill this band for ages. I've heard a lot about them as they've been around for awhile from people who love bands like the Stoned Revivals and Force Vomit. Its really hard to get them to gig as they work as teachers by day but this time I got lucky. Listen to them here.

Ferns
Merchants of soothing music of the botanical kind, listening to Ferns will make you feel like dancing in the forest blowing bubbles in the air in slow mo. Really. They have a very nice album out and its furry. Listen to their stuff here.

KLPHQ
A band with a what you might call a fluid line-up, this coming Moonshine signifies another major change in band members for this post-rock act. I'm not really sure what post-rock is but I've heard these guys play and its mostly dark, powerful and ambient stuff. Yum. Check 'em out here.

Special Guest Act
He's a member of one of the biggest bands in the country and he'll be playing material from his current solo effort. Starts with mono. Ends with loque.

Mark your calenders!

Reza
amp.channelv.com/rezasalleh

Get Your Moonshine Music Fix!

2007-05-04T19:43:00.000+08:00

There's been a lot of music lately.

New live music venue Groovejunction opened its doors a bit more than a month ago and is nice enough to not charge an admission fee for most of their gigs (they look like they can afford it).

KL Jam Asia has been hosting gigs left right and center and has done a lot to fill the gaps across the gigging circuit.

A new series called Fireflies and Something Something has been going on (at Jam Asia) and apparently there's a decent following for the mostly acoustic (or so I've heard) show. They've been steadily hosting gigs and it doesn't look like their gonna let up anytime soon. Good for them =)

Troubadours is back, this time at the Attic in Bangsar. The next show is on the 17th of May. line-up TBC. Welcome back!

Even Pete Teo's Songwriter's round is back with 2 shows on the 18th and 19th of May at Alexis Ampang (I'll be playing on the 19th)

I 'm pretty psyched for this month's Moonshine (as well as the next one, but I'll tell you about that one sometime later) coz we've got an impressive list of local acts lined-up for you. Lemme introduce them:

Estrella
Compromising of Yob on guitar and Liyana on vocals, this is an acoustic act some of you may know if you've gone to enough Troubadours' gigs. This 2 piece act has the tendency to churn out laidback, easy-listening tunes, delivered in through simple guitar lines and sweet calming vocals. They're mix of indie pop and jazz will be backed up by a full band of sessionists, a format I've seen them in at a charity gig a while back. Good stuff. More info here.

Furniture
The first time I saw Furniture was back in a day when they weren't even called Furniture. They were called Rush back then and I caught their blistering, ambient, space-worthy set in KL Jam Asia quite a few years ago. Now after a few line-up shuffles and with a slightly different take in terms of musical direction (from what I remember) they've been playing gigs all over the place. If my sources are correct, they just got back from a show in Bangkok not too long ago. More info here.

Laila's Lounge
One of my favorite local bands at the moment, these boys have been around since the late 90s and is made up of Hadi on vocals, Bai on guitar, Icham on drums, Anas on bass and Toya on guitar. After a very long hiatus they've been active again and were most recently seen opening for singer-songwriter Jens Lekman. The boys from JB were also part of the supporting line-up for local indie darlings Bittersweet as they toured the country and also made an appearance at regional music magazine Junk's quarterly variety show - Junk Night. A very tight, seasoned act with some of the most mesmerizing indie tunes you'll find this side of the peninsular. More info here.

They Will Kill Us All
I have heard a lot about this band. I was curious to find out what all the fuss was about since I saw them once and wasn't really impressed. Great. Another band with loud material. I decided to catch them again since the first time was more like me dropping by Laundry bar for 5 minutes and catching them mid-song - not the best way to assess a band, and caught them recently at Little Havana for a Glory For Indie gig.

I was right in front, waiting for the band to come up and when they finally did - I was blown away. They were intense, tight as hell, and sounded very much like a coordinated landslide of audio mayhem. Forgive the dramatics, but I was really drawn to what these guys were doing that night. That and the fact that frontman Fizul is probably one of the very few vocalists who has no qualms about physically expressing himself on stage, a quality a lot of Malaysian frontmen/musos lack. I asked them to play the minute the show was over. I hope you like them. More info here.

See you Thursday!

Reza

Bringing it Back.

2007-04-09T03:50:00.000+08:00

We're going back to basics with half of the line-up this month with singer-songwriters Yuri and Jasemaine Gan taking the helm (both will be backed up by sessionists) and modern rock outfit Plush together with power poppers Lucy in the Loo taking the rear (that sounds very wrong). Another month, another Moonshine. Don't miss out!

Jasemaine Gan
If you've ever been to local music platform Troubadours you might have seen Jasemaine play before. Reserved and sweet, make too much noise and you might miss out on her gentle vocals and impressive songwriting. Radio-friendly folk with heaps of ethnic confusion (she has a song where she sings in Mandarin and manages to slip in some Malay here and there) executed in a way only a true identity challenged Malaysian can, Jasemaine will help calm all those nerves and stress with her pop-tinged folk and thai back rubs (ok so maybe just the pop-tinged folk). More here.

Yuri
No Yuri isn't some Russian act brought in for your listening pleasure. He is in fact a full blooded Chinese man from Melaka who has such an impressive command over the sacred six-string that he can practically churn out pretty much any tune you know (provided its from the 90s that is). Not really one to bill a living jukebox, I roped him in for the rich acoustic layers and melodies that he makes.

Backed up by a few sessionists, this composer (he works for a jingle studio), gig organiser (he's one half of Project Bazooka, one of the three resident shows that happen at Laundry every month and Malaysia's very own music wiki), and rock kangkang ambassador (he plays guitar for local act Frequency Canon) will be on hand this Thursday for all you lucky music fans. More info here and here.

Plush
Some of you might have heard of this band under the tag GroundXero, a band that did their rounds a few years back. Influenced by the likes of Incubus, Audioslave, Muse, A Perfect Circle, Guano Apes and The Smashing Pumpkins, they're pretty proficient in what they do and have appeared on TV show 3R's Girls' Day Out Festival (yes they're an all girl band) and managed to get a spot at Baybeats in Singapore back in 2005. They're working on their EP at the moment and will be gracing Moonshine with their presence for the first time this Thursday. Modern rock fans take note.

Lucy in the Loo
One of the more familiar names in the indie scene these days, Lucy in the Loo's brand of power pop is both infectious and ridiculously accessible. Simple arrangements backed up by a lot of hook based choruses make for yummy sing-a-long anthems and before you know it you'll be singiing along like a fool. I personally like front girl Hana's clear, sweet vocals and it was probably the first thing that drew me to the band. I managed to catch their set at last year's Rock the World. Good stuff. Don't miss 'em! More info here.

Reza

Moonshine has landed! Again.

2007-03-02T19:07:00.000+08:00

I hope you all had a very festive Chinese New Year as I'm sure we were all in need of a break. I got to see the Beastie Boys and Jurassic 5 over the holidays (woohoo!) so mine was as merry as a music festival. As usual this month's Moonshine features acts from the local independent scene, some old, some new. I hope you like them.

Jerome Kugan
An eccentric variation of the usual KL singer-songwriter, Jerome's style and delivery of his haunting, melancholic tunes is both unusual and endearing. He also has a tendency to forgo the sixstring and some points during his set in favor of his trusty laptop, a supplier or pre-programmed beats and sounds that set the backdrop for his writings. Interesting stuff. More here.

Auburn
"Some might think of Auburn as crusaders fighting a cause long dead. But short of hailing them as the holy liberators of modern rock, they are nonetheless pilgrims on an enchanting journey to artistic perfection. Karya (They're debut release) is inspiring, definitely one of the releases of the year." - Think Online

Lead guitarist and vocalist Izuan Shah and myself share something in common, we came from the same melting pot of young musicians who got together every weekend to jam in a dingy room belonging to a certain secondary school in PJ. Droning pumpkin-esque lines dominate this band's sound, recently augmented by new additions Hanafi and Izzat on 2nd guitar and bass respectively. It's been quite some time since I saw this band play a full electric set and I managed to get a little listen during soundcheck last Sunday. Come down this Thursday to hear for yourself. More here.

Lightcraft
A band that's been steadily improving every time I see them play, these boys from Indonesia makes music you wanna nod your head and lie down to at the same time. A 6 piece band, they're Brit-rock/Coldplay vibe is both sooting and infectious. Interesting arrangements, layers and dynamics makes these boys a band to look out for. This will be Lightcraft's 2nd appearance at Moonshine and I am glad to have 'em back. More here.

Tempered Mental
One of my personal favorite live acts to watch these days, Melina, Jimmy and Jack take band chemistry to new heights as they plow through super tight arrangements and progressions. They were the opening act for Rock the World 7 and combined make one of the most talented trios in town. Yes I am a fan. There has been wind of a new album. I am gonna start a Melina fan club. Catch them now before they leave all of us behind for modern rock music stardom. More here.

New Stage, New Sound.

2007-02-01T01:33:00.000+08:00

It's only Feb and I can tell that it's gonna be an interesting year. New bands, new gigs, and new venues are slowly starting to pop up and gig organisers everywhere sign in relief at the influx of activity and talent. Keeping with the spirit of things, Moonshine's back with a couple of new acts (and an old one) so do come down to check 'em out. Laundry's also gone through a recent upgrade, their stage is no longer at the usual spot and has been switched to the elevated area on the side. Looks and sounds heaps better. Mark your calenders folks!

Zach Tay Trio
Zach's been emailing me for quite some time, alternating back and forth between here and Melbourne and popping up and popular open mic nights. Joined by Jon on drums and Godesh on bass, they form the Zach Tay Trio and showcase a blend of alternative and pop rock. More here.

Ash Nair
He's a Malaysian Idol runner-up, he just released his debut single entitled "A Day Before Tomorrow" and he has a music video made by Hue Visual Labs (this is a good thing). Backed by a 5 piece band, I'm looking forward to what Ash is gonna bring to Moonshine this coming Thursday. If you wanna find out you better come down yourselves. More here.

Neomedicus
These boys open mic-ed a few Moonshines ago and I was quite taken by their infectious pop funk/rock driven riffs. Alot of energy and alot of feet thumping to this one. A 4 piece act initially called Epicure, Neomedicus have been around for quite some time, starting out in '98 and gigging around KL during the indie scene heydey back then. They've had a few releases in past and are currently working on an EP. They don't hold back so fasten your seat belts.

Reza Salleh
I'll be selling my brand spanking new single. Please. Come. And. Buy. Tell your friends too. More here.

MOONSHINE

featuring

Neomedicus
Zach Tay
Ash Nair
Reza Salleh

date: 8th Feb 2007
time: 930pm sharp
venue: Laundry Bar, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara
admission: FREE

Reza

Happy New Year!

2007-01-11T04:34:00.000+08:00

Argh. I've been busy as toot so this will have to be quick.

All I have to say this month is:

I know Paolo's mom. I'm hoping he as good live as his mom. Sorry dude. Couldn't resist =)

Expect nice indie pop grooves from Oddstars. In other random news, Alang the Oddstars drummer is a major band slut. He also plays for They Will Kill Us All, Man Under Zero Effort, and sessions for Force Vomit and Stoned Revivals when they're around.

Seven is new and brimming with potential. Newblood good.

Karen was billed for the first ever gig I played way back in 2000 I think. Based in Japan, she's as folky as they come and is super nice too. She also has a song about nasi campur.

Come come come.

Reza

Last Moonshine of the year.

2006-12-12T13:37:00.000+08:00

2006. A full year has passed filled with trials, tribulations and change here at home and abroad. This year's seen the introduction of quite a few gigs around the Klang Valley with support ranging from brimming to sometimes none at all. No matter. The mere presence of these gigs are a sign of progress in these parts. Progress to what? To more music of course =)

This month's Moonshine will be held this Thursday the 14th. It won't be the last =)

Ferns
Taken from the band bio: Ferns were cultivated a score of years ago in a patch of fertile land. Through natural selection, a little loving care and lots of sunlight, the band evolved into the lean, mean & green popsong-writing machine you see today. Ferns' have just released their firstest debut album, On Botany - thus prompting the rabid interest of closet horticulturists the world over. More info here.

Flatline
Billed for Moonshine 2 months ago, they had to pull out due to unforeseen circumstances. A 5-piece act playing alternative rock tunes, they last appeared at Laundry for Project Bazooka, another show that features local acts organised by the founders of the local indie music info portal projectbazooka.com. I met these boys a long time ago and it'll be good to finally have them on the show. More info here.

Naked Breed
One of the more recognisable acts a few years back were these bunch of modern rock misfits, Naked Breed. They're demo released a few years back received a lot of radio airplay and their eventual album release 'Breeding Ground' managed to do the same. Playing some noticeable shows in the past, they've appeared at the Malaysian X Games, Rock the World, and they were curtain raisers for Deep Purple. Fans, mark your calenders. More info here.

Stonebay
The boys from Sabah are back with their Seattle rock sounds. They appeared at the first Moonshine held at Laundry (after the move from NBT) where they played a stripped down acoustic set. This time around they'll be cranking up the overdrive. Ojie on guitar and vocals, Dicky on guitar, Hazreq on drums and Roy on bass. More info here.

See you there!

Reza

Hey Mom! I turned 1!

2006-11-05T02:28:00.000+08:00

Yeap, you read it. After a year full of singer-songwriters, duos, bands, flyers, emails, open mics, music fans, clueless attendees, door bitches, hot mamas, bad sound, good sound, raw talent, applause, silence, passing the word, mailing lists, and late updates, we're finally old enough to...well...hmmm....ok so nothing really happens when you're 1. 8 shows have past (we missed out 3 months due to the transition from No Black Tie to Laundry) and there's still a long way to go.

I'm just really glad that the show is still alive and kicking and that the acts (and the audience) keep on coming.

A platform for local(and the occasional foreign) acts, the show was ultimately put together to widen the scope of listeners that actually tune-in to the talent that goes around in the local independent scene. The more people listen and participate, the higher the chance of closet musicians, songwriters and fans coming out, which leads to a bigger pool of musically inclined individuals, which leads to more music. A pretty simple concept.

I'd like to thank everyone that's been involved, whether directly or indirectly, in helping the show take all those lil' steps towards the simple concept mentioned above, a road we're still walking.

More specifically I'd like to thank:

Peter Hassan Brown & Markisa (Acoustic Jam), Joe Kidd (Unclogged), Pete Teo (Songwriters' Round), Jasmine & Beryl (Valhalla), and Shelley Leong (Songwriters' Avenue) for doing it first and for showing a kid like me that it can be done.

Evelyn and the staff at No Black Tie for hosting the first 3 Moonshines. Such generous support at such a crucial stage will be forever appreciated.

Trina and the staff at Laundry for being the current host and for having faith in homemade music.

The acts that have appeared on the show: Zalila Lee, Isaac Entry, Will Ng, Rhapsody, Tempered Mental, Kohl, Kluk Kluk Adventure, Aminah, Plush Velvet, Az Samad, Shelley Leong, Azmyl Yunor, The Sofa Sessions, Rizal Hefni, False Opus, Stonebay, Qings & Kueens, Mia Palencia, Couple, Broken Scar, Lied, Malokaigruv, Telebury, Deserters, Brainhead, Fathulistiwa Soundscapes, Pete Teo, One Buck Short, Stoned Revivals, Sei Hon, Lightcraft, and Tragicomedy, as well as all the open mic-ers. Without all of you there wouldn't be a show to begin with.

Gavin Lee and Irman Hilmi for taking turns to do such kickass flyers every month and for designing the first batch of Moonshine button badges (pictured below). On my wall they shall go.

Harun Wahab for taking pics during the show's time at NBT and Cris Chen for doing photography at Laundry.

Ishaq, Badak and Bianca for manning the door at No Black Tie, whether it was for Moonshine or otherwise, and dD for helping me out with mailing lists at Laundry.

Joey at No Black Tie and Leonard at Laundry for doing sound, as well as Kevin for stage tech-ing

The Troubadours Azmyl, Jerome and Sei Hon, as well as Jasmine the Doppelganger for sailing at the same time, the plugs and all the support.

KLue, Kakiseni, THINK, alldatjaz.com, JUNK, Project Bazooka, Bloggers and anyone else I missed out who are kind enough to include the show in their listings, updates, entries, links and happenings.

Malaise, Jamtank, malaysianunderground and artisproactiv for the plugging space.

The press for the coverage.

The people who come to the shows, the people who email, the people who talk about it (be it good or bad), and most of all the people who listen.

Thank you. See you this Thursday.

MOONSHINE: a homemade acoustic show

featuring

Force Vomit (Sg)
Bittersweet
Reza Salleh
Solsta'

date: 9th November 2006
time: 10pm sharp
venue: Laundry, The Curve
admission: free
email: moonshinekl(at)gmail(dot)(com)

Solsta'
The wild card for the night, this 5 piece act is relatively new to the scene having been formed sometime last year. With sounds derived from British musicians, they cite Paul Weller (and many of his works), Ocean Color Scene and current independent acts as their influences. Consisting of Achmed Sodd, Ajx, Ekwan, Hamzah, One and Sally, this will be their first time on Moonshine. More info here.

Reza Salleh
Haven't played at Laundry in awhile. Will be backed by the band. Steph is in Melbourne so Jimmy from Tempered Mental will be filling in on drums. Can't wait =) More info here.

Bittersweet
A band with as much hype as the amount of pineapple tarts my grandma made for Raya (she made alot) these boys from Ipoh justify each ounce of it(the hype not the tarts) with their hand-clapping, foot-stomping, hand-waving brand of music. One of the more visually exciting bands in the scene today, they recently appeared at One Armed's Crossborders show (which was packed like a nasi impit) and they'll also be appearing at the mainstage of Rock the World 7. To listen to what they sound like, go here.

Force Vomit
I was playing a gig once at No Black Tie and I remember being done with my set and sitting in the crowd. This girl was on her handphone not too far away, got off and in a very excited manner said, "Ei! I wanna go to *can't remember*, Force Vomit's playing!" Now if band with a name as hard as Force Vomit can provoke such excitement in a young lass there must be something about them. Indeed they are considered (very much like the Stoned Revivals from the last show) scene veterans here as well as in their hometown of Singapore. Tapping into a sound overlooked by many local acts (no they don't sound as hard as their name suggests) you can check them out here. Definitely an interesting act to look out for.

Bring your friends.

2006-10-04T12:18:00.000+08:00

MOONSHINE: a homemade acoustic show

featuring

Stoned Revivals (Sg)
Rhapsody
Sei Hon
Lightcraft
Tragicomedy

date: 12th October 2006
time: 930pm sharp
venue: Laundry, The Curve
admission: free
email: moonshinekl(at)gmail(dot)(com)

for a bigger version of the flyer, visit myspace.com/rezasalleh

Stoned Revivals (Sg)
The first band from abroad to be featured on the show, the Stoned Revivals are considered veterans in the local scene (here and in Singapore, which is where they're from), having been around for more then 10 years or so. I personally have never had the priviledge to see them live, but I have been listening to live samples of their stuff in my car for the past few months. They sound like a live jazz band that threw the rule book out the window, injected with lots of funked up riffs and indie pop overtones. Not to be missed.

Sei Hon
He's one of the Troubadours, a band of creative-muso misfits dedicated to the cultivation of the local indie scene. Together they're responsible for KL Sing Song, a singer-songwriter festival, monthly acoustic showcase and open mic Troubadours and the recently released Voices From Next Door compilation. He's also a singer-songwriter loaded with heaps of radio friendly material, centered mostly on love, life and living, the staple diet for most of us singer-songwriters.

Lightcraft
The youngest act in the line-up, these boys were roped in to replace Flatline, who couldn't make it due to unforseen circumstances. Compromising of 6 students, make melancholic, catchy tunes that are mostly influenced by british indie bands (and some non-brit indie bands as well).They've just released their EP, entitled Modern Seasons and you can find our more about them at here.

Rhapsody
A favorite at Moonshine, the girls are back with their blend of pop jazz and soul. Playing mostly at local music venue No Black Tie these days, they've been making their rounds in KL with the KLue Anniversary Party being their most recent appearance. And to think they only started gigging properly last november. They've got a single out which has been floating around XFresh FM and their recent induction of sessionists to complement their already tight set up has doen them wonders. More here.

Tragicomedy
A project band set-up by singer-songwriter Amitabh Chandra, their motive (according to their bio) is to explore catchy hook-laden pop-rock radio friendly music and
attempt to bring it to the masses. It has worked to a certain extent with
singles "Never Lonely" and "Great New Life" being played countless number of
times on Hitz.fm, Xfresh.fm and Red.fm over the past two years.

They've got a full length album out, entitled "Songs That Won't Sell" which was released in 2005. More here.

Also, check out pics from Moonshine in July and August. Thanks to Cris Chen for taking such lovely photos:

Reza

Holy cow it's September!

2006-09-11T02:44:00.000+08:00

Forgive the slight lateness of this update as I've just got back from Delta9, the Perhentian Island party held last Saturday. All I can say is everyone should play a beach gig at least once in their life. I had a smashing time. Ok let's cut to the chase. Moonshine's this Thursday so mark you're calenders! I'm experiencing major post-island withdrawal so please forgive the very short write-ups.

Tempered Mental
Modern rock is what these talented musos do best, with each member (Melina on bass, Jimmy on drums and Jack on guitar) extremely proficient in the art of mind-boggling musicianship. Edgy, arrangement driven stuff served in a jar with a lid as tight as your auntie pam's leotards. They made an appearance at the recent Digi/Starbucks Music Series Finale at The Curve and were greeted with many looks of awe. Not to be missed.

Kohl
An act that only recently got back into the whole gigging scene, this alternative rock act led by the whip-cracking Sara Lo recently played at the NBT Acoustic Series complete with their newly augmented line-up (they recently added a pianist and a percussionist to their ranks). Think Sarah McClachlan meets The Cranberries and they both go out for a nasi lemak.

Kluk Kluk Adventure
Malaysia's own southern based ska pop band, I had the pleasure of sessioning (well trying to at least) for Keeta(Happy Birthday Keeta!), the lead vocalist, at Delta9 in Perhentian. Having just released their debut album 'Revolusi Minda Antarabangsa', they're currently on tour playing as many gigs as they can. Fun, dance-able and sometimes heartbreaking tunes are churned out by this 5 piece act, one of which ('Dia') is circulating on local radio station XFresh FM.

One Buck Short
A band that's been around, these self-professed fans of the So-Cal punk sound have played everything from Rock the World, the Asian X Games and more recently the Baybeats festival in Singapore. They first emerged amongst a sea of post-Seattle bands a few years back, providing a refreshing take on what was being played then. Expect alot of energy from these boys.

Pete Teo
Probably the most visible singer-songwriter around now, Pete was one of the first to spearhead the small but growing singer-songwriter scene here in KL. Musician, writer and organiser of the very popular Songwriters' Round (one of the gigs that served as an inspiration for Moonshine), you might have seen visuals associated with his newly released 2nd album 'Television' plastered all over town. No surprise there since he's one of the most hardworking musos I know. Bring your friends.

So there you have it. Another month, another show. Check this space soon for pics from previous shows and make sure you show up this Thursday!

Reza

1 Moonshine coming up!

2006-07-28T11:32:00.000+08:00

Moonshine is slotted for the 10th of August 2006 and an interesting line-up awaits all you music fans so make sure you take the time to drop by. The show's been doing real good so far, with both the show and the establishment gaining quite a reputation when it comes to live entertainment. About 500 people came the last time but unfortunately unlike the show before that, Laundry didn't run out of beer =)(they're planning ahead now). Read about the next batch of performers below.

Deserters
Formed last year, KL five-piece Deserters trade in elegant indie rock songs populated by a blizzard of soaring guitars, drums, bass, keyboards, haunting melodies and a heightened sense of mystery and drama. Drawing inspiration from life, films, art and literature as well as the cream of the British and American alternative scenes, Deserters display an adventurous, smash-and-grab attitude towards musical history, producing their own invigorating take on contemporary indie rock with mind-jolting results. Although an undeniable love and respect for the virtues of classic songwriting underpins the band's sprawling, darkly melodic songs, Deserters are often compelled to forgo the tried-and-tested in favour of an adventurous musical outlook. When they hit their groove, Deserters combine to produce sonically refreshing heart music of fascinating beauty, a jaw-dropping fusion of circuitry and soul, melodrama and melody. Deserters comprise of Zack (vocals, guitars), Izuan (guitars), Edwin (bass), Jit (keyboards) and Alang (drums). Find out more here. Note: You can tell I didn't write this =) - Reza

Brainhead
Formed in 2002, these 4 young lads have been around for quite some time, playing gigs in KL, Penang and Melaka. Influenced anything and everything when it comes to music, thay played their first show at a charity gig in Shah Alam, they've competed for a RTM's "Rentak Juara The Rhythm of Champion" and they have a single entitled "Dan Untuk Esok" floating around XFresh.fm. I actually heard these dudes play at the Fete De La Musique a few weeks back and was impressed with their full, pop rock sound. A new addition to Moonshine and a good one at that =)

Zalila Lee
Appearing alot lately at No Black Tie for their live acoustic Wednesday slots, Zalila or Zal as her friends call her is a singer song-writer in many circles as well as a sessionist (back-up vocals, percussionist, and guitarist) in some. Started out when she was thirteen, she has since taken part in the Mont Kiara Jazz Festival, Fete De La Musique, and numerous singer song-writer stints across the Klang Valley. Sounding like a cross between Tracy Chapman and Alanis Morissette, this one gives me goosebumps when she sings. She also recently worked on the the controversial movie 'Lelaki Komunis Terakhir' but sadly her vocal movie debut can't be commented upon as the film has been banned. Her influences include The Cranberries, Lauryn Hill, and Alanis Morissette. Backed by a full band, this will be her second time moonshining =)

Shelley Leong
A very familiar face in the singer-songwriter circuit, she's back on her summer break from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. If you haven't already heard of her, her independently released album, Storyteller, got her nominated in the Best New English Artiste for the AIM Awards in 2005 and her eclectic blend of alternative folk, jazz and rock has garnered quite the following. Backed by her jazz band Jazz Odyssey which has the likes of acoustic guitar wiz, Az Samad, bassman Alda Tan and the grooviest girl on the planet, Stephanie Chan on drums, she's set to belt her heart out. More here.

Fathulistiwa Soundscapes
Brought to life and fronted by indie scene veteran Fathul, these boys were featured in the recent singer-songwriter showcase KL Sing Song (which also featured Shelley) at the KL Performing Arts Centre. Fathul's endearing intensity is something you rarely find these days and coupled with what they call 'pop pontianak' (vampire pop) they're sets can prove interesting.

They've got an album out entitled 'Romantikarat' and in their own words its, "...like a meeting of 80s synth-pop (from Depeche Mode to Yazoo) with post-punk goth (Sisters of Mercy to The Mission) with early 90s indie rock (Curve) and also bits of hip-hop, dance and, of course, the recent Indonesian indie-rock sound that's taking over the country like the smog coming in from Sumatra!"

More info here.

See you there!

Reza

They ran out of beer.

2006-06-24T01:43:00.000+08:00

13th July 2006. Mark your calenders dammit! Moonshine coming your way =) Ok the following entry is gonna be abit the long la, you'll find act write-ups for the upcoming Moonshine, a promo blurb for this year's KL Sing Song and a review (with pics!) of the last 2 Moonshines.

Az Samad
Az is one of Malaysia’s finest acoustic fingerstyle guitarist with compositions influenced by the music of Michael Hedges, Don Ross and Eric Roche. After releasing his first solo guitar album, Acoustic Gestures in 2004, he left Malaysia to study under scholarship at Berklee College Of Music, Boston, Massachusetts, USA for his second degree in music. Besides accompanying his dad, National Laurete A. Samad Said’s poetry recitations, he often performs with singer-songwriter Shelley Leong.

He has performed in Malaysia, Singapore, United Kingdom and recently even in the US when he played at the Berklee Performance Center, April this year. He is currently back in Malaysia for the summer break till this August. Find out more here.

Lied
A message from the boys - "Lied wants to take you on a jouney with its music,". The band is on a constant quest to look for sincere emotions and turn them into songs. The group has been steadily gigging since late 2004 playing everything from full-on electric shows at big outdoor events to small intimate acoustic shows in small venues. The band is steadily amassing a strong following both here in Malaysia and in Singapore and their sound is a melancholic brew of alternative rock and '80s music influences. Check out the band's music at www.myspace.com/lied.

Broken Scar
Broken Scar is actually a combination of solo singer-songwriter Kevin Teh with Alda Tan(Cosmic Funk Express) on bass and Manshaan(Dragon Red) on drums. The band has just released their debut album Midnight In St. Kilda in April and has also been nominated for Anugerah Era in the "Artis Inggeris Tempatan Pilihan" categery. Best known for the song 'Scratch' which went to #1 for 4 consecutive weeks on the independent charts on Xfresh FM , you can bet your bananas they're gonna make you sing along. Visit - www.brokenscar.com or www.myspace.com/brokenscarmusic

Telebury
Those of you who have heard of these boys might be familiar with their brand of dreamy, classic UK-style indie-pop. I last saw them do an acoustic set for the KLue/Starbucks Music Series last year as well as the last KLue Urbanscapes. A 5 piece consisting of Adrian (vox/guitar), Abi (guitar), Edan (guitar), Sam (bass) and Ajar (drums), they're heavily influenced by Radiohead, The Cure, Longpigs and Elbow.

Coincidentally their first recorded song, a Malay tune titled "Di Mana Bulan Selalu Retak" was written as the soundtrack for a local play written by poet and national literature laureate A. Samad Said, who also happens to be Az Samad's (see above) dad. Small world KL. Find out more here.

Malokaigruv
An act I spotted at a recent installment of Troubadours, I was quite taken by their chilled out vibe and groovy disposition. This is what they have to say for themselves - "This 5 piece pop outfit which hails from the heart of the capital city offers something slightly different by blending together pieces of pop, soul, jazz and even indie in their own groovy way," Compromising of Pedd on vocals, Lee on rhythm guitar & backing vocals, Boy on lead guitar, David on bass and Wan on drums, they're the new guns for the night. They have recently signed with Cat Presents Production and will be releasing an album by end of 2006.

And on the next 2 days after Moonshine, KL Sing Song is happening again thanx to the Troubadours. Check it out! This is a once a year event folks so don't miss it =)

From Jerome:

KL SING SONG 2006 @ KLPAC

KL Sing Song is happening on 14 and 15 July, at KL Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) .

It's going to be a singer songwriter extravaganza, featuring no less than 12 Malaysian singer songwriters in performances and workshops.

Shanon Shah ~ Best Male Vocalist, AIM 2006
Pete Teo ~ Nominated for four AIM awards in 2004
Shelley Leong ~ Best New English Artist nominee, AIM 2004
Pak Pandir ~ Winner of Juara Lagu (Irama Malaysia) 1992
Mia Palencia ~ Best Solo Vocal nominee, Cameronian Arts Awards 2005
Mei Chern ~ Musicanteen.com's Most Downloaded Artiste 2005
Reza Salleh ~ Founder of Moonshine concert series
Meor ~ Legendary independent singer songwriter
Fathulistiwa Soundscapes ~ Local independent music pioneer
Broken Scar ~ Emerging fiery singer songwriter
Ariff Akhir ~ Charismatic leader of The Sofa Sessions
Rhapsody ~ Upcoming female duo with melodic jazzy songs

Bookmark this site and check always for more details. We'll be posting more info and bios and whatnot. Or you can visit Troubadours KL blogsite for other info and stuff.

****

Below is the Schedule and Ticketing details.

KL SING SONG 2006 - PERFORMANCE 1
14 July, 8:30pm
Pentas Dua @ KLPAC
featuring
Mia Palencia
Shelley Leong
Reza Salleh
Ariff Akhir
Pak Pandir
Fathulistiwa Soundscapes
Tickets: RM25 Adult; RM15 Student, Elderly & Disabled (limited to 50 seats).

KL SING SONG 2006 - WORKSHOPS 1, 2, 3 & 4
15 July, 1pm to 5:30pm
Indicene @ KLPAC
Shelley Leong - "Singing With Style"
Shelley Leong and guitarist Az Samad share useful handy tips on performing with panache
Pak Pandir - "Lyrics & Creativity"
Pak Pandir talks about how to explore your environment through lyrics
Shanon Shah - "Make It Live"
Shanon Shah shares his experiences onstage and what it takes to be a live performer
Pete Teo - "The Indie Path"
Pete Teo talks about how to build a music career as a solo independent performer
Tickets: RM20 Adult & Student.

KL SING SONG 2006 - PERFORMANCE 2
15 July, 8:30pm
Pentas Dua @ KLPAC
featuring
Pete Teo
Shanon Shah
Mei Chern
Meor
Broken Scar
Rhapsody
Tickets: RM25 Adult; RM15 Student, Elderly & Disabled (limited to 50 seats).

Tickets available at KLPAC (03 - 40479 000) and The Actors Studio, Bangsar Shopping Complex (03 - 2094 9400). Or email tickets@klpac.com. No advance bookings.

PAST SHOW REVIEW
11th May 2006

All shots taken by Cris Chen

Two Moonshines have come and gone, and yours truly has been to caught up to write anything about it. Being busy is a good thing or so I've been told =)

The past 2 shows have been pretty good at the newly opened Laundry. The first of the two which featured Ariff Akhir, Azmyl Yunor, Rizal Hefni, False Opus and Stonebay started off pretty slow and this had me worried for abit (it was the first time Moonshine was held there) but thanfully the feeling was temporary. Ariff launched into his usual chilled, laidback tunes and he was followed by the more grungy and raw Rizal.

By the time Rizal took the stage the place had filled up pretty good and I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Azmyl went up and was slightly hampered by a sore throat and combined with the semi-attentive crowd, I really wished I could have provided the ambience that the good ol' busker deserved.

False Opus was next and the sudden change in dynamics caught the audience off guard, a sure sign that the place was better geared for bands rather than solo acts. They did well that night, pop rock being the dominant flavour in their set. Stonebay closed the show with material I would be really interested to hear in a full electric format, most of which was raw, edgy and laced with alot of Seattle, and eventually the night ended with a few open mic-ers and a very tired Laundry floor crew =)

1st June 2006

All shots taken by Cris Chen
The show billed for the 1st of June was to be an all band affair, a pleasant surprise since 2 of the solo acts (one of them being me) billed came armed with more than one musician.

Qings & Kueens opened with something very country rock, and eventually they slipped into their usual pop rock boots. I sensed a heightened level of confidence from frontman Vima and was glad to see that these boys were tight as ever despite their hectic day jobs.

Mia Palencia went up next with the smallest lineup of the night, with fellow singer-songwriter Zalila Lee on 2nd guitar, Hardesh on the udu and Mia herself on main vocals and 1st guitar. A fairly well known name in the local KL jazz scene, she took breaths away with half an hour of original compostions, written in both English and Malay. Alot of people came down to see her that night and she didnt disappoint.

Couple took the stage with a toned down acoustic version of their usual power pop tendencies and frontman Aidil took advantage of the large crowd by engaging in his usual onstage banter. Fresh with a new music video under their wings, they were infectious, reckless and very sing-a-long-able.

I went up next with my brand-spanking-new band, a group of individuals so talented I silently thank the heavens after each practise session. Like a content parent seeing his lil' children grow up, putting my 6 year old tunes through the whole band process makes them sound reborn. I'm a happy camper!

I wasn't the only act that night that came equipped with multiple-musician dynamics, as Rhapsody did their set joined by Loon from Qings & Kueens on bass and Jimmy from Tempered Mental on drums. Initially meant to play at the beginning of the show, they had such a full complete sound I couldn't resist slotting them as the closer.

Whew. It was a good show. I think about 500 people showed up. They ran out of beer. I'm a happy camper =)

Tolonglah jangan hujan.

2006-05-28T05:02:00.000+08:00

I'm hoping it doesn't rain this coming Thursday.

Even if it does, you won't have an excuse not to come to The Curve to watch the 5th installment of Moonshine. It's in a shopping mall for god's sake. With underground parking sumore.

A lovely line-up this month, we've got jazz duo Rhapsody taking the helm followed by abit of heart-in-blender folk by yours truly, pop rock action from Qings & Kueens, indie pop assaults by Couple and the vocal musings of the one and only Mia Palencia. Not a show to be missed. Check it out.

Rhapsody
If you've tuned in to the local independent music scene at all, you might have heard of these girls. They only really started performing live in November last year and I'm proud to say that Moonshine was one of their first gigs in the independent music scene. Expect pop oriented tunes with jazz overtunes from this duo, a combination of Ywenna on keys and Nicole on vocals. They list Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald, Jamie Cullum, Alicia Keys and Antonio Carlos Jobim as some of their musical influences and have been showcasing their stuff in various shows around KL. More info here. Best served with chocolate sprinkles.

Qings and Kueens
Melodic rock anthems and yummy pop rock arrangements are the forte of these young talented musicians, and they've gone from playing at acoustic open mics to securing the No. 1 slot for 4 consecutive weeks in the Hitz Malaysian Top 10 chart with their single "We're Gonna Rock You". With their debut EP "Royal Sessions" they've been seen at Rock the World IV, the Asian X Games, and Hotlink road shows across the peninsular. More info here. Best served with digital delay.

Reza Salleh
Bombarded with copious amounts of Top 40 gamma rays as a child, Reza owes much of his young singing career to the Seattle sounds of Nirvana, the rap-rock edge of Rage Against the Machine (how this is reflected in his music you'll never know and neither will he), the vocal stylings of Black American vocalists, and a whole list of other musical influences he can't really remember. Not really one to be bound by a particular sound, his music (labeled by a few as heart-in-blender folk) is a mish-mash of elements drawn from a combination of whatever's going on his head and whatever's he's been listening to in the past 10 years or so. Dark, heartfelt, confused. Blog-a-fied here. Best served with coffee.

Mia Palencia
Without a doubt one of the best voices in KL, this girl was so hard to lockdown I changed the date for the show this month just for her. Yeap, that's how bad I wanted to feature the young talented lass. Jazz fans will know her as one half of Double Take, a vocal/guitar duo that had their last major show in a stadium (not alot of people can say that). If you've seen her play at Pete Teo's Songwriters' Round you'll know that she ain't all jazz and that she's got quite the flair for writing radio-friendly-melt-in-your-mouth numbers. You should be smacked if you miss this one. More info here. Best served dipped in chocolate.

Couple
Happy-go-lucky power poppers Couple have been kind enough to play this Thursday and I must say I'm looking forward to seeing this 10 year old band kick it on stage. Infectious, refreshing and totally removed from all that's dark and dreary, they take take their cue from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Big Star, The Who, The Raspberries, The Beat, The Rooks, Enuff Znuff and Weezer. They've released their debut album entitled "Top of the Pop" and they've got a kickass music video invading the airwaves. Check out their myspace site for an extended bio, merchandise, and the music video! Best served with pop rocks.

Kami sudah kembali.

2006-05-08T14:47:00.000+08:00

Moonshine is back! This time there's been a change in the usual venue so you'll be seeing us at Laundry in The Curve for abit. It's also free so you can now spend your money on more useful things like presents for the organiser and alco. I'm kidding. No I'm not.

The lineup set for the 11th of May 2006 is the same as the last show (which was cancelled) so you can just scroll down to check out what they're all about.

So make sure you take the time to drag yourself away from the Asian burnout machine and come down!

MOONSHINE: a homemade acoustic show

featuring:

Azmyl Yunor
False Opus
Ariff Akhir
Stonebay
Rizal Hefni

date: Thurs 11th May 2006
time: 930pm onwards
venue: Laundry, Ground Floor, End of the Street, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara (The Curve is opposite Ikea)
cover: FREE ADMISSION
contact: moonshinekl@gmail.com, bar.laundry@gmail.com
web: moonshinekl.blogspot.com, laundrybar.blogspot.com

Open Mic at the end of the show

Reza

Happy Happy Joy Joy.

2006-01-22T02:19:00.000+08:00

(Click the pic for a larger version)
:/// In accordance with the minimum required amount of anal retentiveness that must be exhibited by authoritative figures on a monthly basis, DBKL has decided to give local independant music venue No Black Tie lots of problems. As a result of these problems, the February installment of Moonshine (and a 2 day gig that I was planning to pull off that weekend) have been cancelled. Unclogged was the first to go.

All I can say is that I'm disappointed.

The February edition of Moonshine goes out to all the people staying in KL for Chinese New Year. Tough luck to the rest of ya! =). Another band populated line-up, its gonna be another night of acoustic mayhem. Yes, mayhem.

Azmyl Yunor
This grinning wild-haired journeyman has been busy as a gig organizer (He's one of the organisers for Troubadours) and an academic of late, juggling both duties on top of his singer-songwriter folker mode. Having played everywhere from street corners to main stages, alone or with various bands for the past 8 years or so, he released the self-funded Tenets EP in 2005 to rave reviews and is currently working on a full-length CD.

His witty onstage banter and gung-ho let's do it! attitude complements the down home music he makes and colors the weary characters that populate his songs. With the energy of a punk rock band, the raw and edge of a seasoned busker, and the happy-go-lucky attitude of the smoking guitarman next door, he'll definitely put a smile on your face.

He's assembled an evolving gang of musical banditos called The Sigarettes to back him up, so look out for some sepia-toned folk rock glee! More on Azmyl here.

False Opus
Formed in mid 2000 and made up of Ewan, Kudux, Sadat, Syaril, and Waa, they were part of the whole Damansara/Colors gigging era which eventually led to them being featured on the Another Boring Sunday compilation. They've made appearances at shows such Rock The World 4, Latte@8, the KL Menjerit launch and the Butterfingers Malayneum tour, and they've recently released their debut EP which features the single "Insomnia Girl". The single has received extensive airplay on WOWfm in the past few years.

I first saw them play toned down sets at the now defunct Acoustic Jam series, and their pop rock sound was a somewhat refreshing change from the usual angst-ridden style of music that was popularised back then. More on False Opus here.

Stonebay
I first saw these guys on local indie music TV program Homegrown. Intrigued, I visited their Myspace site one day and looped the one song they put up. They sounded really good. Raw, well arranged, fronted by a very solid Seattle influenced voice (that would be frontman Ojie) and backed by a band members Dicky (guitar), Roy (bass) and Hazreq (drums). They've been gigging for quite abit around the Klang Valley, appearing in everything from college gigs to indie shows and the occasional rock fest. Semi hard guitar riffs and catchy melodies make up the core elements of this band's music, which centers mostly around Ojie's songwriting. Watch out for this one. More on Stonebay here.

The Sofa Sessions
The Sofa Sessions are an independent musical collective made up of Ariff Akhir (lead vocals and guitar), Shahril Eashak (electric bass) and Shahriz A E (drums, percussions and additional vocals). Influenced by the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Rolling Stones and the Dave Matthews Band, they've performed for the 2005 Sunrise Jazz & Rhythm Fest, various Music Canteen/Pan Global Insurance tour road shows, the KLue Starbucks Music Series and many other independently organised live shows and private functions. Ariff himself is an avid performer in the local singer-songwriter circuit (I remember playing a really dodgy gig with him and Az Samad once). The band's currently recording a self-produced full-length CD which is expected to be released in the first half of 2006. More about the Sofa Sessions here.
Ariff Akhir
Ariff won't be performing alongside his chilled out comrades this time around and will be braving the stage as a solo act. A perfectly natural thing for him I'm sure since he's done the whole singer-songwriter thing for eons now. Expect the same chilled out vibe he brings on stage with The Sofa Sessions (he is after all, the main composer of the band) and strap on for a ride down laidback, happy-go-lucky lane.

Rizal Hefni
Rizal Hefni is a somewhat of a newcomer to the songwriter scene here but has been playing for ages back in his hometown. Hailing from Singapore, this twenty something has got his roots firmly in alternative and rock but often likes to pick up the acoustic for more unplugged intimate settings. First apearing on the scene usually playing solo at several open mic's last year, this is his first time performing on Moonshine and he's bringing his gang of misfits to add some spice.

1 down, 11 to go.

2006-01-16T19:24:00.000+08:00

Forgive the late write-up, I've been bogged down with work like you wouldn't believe. In addition to that my internet connection is as reliable as a governmental clerk with ADD these days.

The show on the 5th of January was jam packed. I was nervous before the show as always, worried that people might not show up and having nightmares that all the fully bookes seats were nothing more than an elaborate prank. Thankfully, all was put to rest once people started filling in the front bar. The buzz of anticipation right before the show was so thick you could almost taste it in the air. A bit dramatic I know but a fitting description of what a performer gets to tap into right before a show. Call it nerves, call it excitement, call it whatever.

I was given the pleasure of sessioning for Aminah that night, and taking into consideration the fact that we only practised her set after the soundcheck I have to say I had heaps of fun on stage. Songwriters like Aminah baffle me to be honest. Her songs are so simple yet I can't seem to get 'em outta my mind somtime. I was like "Damn this song has only THREE chords???". Backed up by a smaller set up (me on guitar and Salim on percussion) compared to the last time she played at Moonshine (she was backed by a 5 piece band), her set was stripped down, laidback, and easy-going, a nice start to the show. My fav tune to play was "Caravan Trails", the last song on her set list.

I played next, and to tell you the truth, I just wanted to play for the first Moonshine of the year =). My set was relatively slow that night, something I did on purpose in an effort to break away from my usual stuff.

After the break the duo of the night, Plush Velvet took the stage. Light and easy like the pop duo breeze that they are, Jeremy's jazz influenced guitar lines and Izzy's sweet sombre vocals pulled the crowd back into place. I'm glad to see them gigging more and I can see that they're getting more comfortable with themselves on stage.

Az, fresh off the Boston boat, steered the show into a land of finger-picking heaven and animated stage moves. You've been praticing you're dance moves dude. I think the theme for Az this year is 'mobile'. He's fun to watch really. Sneaky too. He'll disarm you with his trademark goofiness, smiles, and odd sounds, then outta nowhere he'll hit you with some complex melodic progression. I looked back at the crowd and alot of them were too stunned to say anything. A very popular reaction if you're watching Az for the first time.

Shelley was the last act to go up that night. On keys and backed by a full band, once again I was impressed by her songwriting and arranging ability. Going to Boston has definitely influenced the way she leads a band as parts now are tighter and fit better, a vital point of focus for any band. She's real lucky la that girl =). To have a full band (Alda on bass, Az on guitar and Stephanie on drums) with her for quite some means that they all know her tunes like the back of her hand.

All in all a good show, lots of faces I didn't recognise (a very good thing), good music and full seats.

To view all official Moonshine pics (taken by the very talented Harun Wahab), click here.

Thanx to Eugene for doing a write-up at alldatjazz.com

Happy New You.

2006-01-02T20:53:00.000+08:00

A new year. Is it me or did 2005 just skyrocket past? I hope it was as interesting for you as it was for me.

The January installment of Moonshine will be happening on the 5th (this Thursday), less than a month than the last one we had. We've got some 'oberseas' talents lined up for next week just for you, the faithful listener. Ok so I'm lying. Its more like they're back on holiday. Check it out.

Aminah - If you missed her at the last Moonshine, shame on you. Confident and in possesion of one of the yummiest voices around, this will be her last gig on local soil before returning to Ireland. Lucky buggers. Make sure you remember to buy her album too which is, in my opinion one of the best locally produced ones around. Don't miss her! Scroll down to see my previous ramblings concerning this lovely lass. More about Aminah here.

Reza Salleh - Yeah so I've slotted myself for the first Moonshine of the year. So there.

Shelley Leong - If you've been tuned into the local indie music scene at all the past 2 years, you may have heard of her. A seasoned example of the new crop of local solo acts to emerge in the past 4 years, she's a singer-songwriter, musician, ex-ICOM student, gig organiser, current Berklee College of Music student, transport manager for the performer below, band leader and accountant. Amongst her musical achievements include being nominated for Malaysia’s premier music awards, the AIM (Music Recording Industry) awards under the Best New English Artiste category and getting onto Malaysia's English Top 10 (hitz.tv) with her music video for "Forgiveness". I met her for the first time at the old No Black Tie for Songwriters' Round where she made up a song about potatoes, sex, and Pete Teo during the open mic. Nice. She's back on holiday from Boston and she won't be back for long so catch her while you can. More about Shelley here.

Az Samad - Guitar maestro and the ultimate joker, his style is, I have to say, something only a select few can appreciate. And that's just his humour. His music on the other hand, is an instrumental showcase of fretboard burning talent, bound together by image-inducing melodies and arrangements. Studying with influential acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Eric Roche coupled with his classical guitar background laid the foundation for his unique sound, a blend of jazz, latin, pop and new age. I first saw him play at the old Paul's Place and I almost felt like quitting the guitar. Almost la =). Az is also back on holiday from Boston, where he spends his time attending gigs us normal Malaysians have no access to and hanging out with creative muso types at the Berklee College of Music. Like Shelley, he's only back for awhile. Book your table now. More about Az here.

Plush Velvet - Amongst the newest wave of singer-songwriters' to hit the local indie scene is young Izzy Mohamed. Blessed with the ability to write radio friendly tunes, the vocal capacity to deliver them in a most sweet and disarming manner, and a recently released EP entitled "This Very Moment", she recently teamed up with local guitarist Jeremy Lim to form the pop jazz duo Plush Velvet. Both guitar wielding young guns equally versed in the sacred artform of harmonising (an artform I find extremely elusive), they'll be representing all that's fresh and new, a hopeful theme for the new year =)

If you're coming try and book a table for the night. Details on the flyer.

Okay so this may be abit overdue.

2005-12-18T03:16:00.000+08:00

I was a tad worried about how the 2nd Moonshine was gonna turn out. You see singer-songwriters' are notoriously easy to handle due to their solo nature. Acoustic bands on the other hand, well, let's just say the more instruments on stage, the bigger the soundguy's headache =). Soundcheck stretched for far too long that it should've, what with traffic jams, forgetful organisers (sorry Isaac=)), and tired soundguys but thankfully everything went hiccup free.

Before I go into details, I'd first like to thank a few people, namely Irman for designing the first Moonshine poster (scroll all the way down), Gavin for designing the second one (see below), Rav and Ishak for manning the door for the 1st and 2nd show respectively, my uncle Harun for taking the pics you see below and for setting up the Moonshine Multiply site, Evelyn for letting me put the show together in the first place, and to all those who came/signed the mailing list/told people about it. Couldn't have pulled this off without you guys.

Now on to the show.

Isaac kicked it off and pretty much held the crowd with his usual stage magic. Honest and absolutely comfortable on stage, he set a good example for solo singer-songwriter stagecraft. His simple, heartfelt lyrics, infectious guitar licks and very cheeky attitude won him the crowd that night. It's a shame he's going back to Sydney. He just might come back soon so keep your fingers crossed. Isaac, I know you're reading this. Thanx again for giving us the time bro. Come back soon.

Melina and Jimmy of Tempered Mental played a toned down version of their usual prog rock assault, and despite Melina's vocals being slightly overtaken by Jimmy brushwork (where were my damn levels mr soundman?), they still managed to effortlessly display their level of tightness as a band. One thing I always liked about Tempered Mental arrangements were that they were all over the place. Distinctive, complex parts all sown together by what must be hours of practise and an obvious understanding between members of the band. Couple that with hooks that stick in your head (I don't really mind Melina's sweet voice in my head =)) for days and you have one heckuva band.

Kohl went up next and did 5 songs minus their percussionist, who couldn't make it. I talked to Sara earlier and she was really nervous, an odd occurence considering her no fear happy-go-lucky attitude on stage. Well, only those accustomed to seeing her live would've noticed a slight twinge of nervousness in between each song, and even that didn't stop her from belting it out on stage with fellow band members Fahmi and Sadat. It was nice to see Sara really throwing her voice (for the last song), something I rarely hear her do. Fahmi was momentarily hampered by a broken string during the 2nd last song but like the cool cat he is he carried on. A bit more of a serious set from these guys that night, hopefully they're recent re-emergence in gigs means that we'll be seeing more of them soon.

I was really looking forward to Kluk Kluk Adventure's set that night ever since the last time I saw them play. That was for the Zouk Tsunami Charity event and among the 15 or so bands that played that day, these guys stood out like a gem. I didn't know them personally so after a few calls and emails I managed to get a hold of Ajeep, the keyboard player. They were game to play and I was a happy camper. Ah the music. They sang mostly Malay songs (the one English tune that they have is such a keeper) and you could tell that they were a seasoned bunch. Keeta was confident and unafraid, and her vocal delivery had a slight tinge of Gwen in it (I hate comparisons with foreign artists, but hey I can't help myself). They were chilled, laidback, and soulful, and their arrangements were largely punctuated by Ajeep's keyboard melodies. I swear Keeta could melt ice with that voice. Lovely stuff.

The next act I must admit provided me with the most fun that night. It probably had alot to do with me being part of the act =). Aminah, a very lovely and talented individual who is back on holiday from Ireland (she's been there for the past 2 years) invited me to play percussion for her alongside Salim her brother (who I work with, hence the connection), and a number of extremely talented musicians. I couldn't say no =). Aminah, backed by a 5 piece (2 on percussion, a drummer, a bassist, a guitarist) held the stage the most that night, commanding the audience like the natural performer she is. Seasoned and very much in her element, she also probably had the most fun. You could see it in her face, in her smile, and in the way she moved and grooved. Playing songs from her album (she slipped in Pink Floyd cover in the middle of her set), her set was the most energetic of the night.

The Open Mic was a quiet one, with Rizal Hefni singing a few of his grunge-esque ballads, followed by myself and lastly Isaac again as the closer.

I was slighty pissed off after that coz someone stole the mailing list. Can you believe it? No matter, everything else went alright and that's all that mattered.

Lainie, online blog-ess reviewed the show. Click here to read it.

For more pics of the show, go to the Moonshine Multiply site.

MOONSHINE. Again.

2005-12-11T17:16:00.000+08:00

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.

Acoustic Gig Alert

2005-12-03T18:17:00.000+08:00

TROUBAGANGER 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM SPECIAL
presented by Troubaganger and Katagender, supported by La Bodega KL
featuring Lucy In The Loo, KOHL, Leow Mei Chern, Zalila Lee, Nell and Hannah plus readings by Jasmine Low, Bernice Chauly and more.
4 December 2005, La Bodega KL
RM20 cover (half of proceeds will be be donated to an NGO tba)

KLue will be having a live acoustic/literature show in MPH Bangsar Village and MPH One Utama. Check it out. Click the graphic for details.

KLue will also be hosting the Starbucks Music Series in the next few weeks. If you missed Rhapsody at MOONSHINE, be sure to catch them here. Click the graphic for details.

MOONSHINed

2005-12-02T15:02:00.000+08:00

The next MOONSHINE is scheduled to happen on the 15th of December. Acts to be confirmed in the next few days. I can tell you that Isaac Entry will be playing and it'll be his last show in the country before returning to Sydney. If you missed his blistering show at the last MOONSHINE, this'll be your last chance so book a table quick. Watch this space for more details.

Reza

The ship has sailed.

2005-11-30T01:23:00.000+08:00

MOONSHINE was a success thank god. People actually came, paid, sat down, and listened (most of the time) to the show in little ol' No Black Tie. I was late for soundcheck despite stressing time and time again that no one else should be. KL traffic you know. Eheh.

Cole and Wen (the girls from Rhapsody) were both sweethearts, all smiles and laughter even when subjected to my lame brand of humour. Zal was sick and abit moody, but still managed to slip into her professional performer boots the minute she stepped on stage to soundcheck. She always knows exactly what she wants in terms of sound and I always start thinking to myself, "God Reza, you're such a dipstick for not knowing anything about live acoustics,"

I never managed to talk to Will (formerly known as Eugene) much before so it was a pleasant surprise to see that he was as laidback and chilled as the rest of us. I was also pleased to find out that Jam and Chia (who like Will, are from the local Mandarin singer-songwriter circuit) are back from a stint in Taiwan. If you liked Will these guys will blow your pants off. Ok that isn't necessarily a good thing.

Isaac was uncharacteristically quiet before the show and denied any notion of pre-show jitters. Obviously that had little effect on his set later.

Zal kicked off the night accompanied by Jerral (is that spelt right?) and effectively caught the audience's attention with deep calming vocals and solid guitarwork. She caught many off guard and set the bar for the rest of us that night. One of my favorite local singer-songwriters' in the scene, I was personally glad to finally catch a full Zalila Lee set.

Isaac was up next and he was the wild card for the night. Having never heard him play a full half an hour set before and using only a short jam in my office (we know each other through a number of mutual friends), I was banking on him to present something fresh and different that night. Needless to say he delivered to the T. He made the girls laugh and swoon at his very own brand of honest, tongue-in-cheek blues and he received the grudging admiration of all the guys through his funked up guitar licks. Nice work.

I played next and thankfully didn't screw up. I brought an extra guitar just in case a popped a string, a horror I experienced twice in Perhentian Island a few weeks ago before a show.

After a short break Will took the stage and had to battle the chatter built up from the intermission. You could tell by his third song that all the noise had died down and everyone was listening to this young man pouring his heart out. Its those melodies he writes la. You just sit there and listen. It doesn't matter if you don't understand Mandarin (heck I didn't). I think that by the end of his set it didn't really matter. Will will be playing for the Songwriters' Round on Dec 10th at Alexis Ampang. Details here.

Rhapsody. Whew. Just the thought of the music that was coming out of these two girls sends me to another place. Definitely not to be missed if you like being filled with musical awe. I mean, where did these girls come from? Please local independent music scene, gimme more surprises like Rhapsody. Jazzed up and full of falsetto-fied soul, Cole and Wen blew the house away. I've been humming that first song they played for the last 3 days now. Damn the both of you. They're playing at La Bodega this coming Sunday for the next installment of Troubadours so catch them if you can.

The show was packed, NBT was fully booked by Friday, and the night was filled with good music. It went well. The next MOONSHINE will be sometime mid-december so keep an eye on your inbox. I'm sorting out the line-up as we speak and it looks like we're on for another kick ass show. Watch this space.

A little bit of moonshine.

2005-11-21T23:15:00.000+08:00

Salutations!

Welcome to the MOONSHINE blog, a blog dedicated to the newest acoustic series to hit the local Malaysian independent scene. A purely acoustic gig that happens every month at No Black Tie, it's part of an ongoing initiative to help populate the scene with as many gigs as possible. Inspired by past efforts like Acoustic Jam, Valhalla, and Unclogged (which is still alive and kicking!) and current ones like Songwriters' Round, Songwriters' Avenue, Troubadours and Doppelgangger, Moonshine is just one more thing to mark down in your calender if you're a fan of live acoustic music.

The 26th of November marks the first installment of the show and personally I can't wait to get the ball rolling. Tentatively the format is this: 5 acoustic acts go up on stage one at a time and are given a half an hour set each. All acts (solo/duo/trio) are required to play original material so just make sure you can carry a half an hour set and you're sorted.

We've got a bunch of very talented individuals lined-up for you this Saturday:

3 piece act The Rhapsody will be playing, a group I spotted at the recent NBT singer-songwriter orgy. Jazzed up piano lines backed by falsetto-fied vocals and laid back guitar rifts. Yum. Slightly reminiscent of Portishead. Purely coincidental apparently.

Sydney based Isaac Entry will be taking the stage with his soulful vocals and intricate guitar work. I first met him at the KLue Starbucks Chillout series late last year. He's one of those you-see-him-play-then-you-feel-quitting-guitar kinda musicians.

Goosebump inducing Zalila Lee raised a hair or two at the same singer-songwriter orgy I mentioned above. I've always been a fan of her work despite never really having a chance to listen to an actual full set so I guess I'll be getting that chance now. Deep, soulful, and heart-wrenching when she wants to be. Not to be missed.

Will Ng is another singer-songwriter who'll give you a hair-raising experience. Played quite abit for Pete Teo's Songwriters' Round, most of the time (ok all of the time la) I have no idea what he's saying (he sings in Mandarin) but my god can this dude sing. With a vocal range that dips down to his toes and reaches up to the ceiling and armed with a whole arsenal of comfy, laidback guitar arrangements, this is definitely one to look out for.

And of course, since this will be the first gig I've ever organised in KL, I'll be playing too.

Make sure you come!

MOONSHINE
a homemade acoustic show

featuring:
Zalila Lee
Reza Salleh
Isaac Entry
Will Ng
The Rhapsody

Time: 10pm till late
Cover: RM 20
Email: moonshinekl@gmail.com

There'll be an open mic after the show so mail me or meet me earlier on during the show if you're interested

No Black Tie, 17, Lorong Mesui, Off Jalan Nagasari, KUALA LUMPUR
(just five doors down from the old NBT)
6pm-2am, Tuesday - Sunday
Tel: 03 - 2142 3737
Email: noblacktie@gmail.com

Reza