Tag Archive for 'Black Eyed Peas'

Black Eyed Peas release new album and get to play coveted Super Bowl slot

The Black Eyed Peas will perform during the coveted half-time break at the Super Bowl on Feb 6 next year, they said on their website.

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While some of us here couldn’t give two hoots about the NFL, for Americans, this is a very important game indeed. And the performance during the climax of the American football season has become one of the most-watched musical events of the year, with over 153 million American viewers tuning in last time around. The Grammy award-winning quartet joins recent half-time acts including The Who, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Prince, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and U2.
According to wire service Reuters, the BEP will release their new album The Beginning at the end of the month. The Super Bowl will take place at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington, Texas.


Concert review – Mr Big

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I HAVE a confession to make: Your Abang was sceptical of Mr Big‘s concert at Fort Canning Park on Sunday. Oh yes, I know that as musicians bassist Billy Sheehan, guitarist Paul Gilbert and drummer Pat Torpey all extraordinarily gifted players, but nothing short of stunning would sway me.

Plus, Fort Canning is always unpredictable. Sometimes the sound is good, othertimes it’s crap. Similarly, the lighting is in equal parts great and grotty. And Mr Big didn’t have anything new on offer – this would be a nostalgia show like how – dare we say it – Air Supply concerts are nostalgia shows.

The stage setup – the barest minimum requirement, it seemed – didn’t assuage my doubt. But then, the band came on and as the Black Eyed Peas would say, I had a feeling that the night was going to be a good night. Here’s why:

 

Reason #1: The band.

Billy and Paul drill home the message
Billy and Paul drill home the message

I’m talking about duelling guitar and bass solos – at one point with drills, at another, with doubled-necked instruments – and great harmony singing, and the fact that the band looked like they were really enjoying themselves more than made up for any lack in the staging.

 

Reason #2: The crowd.

Paul Gilbert strikes a pose
Paul Gilbert strikes a pose

Speaking of crowd, it seemed like more than half of those present couldn’t have been more than 10 years old when Mr Big first burst on the scene back in 1988. But they gave as good as they got, responding to singer Eric Martin’s calls on cue.

 

Reason #3: Mr Big’s ability to surprise.  

Billy Sheehan strikes a pose
Billy Sheehan strikes a pose

Frankly, I get a little bored by long guitar, bass and drum solos. But Their version of the song It’s For You, that old John Lennon and Paul McCartney number, first given to Cilla Black in 1964, then borrowed by Three Dog Night in 1970, copied by Mr Big in 2009, with Sheehan, Gilbert and Torpey doing the three-part harmonies brilliantly. Thanks guys, definitely the highlight of the night. 

 

Reason #4: To Be With You.

Pat Torpey strikes a pose - actually no, he's just looking at the lights
Pat Torpey strikes a pose – actually no, he’s just looking at the lights

Even though I can’t listen to this song now without thinking of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (thanks for that insight, Billy), and even though I’ve heard that song mauled to death at karaoke clubs, the live version was pure and simple and it worked.

 

Reason #5: Mr Big keep their promises.

Eric Martin definitely striking a pose
Eric Martin definitely striking a pose

When I spoke to Billy, he said that the show would have great music, that it would a great singalong and that everybody would have a good time. Guess what, we did.

What can I say: Went there a sceptic, went home a believer. Anyway, here are more pictures, hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Bad guitar! Naughty guitar! Paul teaches his guitar a lesson
Now we know why Paul always needs to wear ear mufflers
"Hands up all those who want another song"
“Hands up all those who want another song”
M&Ms mysteriously appeared over Eric's head the moment Billy started singing
M&Ms mysteriously appeared over Eric’s head the moment Billy started singing

The Best and Worst of F1 Rocks

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LIKE any event, F1 Rocks Singapore with LG had its fair share of highs and lows. As Charles Dickens might say, it was the best and worst of times. From inconsiderate fans to some searing shows, here then, are our awards for best and worst:

Best in show: A tie between A*mei, Gwen Stefani of No Doubt and Beyonce. A*mei’s fantastic vocals showed by she’s still considered to be one of Asia’s top singers.

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Meanwhile, Gwen showed that with a lot of hard work – and cash, admittedly - you too, can have two children and still look like one hot mother. Her sizzling performance was definitely the highlight of night #2.

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But if you wanted a scorching show, it was Beyonce’s closing set that did the trick. Despite being shorter than her usual shows, she still brought it on – with bootylicious moves, several striking costumes and a voice that was just above and beyond everything we’d heard previously. F1 Rocks? No, Beyonce – YOU rock.

 

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Most fan appreciative moment: During Beyonce’s finale, Halo, she stood on the top of the stairs onstage and intoned: “Singapore, I am…” Crowd: “BEYONCE!”

She said it again: “Singapore, I am…” Crowd: “BEYONCE!!!!! (doesn’t she know who she is)???”

Then she said: “Singapore, I AM… YOURS!” AWWWWWWW! We love you, too, Beyonce!

 

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The What-Were-You-Thinking award: Goes to Jacky Cheung, perhaps in a misguided effort to look “rock” for F1 Rocks, ended up wearing an outfit and a wig that looked like a reject from a cosplay party.

The I Am Robot award: The security guys, who were seriously either very blur or just confused. First, they kept repeating “move up/down, don’t block the stairs” to anyone and everyone, even to someone who asked them directions to the toilet. Then, they gave conflicting directions to VIP pass holders by telling them to go this way and that, making for one bunch of confused VIPs.

 

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The Active Ageing award: Goes to ZZ Top (above) and Simple Minds (below), who showed that life really does begin after 40. (So does arthritis and hypertension, but that’s another story).

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The Back To School award: To ex-F1 driver David Coulthard who mis-read 127.4 as “175″. Maybe that’s why he didn’t win as many races as he could.

Most Inconsiderate award: To smokers. Sorry, I know you need to puff and all, but come on, couldn’t you just hold off a bit, especially since people are already having to endure being thirsty in the sweltering heat and being crammed up against each other. We’re already sweaty and stinky, we don’t need the extra pollution, thanks. 

 

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Best F&B advertising: Billy Gibbon’sGretsch guitar, which, when flipped over had the word “Beer” stenciled in gold.

 

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The Forgiving Fashion Faux Pas award: The general rule has always been not to wear coloured underwear when wearing white, but if you looked like Gwen Stefani, we say “go ahead, make our day”. 

Best Sweat and Stinky moment: Gwen Stefani, inviting two fans to go up and towel her off.

Most Inconsiderate award #2: Those who didn’t know how to clean up after themselves, making Fort Canning Park look like Fort Canning waste dump.

 

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Best animalistic name: DJ Havana Brown (a Havana Brown is a type of cat in Australia, much like a Kucinta here in Singapore).

 

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The Keanu Reeves award: To Lindsay Lohan, whose wooden performance as host of the first F1 Rocks show (broadcast last night) can surely top anything by the “Cool Breeze that blows off the Pacific coastal mountains”.

Best Surprise: Beyonce, breaking out into Alanis Morisette’s You Oughta Know – complete with nasal twang.

 

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Best Cleavage award: Beyonce. Hands down. And no, that’s not a colourful euphemism – that’s an order.

 

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The Serene Award: Goes to this lady who could still sleep during Seb Fontaine’s rather loud DJ set.

 

 (photos: Andrew Timms – courtesy F1 Rocks Singapore, Janet Hsieh, Christopher Toh and courtesy Rich Host Photos)

 


Jacky Cheung, Da Mouth revving to rock out at F1 Rocks

One’s a Heavenly King, the other’s a newbie group.

But when we spoke over the blower to both Hong Kong singer Jacky Cheung and Taiwanese group Da Mouth are going to be performing at the inaugural F1 Rocks Singapore With LG concert on Thursday. And it’s something that both artistes said they’re really looking forward to.

The Heavenly King promises a "rock" show
The Heavenly King promises a “rock” show

“It’s a privilege to perform along with Jacky, A*mei and Sodagreen,” said the Taiwanese quartet. “We’re very excited to be here.”

“Excited” is also what Jacky is feeling, who added that he still feels jittery when he performs. “For my show on Sep 24, I have been singing two or three times a day since the beginning of the month,” he elaborated on the blower. “Then I won’t forget the songs when I get nervous.”

Those who attended Jacky’s last concert here in 2007 might want to know that he’s promising a different show.

“It will be a pure rock show this time. There will be some rock ballads; and some heavier stuff,” he said, adding that he was trying to cater to the F1 Rocks theme.

However, Jacky said he might give the actual race a miss. “I’m not really interested in it,” he said. “I don’t think I have the patience to watch the whole race of cars going round and round.”

Da Mouth can't wait to rock out
Da Mouth can’t wait to rock out

However, the race is not the only thing that Da Mouth are interested in watching. “Beyonce! Black Eyed Peas! N.E.R.D!” they exclaimed when asked who they’d like to see.

“We love Pharrell Williams,” said the band. “And will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas is a great producer.

“Some people compare us with Black Eyed Peas, but I think that we’re only similar in that there’s three guys and one girl. Our style of music and all that are really different. “Will we get him to produce an album with us? Hmm. Only if he asks us – and even then we’ll probably have to think about it if he asks us! Ha ha!”

Riiiight, guys. LMAO and all that. Well, you’ll certainly have more than enough opportunity to bend their ears when they’re here, so as ex-F1 driver Alain Prost used to say, “If you see an opportuneetee, take eet!”

Both Da Mouth and Jacky Cheung perform Sep 24, from 7pm at Fort Canning Park. Doors open 5pm. Tickets from $175 still available from Sistic.


Who can replace Nicole?

Who can replace Nicole Scherzinger? The quest continues...
Who can replace Nicole Scherzinger? The quest continues…

AND SO it came to pass: Nicole Scherzinger, devastated at race rat fink (RRF) Lewis Hamilton for having dumped her, blew off visiting our fair shores again.

Which, of course, poses that big question: Who can replace her?

Nicole was supposed to present the links and parts of the F1 Rocks TV show at various locations in Singapore. And she’d have been the perfect choice: Having been here a few times with the Pussycat Dolls, we bet she could even have told viewers where to go eat good beef hor fun.

Who else is that good looking and knows Singapore like that?

“We’ve got a few people shortlisted,” said Paul Morrison, the honcho of All The Worlds, the company that’s organising the F1 Rocks event here. “I don’t want to interfere with the process… we’ve got to be a bit professional about this!

“We have to just manage through this process and people can be quite touchy if you talk about their business in public before it’s confirmed. I’m not trying to be awkward here. It’s a complicated process but I refuse to be fazed by it,” he added resolutely.

Then he dropped this whopper of a nugget: ”I can confirm that Michael Jackson will not be on the shortlist!”

Thank goodness, otherwise I’d have to get John Constantine on the line.

Some of the possible replacements we think could be those who’ll already be in town: Gwen Stefani - well, if she’s got Kingston and Nester Rock in tow, she’d probably be at Sentosa or the zoo. A*mei – possible, but might confuse Swissotel with Taipei 101. Fergie – possible, but only if she’s not having a bad day.

However, Paul did mention of another presenter coming into town to present another segment: Rain, that oh-so-sexy Korean star. (Okay, I’m just quoting my female friends about the “oh-so-sexy” part because, you know…) 

Here comes the Rain again...
Here comes the Rain again…

But anyway, Paul excited about his segment because he’s ”going to be a martial arts piece with one of the F1 drivers, so that’s going to be brilliant TV.”

Other brilliant bits of TV that they have come up with: Possibly RRF or even F1′s bigwig Bernie Ecclestone picking up Beyonce from the airport.

And Black Eyed Peas doing a pit stop challenge at the Force India garage. Yes, I can see Fergie plugging in the fuel lines while the guys change tyres, before telling the driver to watch out for the humps, the humps, the lovely lady lumps.

I’m definitely tuning in then.