Wordless Wednesday: HIGH VOLTAGE at Euphonious 2014

AC/DC on batik!

Yes... batik rules the night.

That kid is the vocalist son. Such a rocker. He danced and sang throughout our set. As long as you don't kacau my multi-effect.

Alan the drummer. He was supposed to be our backing vocals but on that night, our original drummer, Syahmi backed out due to emergency of his youngest son who got his head stitched after falling down. Now, Alan was actually the drummer for DIED so he is a drummer only that he never practiced the songs as a drummer. He took about an hour to learn the drums with his phone. Fortunately, no unwanted incidents on the drum only that he wasn't sure when to stop the song. Well done!

The solo bantai la. Long hair in memory. Now I am naked on the head :)

Photos credit HAZRIN ISMAIL

Hari pertama rambut pendek (gonjeng)

Hari ni hari rambut pendek selepas beberapa tahun rambut panjang cecah bahu... Saya ada lecture jam 9am. Seperti kebiasaan, saya masuk awal dan TUNGGU students (sarcasm). Bila dah masuk semua students, saya bagi salam dan berkata,

"I feel naked with my short hair" disambut dengan gelak satu kelas.

Saya katakan saya pernah rambut panjang sampai ke pinggang masa buat PhD di Australia dulu. Ada yang sengih, ada yang melopong dan ada yang senyum jeles.

Ketika pulang ke ofis dari kuliah, saya terserempak dengan satu group students yang kemudian  menegur, "AC/DC Sir!". Ye lah, Jumaat lepas kan ke saya perform dengan HIGH VOLTAGE di satu event students paling besar di UTP. Of course la from now on I will get noticed.

Brother, I want to ask you... kat IPT mana yang you boleh cari pensyarah yang main gitar authentic GIBSON SG perform atas stage main lagu AC/DC? KAT MANA BROTHER? Yeeeessss... hanya di UTP saje. OK?

Saya balas dengan tunjuk devil's horn sign disambut dengan sorakan. Tak lama sayup kedengaran, eh rambut dah pendek la...

Tunggu masa je nak main Death Metal kat Chancellor Hall tu HAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

I am also aware of the balding area. Any cheap way of making it grow back?

Judging the EUPHONIOUS 2014 (Preliminary rounds)

I am guilty of not attending the previous EUPHONIOUS events. Simply because I was not at home and were outstation. I think I attended only once, many years ago. This time around, not only I got to attend the event, I also got to be the judge and perform! How great is that?

So last night was the first preliminary rounds. I was the judge together with my bandmates in HIGH VOLTAGE and two distinguish bandmembers of PAPERFLY PURSUIT (oooohhh... they got a Flying V! Is it a GIBSON?). Nine bands performed that night. All I can say is UTP surely got talents!

There are few bands which I really really like and I already expressed that not only in the judgement sheets but also verbally after the performances where the judges are required to comment. I am not going to spoil the suspense though. You need to wait until tonight to know which bands are going to be qualified for the final on Saturday's night.

Which also comes to my mind, why I accepted to be the judge anyway? I mean, looking at the way of how the bands play, they could change the position with me anytime. They played a lot better than High Voltage! What do you expect from a band who practiced once a year?

So I would like to apologize in advance if we, the judges performed worse tonight than the bands that are competing. I am imagining an emergency scenery where one of us fainted on stage.

You probably should lower your expectations. Just consider us, High Voltage as an aging old jaded rocker lot who are trying to extend their rockers' dream.

As AC/DC put it correctly in 1976 (I was one-year old hahaha), It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock N Roll). It is still looking very long.

Bugera... YUMMY!

Marshall... YUMMY!

No experience with Line 6 Bass cabinet... but should be yummy as well.

Drum setting was nice.

The stage

The stage

I played many gigs before and got many passes. But this is the most unique pass so far.

Judges' seat. Let the hammer FALLS!

HIGH VOLTAGE at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS... again!

I actually have a band in UTP, called HIGH VOLTAGE. Although, last time we practice was probably a year ago. True to its name, we are an AC/DC worship band focusing on the Bon Scott era. 

Last Sunday, I received an email from one of the organizing committee of Euphonious to perform as an invited band for the event this year. Euphonius is an annual UTP Battle of the Band. Guess what, the performance is on Friday (13th June). That gives us about 5 days to do everything!

So there goes sms, whatsapp, emails and so on to call the boys back in. Not that we really want to play but because the performance will be held in the Chancellor Hall (which is basically the Madison Square Garden, Perak branch), there is no other option but to play.

But again, we got only about 3 or 4 times to practice. The first practice was last Monday. Imagine after so long of not playing, we met again as a band that night to play. One dude got confused with the song, another cannot remember which part is which, another getting bored, another playing facebook and so on. In conclusion, we were lost!

What do you mean we are playing that song??? We have never discussed about playing that song! ^*@#*)(@*$&#)

Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....

He was actually trying to hide his tears of trying to memorize the lyrics. Serve you right!

What chord again? Hmmmm?

That's right brother, you get bored you go to facebook IN THE MIDDLE OF A REHEARSAL!

This pose is not really rock n roll la wehhh...

 After practicing, there was one of the UTP band competing rehearsing at the same place. The difference was like langit dan bumi. The vocal was good, the drums, powerful and the guitar shreds.

The second practice, although improving but not much difference from the day before. Now I wonder whether accepting the invitation was a right decision.

Anyway, we will be playing these songs. Selected because of the riot-ness of the chorus. Chorus-riot means, the chorus will get stuck in your head in just two rounds of listening to the songs. 

1. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
2. Rock N Roll Damnation
3. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)

Once you are done memorizing the chorus, you need then to sing-a-long, OK?

We are expecting the worse on Friday. But if you are in a rock band, you don't really care because what you really need is a HIGH VOLTAGE rock n roll! 

See you on Friday!

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Co-Curriculum Unit of Student Support Services Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS in collaboration with UTP International Culture Club will be organizing an annual programme called ‘EUPHONIOUS 2014’.

The purpose of organizing this EUPHONIOUS 2014 is to provide to all Highest Institution a platform to showcase their talent in performing arts. The main objectives of this event are to provide opportunities to students to develop and enhance their skills, to encourage and educate university’s students as well as the public, to appreciate Malaysia and international finest in music. It serves as a platform to showcase the country’s diversity, colours and uniqueness through musical activities.

Below are the details of the EUPHONIOUS 2014 event:

                Preliminary Round

               Date        : 12^th June 2014 (Thursday)

                Time         : 8.00p.m -11.30p.m

                                : 13^th June 2014 (Friday)

                Time         : 8.00p.m – 11.30p.m <-- span="" style="color: blue;">HIGH VOLTAGE

                Venue      : Chancellor Hall, UTP

                                 

Final Round

Date        : 14^th June 2014 (Saturday)

                Time         : 7.45p.m – 11.30p.m

Venue      : Chancellor Hall, UTP

                

PROGRAMME

7.45-7.55pm                : Arrival of audience

7.55-8.00pm                : Safety Briefing

8.00-8.05pm                : Arrival of YBerusaha En. Talhah Bin Hasan
               Senior Manager

   Student Support Services Department
               Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS

8.05-8.20pm                : Officiating Speech by YBerusaha En. Talhah Bin Hasan

                                       Senior Manager

                                       Student Support Services Department

                                       Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS                

                                     : Montage

8.20-11.10pm                : Final Performance

                                        

                                     : Performance by Guest Artist - BUNKFACE

                                               

10.30-11.00pm             : Souvenir & Prize Giving Ceremony

                                    : Photo Session

                                    : Adjourned

           

Your kind presence is highly appreciated. Thank you.


The first appearance HERE. That was TWO years ago...

HIGH VOLTAGE at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS!

29-30th September 2012, 830pm.

performing:

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (AC/DC)
Children of the Grave (Black Sabbath)

at the 3rd extra turn during the Putera Sangkar Maut theater.

For tickets and info, CLICK HERE.