EuroTrip 09 in pictures - Part 2 - LONDON MUSIC

One of the great things I miss of living in London is the wide variety and high frequency of music gigs available all year round. So I took the opportunity to catch as many gigs as i possibly could during this trip. Gigs don't just cover LIVE performances by artist and bands but going to watch DJs play too.


The Ed Banger 6 and a half birthday party at The Coronet in Elephant & Castle was definitely one of the highlights of the club gigs I went to. The line-up for the main room included the head honcho himself Busy P, DJ Mehdi, SebastiAn, Feadz, Krazy Baldhead, So_Me and brand new signing Breakbot. Two other rooms had DJ sets hosted by familiar acts such as Friendly Fires and Mystery Jets.

Inside the Coronet

Despite buying the tickets in advance we still had to line-up outside for a good 40 minutes. The crowd were the usual Ed Banger lot (I guess our nearest would be Lap-Sap or BarSonic look). Most were well wasted and some were generous too - we were not allowed to bring drinks in and those who were came prepared to line-up who still had left-over tinnies and bottles, very generously passed them on to people, including me!



The Ed Banger Crew

As expected the crowd were seriously UP FOR IT and sweating like Beeyatches in there... check this out :



Seeing as the night/morning at the Ed Banger party ended at 6am (and that was DESPITE turning down various invitations to private house parties) most of the next day was spent recouperating in bed because I had tix to see BabyFace play at the O2.

This is what the tube looks like at 6am and you're the FIRST soul on the platform...

BabyFace really is uber-talented... and the women were literally SWOONING. I noticed lots of metro-sexual men there and by the way... i was more or less the only asian person there!

Kenny 'BabyFace'Edmunds

I was a wreck at the Babyface gig by the way... so very wrecked....

Coming Next >>>> LOVEBOX in Victoria Park

EuroTrip 09 in pictures - Part 1 - LONDON MISC

Here are just a collection of some of my favourite moments in London... a lot of them you may not 'get' cos they're quite personal but I'm gonna share them with you anyway - it's been nearly 5 years since I've been back in the City that I used to call home for 20 YEARS... yes... 20

Dinner at uber cool, chic and sophisticated french restaurant, Les Trois Garcons in Shoreditch with my 2 Best Friends (who by the way have barely seen each other since I left!) And yes they are camera-shy unlike us shameless KL camera-whores - HA!

A fellow Malaysian and her luverlee boyf ;)

2 thirds of Les Trois Garcons (The 3 Boys) - Michel & Hassan (who is Malaysian himself). Great friends (for over 10 years) and amazing hosts. I spent my entire London trip as their guest in their home which is above the restaurant.

The boys bought this old Victorian East End Public House (Pub) many years ago before anyone wanted to live in the East of London and made it their home - another thing the boys have apart from impeccable taste and style? Great FORESIGHT :)

Only a couple years after living there did they decide to go into F&B and open a restaurant many features in the building are protected and listed....

But apart from being restauranteurs, Bar Owners (LoungeLover) the boys are antique dealers and interior designers... google them lah or

http://www.lestroisgarcons.com/choice.php

http://uktv.co.uk/home/item/aid/593609

A trip to London is NEVER the same with a nice mibble eastern meal - shawarma Kebab with ALL the trimmings and extras *SLURRRP*

.. Oh and a but of shisha to finish off the meal (this was my first time!)

I was blessed with the BEST weather in London... There's nothing like a typical English summer : Pimms, Wimbledon, Parks, picnics, strawberries, pollen, hayfever, tube delays..... etc

i can't believe it's been 6 months!

Good Lord how did i let 6 months go by since my last post???

So much has happened for me... lots of travelling, photoshoot, music making and music playing what with my guest DJ residency at Aristo still going strong and a podcast of my mixtapes I've just started - check it out at http://boogalooboo.podomatic.com

Writing for the new album began about a month ago and i know have a collection of 20.. yes TWENTY UNFINISHED tracks... *aaargh*

Starlight got remixed by Internationally known Grammy Winner Eric Kupper and has been released on a FIERCE ANGEL compilation.... available for purchase online only. Keep your ears and eyes peeled on the mags and radio stations for competitions where they'll be giving them away as prizes.... I'll probably also run a competition from the mothership that is www.melissaindot.com

Travelling included Pangkor for my birthday, Rawa for a quick escape, Euro Trip (it's been nearly 5 years) and Phuket with the family

Ramadhan has been wonderful so far - i love the conscientious eating, the great communal eating spirit. All that yummy home prepared grub and a great, great excuse for me to indulge in all the things i don't normally eat - kueh2, biscuits, CHEETOS *drool*

It's just a shame there's been so much bad publicity for Malaysia during this spiritual month - the case of the woman caught drinking who now is to be caned, the muslim BAN for the Guinness Closing Party featuring the Black Eyed Peas (it's now been lifted, which is even more embarrassing), the cow's head fiasco in Shah Alam with no arrests, followed by a peace vigil held in the name of the cow's head protest that ended up with 16 arrests!

RIDICULOUS.

SHAMEFUL.

SHAMELESS.

SENSELESS.

I've never been more an avid fan and user of TWITTER - for me it's the best way to stay up to date with every thing that's going on. Follow me if you aren't already @ :

www.twitter.com/melissaindot (for all things 'official')

and

www.twitter.com/boogalooboo (for all things controversial, offensive, open & honest)

I highly recommend you follow our very own Marina Mahathir www.twitter.com/netrakl

On a more superficial note : Working out and trying to get my flabby body into shape has been a challenge and a half - especially with my chronic back problem but the combo of light weights, regular cardio in the form of the WAVE machine & elyptical/crosstrainer and my SUPERB Pilates teacher Sherlyn, I feel like I'm finally on the road to recovery. YAY!!!!

Check out www.nubody.com.my - it's the brainchild of a primary school friend of mine - Melissa Zecha... fantastic healing place - lovely people and lifestyle. By The Way, my teacher is fully booked - so DREAM ON!!

I promised myself i would post something here EVERYDAY to make up for lost time... well everyday for the next week that is... hahahahaha

I was thinking a photo journal-type synopsis of my Eurotrip.. so watch this space (well til tmrw).

i gotta go now... gotta buy buka food and head to a friend's place before the traffic build up

Selamat berbuka to all my muslims friends and non muslim friends who are joining in :)

xxx

www.melissaindot.com wins Honoree Webby!!! Only Malaysian - FLYING OUR FLAG!

http://juiceonline.com/blog/melissa-indot-is-a-webby-honoree/

http://www.kinkybluefairy.net/

http://www.junkonline.net/articles/1488-Melissa-Indots-website-honoured-at-the-Webby-Awards

http://voize.my/music/wwwmelissaindotcom-is-a-webby-honoree

So much to do and so little time

I just dont seem to find the time to blog anymore!!!

What with Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and www.melissaindot.com to manage

I need to have octupus tentacles and even then I doubt it'll suffice

HELP!!!!

ECLECTIC, ELECTRIC MELISSA

The Malay Mail

By Dhiya Amalina Zahari January 15, 2009 Categories: Entertainment

Dance diva Melissa Indot bagged six nominations at Malaysia’s first ever independent awards, the inaugural Voice Independent Music Awards 2008 (VIMA) or indie awards organised by lifestyle and entertainment website Voize.my recently.

Melissa describes her music as commercial radio-friendly music with melodic hooks and accessible lyrics.

“I write about all sorts of things, differing emotions and moods and thoughts and experiences,” she said. “In the same way, my songs often come out in different genres of music, be it pop, RnB, chillout, dance.”

Last May, Melissa won the 2008 Malaysian Music Industry Award (AIM 15) for best English album for her album Eclecticism.

“Eclecticism (album) not only describes my music, but it describes who Melissa Indot is. So, in this case, Eclecticism equals Melissa Indot.”

Born in Malaysia but raised in the UK, it has widened Melissa’s range of musical influences to include prominent artistes in the UK and the US.

”My musical influences are eclectic and range from Quincy Jones to Dionne Warwick to Nina Simone to Maroon 5 to Ne-Yo to Madonna to Zero 7 to Safe to the Fray to Jamiroquai to Timbaland to Moloko to The Killers to Amy Winehouse to Stevie Wonder to Bjork, Anoraak to Bag Raiders … it’s growing everyday!”

Melissa explains that living in the UK has not changed the fact that she is Malaysian born but that it has exposed her to a plethoria of music that would not have been available to her in Malaysia and feels that it has impacted her music.

“I am grateful for the opportunity my parents gave me by sending me abroad to study. This exposure had a direct impact on the way I hear and write music and lyrics. With the internet today the global music scene is at your fingertips — it’s wonderful!

“All I hope is people feel and relate to my music. At its best, i hope that my music and lyrics move them in some way. All I’ve done is bring myself back from London, and together with my life experiences and musical exposure I’ve created my own brand of music, song writing and production. A great ambition of mine is to make it in the international music market so that I can fly the Malaysian flag, so-to-speak,” she added.

On her nominations in the first-ever Malaysian indie awards Melissa said she is extremely excited and honoured to be part of it. She believes that it is a great platform for Malaysian music to be heard and hopes that Malaysians will support it.

“It is moving in a very positive direction and people are more open to expression

“I urge all Malaysians to support local artistes. We can do it just as well as international artistes. We just need a larger platform to be heard and further support from the media. That’s what the VIMAs is doing.

“I take my hat off to the organisors of VIMA for having such great vision and unending passion for the Malaysian music scene.”

The beautiful singer added: “So all of you out there, get voting, buy original local artistes’ music, request for local artiste music videos on TV, request for local music on our radio stations.

“Without you out there, we cannot progress. We need you.”

The VIMAs are THIS Saturday!

Nominations in 6 categories which are:

Best Female Vocalist (Over All)
Best Dance Song : This Time Boogaloo's Bedroom Bounce
Best Dance Act
Best Remix : This Time Boogaloo's Bedroom Bounce
Best Collaboration : Starlight New York Lights (feat. Kraft)
Most Mind Blowing Music Video : Love Surreal

KEEP THOSE FINGERS CROSSED!!