My apologies for the dearth of recent blog posts. To say recent is quite a stretch, really. 4 months is the longest i've gone without posting anything. Alas, i must have lost a few worthy blog readers as a result.

Anyway.

Over the weekend, Q and i caught New York-based singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata (MySpace) in concert at the Esplanade. She was a hoot to watch, wowing the audience with her trademark songs on (heartwrenching) relationships and witty humour. Rachael and her band kicked off the show with a rousing rendition of "Letter Read", then played songs like "Be Be Your Love", "Meet Me By The Water", "Worn Me Down" and "Sunday Afternoon" in a span of 90 minutes.


At one point she went off-key, laughed it off and made a quip about how she sounded like she was "going through puberty." She also gave everyone a taste of her soon-to-be-released sophomore record by doing the track "What If I Leave", and joked about how she had changed its initial title from "What About Steve" because not many would be able to relate to it.


I managed to get a photo (above) with my digital camera before an usher came and tapped me on my shoulder.

During the course of the gig, she moved from grand piano to acoustic guitar, and back and forth again, displaying immense musicianship.

For the encore she closed the set with a heartfelt performance of "Reason Why". Going off-key midway through the song (again), i seriously thought she was cracking up. Either that, or i guess she was teetering on the edge of sobriety.

We headed for the post-concert autograph session soon after, but not before we managed to work our way through the large crowd dispersing from the concert hall. I think it was 9.20 pm when we reached the section of the foyer where the autograph session was being held. We were greeted by this very very loooooooooong (must emphasise this) queue. There, the staff duly informed us that the session would last for an hour only. Now, if you are near the end of the queue and you work your maths, you'd think, "Shit, there won't be enough time for us all!"

In any case the foyer doors closed on us slightly after 10, cordoning off the section where Rachael was in. Many left, crestfallen.

So Q and i made our way to the exterior of the building to have a closer look at the singer behind glass walls. Along with 20 odd fans i think. And guess what? I saw Pam in the midst -- she's a writer-reporter with the Philippine Daily Inquirer and i was reading her blog earlier (while sourcing for news on Ms. R). Omigosh! After approaching her (and possibly giving her the shock of her life) and introducing myself, we had a conversation under the stars. Literally.

Rachael Yamagata continued to sign autographs for the last few people remaining.


It wasn't too long before Rachael spied a group forming outside the building (Edit: now i realise Zombiebite and her friends were the ones who rapped on the glass walls and got Ms. R's attention, wow, i salute you), and she made her way through the already shut side doors, much to the dismay of the Esplanade staff. 20 odd people flocked towards her to get their autographs and snapshots.

I got mine of course, along with a hug, and i promptly told her she'd just made my day. God, i love her for being so obliging and down-to-earth. Everyone was gushing about how sweet she was.


I couldn't resist taking a photo with her foxy drummer Chris Giraldi as well.


We took pictures with Pam (it was great meeting you!) to mark the end of the awesome day. Pammy: That was a great evening, i couldn't have agreed more. Not forgetting Q, whom i dragged along: Thanks girl -- now tell me, exactly how many ice cream sundaes do i owe you?


Why of course, thank you Rachael Yamagata... for making it such a magical evening indeed.



About (via wikipedia)

Rachael Yamagata is an American singer-songwriter who plays piano and has a dark, raspy alto. A child of divorced parents, Yamagata divided her time growing up between her Sansei Japanese American father and her Italian/German mother.

Yamagata became the vocalist for the Chicago funk-fusion band Bumpus, spending six years writing and recording three albums with the band and touring the country. In 2001, after having written a number of songs that didn't fit with the funk style of the band, Yamagata decided to take the songs and launch a solo career. In September 2002, she landed a two-record deal with Arista's Private Music and her self-titled EP was released in October.

Her first full-length album, Happenstance, followed in June 2004. Happenstance mostly consists of layered vocals, rhythmic piano, and production flourishes. Her second album, yet untitled, is slated for release for late-spring of 2007.

Mp3 · Rachael Yamagata - What If I Leave (KCRW session) (removed)
Buy · Happenstance
Read · The Straits Times Life! concert review, clickety-click
Read · Yamagata Wraps 'Darker, Grittier' New Album

Labels: For Your Aural Pleasure

I turn 21 in a couple of hours time and i haven't the slightest idea how i'm going to celebrate my coming-of-age. My handphone died on me 2 days ago so i cannot ask anyone out for a drinking session. This is just great.

Since there isn't much time to plan anything, i think i'll have a meal with my family and friends, and go bungee jumping in my dreams later.

Please accept my apologies for not having updated this space in such a loooong time. I say loooong because 2 calendar months roughly equate to 2 virtual years, and that's loooong enough to banish me to the department of forgotten blogs. Honestly. So much has happened in this space of time (e.g. one of my favourite blogs is shutting down, boo hoo) i don't know where to begin. Simply put, i've been busy (who isn't) and have thus neglected my blog.

But the last thing i need is to fade into virtual oblivion.

So there. I'll try to post whenever i get the time. That, or when i have something fancy i wish to share with the world (e.g. me having a crush on some Korean tv star/getting my front teeth punched out/shit like that).

Elsewhere, the weather is worsening in Singapore. I feel extremely stifled like some cranky old lady because the haze is blocking up my pipes. Ah yes -- that, and the moon as well. Ahem.

Happy 41st National Day, Singapore!

No trip to one of those drugstores is ever complete without the saleswomen asking me, "Girl ah, woot euw like to try this new pimple cream? See euw got big pimple on yor face there, euw know?"

My face has got an ego of itself too, but these folks simply can't be bothered.

Previously · I've this big problem with my face. Really.

Everyone knows that eating is our national pastime. You can find people traversing this island each and every day in search of superb food. I just didn't know we had to eat while travelling too. Yesterday i was on the bus with a bunch of young stinkfarts (read: schoolchildren) who were having the picnic of their lives. They were munching ice cream, french fries, and whatnots on board. Anyone with common sense knows that eating ice cream on a hot day will reduce it to a fugly mess.

If i were in my shitty mood i would have marched right up there and told them off. Since i was in my plain lousy mood i cussed silently under my breath, wishing that they would have non-existent waistlines very soon.

Someone oughta teach these kids some manners.

Going to The Land of the Morning Calm. Internet cold turkey for a week.