Awesome!!!

Performance day once again! Always looking forward to every single one of them. This time, I'm performing as a guest artiste at a Dikir Barat competition entitled "Piala Raja Panggong 2007 Dikir Barat Competition". This showcae were jointly organised by MAEC Kg Chai Chee CC & Kumpulan Dikir Barat Cucu Datuk Merah/ Hulubalang. It featured Dikir Barat groups, established and new, to showcase themselves and see who comes out of it tops! So after the last group had performed, came my turn to showcase myself. With the backing of my music brothers: Guitars - Amin, Zool, Hernalis, Rafiz Box Drums - Hazan Djembe -Hernee we then proceed to take the stage. Then the emcees started with introducing me. Kinda funny when they were introducing me as someone who was somehow associated with the dikir barat scene years ago. Haha....to those who recently know me.....yes, i did participate way back in 2005....my very 1st time in dikir barat and i was 'tok juara' then.....tough work, man! Got involved with dikir barat fellas from hulubalang/cucu datuk merah albeit through soccer......hmmm....and that's about it, folks! Glad to be there performing there as I could meet and reminisce with some familiar faces. Once the stage curtain is up, I commence on the 1st of my 3-songs set. Sang "Keagungan Mu" for the start as I felt it was the song most suitable for a cultural showcase as this one, with its ethnic beats and 'joget' melody. I encouraged the audience to clap with me as the song begin. To my surprise, they readily obliged. And I could already felt at that time, it was going to be an awesome show after all! How right I was! By the end of the 1st song, I could feel myself slowly being comfortable on stage. Trying my best interacting with the crowd...fuhhh.......the crowd was superb......playful banter were exchanged and soon I was off singing the 2nd song, a cover of Lovehunters' "Ku Ukir Namamu". I could sense the crowd building up as I sang thru the verses. So as I approach the ever infectious chorus lines "Lautan api....Sudah pun ku renangi....".........I called on the crowd to sing with me and sang with me they did......Haha, for brief moment I understood and felt wat's it's like to be a rockstar...hahaha! And the crowd sang with me thru the rest of the song......."The show's getting better and better" , I remembered saying to myself. Momentum was me after the 2nd song ended and I proceeded with the last song "Taman Cinta". Before I started, I said my thanks to the organisers and the crowd as well. I did some self-promotion, informing the audience that this next song will be my 1st song on Ria 89.7FM and also told them to come for my impending album launch on 1st of September. Do hope they'll remember to come! Did my heartfelt rendition of "Taman Cinta" and as soon as the song ended....said my thanks again....and bid farewell to the crowd. But to my shock, sections in the crowd began calling for an encore. "Wow....this couldn't be happening" I said. So after seeking permission from the organisers and the green light accorded to me to continue, I was in a dilemma on which song to perform. I was pretty sure the crowd wanted a cover song which they can all sing along with. Unfortunately, I had not prepared any other cover songs so I decided to perform another original entitled "Destinasi Impian". Since it was a fast number, I hope the crowd enjoyed it as well! So when the time came for me to end my performance, I thanked the crowd again for making the occasion my best show so far!! So after the show's over, me and my brothers did a casual post mortem and I'm ecstatic that everyone enjoyed themselves too. Special thanks to Kg Chai Chee CC, kumpulan dikir barat Hulubalang & Cucu Datuk Merah for having organised this wonderful showcase! A million thanks to the Dikir Barat fellas at the showcase, the audience, the crowd for making my performance something to cherish forever. My heartfelt appreciation to my music brothers and their families, my family, Merbuk Platoon guys namely Niezza, Ays and Seema for being present for this great experience. Can't thank you guys enough for the support since Day One. Please continue to embark with me as I keep going on this unknown journey.

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