Bevlyn Khoo

OK so I’ve been back for 1 week, so maybe it’s about time I share some photos and my voyage!

My Europe trip was packed, with great views + nice friends to catch up + random friendly people (+ horrifying incidents which I may share if I have time)… I was most pleased to catch up with some friends, and also to experience for myself the change from Spring to Summer (i’m curious cos it’s summer all-year round here), and of course La Fete De La Musique (Music festival)!

So I bunked in with a friend who lives very near to Notre Dame, so I walked by this area really often…it’s cool, but after some time, it became too busy and crowded for me cos there were simply too many tourists (the pot calling the kettle black haha).

On the first day there, I went to my favourite corner of Paris, Montmartre. On the way near Sacre Coeur, I saw this lovely couple performing and I was so thrilled. They even performed ‘La Vie En Rose’ without me requesting!

And I had a good time looking at the paintings and all sorts of creativity at Montmartre (and fighting off artists offering to paint portraits of me for free). Then I chanced upon this artist, and I like his work very much. It’s charming that he actually painted for all to see at that time:

Anyway, I was walking so much for the whole trip, there were times I just want to do what the bird did (above). My poooor feeeet!

On the 3rd day, I went to Versailles! I’d been to Paris on other occasions, and this time round, I made sure I do a visit there. I dedicated 1 whole day to it yet I could not finish touring because it’s simply humongous! This is really one of the days when I wish deep in my heart that someone can plonk me and my heavy bag on a cart. The scenery was really breath-taking though:

(Above) The castle at the back and the nicely designed and trimmed garden.

This fountain is not even the middle of the whole area…See how it stretches on and on…

(Above) I really love the flowers…a lot of heart and thought and efforts must have gone into making this so beautiful.. (Below) And these are cute huh! (yes I live in a concrete jungle, deal with my silliness)

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I wish I had more time to just sit there for the whole afternoon, or do some canoeing and picnic… (below)

This room is kinda cool with the harp and the antique piano (I’d want it minus the scary mirror and the curtains). I’d speak with the King later in my dreams

Anyway I just want to say that angels are disguised as old gentlemen in France. 2 stories to support my claim:

1) When I was on my way to Versailles on RER C, I didn’t know I had to change my train to another. I was happily shooting video inside the train, then suddenly an old gentleman called out to me “Versailles!?” “Il faut que vous changiez le train!” (It is necessary that you change the train). I just blindly followed him and be led to the connecting train. Imagine if I didn’t meet him….and he was so nice and friendly to me!

2) I decided to go to Pere Lachaise to visit the tomb of Edit Piaf, and I actually forgot to take a map at the entrance. Initially I thought “Hey i can do this! i have sorta memorised the tombs’ locations!” And I was soooo wrong. After 10-15mins, I realised I was totally lost. And just when I was about to drag my feet back to the entrance, an old man spoke to me from behind. To cut the long story short, he was so nice to offer to be my personal ‘tour guide’ so that I don’t go back to get a map. He took me to the tomb of Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde and some others. I realised I missed Stephane Grappelli’s one!

Tomb of Edith Piaf: I’m really happy I paid my respect to her….And this one is Oscar Wilde’s…with a lot of kisses and ‘i love you’ by his fans…

It’s funny because at the start of the conversation, he told me he lives ‘à coté’ (beside), and I imagined for a split second which tomb he’s ‘living’ next to. I’m crazy…

And ta-dah! Some of the albums I bought…hihi:

Will upload more photos sooooon!! This is probably only 1/3

I totally agree with her that there’s no way one can explain how one genuinely writes a song….More often than not, it’s a passing thought which is captured…and if I am under the right conditions to continue be absorbed into it….a song is born.

And this is such a powerful song, and of course sung by a powerful and very convincing singer…

If you prefer the lyrics version:

I stumbled across this song by Fergie…and I think it is really a beautiful song. Beautiful vocals, beautiful emotions, beautiful words, beautiful melody, beautiful arrangement.

Finally

Now my destiny can begin

Though it will have a different set

Something strange and new is happening…

Ok, this is so cool. Speaking of faith in the Universe, I’m sure I did something like that too when I was reeeeeaally young:

And for hardcore fans, he’s sooooo adorable here.

I’m usually not the kind to be star-struck..but it was cool to see the oversea artists in real life, esp Tanya, Jam and Lala - their singing rock! There were really many songs which I didn’t know and had to turn to Tien-yao to ask “What’s the title of this song?” etc…well well. I gotta hand it to myself for not going to the toilet and not drinking any water from 715pm - 12am, never imagine I could do that. Really happy to be seated with Yet and his lovely wife though (Tanya’s mum was just seated next to Tien-yao haha)

Didn’t bring any good camera, but a memorable experience nevertheless!

This is so tragic….

Sometimes my zest for life, and living it, comes from the surfacing awareness of mortality.

It’s so sad…esp when I see that she had gigs scheduled for November. I don’t know her before I came across the news, but it’s certainly thought-provoking. Listen to her music here. My favourite is Clarity.

So, do you spot the difference?

I was the only non-Korean in the picture, but I thought I blended in quite nicely with the rest. Presenting to you MAYTREE the a cappella group! They are a full-time a cappella group from Korea (in fact one of the top groups). Their concert here on Sat was a success - their blend was superb despite the disappointing sound system, cute presentation, great interaction with the audience though they seldom speak English, creative arrangements of the songs, and loads of talents.

Most ladies will notice the cute guy on the extreme left, but, but, but, the guy on my right (I can’t catch any of their names cos they just don’t register in my memory), despite his kooky look, he is really VERY VERY MAN. I thought my heart skipped a beat when he started singing, esp the korean traditional songs. My korean friend (on my left) dragged him to stand beside me during the photo-taking. I was thinking, “Thanks thanks, how more embarrassing can my life be?”

Extra notes: The girls’ outfit are so kawai, and the percussionist’s (extreme right) vocal drum kit is cool, esp. the “jazz kit”. Brush Brush Brush!

To sample their performance: L.O.V.E, Lion Sleeps Tonight. It’s a bad sample cos ‘live’ is really better x 100 times.

Ok, so I’m no longer indie, but I’m proud to say I’ve strode out indie and been in that phase before to appreciate the process of album-making. This blog entry is dedicated to my indie friends who are throwing a performance next week. The ‘organiser’ is one of the indie artist Yet, who is making this a first in Singapore, and he hopes to make it an annual event to celebrate local music.

So do lend your support by checking them out. Bring many friends along so it’ll be all the merrier!

INDIE Hooray !!! Music Concert Party 2009
<<独立万岁!!!>>
叶敦鸿和独立派户外音乐会

Event: INDIE Hooray 2009 – YET & INDIE Friends Music Concert Party
Venue: Atrium, Level 1, MICA Building
Time: 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Date: 20/09/2009
Ticketing: $12, email indiehooray@gmail.com or call 9155-9325 for tickets booking (*Free Seating)
Official Supporters: J Café@MICA Building, soft.com.sg &
特别表演嘉宾: 讨闹派RazzlePlay, Matthew Quek, Lizz

For more details, pls go to here.

… or at least the panel of judges for the 20th Taiwan’s  prestigious 金曲奖 for Best Newcomer (最佳新人) and Best Composer  (最佳作曲人). ECSTATIC is such an understatement for how I feel.

Only Crowd Lu is capable of carrying off  such a suit, cos he’s weird enough. In fact I’ d feel weird if he wore normal and formal (i.e. boring) clothes like the rest (cough cough). What he wore reflected his music and personality: outstanding and unique.

People who think outside of the box… are so… fresh.

With the passing of MJ, and the winnings of Crowd Lu, my emotions have been very stirred…but the outcome is none other than inspirational. I’m preparing a surprise as a tribute to MJ. It will come true I believe…. with hard work! Wait up!

[Edit: On second thoughts, I think his fashion consultant got the idea from here: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2992019712/tt0094721]

My first cassette tape was Michael Jackson’s “Bad”. I really cannot explain why at the age of 10, I would want to own that piece of plastic; All I knew was, his music opened my mind to a whole realm of explosive and wondrous music, which led me to dig further into the pursuit of music. Of course I’m not doing dance or anything near his sort of music now. But his music inspired me, at age 10, that anything is possible.

Do you really think there’s gonna be anybody close to what he had achieved coming up in the next 20-30 years? No, I really don’t think so. Nowadays, we’re probably gonna get more people like Paul Potts and Susan Boyle. Which is excellent as well, but I believe the definition of a legend involves immense hard work and popularity which span over decades, and most importantly, changes, good changes.

This is my favourite song.

I can’t believe I have been disturbed by his death for the whole day.