Yellow Beatles on My Tree

I speak of the entire duration of the Emerge KL competition organized by City Harvest Church which we, Sparks for Laughter, did not win but grabbed the 'Most Popular Performance' award. While it could've been better and sweeter, it's still an experience I won't trade for anything. I feel some growth as a performer (gained some stage balls) and maybe a lil as a musician. It's probably one of those rare times when you're on stage and you actually have a mad crowd cheering you on like a rockstar, hahaha (which is just so encouraging to make you bring out your best). Photo time =)

Here, from the beginning, "Let it be" by The Beatles was an automatic song choice because we tried it once jamming last year, and it sounded good? I gotta say, this song is embeded so deeply in me now I daresay I'll never forget it (or how to play it). It's rather melancholic now when I pick up the guitar and just pick the notes of the intro with my acoustic guitar, ahhh =)

As always, it all begins in the studio with some mistakenly taken pictures such as this. L-R: Jin, Shim, Tony and Me (yeah, that hand up there holding the guitar neck)

Then came our first trial: the preliminaries, still not knowing that we'll be eventual finalists.
Yup, gay as hell, but we had fun, so sue us!
To honour the SMU cluster for supporting us wholeheartedly, thanks so much =)

From that point on, our mindset changed from "Let's just get out there and have fun" to "Let's get out there, have fun, and win this damn thing!" Aw yeahh.

But we had a problem, after enjoying booming cheers for "Let it be", where do we go now? What song do we play?

Well, we stuck to the same song after finding out the same time limit's given for our song, and that we didn't have much time to practice another song anyway. So, like other bands, we stuck to it and did some rearrangements and played it even better than in the prelims =)

And suddenly, we find ourselves pitted in the finals against 3 other bands?! It's no wonder we look happy there, ya know? Ahh, that night was the best performance, it beats the finals anytime.
Yeapa yeaps, we happy people. I guess that's our high moment for the entire Emerge event, eh guys?

The Finals

.. was actually quite a letdown, but what the heck man, we had fun throughout the entire process.

"Life's a journey, not a destination"
(as Aerosmith songs in the song 'Amazing')

Song choice was such an ASS I tell ya, we were going nuts deciding on a song. It went from Britney's 'Hit me baby one more time' -> 'Oops I did it again' -> Bon Jovi's 'It's my life' or Fallout Boys featuring John Mayer's 'Beat it' -> ?

It was when Jin did this miraculously retarded pose in our brainstorming session in the mamak after being advised against doing 'It's my life' by our coach that we decided to do...

Fool's Garden's 'Lemon Tree'
.. which was playfully suggested by Pastor Kevin.
Which we decided to mesh with our good ol' 'Let it be'

Actually, we also thought of Muse' version of 'Can't take my eyes off you', but.. nahh~

All was cherry-merry like ma balls were airy

our coach even told us we have a great, entertaining arrangement, though we had to work on timing and the technical parts. Which we decided to work on for our last minute 12am jamming session the night before the finals

until..

Shim actually broke one of his favourite sticks (no, not the one Michelle plays with) the night before the finals. Tragedy eh? Thankfully, he got a replacement the morning after =)

Tony's infamous rockstar "point at the crowd and blabber" moment =D
Jin's 'Slash' moment
.. and my retarded cowboy moment. Quotes brother, "oi, damn ugly wei your picture". WTH!?
Wish we had some Shim pictures, he's always hidden behind that plastic 'aquarium' thing to shield the drums from destroying everyone's ears with its sheer amplitude.

Here, best i could find, and your eyes aren't even open, Shim -_- Our total whipass (un)cool video on the screen
Some stage action, Tony's shielding Shim again. Us guitarist enjoy standing in the dark on the sides looking emo.
NOT! haha
Ya know, I think I look better on the big-screen when they cut off my face =D hahahah
Me hogging the screen. Will you show Shim already?
Ok, scrutinize the big-screen (NO, not Tony and Jin! Enough, you two!) and you'll see Shim's magically lit head.
ok, enough Shim, my turn (haha, kidding). Bum-to-bum interaction.

And some final moments (damn, the camera-dude must have a crush on me or something, see how he follows me even till here? That hand/guitar in the screen's mine again - or maybe it's my guitar) before...

the trademark "Sparks' Aerial Finale"
Then came the not so glamorous packing up (me holding part of my Ikea-derived pedalboard)
at least I got help =D

A happy helper
Yup, very happy. Because she felt like a rockstar carrying my beautiful guitar -_- even if it's in case

Cowboy Kien bids Emerge KL a silent farewell
.. so does his lucky Emerge picky (used on every performance)

.. and the attention-grasping koboi cowboy hat that I bought for RM12.90 for fun
.. and .. I'm sorry, I just can't resist, I really kinda like this picture =D hahahaha


Bye Emerge!

"Hey farko Sparkos, when's our next gig, eh eh eh? ngiahahahah"