Handsome Furs

So I watched Handsome Furs live at Home Club on Friday. It was awesome! We're lucky that they had an Asia tour or they wouldn't even stop by here. Not even a lot of mainstream bands play here, let alone indie bands.

We got there very early. Better to be early, I thought. We sat around outside the club while Handsome Furs did their sound check. When it was time, we went in, got the free beer that came with the entry fee and chose the table closet to the stage. And on the way to the toilet before the show, I saw Dan and he started whistling. XD

The club wasn't very big, but it was pretty packed. I don't think a lot of people there really knew them, except for those right in the front actively dancing and armed with video cameras. I was right at the back, and I would say I had a great view because I was standing on a chair the whole time. Well it was necessary, I was like a dwarf compared to the Caucasians, haha. My friend and I wanted to record the whole show, but his card ran out of memory after one song, so we had to fall back on only photos. My camera was absolutely atrocious, I don't think it had a stabalizer or anything, so the pictures I took were all blurred.

The songs were great. They opened with "Legal Tender" and went on to play songs from both their albums. I've only heard Face Control, so I don't know the ones from Plague Park. They didn't play "Thy will be done" though, that's my favourite.

After the show we followed them outside and I approached them for a photo. Then I proceeded to tell Dan and Alexei what a great show it was, and I told Dan that I was a big fan of Wolf Parade as well. He said something about this place being very cool. I don't quite remember because I was completely overwhelmed by their presence, it was unbelieveable. Then my friend asked if they were going to come back, and Dan said he was just talking to Krug on Skype about it, and they might get Wolf Parade to come down in March next year. After a final handshake we left, tired but happy.

So that was the Handsome Furs night. I'll be seeing Mount Eerie and Sunset Rubdown in Denver soon, and it'll be spectacular.

Something I'm looking for

I've been looking for something fun to play on the piano recently. I mean, apart from the duet I was supposed to work on with someone.

I'll be honest. I'm the type who gets bored with the same piece after a while. Don't get me wrong - I do love the music I play, but it just gets kind of dull. I just have to keep finding new songs to keep myself entertained and after some time I will pick up those songs to play them once more.

Like how I finally picked up "Those who fight" (from FFVII) the other day after a few years. I was sick of that piece because I had to practice it nearly everyday for my exams. I couldn't play with the same accuracy I once had, but it was, after all those years, actually refreshing to play it again.

I am looking at this certain piece I chanced upon on youtube. It's called Hidamari, composed by Yukie Nishimura. Hidamari means sunshine I think, and it is a very beautiful piece. Now normally I'm not a huge fan of playing those really emotional, lyrical kind of pieces (I'm really a Swimming kind of person), but this one is too beautiful to pass up.

I can't really find any sheet music for that though, so I'm looking through her other works. And if anyone has any recommendations on what to play, please let me know.

At work right now, and listening to some Bad Weather California. Awesome songs.

Distant Worlds

Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy was simply awesome.

Considering this is the first time ever in my life to attend a Final Fantasy concert, it isn't an exaggeration to say that I nearly had tears of joy.

When they started playing the opening piece "Liberi Fatali" I couldn't help but smile. I was in so much awe.

The performance was great, despite a few audible mistakes and the lack of "oomph" in certain pieces, I feel. And in my opnion the soloist for Distant Worlds didn't really manage to capture the essence of the song and project more emotion. I guess I had really high expectations for the song, since it is from Final Fantasy XI, after all.

Probably the best thing was that Nobuo Uematsu was just sitting a few rows in front of me. It was so spectacular when he graced us with his presence.

I didn't manage to get the CD or the artbook there, but what I did manage to get was a T-shirt, and both Nobuo Uematsu's and Arnie Roth's autographs! It was a pity that I was so stunned at the moment that I forgot to shake Uematsu-san's hand. All I did was say ありがとうございます！He responded likewise. It was absolutely awesome to recieve the autographed booklet directly from possibly the greatest composer in video game music.

I can die happy now. Well almost, hahaha.

I should update

I should get around to updating the links here - they're all outdated. I've been kind of busy so I haven't really been in the mood to edit the html.

Steini just started a blog, I'll link that up soon. It showcases the music of himself and his comrades. (as he put it XD)

Well, apart from that, school's been as fun as ever. I can't wait for it to end.

Parellel 5ths

It's ridiculous how much we're tied down in this place. The more I sit at the computer at the FYP labs the more I loathe it.

Fucking programming. I don't go to school to sit at the PC for 10 hours and fry my brain cells. Those who can, good for them. As they say, there's something for everyone. I'm not cut out to do this.

And it's not like we can do any of the shit we're supposed to do, either. It's difficult to the point where I can stare at the codes for a week and not understand a single thing.

I just want to play on my piano. I get so little practice recently because of the long days. And sometimes, I just can't into the mood to play any music. Mood is a very important thing; you just need one lousy day of school to ruin it all. Though it's not like I really want it to.

I'm just trying to get through this. I have to, because I'm not alone on this project. If I were alone, I'd have said "to hell with this" long ago.

Honestly, if it wasn't for the people I've met and befriended I wouldn't even bother with this school any longer.

Atonalism

Sometimes it's pretty strange to think about things in images, rather than words. My memory tends to always replay scenes in images. Certain scenes often playback clearly in my mind.

The airplane incident when I was like 5 years old, on the way to Hong Kong.

The nightmare I had when I was 6, which involved yet another image "forming" in my mind.

The event 2 years ago, which made me afraid of him.

There're many others, but some of these remain the most significant.

I need to focus. My piano exam's coming, and I am not improving, at least the way I see it. It lacks... Emotion.

I haven't thought about what I'd do in future. I cannot see much happening.

Maybe this dissonant piece isn't helping. Maybe I'm tired. Maybe it's both.

I should go to sleep.

Silence

I can't really sleep. I have to be up at 7 everyday but I can't even get to sleep until 2, at least. I don't really know why this is the case.

I'm on the verge of losing my voice, for a bit. Since Saturday's barbeque my voice has become really hoarse. It's been on and off though, so I'm not sure how it would be.

If you haven't noticed already everything I've said thus far expresses a certain level of uncertainly. I'm not even sure about what I'm doing in school recently. There's been a few nice people that I've met, but the school work's really a chore. It's almost impossible.

It's only 12:50AM right now. I have about an hour. Maybe I'll listen to Swan Lake and Persona 4 OST and maybe, just might be able to get to sleep. I don't know.

Bethena: A Concert Waltz

I've been somewhat confused as to what I have been doing.

Since the last project ended it was just more or less studying for exams. And there were only 3 papers, no big deal. I guess the third year sort of looms ahead rather menacingly. Our break has been reduced to a pathetic 5 days becuase of it, which starts today, incidentally. I'm not going to plan anything, since most of it would be used for catching up on sleep anyway.

I was afraid that my piano exam and my final year project would clash at some point. I mean, I already signed up for it, and since I just knew that I was dispatched to the dreaded "fish tank" (project area), it's not very good news for my schedule. I just hope I don't end up failing my exam or something, since the fees are up to a thousand dollars. Also, next year's syllabus is different, so I'd have to change my repertoire, and that means more time wasted to learn new songs.

The way I look at it, there just isn't enough time. Perhaps I worry too much. I don't know.

Xarcabard, The Land of Truths

Alone through the snow you walk.

17 measures of music surround you. It goes on like an ostinato; you're awaiting the Da Capo al Coda.

Does it ever arrive?

Perhaps you heard it, perhaps you didn't. Perhaps you weren't even waiting for the end. You just tell yourself there's only a few more measures to go.

You continue to trudge along the snow, thinking.

Thinking about how you didn't use Teleport-Vahzl to get there.

Horrifying Visions

Holidays have this effect on me.

I mean, sure, no one would complain about having a one month break, but I don't know, sometimes this boredom makes you wish you weren't on break.

Haven't been listening to music at all lately. Made my head kinda empty, I think. Only now do I open up Windows Media Player.

And I'm only here because the Warhammer servers are down for maintenance. I haven't mentioned it, but that's what I'm playing now, because Xeo and I got bluffed into believing that it wasn't seperated into NA and EU. It was only after I bought the game that I realized how it actually was.

So I'm left to play it on my own, with a couple of friends (we don't really do things together though).

We had our class chalet 2 days ago, and a couple of us didn't sleep the entire day. I came back at 9 in the morning, and decided to wait till evening to sleep. And to my horror I woke up after 3 hours.

Sleep is stalking me right now. Which makes me wonder, what the hell am I still doing here at 4 A.M.?

Gyakuten Meets Orchestra

The new Gyakuten Saiban orchestral album, released just 4 days ago, 16th July 2008.

Certain tracks were sort of a disappointment upon my first listen, either because it lacked the oomph or because of the recording quality itself. I like the new additions Villian Suite, Gyakuten Saiban 4 Courtroom Suite and Swingin' Zenitora though. This version of The Steel Samurai is also pretty nice.

And yeah if you noticed I finally uploaded a picture after so long. It's not much, but my current mood just beseeched me to.

I was just learning the Star Onion's version of Vana'diel March on piano. It's a very good arrangement and very fun to play.

Speaking of Vana'diel, I was just watching some Puppetmaster videos yesterday and they got me hyped up about leveling my puppetmaster(yet again). It's probably another short term kinda motivation, but I'll see how far it brings me this time.

Ah, FFXI.

Good ole AntiHero, and those before it - TheFatedOnes, Genocyde, thieveZguild.

Uncertainty?

At this stage I'm pretty lost.

I read what they say and get optimistic for a bit but then it just dies down fast when I look at my position.

Yeah, pretty damn confused. No answers yet. Only thing I can do is to keep thinking.

There hasn't been any sheet music uploads for the new Final Fantasy XI Piano Collections yet. At least, I couldn't find any. I might just buy the damn book when I get my credit card, because I'm getting impatient.

There's like 3-4 more weeks of school left, then exams. And that's 3 more weeks to code our project. And hidden among these remaining weeks are 3 tests, all secretly laid out to ambush us at our weakest. Very sly, you cunning machiavellians!

I helped Xeo with Zilart mission 8 two days ago. It was the superman fight - that's what they call Eald'narche's brother. That thing died really fast, I barely got down my rotation of 4 songs. We didn't break the record though, figured we spent too much time on preperation in the battlefield.

Well here's looking forward to tomorrow's Hokkaido Fair - I've waited far too long to try out the food there.

Final Fantasy XI Piano Collections

Final Fantasy XI Piano Collections was released just 2 days ago, 25th June 2008.

It features different tracks as compared to the piano collections from the Final Fantasy XI Premium Box Set.

Most of the tracks are quite nice. Just some thoughts on the tracks:

A New Horizon -Tavnazian Archipelago- starts the album beautifully. I thought it captured the ambience of Tavnazian Archipelago rather well. I was actually surprised to hear it at first, because I got it mixed up with Tavnazian Safehold. Different themes I know well, but my eyes somehow saw the wrong thing.

Ronfaure is the only track in this album originally composed by Nobuo Uematsu. It's not bad, but since it's almost a transcription from the original, I thought certain sections didn't sound too well on piano. But overall, still a nice piece.

The Grand Duchy of Jeuno is one track I particularly like. I guess it's just refreshing to hear it on piano after listening to the orchestral version in game a million times over and over.

Whispers of the Gods is a nice piece, but the original track wasn't one that I took much notice of. I forgot where in the game this is played, Aydeewa Subterrane, was it? Regardless, it's very pleasent to listen to.

Stargazing is the theme of Windurst[S]. It seems the similarites between this piano collections and the one in the premuim box is that both feature the Windurst themes. This piece is pretty new, being that the OST for Wings of the Goddess was just released not too long ago, but comparing the two, this piano arrangement sounds pretty good.

Fated Strife -Besieged- is pretty interesting to listen on the piano. I was more interested in hearing how it ended, since the original track actually keeps looping. And uh, the ending was kinda lacking, at least to me.

Mercenaries' Delight is the other battle theme in this album. I'd have to say this one sounds much better than Fated Strife -Besieged-, not only because it's faster paced, but I like how they arranged it, they were careful not to miss out the trills and such.

The Sanctuary of Zi'Tah is a very tranquil piece, and on the Rise of the Zilart OST it was probably one of the better tracks. I was excited to see how it would sound on piano, but well, it wasn't as good as I had hoped. I guess I expected too much.

The Cosmic Wheel is another slow, melodious piece of Sarutabaruta[S]. It's probably as good as the OST version. I'm definitely going to learn this once I get the sheet music.

Griffons Never Die is the theme of San d'Oria[S]. It didn't quite stand out to me in the OST at first. After hearing the piano version I don't find it all that bad. But the bass part didn't quite match up to the OST version, somehow I don't think it worked very well on the piano.

And finally, Wings of the Goddess, the track I've been eagerly wanting to hear since the tracklist was announced. And it didn't disappoint. I was worried that it might be a duet, seeing how Vana'diel March #4 was, but thankfully it isn't. At least I can learn this piece. I felt the performer brought out the mood of the theme quite well. Certain sections sound difficult to bring out the melody, but heck, I'm gonna try it as soon as I can.

And that's about it. Just my personal opinion on the first few listen-throughs.