how a live show turned the tables on me.

ok apparently, a particular other Fiknatik was disappointed with how this entry turned out because it didnt seem like i gave enough credit or justice to my newfound love for Taufik. err, did i just say the L- word ? gosh.

so here's an edited version of the overdued recount.
of a special night :)

Taufik Batisah came to NYP for a campus concert, last 26th Jan 07, as part of the Open House line- up. Hady Mirza came the night before and honestly, i was more enthusiastic about the latter because of the two, i prefer him. Taufik was just a blah to me. i didnt understand the hype about him. if i were to choose, i'd pick Sly.

but anyways, part of the reason i wanted to go to both shows was to satisfy my curiosity as to who is more deserving of all the hype. they say a live show can make or break your career and an opinion based on seeing him in person is more credible than whatever opinions you have of him based on what you read in the papers.

and how the tables turned on me, as i went from a non- fan to one.
i was fiknatik- ed.

the three of us used our smarts to gain entry to the Audi on both nights, but on Taufik's, it was kind of a different atmosphere because he was already there doing a soundcheck. came at 5, or so i heard. but anyways, i came into the Audi alone because the other two went ahead so when i opened the door, one can imagine my shock at seeing a vague image of someone on stage flanked by two guitarists, and hearing a voice that sounded like Taufik's filling up the empty Audi. ( everyone had to clear out while he was doing the soundcheck ) he saw me opening the door all the way at the top but being the clumsy me, i hurriedly closed it. i really didnt expect him to be there already because Hady the night before was late. called Dee who said that they were already inside so i just had to open the door again. and open myself up to the embarrassment of being a klutz with a superstar as my audience.

so there i was blundering down the stairs ( which seemed super long at that time ), with a super frantic way about me, because i realised i had no right to be there unless i was one of the few student helpers around, all the while trying to locate the other two. squinting in the semi- dark Audi, i thought they were sitting somewhere near the front so i sneaked a glance to the stage and horror of horrors, saw that he was enjoying my display of being a nervous wreck. at that instant i was cursing myself for being nervous in front of him because why should i be? i wasnt a fan ! so called Dee again who said that they were on the other side of the side- curtains. what i thought to be them in those front seats, i later realised, happened to be bags of the Foreign Bodies dancers -_-"

now that i think about it, i had no idea why i chose to go towards the curtains on the right side when i could easily slip behind the left side ones. ( i wouldnt have to walk all the way across to the right side then ) so it happened that my brain wasnt working right and a student helper even stopped me to say that i shouldnt be there. i already knew by then that my presence was very much unwelcomed so i hastened my steps, willing that he wont notice my existence and just carry on with his singing.

but what do you know. or what did i know.
a single word stopped me in my tracks. a simple and what i believe to be a totally insignificant "Hi". i turned towards the stage and that girl who told me to get out turned back at me ( to see who he was saying hi to ) but i didnt want to believe that it was directed at me so just like that classic comedic move, turned my head around only to see that there was really nobody behind me.

in retrospect, i think it had a lot to do with him being a superstar and me, just a klutzy and clumsy sesat girl. didnt want to think too much of the "Hi" so i walked on as though nothing was being said, and just as i was reaching out for the curtains, came a rather dejected- sounding "Ok then, bye."

the curtains symbolised an escape when i think other girls would have responded with at least a "Hi" back. nonetheless, i was still quite a wreck ( like who wouldnt be if a superstar said "Hi" to you right ? ? or am i the only weird one around ) but i think i was more shook up by the fact that i was shaken in the first place.

but what do you expect ?
i chose the wrong side of curtains. unfamiliar faces and not a single friendly one. and the cacophony of their chatters was such a rude contrast to the muted silence of the Audi where i just came out from. with only that melodious voice filling it up.

so enough of this whole drama, i found them :)
when it was time for the show to start, the whole Audi was pitch black, and almost everyone was at the edge of the seats ( or rather, out of ) waiting for the man himself to appear. the atmosphere was awesome, as though we were at a real concert. when at last he appeared, the whole Audi erupted with uncontained excitement as he made his way to the stage, guarded only by the said student helpers. like how much better can that be? if it had been at the National Stadium, you'd be rudely pushed away by the bodyguards, as reported so often in the papers.

i wasnt a fan yet so i just sat at my seat, being a very interested and entertained observer at the definitions to being a fanatic of just any superstar.

so anyways, Taufik charmed his way with the crowd ( and into my heart, cheh! haha ) by his sense of earnest, sincerity and humility. you could tell he was all genuine up there, as he answered questions posed by the two emcees, Carrie Chong (!) and Vanessa, both from Perfect10.

Taufik performed nine songs in all. and personally, i felt that he has improved. he was like a seasoned artiste up there on stage, he practically had the audience eating out of his hands. and to show how he has matured as a performer, he even went down to the floor during another of his songs, to be closer to his fans. who of course went ballistic.

then when he metioned that he was going to sing his last song for the night, the crowd of course kinda protested. even yours truly wanted the show to go on. but nine songs were in fact considered a lot already, it was as good as a mini- concert. heard that he performed only four songs at NP. but anyways, he apologised, can you believe it apologised ( Hady didnt when the audience asked for an encore and he did only two songs ) for it being the last song. as though to make up for it, you could kinda feel the extra umph he gave to the song, All Because Of You.

previously i mentioned that he was so goddamn nice in person, but didnt elaborate much ( to the protest of the mentioned other Fiknatik ) so here's what made me say that.

the few of us who were intent on interviewing him, but more so that we could meet him up close, came backstage but as it turned out, he was rushing for another event at 830pm and it was already 8.10. so it was all a rather harried and hurried mess that when a fan came up to him for an autograph on her teddy bear, one of his assistants ( rather rudely ) denied that act. but he stood his ground and calmly and cooly said "nevermind, nevermind, its ok" and went on to fulfil that lucky fan's wishes. he even attempted small talk by commenting on the two shades of red on that teddy's cheeks ( as though it was blushing ! kinda cute uh ). i was just standing beside him all that while, which was why i could play witness to how well he treats his fans.

and i became more of a fan.
sighs.

a group shot with Hady. i feel terrible that after just one night, i became a bigger supporter of Taufik. but out of the many great moments of the night, one of which is the intimate unplugged segment, i think the one moment that really made me sit up and see Taufik was when Carrie asked about the theme behind one of his songs, Holding On. he mentioned something about being strong and letting the Man above handle the rest.

true to Dhan's words ( in a separate occasion ), some words when said in a certain circumstance, take on a different and special meaning for you, because they were said in that moment of your life, when you're looking for answers or just that something. and it so happened that Taufik was the one to say those words, which in another circumstance, would have been really insignificant words. but i could tell he really meant those words because he believed in them ( maybe because of certain things that happened in his life ) and maybe because i too, was at that time needing some sort of assurance about life in general, i believed him.

and just like that,
he got me.

All Because Of You.
im getting it :)

But I know
It's the way that I must live
Even though
It's so unclear, so unfair
God I know
There's a path for everyone
I must believe and keep holding on

i hope this detailed recount is more justified.
because i'd want it to be too :)

[ pics courtesy of Cheryl Ong ]

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it was no fluke.