I recently got invites to Mia Palencia's new album launch at Wisma Bentley Auditorium on 13th November. Naturally, I was excited because I've heard Mia before when she was in the group Double Take...she has an amazing voice! Breezy and sweet, yet she can also belt out big notes too! Her new album is called 'Songs From The Jiwang Kingdom' and she was showcasing songs from that plus some songs from her first solo album 'Finding My Way'.
I went with my sister, and we reached early...got our seat numbers (which was the last row from the stage...*sigh* Oh well, we came for the music, no?) and headed out for dinner first before going in.
The view from our seats...SOOO far!! Thank goodness for zoom in cameras...LOL!
Another view of the auditorium...the setting was nice! Looks quite posh, and acoustics were VERY good...and I liked the wood paneling on the sides (I think those helped with the acoustics or something...I seem to notice these kind of panelings at concert halls. =P)
The lady of the hour! The showcase started late, but Mia was very nice and apologized for starting late...very true her words: "...true to Malaysian style, we all have to start with a delay..." LOL!
Mia with her band and Jun (far left) - her collaborator in her new album. I was really interested in the band member playing the 'drum beats' on the right...I don't know what's it called, but it gives a nice sound to give the songs a lift in beats...soft and gentle for the tender moments in song, but can also bring a nice bass-y beat for more uptempo songs!
Mia with a friend who plays cool violin!
And another friend who played a whole song with just the bass guitar...cool! It was quite funny at the beginning when he asked Mia, "Jazz ah?" and Mia replied with, "Yes yes, Jazz" LOLLL!
All in all, it was definitely a cool night! Mia not only kept everyone entertained with her breezy voice, but she was quite a showman as well...always having a funny remark on her songs, cracking jokes about her shiny hat ("Low budget ma...I have to DIY, throw some light!") or poking fun at her friends who joined her on stage *grins*
From the title of the album, I thought it would be something 'emo' because when the word 'Jiwang' comes to mind, images of sad rock love songs spring up...LOLLL! But as Mia aptly puts it in her album, "Jiwang is not a single emotion, but a web of many. If you have ever stood at the edge of the great ocean, looking out to the horizon, your toes buried in the sand, the water washing gently over your feet, and felt small, significant, grateful, blessed...humbled and proud all at the same time, then you know what I mean." Yes, Mia, I definitely know what you mean after listening to your tracks...*grins*
From the title of the album, I thought it would be something 'emo' because when the word 'Jiwang' comes to mind, images of sad rock love songs spring up...LOLLL! But as Mia aptly puts it in her album, "Jiwang is not a single emotion, but a web of many. If you have ever stood at the edge of the great ocean, looking out to the horizon, your toes buried in the sand, the water washing gently over your feet, and felt small, significant, grateful, blessed...humbled and proud all at the same time, then you know what I mean." Yes, Mia, I definitely know what you mean after listening to your tracks...*grins*
Her songs always have a great melody and meaningful lyrics...some are great to listen to in the middle of the night whenever you are pondering, or on your way to a destination - looking as the road and trees passing by. =) Some are great to have a good laugh over, like Poor Mary which has a little moral story cleverly infused with a very famous nursery rhyme! Definitely get this album if you like listening to Jazz or 'quiet music', as Mia puts it. :)
And here, I enclose some videos from the showcase to let you have a taste of why Mia, the Jiwang queen, reigns supreme...enjoy! *grins*
