Starry day

Many thanks to Amanda and my sis

18th June, 2005

10.15am – I knew I’m late for the autograph session (my bad, I admit I’m quite ‘moh’) and prayed the session won’t start early. I arrived around 11.10am and there is already a big crowd gathered around the stage. I have no choice but to stand quite far from the stage. I tried to weave myself in as far as possible and gauge the digicam zoom to the max. The host, local DJ Lam Tuck Weng announced that the ‘stars’ will be late as some roads were closed of to prepare the concert tonight (yet the hotel was just less than a minute away :P. But it’s okay; you wouldn’t ask them to WALK there, do you?).

11.40am – Like the rest of the crowd, I was sweating like a pig. The host entertained us by playing some games and giving out signed posters to lucky fans. I must applaud the people who went up the stage to sing. Their singing wasn’t that good but it takes a lot of courage to sing in front of a crowd. Ray, Ron and Kevin appeared around 5 minutes later and waved to the crowd. Three of them are wearing white colored shirts. The autograph session commenced after the press took some pictures and they signed on the huge poster on the wall. Due to the crowd moving to get autographs, I was able to go up near front and grabbed a nice spot to take pics later. However, there is this guy in black that kept standing in front of Raymond, blocking my view. I realized that I have more shots of Ron & Kevin when I counted the pics later. I have steady hands while holding the digicam, but the people around was pushing and shoving, causing some pics to be blurry. After autographing everyone’s album, three of them filmed a small interview with some local stations. Ron and Kevin ask Raymond to stand in the middle (hehe… it shows that Ray does have higher status) and again, the cameraman stood in front of Raymond again! Darn, I want to take Raymond’s pic. After all, that is my main goal to go there. Before leaving the trio posed and waved at the crowd.





Among the three of them, Kevin has the most striking facial features. He kept smiling throughout the session and is very responsive to the fans. I kept hearing people commenting that he is very friendly – he perpetually kept smiling from the start till end. Ron, on the other hand has the best physique, thanks to his dancing talent. He was cool but very responsive to the fans, striking a pose now and then for the camera. He looked and posed for my camera but damn I’m so slow! Ray has begun to regained his former tanned skin tone and also added some pounds (not much, he’s still in good shape). Ray was visibly tired (poor Ray!) but he tried his best to accommodate the fans. He also makes some jokes with Kevin and Ron. By the end of the session, three of them are soaking wet (they wore white shirts, so we can tell quite easily ~ drools).






My opinion: Now that I saw Ron Ng in person, I knew why TVB kept promoting him. Even though his progress in acting department is very slow (no offense, fans!), he oozes sex appeal and also know exactly how and when to please the crowd. Weird enough, I felt that he has more charisma off screen than on-screen (almost non existent). I admit I might like him in the future if his acting improved. As for Kevin, hmm… he is very good looking; clean cut chiseled features, but it’s hard for the crowd to ‘connect’ with him. I just don’t know how to explain. Maybe I don’t know him well enough (not that I know Ron well, either). What about Ray then? Hehe… Don’t worry; I save the best for the last :). Ray has this unusual boy-next-door charm, yet he gave a mature feeling at the same time.Cute + safe/secure = Dream guy. And he is ten times better looking in person, but I think he’s actually quite shy! I really want to speak with him, but I don’t think it’s a good idea going to his hotel lobby. He might think I’m some crazy stalker! The only person I visited at hotel lobby is Charmaine, but it was arranged therefore there was no awkwardness.





The concert was 6 hours away but I don’t feel like going home since the monorail will be jammed with people. After all, it was estimate to have 60,000 people attending the concert. I read the paper (The Star) and it said 100,000 people came! Wow, it was like having concert at Bukit Jalil Stadium! No wonder I felt like packed in a can of sardines. So, I just hung around the malls and check out the concert venue. The organizers were selling last minutes tickets, like buying 10 ice cream cones for HotTracks tickets or chewing gums for Rock Spot tickets. For your information, HotTracks was after the VIP section, and Rock Spot followed behind. I really have to thank my sis for getting me the HotTrack tickets, guess my persistence in pestering her for tickets paid off! Cue – Jie, have you got the tickets yet? Jie, where are the tickets? Jie, hurry get me tickets!

So I went to grab a bite and went through the pics taken during the autograph session. I narrowed them down to around 45 pics. Then I saw it – the dreaded “Low Battery” signal. Ah~ I started to panic. Because the digicam requires special battery, I cannot replace them with AA batteries. Originally I planned to film short clips of Ray performing that night, but now my plans will be going down the drain. I switched off the digicam hoping to salvage the last of the batteries. I saw a poster of Kevin Cheng itinerary for the next day and couldn’t resist taking a shot. Bad move – I’ll explain it below.



When I went to the concert entrance around 3pm, people are already queing up. I saw few groups of Energy (Taiwanese boyband) fans camping since noon – and it was a hot day. If you are a Malaysian, you will understand my definition of hot. I’m wearing a thin spaghetti top, yet I’m desperately seeking shelter in air conditioned places. Went back to the mall and bought some minerals water. I figured out that I would need to queue early too if I want to get a good spot, which I did. Luckily a cute guy nearby was handing out cardboard fans. By the time my sis arrived, it was already crowded despite 3 hours away from the official time. It wasn’t boring at all as I can see the artiste rehearsing – they set up huge screens around the area. Listened to Hakken and Alan Tam’s singing and also saw Ron practicing a dance sequence.

The gate opened around 6pm and people nearly stampede each other to get in. They pass out whistles and pong bong sticks as the people enter. As I’m very up front, I manage to grab a really great spot – only to regret it later. It turns out that I have wandered into the Energy fans batch = underage, screaming teenagers that renders me deaf even before the concert begins. It was too late to move away. So I was trapped in between fanatic Energy fans, over eager Mayday fans and crazy in-betweens. I have this urge to strangle all of them. Or maybe I’m getting too old for this. They keep screaming “Energy, Energy!” and reporters started to take pics. I dodge as hard as I can (I’m NOT Energy fans! God have pity on me!). The concert kicks off nearly an hour late because the VIPs – those datuk and datin were fashionably late. I can’t blame the people to be pissed off during his long speech. The people actually cheered when they heard “akhir kata” in his speech!

Hakken started to sing first and his famous “Red Day” geared up the moods. The long list goes on, and the impatient brats started to yell Energy! Give me a break. They can’t hear you! Save your breath when they really APPEAR. Those rude ignorant kids also booed the other artiste so that their precious band performs as soon as possible. And I’m stuck in a spot in between them, wedge at the front. OMG! I’m so ashamed if I’m being mistaken as one of them. No offense to other normal Energy fans, another Energy fans standing nearby whispered to me that I was unlucky to meet their infamous counterpart. However, they are nice, cute high school students, when they keep quite. I’m rendered deaf by their yelling. Can’t they have more vocabulary that the word Energy and AHHHHH?

Emme Wong mime in her first number but it was acceptable as she showed some nifty dance moves. Hins Cheung suddenly appeared and stole the limelight. They both then approached the fence (my side) and sang “Rasa Sayang” with us. I shake his hands briefly and also Oscar Li’s. God forbid, I think we appeared on TV singing on top of our lungs (I actually saw myself on the paper, luckily it’s small: P). Finally Ray, Ron and Kevin appeared. Ron wore a hot pink shirt over a dark vest and pants, Ray wore a white suit over a white t-shirt (with a red heart) and a pair of jeans. Kevin wore a white vest with black tie and pants. Ray’s dressing is the most striking among them. Cool, yet comfy looking.



Ron performed first with his single “Don’t Blame Her”. I managed to take a short clip of his performance. I thought the battery can last until Ray’s performance. But then Kevin came out and sang “Triangle Two Sides”. I got greedy and took a clip – which I regret. The battery died on me four seconds into recording. Argh!!! I hate it! If only Ray performed first! I would rather spend all the batteries on them! Darn! I’m cursing at myself! Ray sang and I was thinking that it’s about time he should come out with his first album compilation. After they sang their songs, Ray and Ron tossed some signed posters into the crowd while Kevin hit some signed tennis balls out. Hey, his tennis skill is not bad. Before leaving, Ron removed his shirt and showed the audiences some dance moves. First it was slow, then teasing and lastly, his specialty fast dances. Too bad my batteries ran out, or I would film this part as well, especially the ‘teasing’ part.

Mayday and Energy also performed. I’m actually a secret Mayday fan, but I didn’t yell out loud just in case I got bashed up by the Energy fans. Mayday announced that they might hold a concert in Malaysia this year. Oh, the joy! By the time Hins performed, it was already past midnight. I wanted to stay but if I stayed longer, I would be spewing stomach acids since I didn’t ate anything after lunch. In the end, I listened to my ‘gut’ instincts and left to grab a Gatorade at 7/11. But Hins’ performance, that voice of angel made me persist until his last song. I only left the area when Alan Tam appeared. With all due respect, I really want to listen to his performance but I’m really feeling unwell. Therefore, I would really appreciate it if someone can tell me what happened afterwards as I won’t be able to watch the reruns since I have no astro.

My ears were still buzzing at this moment. I didn’t realize how badly my hearings were damaged (hope they are not long term!) until I realized it’s the second night and yet I still hear a sharp buzzing noise – I asked my sis and she replied she didn’t hear anything. If this continues, I will see a doctor tomorrow. I AM getting too old for these. One lesson I’ve learned, must bring: 1. Food and water, 2. EAR PLUG, 3. Binoculars, 4. Mini electric fan, and 5. Portable stool/chair. Oh yeah, and stay away from fans grouping.

What do I get in the end? I do have some fun, though ending up with sore neck and hearing impair is not in my definition of ‘fun’. At least I got to see Ray, hear Hakken, Mayday and Hins singing live!

The end.p.s. I will upload the pics and clip later today. Do check to see when I update this post. By the way, is there any alternative to upload clip other than using yousendit? Really appreciate it!

Updates!

Clips (they are pretty short since I ran out of batt)
Ron
http://s23.yousendit.com/e.aspx?id=1TKZRXA39MMML0SK2A5NR0ADO6
or
http://rapidshare.de/files/2496341/ron.wmv.html

Kevin
http://s35.yousendit.com/e.aspx?id=1B51ZMBW6GMTV01B85U84CGIRK or
http://rapidshare.de/files/2496332/kevin.wmv.html