Thursday, April 30, 2009

American Idol Studio Recording vs Live Performance



I’ve just gone through the Studio recording of the idol recording. There’s certain contestant that can be great artist or on stage performer or great recording singer really.

If you do not watch the show at all and only listen to the recording you’d have pick up their CD or MP3 even without a thought of it.

The early exit like Alexis Grace, Michael Sarver sound fantastic on recording, Anoop really showcase his vocal on recording. Of course it shows on the show too.

One clear thing about Kris Allen and Matt Giraud besides being a great singer is that they can be a great producer too. Somehow Danny Gokey sounds good on recording he’s too similar with many crooners in the market today.

As for the front runner drop to low rank this week Adam Lambert….. He does have that Steven Tyler sound to him. But it’s more on showmanship and not so much on music talent cos you can hear it in the recording there’s great control on vocal but the riff is nearly the same as the live performance.

As for Scott McIntyre, the awkwardness in his voice do transcend into recording so….he need to get some control on that, make the vocal control more on point.

Allison, she is ready for recording. Her style and voice is good for recording I must agree. With a great producer she’s on her way.

If you ask me who did the best recording voice….

Anoop sounds the best, Kris and Matt’s musical sense shows perfectly, Allison is a great singer type, surprisingly I find Michael Sarver and Alexis is ready for recording too.

Danny need to somehow spice up his vocal on recording, as for Adam he need to find one style that could define and set his key stone on the entertainment ground on recording.

Lil Rounds sound too familiar and similar to the other female singer at the moment, Megan Joy however sound nothing like anyone…. So both would be a promotional challenge of both complete opposite, where Lil have to be taken out of the AI equation and sets herself up for a great vocal overhaul, and Megan will have to do more mainstream in order for her to sink her teeth into the general population.

As for Jasmine and Jorge, though they sound good on recording, there’s far too little showcase to know whether how good they are. Base on the Top 13 recording, Jasmine sound too close to Michael so there lack of uniqueness and Jorge though sounds good but not the best recording even on the same top 13 level so it doesn’t actually stands out.

Wolverine Premiere this week


Just came back from the Wolverine.

The X Men Origin is pretty cool. Explaining all the origin of the character and all.

The one complain that I have is that everything is just touching the surface. Will.I.Am and Taylor Kitsch done quite a good job as the new mutant. Especially Taylor, the Gambit is so right on point, he even looks younger in the movie this time.

The brotherhood between Sabertooth and Wolverine is undeniably the most interesting one. But somehow Hugh fights with Liev just somehow left me with the taste of nothing too deep. The fight scene just keep charging through it all.

Another good thing about the movie is that Daniel Henney performance is pretty good and totally cool as Zero.

And there’s a love story that actually does give you the sensible side of the story.

So overall it is a good action movie really. Just compare the prequel with the previous movies, there’s no huge war fights, just small one and a good one to watch too. And Hugh muscle is like he said crazy…..

One man that didn’t get enough credit is Ryan Reynolds, as Wade he is fantastic. Just that I thought the character is a bit too young. But Ryan really is in great shape as Deadpool.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Woh American Idol Down with love to 4 and surprise of the week coming.


This week’s elimination is a surprise from the beginning to the end.

Well almost the end.

At first the 5 is divided into 2 by 2 with Danny and Allison in one group and Kris and Matt in the other. Adam is dealt the card that David A is dealt last year to choose one side he believes he belonged. So he chooses Danny and Allison, pretty obvious those 2 are not going anywhere. But not Adam he is the bottom 3 with Kris and Matt. A big, big surprise that both our favorite is in the bottom. Sure Danny got the gold this week, and no one is really saying much about Allison to the south yet. But never had I thought that Adam will be in the bottom 3. So either Kris or Adam has to be one of the bottom 2.

And Kris is release soon after. Leaving Adam, who is pointed to be able to reach the final without a hitch, is in the race for his life. Of course still in the end Matt is the one to go.

Said so Simon says too early about Allison, she’s no where near any point of people letting her go yet. No guarantee next week though. Cos it’s everybody’s game now. Maybe some flying rumors are affecting the votes. The only thing sure out is that the only 2 person that haven’t been in the last 2 is Kris and Danny. And Danny has never been near the low 3. So could the swap for final show be Kris and Danny in the end? With Danny taking the singing role (David Archuleta) and Kris be the instrumental talent (David Cook)? Or could Adam still revive from this weeks loses. Or even would people be more and more impress with Allison by the week on the final stretch of the race? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Next week will be rock n’ Roll nights.

It seems that the theme thing is getting duller by the week really.

American Idol Top 5


Just finish off the American Idol this week Top 5
Kris Allen started the show. With the Classic Rat Pack song. The crowd is screaming even before he started. His style is pretty close to the real thing but a bit too close. The classic, there’s no escape from it. It’s hard to twist and make it your own when it’s repeatedly sang for so many times. I’m sure at this point people are looking for something different from everyone and Kris just beat by himself for doing so great the 3 weeks before this. His winning touch is being himself and to stick to the original is a bit too safe now. But from the popularity contest it seems that he’s well safe in the top 2 at the moment for doing no fault and a good but not over the top performance.
Allison is next and the performance is almost the same. With her sassy style, the voice strain a bit after the first couple of verse but she did have great control on her voice tonight, it’s the best vocal performance from the young lady and very similar to Pink doing the Grammy indeed like Randy said. I think Simon call it too soon for saying she’s in trouble. From the buzz, she’s no where near any mentioning she’s leaving. So she should have at least one more show left in her.
Matt Giraud take on the big mama of the night. It is a fine performance. His vocal is in tune with the male sound singing MY Funny Valentine. There’s a bit too much space in between that loses some emotional points. I think he did the connection better with the Jamie rehearsal. Oh! By the way, Jamie Foxx is the mentor this week. the Judges is divided into 2 groups with Paula and Simon at one group supporting and Randy and Kara in the opposite end.
Danny Gokey is up next, Looking really classic in tux. He sounded exactly like what coconut Cove is like in the golden days. The rusty scream at the end fit the rat pack style to a T. really foxy. Did paula just jinx it when she said he’s the best. It is swagga at the top and he is most natural this week. he sure is top notch tonight.
Adam Lambert closes the show with a bang. The only one who dare to whear white. Looking really handsome too. The only one that brave enough to take on the stairs. The only one that actually turn the classic into an original piece for his own way. But all risk and credit aside, I don’t feel he hit the right peak. It’s a bit like he’s gone back to old habit yet not quite as devastating as before. The shouting is a bit too much. But the crowd like it so does the judges. So I give him 100 for bravery and 90 for controlled performance.
This week we have a total shuffle of the top in my opinion.
Danny Gokey has probably took the top crown this week, followed by Adam according to public opinion and judges reaction.
With Kris Hanging around the third spot here, not but he is the one that is ready to go make an album now of the 5 really. Cause he just got it.
Allison probably did one good for not having too many criticism in the public and the judges love her, but to not have debate is a curse too that she’s only gonna be just there and can’t get any higher.
Then Matt though he’d tried his best to do all the runs and variety, but too much runs may just render him to misidentified to unidentifiable. So this could probably be the last for him.
There is no doubt though he is musically most talented of them all. He just have to find his natural way to present his talent on stage.

The heat of Twit, Facebook and MySpace

follow me on twit http://twitter.com/jeanolivier
and Blog/Mag, Evol, http://perfectlifestylemag.blogspot.com
and myspace, http://www.MySpace.com/keitoshichin

MySpace is a more commercial friendly and more decorable website. like personal website type that is good to attracting people to go in and see and share contents like video, photos and comments and even more friendly in add friend.

as for facebook, it's an essential online networking space. everything is manged for by the FB team, you just go in and connect with friends and share your views and things. no webpage knowledge is neccesary, but you also can't change the theme of the page or anything like that.

as for twitter, it is exactly what it's name suggest. small bird twitting, rumbling their status or saying what they want. though people allow to change their background that's just about the most control the memeber have over their twit page. even the message they are sending are limited to 140 per post so everything have to be kept short.

if myspace friend list module can be as flexible and as transparent as the FB one and the status changes can be displayed to a feed like twitt then myspace have something that's complete and good enough.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

What's on DVD: a not so very December, December Boys


Just finish watching December Boys. Like Little Ashes, to tell the truth if it’s not for Daniel Radcliffe, I suppose no one would have notice the film. But that’s just what I like about these type of movies. It tells more of a story than any Spiderman, Batman or whatever Big Budget movie there are out there. These 4 boys, or 3 boys and a star really carried the story through with all of the other great actors in the movie who’s virtually unknown Except for Daniel.

Regardless he is the richest guy on earth I’ll say it out straight. He’s grown a lot and the performance is stunning. Well at least the facial expression part. It’d be sad to see that this guy who have virtually no acting career before Harry Potter have really matured. Whenever the camera take to a tight shot of his performance he is captivating and totally on point with every shot. But the way that he moves, up the hill, running, even walking he look to stiff. His body movement is like someone with a back bone too straight. Many actors move really well but no control on their facial expression and if like a really useful blank sheet of paper. Daniel is the other way around. His expression is great but the body movement is like a 15th century gentleman who wore his pants too high and stiff at the back with the limp swinging just sideways, very unnatural. Restricted and controlled… too controlled. This time it may just work. Because it’s a small movie and he is the front liner there’s not many would complain about his acting when the story is that solid. But if as at when it comes to a time that he need to be in the 21st century and moves naturally and embody the character, he still need more work on walking, running, climbing or even dancing and looking at the camera to correct his moves. Which is why some actors go for ballet, yoga or just plain old break dancing class to get a grip on their body. To know how to move their body better.

Music Review: The Bolts leading the way to Heaven is Where meets Dave Campbell




Since for the past couple of months I haven’t been putting anything out there yet. It just seems suitable now to start our music review again.

This week our feature artist include

The Bolts is a California band that sound more like a British Indie Band than the British themselves.

The coolness in their music simply rocks my house off the ground.

The quirky twist with a hint of beat and spit just push you into this world of speed shot. It’s provoking and right at your face and it’s indie rock with the geeky twist.

The next band is a duo. Also hailing from LA, Heaven is Where looks pretty solid as a live stage performance. There a little touch of funky rock or alternative in the sound. Both Matt and Conrad mixes from a rough and soft vocal range that fits perfectly to each others advantages. Creating this one of a kind rock and classic feel on the style. At some point it sound pretty Gothic too, just without the black ironic. There’s no ignoring the complexity of the bands composition. It takes you down a pretty modern classic rock road and down to the dungeon of the hell and open up the gates to heaven. That’s how it sound. There’s no hard edge dark cry, just the calming of sadness.

Aside from all the quirks and the gothic, here’s something that’s more mainstream this time. Void808 is you life on Pop Rock. The first beat ahead will get you running of your feet and straight on to the rock zone. Keep jumping until you lose your shoe or feet. The hard beat, the fast pace will definitely swept you off and you’ll get on a wild joy ride. Very Electric, very Rock, very Drum hard beating. It’s my kind of flava.

Here’s something for all the music geek out there. Dave Campbell, the guitar work he makes is sensational. It’s heart warming and heart wrenching. It touches the inner spirit and pour them right out. Every simple pluck and strum spell something meaningful. It is the ultimate heart string being played on the wood.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

movies: the Asian Sniper tries to Kill off Mall cop and doing it pretty good in Asia.











I’m just off the movie screen today with the chinese’s The Sniper and Paul Blart: Mall Cop.
The Sniper is an interesting story to watch. Although the whole set up is very Chinese, it’s kinda board the whole police academy, sniper in the good and bad side of the fight and the psychotic killer and the Matrix-esque special effects. It’s all a bit old really.
You just can’t help to feel the little bitterness when you watch it because it’s the very movie that’s taken off the 2007 line up when the Chinese star photo scandal break.
Not that it meant much but audience personal expression aside. It is not really an out of this world movie experience. And it still kept me wondering if the Chinese movie production ever going to get any more creativity out there?
I have the best wishes and prayers that they’d do better.
******************
As for the latter, Paul Blart: Mall Cop is a movie long time coming really. I wouldn’t know how would it be compare to Observe and Report, another hyped mall cop theme movie by the oh so popular now Seth Rogen but hell it is great to see Kevin James back on the big screen strutting his comedy action.
It’s witty, funny and really cool. I’m not always the best friend of comedy because there’s just too many brainless stupid one out there that just left me empty rather than laugh my heart out. This one is pretty cool. What would be cooler is that Malaysia theatre would show it in the Christmas rather than in the hot, hot pre summer season.
So fancy a fat mall security inspired to be a cop stopping all the cool action flying bad people in his natural habitat, the Mall? Yup, catchy right. The story is as catchy and funny as this.

Buletin: Casting Call LA

Extras needed for Samsung touch screen commercial: all ages, May 3-4

Reply to: rijecasting@gmail.com

Extras needed for Samsung touch screen

No acting experience required

Pay: $75-100/day (up to 12 hour days)

You will provide your own wardrobe

The location is TBA, somewhere in Manhattan

This is a non-union commercial

Featured extras:Professional Man (35-45)

Attractive Stylish Woman (27-33) (think Sex and the City)

Male basketball player (18-29) (Caucasian) (MUST be able to dunk)

Man on a bike (25-40) (could be rollerblader or skateboarder)

Also Seeking:Ages 14-23

Experienced ramp Skateboarders (MUST provide picture you skateboarding)

Breakdancers (MUST provide picture of you breakdancing) (video is prefered)Ages 18-29

Basketball players (If available, provide picture of you playing basketball)

Bicycle rider (If available provide picture of you riding a bike)Ages 25-40

Experienced waiters (in elegant café)Experienced kitchen staff (in elegant café)Ages 35-65

Business men and women (wall street type)

Experienced Taxi Driver

All ages, all ethnicities

Additional extras

Please respond ASAP with name, number, age, updated picture/headshot to:rijecasting@gmail.com

Good Luck,

William Kapfer

Casting Couch

Buletin: Casting Call LA and CANADA

CASTING LOS ANGELES & CANADA LEADS: (North Hollywood)
Casting Feature Film now for 4 weeks - Co-Stars, Leads, Co-Leads, Day Players, Under 5's, Stand ins, Body Doubles.
There is Pay - shooting in Los Angeles California USA and CANADA
Maybe Union involvement
Email a Head shot and list your present location and if you have relitives in CANADA, Toronto and Vancuver.
Background talent WANTED - NO EXP NEEDED
THERE IS PAY
Email your Location and snap shot if you have onContact: jpgprods@gmail.com

"Golden Girls" star Bea Arthur dies at 86


We are sadden to hear the news that Bea Arthur of the Golden Girl had passed on.
our condolenses to the family and friends.
Bea Arthur is one of the most amazing actress out there who had given us fantastic performance in Golden Girls and Maude. both of which have early on solidify how strong woman could be.
the ultimate symbol of Girl Power.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Band news and promo!!!!!!!!!

to all my musician, model and artist friends you are welcome to leave your events, promo or tour info on my comments board

for those of you who wish to find out more about musician feature on this blog and their schedule

check out my myspace

http://www.myspace.com/keitoshichin


Jonathan

Evol, http://perfectlifestylemag.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

American Idol Top 7 become Top 5


As we predicted.....


there's no accident that Lil is going. without a good comment from the judge and no hype online or off for the voice.


but there's a surprise for quite a few people. not me though. as predicted. Anoop is the first to go from the boys.


it's not that Anoop didn't do good.

Matt and Anoop is on the edge. it's just that with a come back and emtional return for Matt. it seems there's a good reason that people want to maintain the underdog to see how good he can get. and the next in line will just be Anoop. because Allison is after all the only female with some sassy and attraction yet on voting.


if prediction is correct. it will be a battle between Matt, Allison and Danny next week. Matt need to relax and get more comfortable with his own talent. he is a fantastic piano player and musician, threre's no reason to worry, if he just follow his heart. Danny, just have to show more than vocal advantage. there's great control, and perfect pitch but at this stage, it's getting old. he needs to spike up some crazy vocal chops or that's just as good as the good vocal can get him. as for Allison, the obvious is that she is similar to Gokey. Ranged vocal. the reason she is getting through is she can get people to connect to her performance. everyone knows that she got range limit like Gokey. so...... could there be a sassy latin husky song power house next will like Anastasia type. that would definitely put her up another notch on the chart.

American Idol Top 7 again for Disco Night




Wednesday night it’s on again for the American Idol. The result will be announced in a couple of hours.
So who will stay and who’d leave?
It’s disco night and it’s estimated that many crooners that’s close to R&B and Jazz ground would falter.
Top 7 All over again.
The show started with Lil Rounds.
It is the essential Chaka Khan song and Lil have a great sound and far better from previous week.
Every note is right. But the lack of alternate from the original is not pleasing the judges. It’s the typical Disco arrangement, and the only thing that’s keeping her on is the vocal. We’ll see if the audience going to vote for the vocal performance.
Next up is Danny Gokey, the twist from the original September is just not enough for me. the vocal is great. Everyone on the top 7 is high up on vocal marks this season. But Danny constant unchanging style is a bit old by now. I felt that he has to change up his vocal arrangement and create more variation now.
Allison’s do for the night is crazy with the wavy hair and all leathered up. Her performance started with a great soft and powerful start. But when she stands up, it turns south a bit. She got the husky voice and totally sexy rockin. But her lower range vocal might just drop the energy level lower and she picks it up with the performance. It’s great. But not all unflawed though
Matt came up with staying alive. And stay alive he tried. There’ the sexy voice with the sexy little dance moves. There are corny moments when he did the song with the backup vocal… all things consider the singing is great. There’s great moments too.
Kris Allen – a Donna Summer’s “She works hard for the money” Kris-stylized. Kris guitar playing of the Disco classic turns head. It’s not Disco but it’s essentially the most exciting performance of the night. It’s all unplug and on plot to Kris style.
Adam Lambert – If I Can’t Have You totally turn the song upside down. The emotional and the vocal is spot on and every note is in the right place at the right moment…. It’s not disco though it is Adam Lambert. It’s pretty sure that the final 2 would be Adam and
Anoop Desai closes the show. By now vocal wise, the top would be Adam and Anoop. The performance is stellar. Every note is hit with energy and confidence. There’s less variation but it’s sensual the best ballad performance on the show. My only concern is that when it comes down to popularity votes….. Anoop may lack of it.
It’s easy to separate the contestants into 2 zone by now.
My favorite take on the contestants would be
Kris, Adam, Danny and Matt
The lower section would be
Anoop, Allison, Lil
it’s not that I don’t think Allison is a good performer. But vocal wise, Allison lack a bit of the natural DNA I think for a good vocal cord. As for Anoop, there’s just too many great guy. Vocal alone is just not enough. As for Lil, she just have to find herself vocally.
But if considering the reaction of the audience to the show.
Probably there’s the switch up
Kris and Adam safe to the final is my prediction
Allison would be the only girl to reach home and lose on top 3
Danny would probably be gone at top 4
The only choppy one would be the fight between Matt and Anoop to stay alive this week. (my gut tell me, though I hate the maybe, Matt would be going.)
There’s no light to show that Lil would be safe this week.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Earth Hour, Earth Day, Earth Week, Eearth Month!!!! Let's make this year Earth Year!!!


We have been through Earth Hour, Walk Through Earth Day, we are on this Earth Week, and many makes this month Earth month!!!!
So let's make this year Earth Year!!!!!!

Get Involve and join in the force. We can and we will and we are solving this "thing" once and for all.

Here's the easiest way.
Support organics. because the process reduce polution.
some easy way in life to live better and more environmentally friendly.
use solar radiator and hot water system.
use Sky light at home.
use banana peel as fertilizer for plants.
you may have a section in your house farm using worm to decompose left over into fertilizer instead of dropping them to the trucks.

Change all light bolts into energy saving kind. And connect all plug system into central timing circuit breaker.

Fruit spray makes easy, water, vinegar, baking powder and a couple drops of fruit extract oil, 5 minutes is all you need to clean of all insecticide and pesticide.

And for natural friendly cleaner. Vinegar and pure fruit soap is a good way to go. Add a zap of lemon for extra cleaning power and fragrance.
***********************************
What’s funny is that I haven’t had a clear realization that this week is earth week until yesterday. And weeks before that I’ve been to the DVD store to see what I can get and there’s this documentary on discount. Without thinking much I bought it home. Planet Earth by BBC and Discovery channel. It is one of the most amazing documentary series I’ve ever seen. The high definition is clear and perfectly dynamics from the aerial shots to the animal’s close up.
And I’m watching the best documentary in Earth week and only the other day did I notice it is the documentary that Oprah have been promoting last year.
www.wecansolveit.org

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Jason is back and a Book become a movie on Movie night, Friday the 13th take over the date movie, He's just not that into you





Weekend nights another movie night.
I watch Friday the 13th 2008 last night. And to it seems that we are heading back to the Scream format somehow.
The first movie, it’s all in the camp and dark and all the teen angst and the gruesome dead of the victim. Now we simply skip all the hidden shot and edited cuts and straight to the bloody gruesome part.
First there’s Bloody Valentines now there’s Friday 13 again. The Supernatural on screen brothers seem to be doing pretty well these days.
Both movies about a mask murderer trying to kill of everyone that comes close to him.
Friday is a bit old. There are bits and pieces where the shock doesn’t even hit at all.
I don’t know. Maybe it’s me, watched too many horror movie. It doesn’t make any wave sometimes. There are places where it’s great. The action sequence is good. I swear it is me. the girls at the back row are screaming everytime Jason comes out and a person is chop off.
I give the angle shots and editor some credit for some great shots. But overall the 3 piece format is a bit too long for me in the second sequence.
********************************************
Surely you won’t think I just went for one movie right?
Believe it or not after the horror of going to a pretty bored out horror movie (just me, really, there are girls that’s screaming hysterically at the back actually at the screen), I went to a second with some girls for He’s just not that into you.
This book is a funny thing to look at and the movie is a brilliant story really. The intercourse of the life of every characters. You don’t exactly know what will happen.
Truly is it really that simple. If you take everything in stride and humor on. It is probably a pretty funny movie. In the end, sometimes life or love is difficult and complicated. No matter how many signal we read right or wrong or how much we micro analyze it. Relationships…… takes time and you take it like life one step at a time. There’s no rules or fix formula. No marriage is a fix-it-all, nor everyone is a prison.
Not every piece is a game or a puzzle. Ignorant is part of life and getting beaten or bitten is part of the process.
So, Love……. (the girls just went crazy over every character HAHA!!!!)




To all my friends

To all my model, musician and artist friends. you are welcome to add in your promo, tour dates and events on my myspace comments, http://www.myspace.com/keitoshichin.
what's happening on your end guys?

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Susan Boyle, the newest sensation out of Britains Got Talent


It seems to me that there’s another case of Paul Potts this year on the Britains Got Talent show.

Simon would be so happy that this year’s it will head into a greater start.

It is clear the he is more comfortable in his own town and doing his own show than having it on American Idol.

Susan Boyle is what everyone is talking about these days. I think the one show that actually allow real ordinary people regardless of their age and boundaries to catch a breeze and fly, is this show.

It started incredibly with Paul Potts on the first year. Then now Susan.

By now everyone that ever follow the show or the online YouTube posting would know about her singing the infamous I Dream a Dream from Les Miserable. What some may not know is that she sounds so like the original that is makes everyone chills up their spine to see this old lady with the most usual and ordinary old Scottish face on earth could sing as good as any actor on the real show.

I as a optimistic of course knows from the experience of reviewing such shows that there are totally these people around. What makes it so great is that. It’s exactly what British is all about. They joke and laugh and become cynical about the look of the person and the laugh and the irony that they got smack on the face right off with such performances and graciously forget about what they thought a few second ago and totally applaud and encourage the person they just judge.

There’s no fault, everyone’s opinion when she walk on stage is that she is just another flop. And as Simon’s facial expression shows throughout the performances is that he sees gold. There’s his ticket to the very core spirit of the show and they have found the right one this year. There’s no need to do too many promotion and arrange so many things to generate the hype for the show……

Yes…. Susan is one hell of the spirited puncher. She’s even cheerier than Paul.

In Paul we see a long discourage man rise to become the phoenix. Susan is already the hype and she fits just right to the show.

Our best wishes to Susan and congratulation to Simon.

Japan today: Lead - Feel The Vibe 2008


We steer towards the east to Japan a bit today.

Just came off the Lead 2008 Feel The Vibe concert. Finally the group has graduated to the adulthood of the music world.

The beat is faster, they have grown to their full heights that allow their moves to have the most momentum that they should have but still smooth as ever.

Lead is the band to watch. This is what persistence is all about in Japan. They pay off with all the 5 years of hard work, touring experience and at that young age! Their singing has matured so much till there’s no out of breath with singing, the whole performance is fine tuned and timed to the ultimate precision.

And with the trend of todays world raging over young talent. These seemingly young veteran ought to have a place in this business to have a resume or tour and major concert gigs and awards and skills to wow everyone for being below 20 right now.

Of course the concert format of rallying the crowds in the Japan ways need to be toned down a little bit if they ever have a show in US or Europe. Because those crowd they don’t like to be handled like the Japanese does. But their dance moves and their singing couldn’t have been better than they are now ever. And it’s high time that they should show the world what kids can do, especially in Japan.

Everyone in the group can ding, and everyone in the group can dance and rap perfectly. That’s a complete cycle from every one of the four members of the group and they harmonize well too.

Manufacture is not such a back thing after all because with the right management it gives the young the opportunity to grow incredibly and nurture them to great talent.

The show is at the Amphitheatre. It is a small space compare to Arena tour but to the weary Japan crowd, it’s a close area where the performer can be very close to the audience and heat them up properly with the moves and songs. It’s the right size for the Japanese audience.

It all ritual the show start with a beat and the sudden dimming of the light and the group appear behind a screen or the front of a spot light and only cast shadows and then all hell break lose when they start singing and dancing to the hot beat.

Everyone in the crowd is waving their things and light in sync with the beat and dance moves and scream when ever the group did cool moves.

The young energy that vibrated from the stage to the whole hall can be felt throughout the show.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

American Idol Still Top 7 next week. Well, Matt Giraud is out.......... but saved!!!

the only save of the show had been used this week.
Apparently the judges thinks that Matt got more than he had shown last night.
me too.
congratulation Matt.
think of it as a complement that they want to save you.
you should have more confident by now and be yourself.

American Idol Top 7, Adam Lambert Rocks the stage

American idol movie night take on Quentin Tarantino. And it is marvelous.
You think a movie director don’t know music and apparently directing music and directing movies ain’t that much different after all.
The show kicks off with Allison. The 17 yo knocks out a rocking Armageddon and the judges love it. For me the key is a bit too low. The energy level drop tremendously with it. She is a rock chick no doubt about it. It felt like the rehearsal is better than the live performance.
Anoop is the follow up and who’d know that Quentin can get this kid into the zone. The direction had help him hit every note just at the right energy. And it’s an even emotional performance from him. Finally, finally Anoop is hitting the heart string right.
The real show have started this week. Finally everything fall into place including the contestants vocal and performance. The weaks have brought up to level plain and the strong is lining up in place.
Adam Lambert totally rock the house, bringing back the good old style of Led Zeppelin and Bryan Adams to a new high. the proportion of his range is perfect this week.
Matt Giraud is next and “To Really Love a Woman” you gotta be like Matt. Perfect on the keyboard. Very sexy and good sentimental. Though there are a couple of key off that displease the judges. He can do piano no doubt and he can sing. I think it’s time for Matt to hold it back and show them all the natural self and not think too much and do too many riffs on the performance. Just do one solid emotional performance will get him well on.
Danny Gokey “Endless love” is proves to be endless. Using the eyes to sing is what the mentor says and Gokey lose the spec. indeed the hold back performance without the hand gesture is a new but not too natural to Danny. It is the most subtle and emotional delivery he had ever made and I think the mission is accomplished this week.
Simon however would like to see more difference from the original
Kris Allen is up. It’s confidence oozing out everywhere. Not holding to any guitar, Kris seems to be bare clean and he is visibly nervous without the defense mechanism. The voice holds good though, and without the distraction of a piano or guitar, Kris shows true color on his vocal. The performance seems too short. Kris could do a better run with a longer performance and showing more chops on his vocal.
Lil Rounds round up the rest of the show, there’s actually not much faults in the vocal. It’s just that the energy is not there. And the performance is not engaging enough. of course the Bette Midler’s is remarkable and makes an ordinary vocal sound incredible. Lil version could run too, just that it’s either not here nor there from melodic to gospel to R&B.
The ranking of the week from my view will take in as performance wise
Adam Lambert
Anoop Desai
Kris Allen
Danny Gokey
Matt Giraud
Allison
Lil Rounds
If calculating popularity vote
Anoop might just be the last male at the moment still. Or still below Allison. But to me the girls didn’t know the ball out the court this week.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Movie night: Confession of a Shopaholic




Confession of a Shopaholic is probably one of the funniest movie I’ve seen in years.

Hugh Dancy is the charming male lead in the movie and Isla Fisher is the shopaholic. Desperately trying to get her head above all her debts, she tries to get into one of the leading fashion magazine but instead she’s dumped into the finance magazine of the same group and met up with Hugh Dancy. In the process there’s debts manager chasing her, there’s friendship ruin, there’s romance and rivalry in career and love.

Ironically the lady in distress is the person that’s teaching people how to spend and how to save. Of course when she is famous, the skeleton is out of the closet and all hell break loose.

The Lady in the green scarf is reduce to the poor debts eating moth again. No more the beautiful butterfly.

Realizing what she needed to do, she sell off all her things and move on with her life. And of course in all chick flick tradition, the lady ended up with her charming prince and live happily after all.

The funniest scene is the dance scene when they are in Miami. It’s just totally hilarious.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

David Archuleta Malaysia Shocase


While I was wondering what to do on a Saturday night. The phone rang and there my radio friend asked if I would want to go to a concert. I heard that David A is in town but didn’t really thought I’d go because I have no Idea where they spreading the ticket. So I thought sure. Let’s have some American Idol power and see exactly how good David Archuleta really is in real life.

Apparently he is a force of nature to be recon with. When we arrive at the venue, it’s packed. They are starting to block people out of going in. and the heavy dark clouds is dangerously hanging right above us. And then it started to drizzle and the security decided to let everyone with tickets in for cover.

So we got in fine right before the heavy rain started to pour. And right after the 30 minutes delay the show started. First every being in Malaysia showbiz that’s resemblance the AI show in here, first the local TV talent winner, then the million dollar contest singing winner, then the former Malaysian Idol, the true idol under the Idol format umbrella is here. All except Archuleta is unseen.

This friend I drag along with me, because she need a ride to buy her laptop is getting a bit bored with all the opening act. 3 opening act for a showcase is a bit too much really.

6 songs later, finally the crowd can scream their lungs out for the true hero of the night. David A. came out totally hype about the show and started belting out a Little too over you, Don’t Let Go, and Touch my hand. All the up tempo and seeing David jumping on stage and bouncing from one side of the show to the other it reminded me of the way that the Jonas Brothers work the crowd. Totally young, energetic, freakishly jive and the crowd started almost singing every verse with him, even the mother and father that accompany all the underage in the crowd, no wonder the amphitheatre is packed to almost double it’s capacity with the adult fans too. HAHA!!! By the time Crush really came, the amphitheatre sound like it’s gonna crush any second by the heat and the vibration from the crowd screaming and singing in perfect harmony.

Then David gone in to rest his vocal a bit and rest his beating heart for the last and intimate part of the show. David came out and walked to the Keyboard. My friend, who’s totally bored by now…. She’s not a fan and the day before she’s totally crash from an overnighter. So I thought now she’s gonna be impress cause the Kareoke part is over (not that the performance is bad, there’s not much improvisation can be done with a running track). First he did the run on Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles, anyone that’s gone on youtube will have seen the over download and played video of his school performance of the song. It is the real power of this 17 just gone 18 fella that everyone falls in love with last year. I must say American Idol did him good. He knows exactly how to work a crowd, he knows when a rendition is done with improvisation and perfect vocal changes is gonna get the people hyped. And he has return and show off a bit, I must say on the keyboard. And he ended the show with Angel, his last single on his album, and the only cover. And you need to see it to believe it. He is far better than most singers. And the stage present is….. what the world feeds on these days. Young, energetic and infectious.

Now the show is over, the rain have stop. Just in time for me and my gang to go back to my car before it started raining again? As any Oprah audience would say, a Aha moment anyone?!!!! It’s The Secret haha!!!!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Fiction: Story behind the lens

While I was walking down the road of Athens, through the ancient Agora and on top of the Parthenon slope. I can’t get my mind off of the last few weeks when I was in Turkey war-torned.
The devastation of bomb, the children that’s crying on the cracked floor, blood drenched women holding on to man of her life, stream of tears wash her face gray with ashes.
To self contain my sanity; the only way I can get through this is to hold up my camera. Shut out every sound. What’s used to capture beauty now transformed to immortalize agony, sadness and pain.
Still my eyes flinch not. My heart keeps pounding, pumping blood of warm tears throughout my body. Every fiber of it, felt and ears and cry and scream and……… every dust is not missed, every light is save in the film, every pixel of the interlocking gunshot is stored, every flying rocks is stopped eternally, every faces, gray, red, blue, wet, dry, dumbfounded, is burned permanently into the little black box. And it is my shield, my armor, my only defends against all the arsenal.
Now, I’m safe sipping this horrible coffee that’s simply paradise in comparison. I wonder. Man. Where are we now?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

American Idol Becomes 7


Well I thought that the popular votes will get Scott MacIntyre. But I guess it's not enough to throw over the voting for Lil.

Still the most dangerously close person is Anoop at the moment.

He gotta come up with something fantastic to pick himself up this time. not that last night not good. just that there's not enough momentum yet.

pretty much the top 5 of the show is up there. from Adam, Danny, Kris and Matt to Allison.

Allison has been having great progress for the past 3 weeks now. if she keeps improving and creating surprises in her performance then she might just leap in front of the guys.

Now she is still the least of the 5 yet or at most in front of Matt.

Kris, Adam And Danny might just be the top 3 for certain with their steady fan-base now.

of course there's no guarantee.

I must say Scott have nothing to be ashame of to have reach this far on the show.

he'll will need someone to train his singing more in tune with the emotion and the arrangement of the song.

American Idol top 8 Night

Today marks the week of the song from the contestants’ birth year on AI.
Danny Gokey is the first to start, who gave a pretty strong performance for the others to chase on. Can’t exactly put my hand on it, it’s not fantastic, but it ain’t bad. Danny did his originality twist on the song, it’s romantic to start with, just that the arrangement is a bit strange.
Kris Allen is up next. I thought he’d blow out and really get the show heat up. But Kris burn this week, he start “All She want to do is dance” off beat and off key a bit. It seems that the off stage area to perform is a death spot for most contestants that’s brave enough to take on it.
The arrangement is a bit still 80’s. doesn’t sound at all cool and modern like Kris did before. Sure he shows his chops on the guitar again. even the judges didn’t agree with the performance. But with his popularity I think he’s going to be safe. Definitely a big No, No to not wear a ear plugged sound monitor on that stage. Too many distraction and too far from the sound monitor.
Lil Round follow up to Kris ain’t fantatic either. She is going more and more closer to impersonator than a original singer. She take on Tina Turnerm What’s Love Gotta Do With It. She look a bit like Brandy on that stage really. There’s no doubt she can sings but can she turn a song into an original and her own is the question now.
Anoop Desai, this week, he got it just right. He show the judges his “True Color”. Sounding even more like an American than any Caucasian, his rendition on the 80’s classic in modern and totally original. I wish he did a country twist on it. But I guess that’s too much to ask. You won’t see and Cindi Lauper in it but there are times when he got close to the girls range and makes it a bit strange. He is in control though.
Scott is up next and this time he take on guitar. Different, but by now it’s not enough for me. Old habits die hard. That awkwardness that he tweak off on country week is continuously coming back and if he cannot orchestrate to arrange the vocal to suits his singing then sooner or later it will be the cause of his failure in the show. I do applaud him to be able to go on stage every week and perform. But regardless of other factor, the singing is the main talent and Scott just ain’t there yet.
Allison takes on “I Can’t Make You Love Me”, He sound even sexier than the original and totally own the Bonnie Rhatt Classic. And when she belted out that perfect high notes. I say, finally, finally, she’s there.
Perfect score all the way
Matt Giraud is up next, it’s Stevie turn 21sst Century R&B Jazz. Matt is back to his sexy, JT-esque zone. A few notes is off when she try to dance, but he sound ridiculously hot on stage and there’s no doubt he’d rise to the occasion and above the murky water of last week’s dead pond.
The last person to close the show of course is Adam Lambert. It started really theatrical, and his sound is going more and more gothic with the song. This time the arrangement is a bit strange. The timing of the pitch and peaks is a bit off beat. Simon gave a standing ovation for the performance though. I give it to him that he is different.
If purely judging from performance. Originality, on stage presence and singing ability
The ranking should be
1.Allison
2. Matt Giraud
3.Danny Gokey
4. Anoop Desai
5.Adam Lambert
6.Kris Allen
7. Lil Rounds
8. Scott
But if we take in the popularity the range is a shake up
1. Adam Lambert
2. Danny Gokey
3. Kris Allen
4. Matt Giraud
5. Allison
6. Anoop Desai
7. Scott
8. Lil Rounds
So we’ll see which prevail.

Our Hearts goes out to those affected by the Italian Quake

Do all you can to help everyone

Jackie Chan, Japan and Gangster!!!!!!


I was asked if I want to join my colleague on a movie and instead I watch another movie because they are watching Fast and the Furious. I’m not really into watching it twice.

So I gone and watch the Jackie Chan‘s new movie. I never thought that I’d actually go into the cinema for a Chinese movie by Jackie Chan anymore. I thought I’ve had enough of him from my good old days as a teenager. But apparently it’s nota bad movie at all. It’s a movie about Chinese in Japan. Shinjuku Ji Ken. It’s serious and not too decorated action movie. Surviving as an illegal immigrant in Japan is hard. And the hardship that comes with the pain and the sadness and the transformation from a good person to a murderer for survival. All that is pretty amazing and to see finally something genuinely truthful and close to reality is a big plus for the movie. The Japanese is totally believable. To tell the truth it’s more realistic than most overly dramatized Japanese movie or totally boring drama. And mixes with some of the Chinese subtle morality issue and faithful gangster styled brotherhood makes the movie totally believable.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Movies night : Nicholas Cage Knowing that The Fast and the Furious is chasing down his throat






Sunday night another movie night.

So it’s the battle of the tough guy this week. Nicholas Cage taking on plenty of cars

Nicholas Cage is back with Knowing. The question is are we alone in the universe and is everything destined?

The movie is a bit dark and gloomy. It is non-the less a great sci-fi movie. Love the whole X-File cum Sixth Sense Vibe of it. But I must say the tragedy and the whole progress of every predicted tragedy in the movie is a bit too real and disturbing for those that previously have suffer Post Dramatic Disorder from 9/11. The kid in the movie took most of the limelight from Nicholas really. Love him.

We’ll a end of the world movie rival the Fast and The Furious old style car chase. It is really old cast new parts? Or is it just old cast old everything.

The plot is simple, cop chase Bad guys, the bad guys chase back. Revenge and capture the murderer and the criminal. Good cop bad guy story. Very clear cut. The chase is better than ever. There’s almost not a minute that the chase is off. But the plot it seems is getting old. I must say if it’s not for Vin Diesel and Paul Walker and the gang and for old time sake. I would not have gone for the movie at all. But if I didn’t go for it. It’s either a girl with a shopping problem or a kid that never been born that comes back to haunt his mother.

Looking at the people rushing for the Shopaholic movie it seems that girls have more demanding power on box office these days. Confession of a Shopaholic is definitely on top of the rating these days. And I saw while I was waiting on queue that The Unborn is one of the most amazing horror movie I’ve seen of years. But look can be deceiving with the trailers. It wasn’t the first time that a 5 minutes trailer look far cooler that the real movie.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Surprise! Surprise! our online real time interview with Colton Swon last night!!!!






Talking about American Idol. I was digging in my Facebook yesterday because I was a bit down and then Colton Swon came online, whom we have done a review feature in the past. We chatted a bit. I half jokingly remind him my interview and he said let’s do it right then and there. As we all know that Colton is one of the participants American Idol last year. But he didn’t get through Hollywood week. Trust me he got fantastic voice and talent. You can check out his sound at http://www.myspace.com/coltonswon . He and his brother is running all over the state for their university and college run. you may look at where they’ll perform near you next. This is probably the most natural and spontaneous interview we ever had with an artist!!
Enjoy!!!
J – Jonathan
C - Colton
J: Say Colton, how long has it been when you first decide to make music?
C: I started singing at 3 yrs old and performing since i was 6, ever since then I hasn’t stopped
J: That’s a long time to have been a singer. How did you pass your voice change and the whole growing up thing?
C:well worked through it was tough I went from sounding like a high pitched lil kid to a stronger male voice but in this times lowering all the keys of my songs lol
J: most of us first know you from the AI competition. Did you get any great experience out of that?
C: Really Great, It was my first venture off by myself and let me know there was a big world out there outside of Oklahoma, and I’ve met some lifelong friends off the show
J: It is a shame that AI didn’t put you through, we think your music is fantastic. How would you describe your music?
C: Pop/ Rock/ Country with roots of Christian music shining through in some lyrics
J: your music is totally natural and soothing. We love it. How do you come about writing these amazing music?
C: Thank you so much , they all come about different lol, My brother and I don’t have any set rules or formats when we create a new tune, some of our best songs came from being bored at 3 in the morning.
J: I C, late nights and plenty of soda? HAHA!!!
how does writing music compare to live performance? Which one you like more?
C:if I had to pick I like performing better, due to the fact you get to interact with people and i love people, they are one of my passions, without fans and people showing up to concerts then who would i perform for? The mirror lol which would get old
J: who is your music idol?
C: I don’t have idols just influences and favorites, The Hinsons, (old southern gospel group) The Eagles, Keith Urban, John Mayer, Ray Charles, Richochet, so many man, in all genres I can’t single them out
Journey

J: You did some work with your brother and some former AI contestants together on the road. How do you feel about touring USA and playing gigs from one city to another the next day?
C:I love it man the busier the better, I’m not going to school and I’m taking a risk not getting a degree at this moment but i want to follow my dreams which is touring and playing all over, do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life
J: great we wish you all the success man. what’s the next project you have up your sleeve for 2009?
C: Promote this new album and we are doing a Midwest tour hitting a bunch of schools and venues pushing our first single and title track "Another
Day" thanks Jonathan
J: Are there any artists or producer that you like to work with?
C:I want to tour with Taylor Swift!
J: maybe you should start calling Nashville now
she is looking for opening act
if anyone wish to get you on a show who should they contact or where can they get hold of you?
C:for booking email swonman_17@yahoo.com or
zachswon@yahoo.com
or tell them to hit up our MySpace

J:: Last but not least, are there anything that you’d like to say to all your fans out there?
C:Yes, God Bless them and add us on MySpace, oh and go to CDBaby and order our CD lol!!!!
so who does this go to again

J: Thanks for making this happen for us Colton. We really appreciate it. We wish for all the success for you in 2009 and beyond.
All the best
Evol, http://perfectlifestylemag.blogspot.com/





Wednesday, April 1, 2009

As we have expected!! American Idol Drop to Top 8

They Drop Megan!!!

American Idol Top 9 night - Top 40 Hits!!!!

It’s Tuesday night, another American Idol night.
Anoop started the show with and Usher Top 40 Hits and it seems like that he’s trying to usher through it and trip over.
Without the dancing it is a bit mechanical. But his voice sound fantastic. A couple of note off here and there.
Then Megan come up with an Bob Marley. It seems that the freshness of her quirky voice had run it’s course. No doubt it’s uniquely hers but without orchestrating the melody to fit her voice it seems a bit boring and to have a unique voice performing another and not nail it is no good for contestant at this stage. It’s down to popularity votes this week.
Danny take in a Rascal Flatts Hits and it’s a totally moving performance. But somehow it felt that the pace is slower than the original and not reaching that level of energy. The judges totally love him though.
Allison take on Don’t Speak from No Doubt
And for the first time we see her use a guitar, it started perfectly and it sound even better than the original. But at the middle her voice started to stray off course and I have a feeling that her rehearsal is better than the live performance. The judges just don’t like the outfit.
Next up is scott the piano playing is fantastic, I admit. But the singing, he is more or less back to the strange off beat course. Some of the run is out of place and the beat is slower. The judges love the different mood in his look and style.
Matt did the Fray and the battle of the piano is on. He started earlier even before Ryan finish announcing him, I must say it wasn’t better than the original but it got Matt’s style written all over it. The performance is cool and rockin. But the judges hates it. They think it’s too close to the original. They want differences from the contestants this week. And they can’t get him because he’s showing too many sides of his musical. The artistic impression is blurred.
Lil Rounds take on Celine Dion’s I Surrender the original is far too powerful to ignore. She started slow, the chorus part is too soft, when she come to the 2nd verse, it’s better. But throughout it is a bit shouty and not powerful enough vocally. This week is breaking into Matt and Lil. They just have to let loose and do their own thing.
Adam is up next and it is wild. The perfect song, he can do his wild range without the over kill. It’s rocking the house down and it’s hot. The only thing I’d say is he gotta take care of his eating habit on the show. It’s looks like he is gaining weight
Kris Allen Closes the Show. And another piano performance for there Ain’t No Sunshine and there’s light everywhere. It totally hit the ball out of the park and beyond. It’s original, it’s hot it’s sensible and sentimental, it’s everything fits right to the last bit. I’ve heard Hanson’s version and this one felt even more current than that.
There’s no doubt that this week’s Top is Kris and Adam. One will symbolizes the original rocker of this season and the other the singer like last years.
And Kris has not yet any fault until now and it is pretty safe to say he is getting to the final show date.
So Kris on top with Adam chasing in after him
Danny is good on judges and live reactions and I think Allison is safe this week.
The rest is up for the audience.
I’ll take Matt’s in the middle and Lil after that. But they are not really there with judges comments.
Scott I think is just….. the same and I hope he’ll find some way to get back to the country strong. But I think it is time to reach the last 3 for him. So do Anoop. He is a bit shaky this week. And the ushering is too far off this time. The timing is not on his side to go first and not wing it. And Megan has just down to the end of the runway this time. I don’t see if there any chances she’ll get to next week unless the people supporting her is more than the other 2. There might be a surprise that Matt or Lil will go too. it’s hard to guess but I’ll think it’s Megan to go this week.