Mraz-a-lah!

I didn't plan anything semalam. Did think up of going to KL to pick up some stuff but that was it.

On the way, Burn dan Cham called. Berapa kali on air mesti kaco hidup aku dua orang ni tuk slot Petang Di Era. Heh... tapi takpe la.. kengkawan. Kali ni meka nak promo konsert Jason Mraz which, Era was of course the official radio station.

Did a set with them and that was it and headed to Mid Valley. Pas settle pick up some stuff, Juan kata dia ada dapat complimentary tickets to the concert, so thought why not. Pas settle gi pick up dia and we headed to Stadium Negara.

We got there maybe about 7.30pm and it was already packed. Thank goodness for a 4wd and it's abilities to naik divider nak parking right in front of the stadium entrance. Heh...

Jalan nak masuk serempak ramai kawan-kawan sangat. Cam reunion la pulak.Ye la... concerts and awards shows are the only places most of us congregate given the nature of our work, so to be expected.

We hauled ass into the stadium (after me sneaking burgers and drinks in my pants - don't ask... even Syazwan was grossed out... but sapa leh tahan concert without a drink kan?) Dumbfounded! Packed gila! I mean I'm no Jason Mraz fan, but I do know that us concert starved Malaysian would throng to the stadium... but this was ridiculous!

Masa kita masuk, ngan ramai lagik beratur kat luar, it was already so packed that if you raised your hand, you would have managed to smack eight adults, their in-laws and three children. Cam tin sardin. I seriously think more tickets were given out than the place was allowed to hold. Boo to the promoters nak wat duit sampai camtuh.

A shot of the crowd as we entered the stadium... crazy!!!


Bahang memang terasa... not from the excitement of the concert, but the fact that it was sweltering. Apparently, comfort wasn't a priority of the promoters either sebab it was hotter than a sauna... and people weren't even partying yet!

We made out way into the 'rock zone' which is basically the arena, the area where you see the sea of people flocking to down there. RM138 worth and no decent place to stand for a claustrophobe like me. Pokaemon sangat! Takpe... though I can't believe I was doing it for a Jason Mraz show. I mean, Britney Spears I would...

And then the show started. Sound system hanjing sangat tau! Quality tahap mini compo bateri nak mati. If you were smack center in the directed path of the speaker stacks like we were ok... but anywhere else and it would show someone forgot to take into account the horrible acoustic value of the show which was way below par from so many other live shows I've attended.

But it wasn't so bad cause his performance was really good. And his musicians were the best money could buy (unlike the air conditioning and many more things one could bitch about)

The only real song I like from Jason Mraz is The Remedy, which was his opening number. Other songs are nice and easy listening like his other hits but The Remedy for me is something that is so.. groove-able.

Was singing along and then he got to one part, he did a snippet of another song. I managed to sing along, tapi tak ingat tajuk lagu tu. It was only an hour later, it struck me that it was Oasis' Wonderwall (after pecah pala nyanyi balik sorang diri trying to figure out what the damn familiar tune was). But it pretty much set the pace as the opener for the concert which I think musically was one of the best concerts I've been too (but it also grabs my attention as one of the WORST organised ever - and this means a lot considering I attend a lot of concert locally as well as in Bangkok, Jakarta and Singapore.

Anyway... watch the video below. The images are crappy but the sound is ok. Thank my position somewhere in the middle of the sea of people.



Tapi one thing that killed my enjoyment a little were the skanky ho creatures you find at every one of these events. Ala... you know what I mean. Those who dress up either like they're going to a club, or a prom (for a stripper academy).

Ladies, take not. Don't be stupid and wear heels (this is one time comfort MUST be a priority - especially for those you step on), handbags (swing that thing and knock me one more time, bitch and...), long dresses (that make you trip up in your own material) or wear your hair loose (which you keep flipping and smacking someone in the face with considering the close proximity we all have to be in due to the sardine can scenario.

Case in point - this stupid ass Ah Lian who was in front of me. I don't know which new village she was from, but this cow asik libas rambut dia yang dia feeling bau Pantene (by that time more like bau peluh and rokok) in my face. If I wasn't a gentleman, I'd have bodyslammed her and thrown a metal chair to ensure maximum damage and permanent bodily harm.

To make matters worse, she didn't seem to have a clue where she was holding tight her big ass handbag which she could have used to smuggle her whole family in from across the border which - apart from her hair that kept swishing about in my face - kept poking me in the ribs annoying the bejeebers out of me.

Arghhhh!!! Aku panas gila ngan dia. And she glared at anyone who dared get close to her, like you had to keep a feet distance at least. Wei betina... ni konsert la. I'm claustrophobic and you don't see me griping about personal space. Sheesh!

Anyway, she didn't seem to even know who Jason Mraz was and seem totally uninterested in the concert - except when a lovey dovey tune was there and Ah Lian decided to get cosy with Ah Beng, her boyfriend who looked like a Taiwanese boyband reject. Owh... there was also the time when her and a couple of their friends decided to have a pose-off blocking our view so that they can, and I quote, "put Facebook and then you tag me ah can show we see Jason Mraz".

MATILAH KAUUUUUU!!!!!

Ah Beng in striped shirt hugging the irritating Ah Lian who would have been more at home in an A Mei concert


Panas hati tapi bersabar je la. And that was what I had to ensure within just the first three songs.

There's just something about this Bagan crowd that pisses me off. I mean I'm Chinese too - so please don't insult your own race by acting out a stereotype (I'm sorry? Owh.. you weren't acting!). I mean, I saw this other Ah Beng with platibum blonde hair, topped by a cheap ass Made In China top man hat, wearing a shirt, along with a knit vest. Are you serious??? Orang pakai t shirt pun da basah kuyup? Is it cold in the province you're from???

But all in the all the show was hot, and I'm not even talking about the heat and the various body odours of stale soap, cheap perfumes and assorted other stenches,... I mean scents.

Jason's performance was erm... blinding!


Pas lima ke enam lagu da tak tahan panas, and the Ah Lian, so moved to the entrance to have a smoke, and then back in to lepak near the left hand side of the stage where the piped in air conditioning which was doing nothing was.

Juan kena tegur sebab tengah video the performance but dia laser staff Rela tuh, terus mamat tu tak berani tegur. I mean come on... seriously? Apart from Youtube, you really think anyone can make money off these video clips?

But ok... respecting intellectual rights and all, perhaps the promoters should set an example. Like not having their own staffers sibuk masuk tengok show (padahal time keja) and recording portions of the show while blocking paying (not me cause my ticket was complimentary) attendees of the concert. Case in point... refer to the pic below.

Oh look.. Axcess ticketing staff not only sibuk tengah layan the show instead of their job - also recording the show ignoring their own warnings not to make any recordings


I was in a better mood by now though, so didn't give a toss. I was in front of like one of the six air conditioning ducts in the whole stadium. So being freezing in an otherwise panaih nak mampuih environment helped me not to get nasty.



More songs... the end... and an encore and it was over. Zoomed out before the crowd swarmed for the exits.



Tired out by the end of it... which came pretty fast. Headed to Pelita for a quick meal and then back home. Ngantuk gila... esok keja kul 10 pagik lak. Nanti je aku update lagik. Layan The Remedy one more time...


PS - Sorry for the quality or lack of, of the photos and video. Tak bawak my digital camera and this was the best I could do with my phone.