Thursday, December 28, 2006

Hi Everyone, Happy New Year!

We've got good news! Swedish singer songwriter Jens Lekman is coming to town and Troubadours alongwith Ain and Junk Magazine are proud to present him in concert at Little Havana on 20 January, 9pm. Price of admission is RM30 (with 1 soft drink) and RM35 (with 1 beer). Opening for Jens will be Lurks, Laila's Lounge and Jerome Kugan. Hurray!























Don't know who Jens is? Don't know where Little Havana is? Go here.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Monday, November 06, 2006

Good news, everyone! Troubadours will be back with a special gig for Junk magazine's Fortnight series of concerts on 17 December at a new venue, Atrium, Asian Heritage Row, 8:30pm. Our line-up so far: Lightcraft, Deserters, Azmyl Yunor & The Sigarettes and Panda Head Curry. And yep, there will be our ever popular Open Mic section. Spread the word. Tell your pets and parents about it. More updates soon.

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Got this SMS from Peter Hassan Brown just now.

"Jack Nathan guitarist from 360 Degree Head Rotation passed away last night in an accident. Wake @ 6, Jalan SS3/32. Body arriving 6pm tonight. Funeral 4pm tomorrow Kg Tunku crematorium."

We're very sad about this piece of news. Jack was a good friend, excellent guitarist and above all a wonderful person. Godspeed Jack wherever you may be.
















Rafil and Jack at a Troubadours gig last year.

















Jack tuning up his electric.

Monday, August 07, 2006

Sad news, everyone....

We found out yesterday at our monthly Troubaganger Bodega KL gig that it will be closed down in mid-September.

To end it ceremoniously, we'll be organising three Troubaganger gigs there

30 August - Merdeka Eve Special
3 September - Voices From Next Door CD Launch

and a Finale show to be confirmed...

See you at the gigs...

Friday, August 04, 2006



Yup, sad but true..our monthly gig at La Bodega, Tengkat Tong Shin is coming to an End. And guess what, so is our other gig at KLPac! After discussing with our co organizers (our good friends Ian and Meng Jin) at KLpac, we've decided its time to take a looooonnnnggg break la...

BUT!! we'll probably have a few shows here and there (will keep y'all updated) around town la...in support of our compilation cd 'Voices from Next door, and maybe a year end gig ..(fingers crossed!)

So this coming sunday is our 'last' Troubadours/ Open doors gig at KLpac for this year. Please do come and make it a good one ok? Below are some info of some of the cool performers and film that we have lined up for you, check it out..



About the Musicians

Peter Brown is a solo acoustic artist who has been writing songs since the 1970s. He released his first album, "Young & Foolish" in 1979. It was followed by two other albums, "Wild Place in the Sun" (1981) and "The Searcher" (1984). After relocating to Malaysia in 1984, he started his own company Lemang Music and formed Passion with Markiza. They subsequently released two albums "Open Secret" (1993) and "Love & Music" (1996). His critically acclaimed fourth solo album "Warm" was released in 2001. Peter and Markiza has since formed a five-piece named Soft Touch and released an album with the band.

Sherry has been a street musician for a number of years now. In fact, he is one of the pioneers who started the busking scene in Kuala Lumpur. Along the way, he completed a few recording sessions as a guitarist and backup vocalist. He has also performed in a few clubs with various bands and recently started venturing into the singer-songwriter scene. One of his songs, Sighyoung, is featured in the singer songwriter compilation released by Troubadours in 2006.

Panda Caput capitis Curry? A loud manus manu consisto of men. Exitosus, etiamnunc, molior. Loving totus praeter qui discrepo per lemma. They mos adepto quis they volo! Etiam, vero. Illic est scilicet super ut. Panda Caput capitis Curry est an urbanus lifestyle. They volo futurus vestri amicus. They volo sumo vos domus quod hug vos quod loco vos in suum propinquus per ceterus amicitia they have brought domus communico suum diligo quod magninamity. They mos nutritor vos per victus scraps ex suum valde own patella. Quod subsequens ut vos adepto totus nutritional supplements vos postulo subolesco futurus teres tener populus. Oh etiam.


About the Short-Film by HAKIM

Romantiknya ISA captures the untold stories of I.S.A. detainees in Malaysia. Since 1960, more than 10 000 people were detained under the I.S.A. act but there are not many people out there who know the real stories behind it. The short-film will feature interviews with ex-detainees, lawyers, NGOs and the public. It was the winner of the Freedom Filmfest in 2005.


Status : Active Category : General
Duration : 20 August 2006 Venue : IndiCine
Price : RM12
Presenter : Troubadours Enterprise and KLPac



Tuesday, July 25, 2006

UNCLOGGED returns!

It's been a while. But Unclogged's back! For those who don't know, Joe Kidd's Unclogged series of concerts at the original No Black Tie was one of the shows that inspired us to do Troubadours. We got details about next week's gig from an email that Joe sent us. Check out ricecooker.kerbau.com for more info.

Friday, August 4th 2006
Little Havana, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL
Admission: RM15 (+ first free drink)
Door Opens: 8.30 PM

featuring
FORCE VOMIT - Singapore's joget lambak-revivalist
REFLEX REACTIONS – improv-duo Yandsen & Siew-Wai Kok
THE MINDLESS SHOW – Shah Alam's latest punk sensation featuring members of Disgruntled
KILLEUR CALCULATEUR - Abrasive post-punk, ex-members of Sgt Weeners Arm & Utarid
HANDSOME RAIS - Breathlessly suave, debonair rib-tickler from the decadent 70s
YR DAWG - Yet unformed probably malformed foetus from the union of ex -Vertical Speed/DISH & Deflowered


All of whom lean towards the more abrasive end of the sonic spectrum. Thank God. We were getting a bit tired of our acoustic guitars. Screeeccch!

Monday, July 24, 2006

Finally it's OUT! We present to you "VOICES FROM NEXT DOOR"

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

That's what the cover of the CD looks like. For those who don't know what it's all about, it's the compilation CD we've been working on for the past few months, featuring 24 songs by 24 solo singer songwriters and bands, most of who have played at our shows previously. We're so happy to finally get it yesterday from the CD printers. Yippee!

We previewed some of the tracks off it on the Sunday night Clash radio show on Red FM 104.9, with Daryl Goh and Zack Yusof the past two weekends. Those of you who heard it will know that it's choc-ful of goodies! Yes!

For now, it's available personally from the three Troubadours (Azmyl, Jerome and Sei Hon) for RM30 each. We'll update you when it'll be available in the stores - we're still sorting our distribution. If you don't know us, come to any of the Troubadours gigs. We'll be there!

The tracklisting for the CD is as such:

CD1

01. Broken Scar – Venus In September
02. Izzy Mohamed – Pelangi
03. Yuri – Red Dress
04. Sherry – Sighyoung
05. Jasemaine Gan – Syurga Di Bumi
06. Rizal Hefni – Some Time For Yourself
07. Fathulistiwa Soundscapes – Sendiri
08. Jerome Kugan – Song For The Service Industry
09. Meor – Hari-Hari Autistik
10. Warren Chan – I Won’t Forget
11. Rhapsody – So Scared
12. Ian Chow – It’s OK

CD2
13. Mei Chern – Do You See Me Like You
14. Tan Sei Hon – These Days
15. Zack Yusof – 24 Hours
16. Izuan Shah – Endless Summer
17. Azmyl Yunor – Flesh
18. Oddstar – Andai
19. Nightlife Camera – No Pretending
20. Estrella – Take It Slow

21. Imam – I Don’t Know What It Is
22. Ariff Akhir – When I Am King
23. Ida Lisa – Breakthrough
24. Reza Salleh – A Relic Is What I Live In


Also, please also look out for the official CD launch party... we haven't got a date yet for now... but soon!

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Saturday, July 08, 2006

We were featured in a little write up in Star Two today about our appearance on Clash at Red FM this Sunday. Tune in as we play songs from the compilation CD! And talk about the singer songwriter scene. Don't think we'll be able to swear and curse but look out for the euphemisms. ;-)

The Star Online > eCentral > Tv & Radio



Voices on Clash

The KL Sing Song 2006 fest is scheduled for next week. The Voices from Next Door compilation is also slotted for a launch at the fest. It is heady times for those in the local singer-songwriter circuit and Clash on Red fm this Sunday pays tribute to the unsung heroes behind this scene.

Starting 10pm, Clash listeners will be the first on the block to preview tracks from the Voices from Next Door compilation, featuring 24 tracks across two CDs. The compilation, pieced together by the Troubadours Enterprise, unleashes music from Azmyl Yunor, Meor, Nightlife Camera, Fathulistiwa Soundscapes, Jasemaine Gan, Broken Scar, Izuan Shah, Tan Sei Hon, Reza Salleh, Jerome Kugan and more.

The Voices from Next Door compilation contributors to feature on Clash this Sunday.
With an array of singer-songwriter styles spanning folk, indie pop, jazz, blues and beyond, Voices from Next Door is a compilation to write home about. The curators of the compilation – Jerome Kugan, Tan Sei Hon and Azmyl Yunor – will be at the Clash studios to introduce the music.

With parallels drawn to Scotland’s Fence Collective (a folk army), the Klang Valley singer-songwriter movement has found a champion in the Troubadours collective, a bunch of musicians aiming to build a platform of opportunity for the niche music circuit.

Also featured on the show this weekend is the weekly bag of new records that have been delivered to Clash towers.

Suggestions to (clash@thestar.com.my). Listen online at www.red1049.com.my.

The Star operates Red fm.



© 1995-2006 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)

Monday, June 26, 2006

VOICES FROM NEXT DOOR update

We just finished mastering the compilation and will be taking it to the printers this week. Yippee!!!

And yup, you guessed right. We're fu*king excited!!! To celebrate, we're having a little listening party at Zouk's The Loft this Friday night, 30 June, from 8-10pm, when we're going to play the two CDs (121 minutes and 40 seconds total running time!).

Unfortunately, we can't accommodate for everyone cause it's only really meant for the singer songwriters who contributed to listen to plus a few friends and members of the music press.

If you want to come anyway, you'll have to pay RM20 to get in. Yes, it's a bit dear. But that's the admission entry for Twilight Action Girl, a night of sweet rawking alternative music and rah rah debauchery courtesy of DJs Bunga, Ribut and Xu!!! That starts at10pm after our little listening party. We have to say thank you to Twilight Action Girl and Zouk for hosting us.

If you want to catch the songs of your favourite singer songwriters, come early as we'll play them according to the tracklisting above, starting at 8pm sharp. No soundchecks so no delay... LOL.

About the release date for the CD, we don't have one yet. But it'll definitely be ready when KL Sing Song 2006 swings around. So watch out for it there! And we'll also definitely be organising a launch party (or several) for the CD. And yep, so you should definitely look out for that too!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

News of Voices From Next Door, the compilation CD we're putting together, came out in The Star (Star Two, T14) yesterday. The link to the online version is here. The process of putting it together is going well. We've sent it out for mastering. Should be done by the end of this week. And then it's off to the printers. We're also planning to hold a listening party sometime the end of June for friends. It'll probably be out in early July. We'll put up details about exact dates, the full track listing and where it will be available soon. Look out for it!

****

The Star Online > eCentral > Music



DIG THE NEW BREED


Singer-songwriters Azmyl Yunor and Jasemaine Gan to feature on the Voices From Next Door compilation.

THE very existence of the homegrown singer-songwriter circuit has been one of the stories of the live scene here. And contrary to popular belief, it has not been the Pete Teo show. In the last two years, the pool of talent has widened with many young and emerging names staking a claim on stage with independent music derived from various genres.

Built along the lines of Scotland’s Fence Collective (a folk army), the Klang Valley singer songwriter movement has found a champion in the Troubadours collective, a loosely assembled bunch of music fans, out to make a difference in the music circuit.

Arguably, the Troubadours gang is not the only active singer-songwriter collective currently operating in the live scene. But it is definitely taking things a step further with the Voices From Next Door compilation due next month.

The compilation, featuring 24 tracks across two CDs, will feature material from Azmyl Yunor, Meor, Nightlife Camera, Fathulistiwa Soundscapes, Jasemaine Gan, Broken Scar, Izuan Shah, Tan Sei Hon, Reza, Jerome Kugan, Zack Yusof, Rhapsody, Mei Chern and more.

With an array of singer-songwriter styles spanning folk, indie pop, jazz, blues, Goth folk and beyond, Voices From Next Door is as diverse as it gets when it comes to home town music. It also represents a collaborative effort between Troubadours and the artistes.

The compilation, as reported by a Troubadours source, is officially supported by Ministry of Culture, Arts & Heritage, KLPac and Artsee.net. In related news, the KL Sing Song festival seminar/workshop is schedule to roll at the KLPac on July 14-15.

Performances from the artistes featured in Voices From Next Door are expected.

For more details on the compilation release date and Troubadours activities, email (troubadourskl@gmail.com) or browse (www.troubadourskl.blogspot.com).



© 1995-2006 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)

Thursday, June 08, 2006

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. TICTING DETAILS ARE OUT NOW! Check this blog regularly for updates.

***

KL SING SONG 2006 singer songwriters

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

***

Performance 1
14 July, 8:30pm
Pentas Dua @ KLPAC

featuring Mia Palencia, Shelley Leong, Reza Salleh, Ariff Akhir, Pak Pandir and Fathulistiwa Soundscapes
Tickets: RM25 Adult; RM15 Student, Elderly & Disabled (limited to 50 seats).

Workshops 1, 2, 3 & 4
15 July, 1pm to 5:30pm

Indicene @ KLPAC
"Singing With Style" – Shelley Leong; "Lyrics & Creativity" – Pak Pandir; "Make It Live" – Shanon Shah; "The Indie Path" – Pete Teo
Tickets: RM20 Adult & Student.

Performance 2
15 July, 8:30pm
Pentas Dua @ KLPAC

featuring Pete Teo, Shanon Shah, Mei Chern, Meor, Broken Scar and 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.



Note: We'll be having preview shows for KL Sing Song at Bangsar Shopping Centre on 24 June. Look out for that! More info in the next coupla days.

We've also created a blogsite especially for KL Sing Song 2006. Check it out!



TROUBAGANGER @ FETE DE LA MUSIQUE













In the meantime, you can catch us (and a whole load of other musicians)
at Fete de La Musique at Alliance Francaise, 15 Jalan Gurney on 17 June. There are four performance spaces altogether, with acts playing various genres of music. The main draw is La Casa, the French band that's flown in especially for the fest. But we heard rumours that Ning Baizura's going to make an appearance. Maybe she'll sing a few Piaf numbers, eh? Full list of performers and performance times *soon* to be found at kl.alliancefrancaise.org.my).

If you don't care for "foreign music" and *really really* wanna catch Troubaganger acts, we'll be happening at the Indoor Stage from 1pm to 3pm, and then again at the same place from 9pm to 11pm.

Notice: An early version of the flyer for the event has us mistakenly billed as "TROUBAGANDERS" - we have since berated the organisers about this but it's too late to make changes to the flyers. Are we people or are we geese? We'll be making sarky comments about this during our performances no doubt. So watch out for some xenophobic mudslinging at dim-witted frogs... LOL... no lah... we're polite people, you know!

Some Troubaganger acts set to make an appearance (God willing!) at the "Fate Deee Lala Muzische" are: Jerome Kugan, Tan Sei Hon, Azmyl Yunor, SuperBar, Malokai Gruv, Zach Tay, Plush Velvet, Broken Scar, Dalin & Edy, Nick Razman, Hanafi, Imam, The Wans, and Go (featuring Jaz, Zalila and Jerral) plus more...


TROUBADOURS/OPEN DOORS @ KLPAC


















On
18 June, if you really really enjoyed our outing at the French picnic, we'll be having our monthly Troubadours/Open Doors at KLPAC featuring The Sofa Sessions, Wei Jun and Silent Scenery. Plus we'll be screening the documentary of KL Sing Song 2005 that Kino-i did for us. Come lah!
VOICES FROM NEXT DOOR

More announcements! This time it's about a double compilation CD we're putting together called "Voices From Next Door" featuring songs by 24 Malaysian singer songwriters. We're still working on it right now and will probably be out by the beginning of July. We can't reveal the tracklisting yet, but we can reveal the names of the singer songwriters who are featured in the compilation. A drum roll please...

* Broken Scar
* Izzy Mohamed
* Yuri
* Sherry
* Jasemaine Gan
* Rizal Hefni
* Fathulistiwa Soundscapes
* Jerome Kugan
* Meor
* Warren Chan
* Rhapsody
* Ian Chow
* Mei Chern
* Tan Sei Hon
* Zack Yusof
* Reza Salleh
* Azmyl Yunor
* Oddstar
* Ariff Akhir
* Imam
* Izuan Shah
* Ida Lisa
* Melina William
* (and maybe Jit Oei aka Nightlife Camera)

Thursday, June 01, 2006



Troubaganger Anniversary Show
June 4, Sunday, 8pm
La Bodega KL, Tengkat Tong Shin
RM5 entry


featuring
Superbar
Azmyl Yunor
Ida Liza
Tan Sei Hon
Hanafi
Sharanya Manivannan
Mekarnya Satu Kematian
Alan Lim
Jac Kee
Jerome Kugan
& Jasmine Low

Monday, May 15, 2006

Troubadours / Open Doors IV @ 21 May (Sunday)

Troubadours / Open Doors is a monthly series of live performances and short-film screenings jointly organised by KLPac and Troubadours Enterprise. It features talented Malaysians who write, perform and / or present original materials. The series serves as a much-needed platform for such talents to showcase their work. Troubadours / Open Doors takes place on the third Sunday of each month at KLPac. Those interested to showcase their work, please email biodata, song lyrics (for musicians) or synopsis (for filmmakers), high resolution photo to troubadourskl@gmail.com and ian@klpac.com

Time: 3.00pm
Venue: IndiCine, KLPac
Tickets: RM12 only

F E A T U R I N G

Mei Chern
An open mic session at NBT in 2002 led her to billed gigs at The Songwriter's Round, Acoustic Jam 13 and opening set for Amir Yussof. Her single, Feels Like Falling / Games We Play debuted at No.1 on muisccanteen.com!

Izzy Mohamed
Izzy's passion was sparked by R&B and soul music. Her journey as a singer songwriter started with a stint at Fete de la Musique. Since then, she's formed a duo outfit which plays pop jazzy tunes with Jeremy Lim in 'Plush Velvet'.

Saer Ze
Starting out with an R&B / hip hop outfit, followed by a rock band and numerous open mic sesions, Saer Ze has finally found her musical direction in the world of electronic music. Her recent debut, Shameless, has even led her to an AIM nomination.

D O C U M E N T A R Y

"Alice Lives Here" ( updated version of Clean Shit )
This award-winning documentary tells the moving and powerful tale of how the villagers of a small, uknown village unite to fight against the construction of the largest municipal waste incinerator in Asia. The entire story is told through the eyes of one villager, Alice Lee.

Box Office:
KLPac 03-4047 9000 or TAS@BSC 03-2094 9400

www.klpac.com / www.troubadourskl.blogspot.com

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Friday MAY 19: KL SING SONG MINI COLLEGE TOUR
@ TAYLOR'S COLLEGE SUBANG JAYA campus
Sunday MAY 21: TROUBADOURS / OPEN DOORS
@ KLPac, SENTUL WEST

Wednesday MAY 31: KL SING SONG MINI COLLEGE TOUR
@ HELP Institute, PUSAT BANDAR DAMANSARA
flyer/details COMING SOON!

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

TROUBAGANGER Sunday May 7!

















Hello everyone! After the thunderous nationwide celebration (or was it?) of Labour Day on May 1st, it's time for the second round of worker's playtime for you discerning listeners out there! Our May installment looks very interesting indeed. Bring the family (and friends, lovers, boss, colleagues, blind date etc...!).

@La Bodega KL, Tengkat Tong Shin
time: 8pm onwards as usual!
entry: RM5
Happy Hour All Night!


FEATURING!

Broken Scar

No stranger to the Troubadours/Troubaganger series, early listeners will remember that Broken Scar began as a solo singer-songwriter outfit in January 2003 just Kevin and his trusty acoustic guitar. These days Broken Scar features a lineup including Alda Tan (Cosmic Funk Express) on bass and Manshaan (Dragon Red) on drums, with Kevin still at the helm. The band has just released their debut album Midnight In St. Kilda in last month. Best known for the song 'Scratch' which went to #1 for 2 consecutive weeks on the independent charts on Xfresh FM , audiences have been noted to request for the song to be played (one even cheekily yelled out ' Garu' the literal equivalent in Malay) and singing along to its infectious chorus! Visit - http://www.brokenscar.com


Shock System

Local guru Joe Kidd described these hard-rockin' Bangi lads as, "...playing a mixture of metallic hardcore, heavy but groovy breakdowns, slight rap-rock elements and soaring modern rock/grunge bits, Shock System is pretty hard to pin down. The band not only mixes it all up but also very progressive in its collective vision, always working for something a bit different from the rest of the herd...Not only that, but the band also plays and sings well, singer Xumb has huge pair of lungs and he can roar with the best of them. In short, the band delivers, tight and full of might. It’s not like a bunch of talentless airhead dudes trying to ape MTV’s hardcore." Hot off the heels of their new Stagnantation Disorder EP, their debut appearance at Troubaganger will be special indeed as they will be playing an acoustic set! Check 'em out - http://www.myspace.com/shocksystem


Jasemaine Gan

Jasemaine started out writing songs in 2002 for two reasons that inspired her : Firstly because she had a competitive spirit (You see, her brother Jason was participating in a Battle of the Band competition and his band was required to perform one of their own compositions. So Jasemaine hadthe thought of 'If my brother can write a song, so can i!' Thattriggered her to start toying with the keyboard). Secondly because she was influenced by Taiwanese singer songwriter Jay Chou...but "that was back in 2002 lah", she adds. Anyway, after four years of writing, Jasemaine landed herself asa MobiMusic artiste (available for download at http://www.mobimusic.com.my/) where she recently performed at Genting Arena of Stars along with other local Mandarin artistes. She is also an active member of thelocal singer-songwriter scene and is back again to grace Troubaganger!

Oddstars

Oddstars have been around since end of 1999 and have been gigging and making music ever since their name changed from Drugstore to Oddstar13 and now Oddstars. Their last gig was at Baybeats 2005 and they last appeared at the last Troubaganger open mic, very chillin indeed! Currently, on top of being busy with their carriers, they are working on more new materials and is in process of recording an EP very soon. With the talents of Alang the go-lasts with everything, Pedd Farhana the gorgeous supermodel, Boy Gembrod the slap-machine and Aki the yikkey pornstar, you will witness the musical connection that bonds them together. To quote them, "Happy checking us out, cheers !" Visit - http://www.myspace.com/oddstar13

Justin Wong

Currently a communications student, this Bangsar kid has been writing songs since he was 16. In those days, he channeled his music through experimenting with home recording. Three years later, his appearance in the independant music scene has just begun to skim the surface after he valiantly took to the the open mic with two songs at the February Troubaganger (with adoring fans in tow!). We welcome him back and look forward to a longer set with more songs and more screaming groupies! Visit - www.wongkeenhing.com/music


INTRODUCING!

Estrella
Mekarnya Satu Kematian

Monday, April 24, 2006

Yes, this is abit overdue, but ...hehehe, here it goes..


The crowd for April’s Troubadours / Open Doors was way better than last month despite the rain. Though we had a really good performances by The Rhapsody, Jerome kugan and others, as well the really cool short films by Tan Hui Koon, Nasim Esa, Liew Seng Tat etc, we didnt get enough audiences (mainly due to the heavy downpour). For that we do apologise to the film makers and performers.
 
This time around, the show got off bit late as we had to wait for (more) people to slowly trickle in! So remember peeps,, please come in on time as a sign of courtesy to the performers and film makers as well as to the other audiences who were punctual.
We started with an open mic session (a first for TOD), with Kevin a.k.a Broken Scar kicking things off. Kevin even managed to slip in a simple contest giving out three copies of his recently released debut album titled “Midnight in St. Kilda”. As usual Kevin delivered an energetic set, though we were abit disappointed he didnt sang material from the new album. For those who missed his set, do catch Broken scar at Troubaganger next month ok? He might even give away some cds!!
 
Imam, a young singer songwriter from Indonesia who is currently studying here is the second act for the open mic session. A mixture of Indo pop and British alternative rock (?), this newcomer is an act to look out for. Don't believe us? Catch him at the next Troubaganger show at La Bodega!
 
In this series, 4 short films by Jimmy Choong, Nik Haslinda, Jeffrey Loh and Chawirat Tan titled “Ada Bola”, “Cermin”, “3 Months Later” and “Burning Sensation” respectively were featured. This time round, all the 4 filmmakers were present at the event to give short commentaries on their film and answered questions that were fielded by the audience. Some of the questiones revolves around the creative aspects behind the films, others were more about logistics. whatever it is, there's seems to be no stopping them from making the kind of films that are intelligent, witty, cheeky and wholly entertaining!!!
 
As for the featured singer songwriters, first up was Ferns, a 5 piece pop band, who brought the audience into a dreamy mood with their mind haunting music arrangement and unique vocal style which incorporates a lot of falsetto. For fans of Travis, etc good news!! they'll be releasing their debut album soon. Watch this space!
 
Next was Pak Pandir, a veteran performer singing a mixture of favourite old and new tunes. Most of the audiences, even the younger generation, seem to recall Pak Pandir’s award winning hit back in the 90s, “Yang Remeh-Temeh” when he sang it. Being a veteran, Pak Pandir definitely knows how to woo the crowd and got the audience singing along and laughing at his witty lyrics.

Paul Lau, one of the founders and spokesperson for Tugu, went on stage to explained the collective's philosophy and history .A jamming session by Tugu Drum Circle at the main lobby area brought the gig to a grand finale. The whole building reverberated with the sometimes frenzied and catchy beats of the percussions. The session also involved members of the audience playing various percussion instruments, which lasted for about an hour.The dedication and passion for drumming is visible from the not so young to the youngest member (7 year old!!) as they relentlessly attack the skins. Paul and another prominent young singersongwriter Reza even went around enticing the audience with the universal language of the rhythm to get everyone into the groove. WHOA!!! was that a cool ending to a great show or what?!!

Kudos and thanks to all who came made it a success. Special thanks to Norman Teh and ChanWAn@ Tendouji for designing those really extra cool poster/ flyers, To Albert and friends for past photos, To Yue May for the latest pics (coming soon!!) and to the audiences, thank you very much, hope to see y'all soon!!


Ian Chow, SH, AY and JK

Thursday, April 06, 2006



Troubadours / Open Doors is a monthly series of live performances and short-film screenings. Launched in February, it is jointly organised by KLPac and Troubadours Enterprise and takes place on the third Sunday of each month at KLPac's IndiCine.

The core objective of this series is to feature talented Malaysians who have written or produced 100% original material. It is also driven towards introducing new musicians or filmmakers to the local scene and serves as a much-need platform for such talents to showcase their work.

In April, we have lined up an eclectic mix of talented musicians including Pak Pandir, Tugu Drum Circle and Ferns. There will also be short-film screenings between the music performances by indie filmmakers - Jeffrey Loh, Jimmy Choong, Chawirat Tan Paisarn (presented by MioMii) and Nik Haslinda.
Those interested to showcase their music or short-films, please e-mail: biodata, song lyrics (musicians), synopsis (filmmakers) and photo to ian@klpac.com or troubadourskl@gmail.com:

About the Musicians

Pak Pandir aka Azmi Ali is a veteran local singer songwriter whose career has spanned more than 2 decades. A champion of Malay folk genre, he is an entertaining yet critical voice whose songs touch on social concerns.

Tugu Drum Circle consists of people who all share the love of playing drums and percussions. The aim of the group is to promote the playing of drums and percussion to society at large. They meet every Sunday at Lake Gardens.

Ferns used to be a loud emo rock outfit known as This Body Broken. It has since been renamed Fern and is now known as a lean, mean, green pop song machine. The band is in the midst of recording a full-length album.

About the Filmmakers

3 Months Later
Jeffrey Loh is a freelance filmmaker who grew up watching a lot of Chinese operas and Shaw Brother's sword-fighting movies. He was inspired by films like Yellow Earth, Awakenings, The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Silence of the Lamb to be a filmmaker.

Ada Bola?
Jimmy Choong
is a storyboard artist, clay animator, editor, art director and videographer.

Burning Sensation
Chawirat Tan is an inspired advertising student. She will be showcasing her very first short-film at Troubadours/Open Doors. Woohoo!!

Cermin
Nik Haslinda is a freelance director, producer and editor. She has been volunteering for arts events and workshops since she was 8 years old.

For more Info, please do visit www.Klpac.com

Hope to see y'll this sunday!! AND, for those who like jam with percussions, do bring any instrument/ or sound making objects so that we can jam with Tugu Drum Circle ITS GONNA BE A HECK OF A SHOW!!!!

Saturday, April 01, 2006























Here's our flyer for Wayang Kata!

Thursday, March 30, 2006

WAYANG KATA, word is spoken.

as you may have noticed on the blog masthead,
there's an enticingly-titled event that's happening
at La Bodega KL on 5 April, which is next
Wednesday
. well, to elaborate: it's a spoken
word event organised by Troubaganger in
collaboration with The British Council.

we're very excited about this cause we've
never really organised one whole event totally
dedicated to spoken word (not merely a reading).

appearing are Francesca Beard, a renowned
performance poet from the UK. plus our own
local band of poets: Bernice Chauly,
Rahmat Haron,
Sharanya Manivannan,
Ruhayat X
, Fahmi Fadzil, Jasmine Low,
Pang Khee Teik
and Jerome Kugan.

and for anyone who wants to read their stuff,
there's going to be an Open Mic section.
so bring it on, y'all. and don't be shy.

come one. come all. it's only RM5 to get in and
it starts at 8pm.

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Hey y'all, here's the flyer (plus bios!) for our next Troubaganger on 2 April.
It's gonna be fantastic. We've got Fathul, who's just released his
Romantikarat CD. We got Couple, who are about to release their
CD in the States. We got dancer Wei Jun who's singing his own songs
live for the first time. And we've got Yuri, who's putting in a rare
solo performance. And last but not least, we got SkyJuiceCoffee
to share some more of their funky music! So come one, come all!
And tell your friends about it!

And don't forget! We've also got Open Mic for anyone who wants
to share their thing, be it singing, poetry, a little dance, magic trick...
whatever! So far we have one confirmed open-mic act: Two Aside.

























Couple
One of the few true blue power pop bands in the region, Couple has been plying its trade for about 10 years now, dedicating itself to remind people of the virtues and magic of 'the song', and the power of the pop!! Taking cues from bands like The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Big Star, The Who, The Raspberries, The Beat, The Rooks, Enuff Znuff and Weezer, Couple has kept on doing what they do best and hope to put a smile (and hopefully a headbang or toe-tap or two) on all youse guys' faces. But, making you wet your pants will make us equally happy too!! Visit - http://www.myspace.com/couple


Fathullistiwa Soundscapes
Fathul terms his work on Romatikarat as "pop pontianak" (vampire pop), that is grounded in "zaman silam yang akan datang" (the futuristic past). Yes, it's pretty out of this world, especially if you have been cooped up in nothing but Akademi Fantasia's world of manufactured pop. It's 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! Visit - http://www.myspace.com/romantikarat

Wei Jun
No stranger in the Malaysian performing arts scene, Wei Jun's first full-length solo SINFUL LEGS SACRED BODY premiered at Sutra Dance Theatre (artistic director Ramli Ibrahim) in July 2002. It received a nomination for Best Solo Dance Performer for The Cameronian Arts Awards 2002 and Weijun was also nominated for Most Promising Artist. A multidisciplinary artiste, he contributes not only as a dancer, choreographer and dance instructor but also
as a singer, songwriter, actor, TV program host and script writer among other things. Visit - http://www.wjpowerhouse.com

SkyJuiceCoffee
Comprising of Myo (Vocal & Guitar), Hazlami (Drums) and Zhafran (Bass), these PJ-based lads have been paying their dues and plying their trade around the local circuit, parties, colleges and schools with their brand of infectious indie-pop-punk, winning band competitions and the hearts of new fans along the way. Visit - http://www.myspace.com/skyjuicecoffee


Yuri
Formerly a slave to the corporate world, Yuri left to pursue his dreams, although what dreams they are still elude him. Currently a music composer at TwoAM studio. Also does scriptwriting for teeveemusic show Aftershock. Plays with bands Wednesday and FrequencyCannon. Wants to help local musicians with ProjectBazooka.com. Visit - http://www.projectbazooka.com

Saturday, March 25, 2006

ACOUSTIC GIGS HAPPENING THIS SUNDAY (26/3/06)!

- HATI Launch and Charity Fair
where? ABC Market, Courthyard, Plaza Mont Kiara
what time? 11.00 am-4.30 pm
info? http://www.hati.org.my

- Shady Tree Circle: Green Acoustic Fingers
where? Desa Blonde, Kg. Sg. Lui, Hulu Langat
what time? 12.00 noon-5.00 pm
info? http://www.kampongfest.com/shadytree_index.html

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Hi Everyone,

We're still designing the flyer for our Troubaganger 2nd April show at La Bodega KL. But we have no qualms about leaking info about our exciting line-up of performers. In alphabetical order:

Couple
Fathulistiwa Soundscapes
Skyjuice Coffee
Wei Jun
Yuri

And we have a little cover charge of RM5. OK what? Heh heh... anyway, see you there!!!

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

















Hey Everyone, we've got a Troubadours/Open Doors gig at KLPAC this Sunday, 19 March. Yes, it's F1 weeekend at Sepang. But, you know, we singer songwriters are a strange bunch. Celebrate local talent at Indicene with us! Ha ha ha... we've got Rhapsody (we love these two girls) and Khai (woo-hoo!) and films by Liew Seng Tat and Tan Hui Koon (whoopee!). Plus, you can drink cause Indicene is a bar! Yeay! It's only RM15 and starts at 5pm!

Thursday, March 02, 2006






















Flyer for this Sunday's gig! Pass it around!

Tuesday, February 28, 2006








Abigail DeVries
, writer and keyboardist for Ferns, wrote a feature on the singer songwriter scene in KL, talking about its rise in the late 90s up to its present state, in the March issue of KLue magazine. Look out for it! It features quotes from singer songwriters Pete Teo, Peter Hassan Brown, Reza Salleh and Jerome Kugan. Ha ha ha. Toot toot!
UNLEASHING POTENTIAL: Celebrating Women in Music

International Women's Day falls on 8 March each year. In conjunction with this special day, Troubaganger's decided to put on a special gig to celebrate this year's theme: "Unleashing Potential" with an all-women line-up. Actually, this time the Troubadours team is taking a bit of a rest from organising duties as Jaz aka Jasmine Low, the organiser Doppelganger (our sister night), and her band of sistas have taken over the steering wheel. We're looking forward to it!!! This special edition of Troubaganger won't just be a celebration of talented women, it'll also be helping to raise money to purchase a guitar or two to be donated to an orphanage for galz. Cool, eh? Come lah!

UPDATE from Jaz:
The guitars will be for House of Peace - a home for galz in Taman Seputeh. Also, any singer/songwriter looking to offer two hours of their time to share some songwriting skills and to teach a couple of basic chords on guitar, pls contact Jaz at openmickl@gmail.com

Troubaganger International Women's Day Special
Sunday, 5 March 2006

La Bodega KL, Tengkat Tong Shin
Show begins 8.30pm
RM20 with a free drink

8.30pm Ida Liza (aka Lisa Zahran)
9.00pm Jasemaine Gan
9.30pm Izzy Mohamed
9.50pm Rhapsody (Nicole & Ywena)
10.10pm Melina William
10.30pm Zalila Lee
11.00pm Lynie
11.30pm Jac Kee (reading)
12.00pm Jaz (reading)

Also, there's going to be a Doppelganger show at No Black Tie on 8th March, the special day itself! Go to Doppelganger's blogsite for more details!
TROUBADOURS/OPEN DOORS
GIG REPORT


Troubadours/Open Doors, 26 February 2006, KLPAC, 3pm

Hey hey, we just did our Troubadours/Open Doors kick-off show at KLPAC. About 80 people came on what at first seemed like a cloudy-drizzly afternoon (which cleared up soon enough) to enjoy performances by Azmyl Yunor, Broken Scar, Ian Chow and Da Praise Project. Plus there were screenings of short films by James Lee, Tan Chui Mui and Azharr Rudin.

To be sure, the Pentas Dua space where the kick-off was held is bigger than the other spaces where we've done previous Troubadours events, and of course that affected the ambience and feel of the show. But still the performances retained their intimate feel.

The show started off with two short films "Dancing Kites" by Azharr Rudin and "Esperando Por Felicidad" by Tan Chui Mui. After that, Broken Scar aka Kevin Teh (plus bassist buddy Alda) delivered a sweet set of his rocking, uplifting songs. Kevin even got the crowd to sing along to one of his songs "Come back down... Won't you come back down!"

Then Ian Chow, a newcomer to the scene and also the guy behind the Open Doors concept, took to the stage, backed up by friend Tony Leo Selvaraj and a percussionist friend (sorry we didn't catch the name, forgive us!) to share with the audience his tender acoustic numbers. After Ian's set, the music took a bit of a break for James Lee's darkly ironic short film "Survivor".

Azmyl Yunor, a perennial favourite at Troubadours, then bravely rocked the mic as the sole soloist of the day. Though one of his guitar strings broke during the middle of his set, he kept the audience fixated and tapping their feet to his irresistible songs. Tony Leo then returned to the stage with four of his friends as Da Praise Project to close the afternoon of wonderful music with their gospel songs.

Thanks to all who came. Thanks to KLPAC for having us.

The next Troubadours/Open Doors show will be held on Sunday, 19 March 2006 at KLPAC, 3pm. A little note: the next show won't be inside Pentas Dua but on the second floor up the stairs at Indicene, KLPAC's own bar. List of featured performers and short films to be screened will be announced here as soon as they're confirmed. See you there!!!

Here's a few nice photos for you to glean through!



















Broken Scar














Broken Scar














Broken Scar














Ian Chow














Ian Chow



















Ian Chow














Azmyl Yunor



















Azmyl Yunor














Azmyl Yunor














Da Praise Project














Da Praise Project














Da Praise Project

And please don't forget our Troubaganger International Women's Day Special this Sunday at La Bodega KL featuring an all-women line-up!!! See you there!!!


The Star Online > Central



A musical collaboration

TROUBADOURS, the brainchild of Azmyl Yunnor, Tan Sei Hon and Jerome Kugan, is a regular music event that has been held around the Klang Valley since April 2005. Originally organised at La Bodega KL as a showcase for local talents to perform their original music, the event has become a get-together for young arts lovers as the shows gained prominence.

The new collaboration with KL Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) has given Troubadours a more exciting venue to continue their efforts. With the better infrastructure, the event has grown to encompass not only music acts but also film screenings by local independent filmmakers.

“Our tagline for Troubadours is ‘Real people, real music.’ We want to feature people with real substance and talent,” said Tan.

They have also been working with several other young arts groups like Doopleganger to organise young events for the arts community.

“It’s very encouraging for us because people just come out of nowhere and play their original music at Troubadours that blows the audiences away. Talents are unearthed at our sessions,” Tan continued.

“We have very supportive audiences and they are usually young people. We meet new faces at every session, which means that word has been going around about our event,” explained Azmyl.

To kickstart their new collaboration with KLPAC entitled Troubadours Open Doors, they featured a mix of old and new acts. The singer-songwriters were Azmyl Yunor, Broken Scar, Ian Chow and Da Praise Project.

The independent filmmakers featured were James Lee, Azharr Rudin and Tan Chui Mui.

“The small space at La Bodega KL was very cosy and playing for the first time in Pentas 2 KLPAC was a little daunting. But, of course, I got used to it after the first song,” said Kevin Teh of Broken Scar.

Troubadours will continue to run on the first Sunday of each month at La Bodega KL while Troubadours Open Doors will run on the third Sunday of each month in KLPAC.

For details, visit www.troubadourskl.blogspot.com



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