Whatever Wednesday: Be A Real Rock Legend
Most of us have probably tried out Guitar Hero, Rock Band or Band Hero (Yay! There’s Taylor Swift songs!) and oh don’t we derive such satisfaction when we are shredding those notes on the guitar. Infact some people love it so much that they practice it like mad till they can play some crazy difficult songs on expert mode and max out the score. For example, check out this kid who is only 9 years old and he has some wicked sick skills.
But one does wonder whether why don’t they just pick up the REAL thing? In fact, why don’t WE pick up the REAL thing ourselves since it is just so awesomely cool to be able to play an instrument. Come which kid is really cooler? Check out this Korean boy.
Of course these gaming platforms have their appeal because they are easier to pick up and it’s easier to find less talented friends to jam along on easy mode. But really, nothing beats the real satisfaction of creating your own music and I think we should just let the chicks do the talking on which they prefer.
However, there may be an issue with picking up a real instrument which is the cost of the instrument itself. And let’s say you’ve bought an instrument and realize you really have no affinity in it, how do you get it out of you room and get back some cash?
Well, thanks to the awesome folks at www.soft.com.sg, budding musicians and professionals have a place to buy and sell quality 2nd hand equipment with its classified ads. Ok, ok… I know some of you may have your doubts about 2nd hand stuff but seriously, for guitars (especially electrics) 2nd hand is the way to go if you have a tighter budget and still want to get quality gear. All you need is a friend who knows a bit about guitars to give you advice and you could snag a really good deal off soft.com.sg. Moreover, since almost every musician that ever wanted to sell gear online in Singapore would probably head down to soft.com.sg, this is the place to get your stuff or sell your stuff. I am a guitarist meself and have bought gear from soft.com.sg with no regrets.
Still unconvinced whether music is even the thing for you? Soft.com.sg also showcases upcoming music happenings around Singapore on its website for you to get inspired! For example it just had its Loudest Band Competition where Youth Bands rock it out to win your votes. And I’m not sure whether voting is over but apparently if you vote for the band which the judges agree with, you will get A PRIZE. Looking at the cool stuff they are giving to the contestants I am pretty certain that they won’t short-change the voters too. So go check out the videos and vote here.
Pictures taken from www.bandhero.com, www.soft.com.sg
Singapore’s first plus-sized beauty pageant
From Daily Chilli
So we were at Heeren last weekend and we caught a sneak peek of the contestants for the Miss&Ms Amazing Beauty Pageant, which is Singapore’s first beauty pageant for plus-sized beauties. To qualify, you have to weight at least 80kg and have an equally big personality to boot. The contest has attracted 40 females aged 19 to 43.
I must say that i was rather impressed when i went to Mcdonalds at the basement of the shopping center after the event, and saw the contestants eating at Subway. I felt so guilty and decided I should go for a healthier option instead!
Watch their strut their stuff on the runway at the finals on 17th July at the DBS Auditorium!!!
p/s: sorry about the video quality, i had to make do with my blackberry’s video function :D
Monday Music Musings: Lady Gaga
Photo by Volliem
Known for her provocative and sometimes, offensive, music videos, Lady Gaga is definitely a Fame Monster. Less commonly known as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, the 24 year old is the singer of chart-topping songs such as “Poker Face”, “Telephone” and her latest, “Alejando” and has claimed her glam rock musical style to be heavily influenced by the likes of David Bowie and Queen.
Photo by MichaelSpencer
She dropped out of school at 17 to concentrate on her music career, only to be dropped by her first label after 3 months without any reason. Not long later, she found herself performing at a neo-brusque show and experimenting with drugs.
Things only started to take off when she sang a reference vocal for Akon, and caught his attention. She was later signed to his label, Kon Live Distribution. In 2008, she finally released her debut album, “The Fame”. A year later she was nominated for nine awards at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, whereby she won three. Later that year, she released her second album, The Fame Monster, which expresses her experience with the dark side of fame in the music industry.
Lady Gaga’s musical style and public image sparked off much controversy. Her performances which are unique and innovative, often includes blood, gore and her in tight leather. While some say this is a refreshing change in popular culture, others question her status as a role model and consider her to be bad influence to her fans.
Photo by MichaelSpencer
Photo by MichaelSpencer
Often under the paparazzi’s lime light, Lady Gaga has been rumored to be a hermaphrodite, an illuminati puppet and a satan worshipper.
While we are personally unsure about that, we do know that Lady Gaga calls herself Mother Mons+er and refers to her fans as Little Monsters.
She has also declared herself to be a bisexual and considers the gay community to be the turning point of her career.
Love her or hate her, you can’t deny her music is catchy and often ends up staying in your head after listening to it a few times.
Interview with Flea Titan Co-Founder: Kai Sheng
Sorry this took so long to come up! But remember the mystery drawing in one of our previous blog posts and we asked you to guess who drew it? Well here’s the dude!
He is Kai Sheng! One of the co-founder of Flea Titan which is one of Singapore’s largest flea markets! This guy is really a flea market encyclopedia. Check out the video below to see him answer questions like:
How did Flea Titan start?
What are some myths about organizing flea markets?
How do I pick the right flea organizer?
How can I do well in a flea market?
What other upcoming fleas to look out for?
Can’t wait to attend the upcoming Flea Titan? Do check out their facebook page here for more information.
TGIF!
Fashion Flash Light: Plus sized models
Image taken from I Love Gemma Ward.com
For the coming weeks, Fashion Flash Light will take a back seat on the happenings in the fashion industry and discuss issues related to the “dark side” of the fashion industry.
Once a top model, Gemma Ward ,22, was once ridiculed for having weight issues when she was snapped looking healthy (seen above) as opposed to being criticized for looking too thin.
While she was modelling, the Australian was the first model on Teen Vogue cover and the youngest model on American Vogue. She was even named ‘Top models of 2000s’ by French Vogue. Despite this set back, Ward will not give up modelling and hopes to make it big as an actress.
Image taken from Fashiongonerogue
For another, her size did not stop her love for fashion. Crystal Renn is a plus sized model and like many others, she was once a thin runway model. Scouted at 14, she was asked to drop 50 pounds which eventually led to a health crisis. And now, Renn has not let her body size deter the fashion model inside her.
A happy U.S Size 12 now, Renn exudes confidence and attitude enough to keep readers coming back. For one, I enjoy looking at her. My eyes were so accustomed to seeing clothes on skinny girls in magazines that initially, I was “grossed out”. But the fact is that Crystal and Gemma are all pictures of reality found in photoshopped editorals. It could possibly be the cure to our love of dieting and starvation, our obsession over Coke Zero and food that are low in calories.
There have been attempts to stop this industry from growing thinner. Milan put a ban on models with a BMI of less than 18.5. Then, in UK, knitwear designer Mark Fast put plus sized models on the runway. His stylist then deserted them 3 days before his slot at London Fashion Week.
How are the attempts to curb thin girls on the runway working? Will they ever work? Do we even need to bother?
Whatever Wednesday: Enter The World of 3D
Last night, I went to watch Toy Story 3 in 3D. *Spoiler Alert* Don’t read the rest of the paragraph if you don’t want to know what happened in the movie! The movie was definitely able to satisfy me on many levels: excitement when the whole gang of good toys tried to sneak out of Sunnyside Daycare, humour when buzz started dancing and flirting in Mexican Spanish (thanks Hendripd for the heads-up) after being reseted, disgust when Lots-o’-Huggin Bear didn’t push the stop button to save the toys despite being rescued by Woody and Buzz, heartwarming when Andy played with the toys one last time and passed them on to the little girl who took good care of them etc.
But as nice as the movie was, one thing that bothered me whilst viewing the movie in 3D was the 3D glasses. I think the glasses are extra irritating for many unfortunate myopics like me who have to wear them over our own pair of spectacles. Perhaps this may only be true for us bespectacled-folk but the 3D glasses were uncomfortable (as if 1 pair of spectacles weren’t enough!) and they made the movie’s colours less vibrant for me.
So thank goodness that there is technology being developed to view images in 3D without wearing another pair of ocular enhancers. The latest piece of 3D awesomeness I’m looking forward come from those geniuses who brought you the Wii, Nintendo. If you haven’t heard they are developing the Nintendo 3DS allows you see 3D without the glasses. How freaking awesome is that!
To find out more about the features that this nifty device has check out http://e3.nintendo.com/3ds/ or just Google it.
One thing I am really keen to check out is the dual cameras installed in the Nintendo 3DS that allows you take your own 3D photos and videos. I bet any person with a decent amount of narcissism and curiosity would want to know how they would look like in 3D. Imagine popping out of the screen like one of those Blue Avatar dudes and you swing from tree to tree. Okay Avatar uses different technology for the 3D effect and we probably can’t tree swing as well but still, we can be in 3D!
Pictures taken from Nintendo
Screening of the Japan vs Holland Match at Resorts World Singapore on 19 June 2010. Brought to you by www.FeverAvenue.com .
MONDAY MUSIC MUSINGS: MGMT “CONGRATULATIONS”
Photo by Fyunkie
Remember their chart topping hit “Kids”? A popular club track used to get the dance floor started (especially in a certain dairy product factory in Singapore hint hint), MGMT is no stranger to the electro-psychedelic-pop-new-wave-synthpop scene. They released their first album Climbing to New Lows in 2005, Oracular Spectacular in 2007 and now, their latest album, Congratulations.
The Brooklyn band consist of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden and has been nominated the 2010 Grammy award for Best New Artist.
Mgmt’s album Congratulations
Track listing below:
1.It’s Working / 2.Song for Dan Treacy / 3.Someone’s Missing / 4.Flash Delirium / 5.I Found a Whistle / 6.Siberian Breaks / 7.Brian Eno / 8.Lady Dada’s Nightmare / 9.Congratulations
Songs we liked: It’s Working, Someone’s Missing, Flash Delirium, I found a Whistle, Congratulations
Enjoy!
