Since Wild Beasts wedged their way through the indie music industry in 2006, we’ve only had the opportunity to hear them from afar – gradually seeing their progression that led up to their first South East Asian tour debuting Present Tense to a whole new segment of the world. Hayden Thorpe’s (Vocals/Bass) falsetto, Tom Fleming’s (Guitar/Vocals) deep mesmerizing voice, Chris Talbot (Drums) technicality accompanied by Ben Little’s (Guitar/Synthesizers) beats is what really brought this band to the top of the charts.

Drowned in red “like the streets of Bangkok”, the quartet went up unhesitant, instantaneously capturing the scattered crowd to sway along with ‘Mecca’, transitioning to the smooth intricate beats of ‘Bed Of Nails’ from their previous album ‘Smother’. This transition early in the set gives an inkling of range that Wild Beasts could provide, notably through their addition of synthesizers in their new material. Switching around from old and new, content from ‘Present Tense’ dominated most of the set, getting an outing for most.

Though the band was rather stoic in movement, their dark, dirty lyrics speak for themselves. ‘Palace’ was one that really took the crowd – Thorpe’s alluring falsetto delivering the content of his uncompromising lyrics, providing a more mature ambiance cohering with the floor rattling sub bass. Following up with ‘Nature casino online Boy’, which was paid tribute to Batman, quoting that “the biggest man doesn’t always win, nor does the strongest man – it’s the smartest man who wins”.

The final segment of the show was when Wild Beasts letloose, at this point of time their connection with the crowd reached a new height. Thorpe professed that most of the material played was written back when he was 16 in his room while his parents are abroad. Now being the Columbus of his own life, ‘Wanderlust’ opened the encore set accompanied with staggering applause from the audience and the humbling thanks from the band. ‘Lions Share’ – the most let loose song of the night closed it off with a roaring response from the audience.

It was evident at how much this reaction meant to the band. Particularly since it’s their first time venturing out to this side of the world. Gigs like this don’t come by very often, and its refreshing to see how in tune Wild Beasts are with their music, as though each song is a story of their endeavors. That level of progression is what precedes their reputation on the charts, rather than a band fiddling around with instruments trying to make something “work”. Their intricate detailing of sound stands out for most, making them a real prominent act to look out for in the indie rock industry.

Hailing from a land of female electro-pop aficionados, Lydmor is the next rising act. After having her first album, “a pile of empty tapes” release in 2012 and another one in the works, we were privileged to see her live at The Bee, Publika on the 16^th of October as the onset of her first Asian tour.

Lydmor (Real name Jennifer Rossander) kicked off her show with “Electric Mistress” – dauntlessly stepping up the electro-pop flow of the night. Initially the crowd was pretty mundane, having an invisible barrier between them and the songstress. Maybe it was the lack of anticipation from a fresh face in the scene but as soon as Jenny hit the stage, fiddled around with her laptop and sang the first note; raw emotion was simply oozing out through each song. It’s a light pleasure at how Jenny gives a brief description before most of her songs in the set – like a header of a story about to be told. From sad songs about “presents being returned” and “angry songs about angry people” its as though we were stepping into the phase of life when the song was written, and the beauty of it all is that she just adds her own musical chops while cohering them with electro dance tunes, accompanied by her serene vocals, it creates a cozy ambiance where she could connect and have a deeper musical experience together with the crowd.

The deep connection was more prominent halfway through Lydmor’s set as she chilled down and dedicated songs to her boyfriend, Andreas from Helmet Compass.  Covering “Drugs in my pocket” as an acoustic piece. Singing from the heart isn’t an easy thing to do, but when achieved the lyrics go beyond their words, and having Andreas in the room with her made it all more prominent. Picking casino it back up later with “Lampost light”, no longer was the crowd shy as it began, the void between stage and audience was gapped and fancy footwork was seen around till the end of her set. It’s hard not to get captured by Jenny’s eccentric movements on stage as she performs – how she gracefully but yet awkwardly sways her way between synthesizers and keyboard, flailing her arms around synchronizing to the melody of the songs, and how she generally occupies what little of the stage there was.

Wrapping up the night with fan favorite “Youth”, Jenny bolts down from the stage striding across the floor singing parts of it on top of a table across the room, ending her set poles apart from how it began. Her traits as a musician is really what constitutes a great performer, making Lydmor an upcoming act not to be missed and with another album to be released, we’re truly excited to see how far she matures with her music.

Show   Details  

Date  :           16th    October    2014    Time    :      8pm

Ticket    Prices    :       RM   48    (    presale    )    ,    RM    68    (    at    the    door    )

Tickets  available    at    The    Bee    outlets    and    Rock    Corner    Bangsar    Village

The    Bee    

The   Bee   is   a     food   and   drink   hang   out     space   with   two   outlets   in   Jaya     One   and   Publika,   Solaris    Dutamas.    The    Bee    is    far    from    just    a    conventional    eatery    joint,    it    is    also    a    space    for    the    local    arts    and       lifestyle     communities     to     converge,     share     and     promote     their     passion     and     work.     Regular    events     include Comedy   Kao   Kao   -­‐an     open   mic   for   local   comedians,   Feedback   Open   Mic   with    Reza    Salleh,    Lot    36    showcasing    local    and    international    musicians,    Tunes    &    Pints    and    Coffee    and    Wine    Appreciation    nights.

Upfront  

Upfront    is    a    series    of    intimate    live    music    shows    created    by    The    Bee    to    bring    fans    closer    to    their    favourite     bands   on   stage.   As   the   name   implies,   it     is   as   exclusive   and   up   close   as   one   can   get    during       a     live     performance.     Upfront     will     feature     artists     and     bands     from     an     eclectic     range     of    genres,      from    the    indie    to    the    mainstream,    establishing    The    Bee    as    a    hub    for    the    music    and    creative    arts    scene.

Brisbane Indie-Rock set-up Last Dinosaurs took their landing to Malaysia for the first time at The Bee last Tuesday along with their hometown buddies, Dune Rats. The two brought over a little flavor of home to stage, providing a show that was more casual rehearsal-like rather than a polished stage show. It was filled with humor, screaming teenagers and jumping fans alike, making the gig nothing less of entertaining.

Opening the night was Dune rats with their loud eccentric energy. Jolting the floor with their stage antics. Unfiltered at most, opening their set with a song titled “Fuck It”, they definitely didn’t hold back on their crazy all throughout their 6 song set. Straying your eyes away from Danny Beusa’s hilarious drunken facial expressions was something rather hard to do. Complemented with Brett’s full of life movements and BC’s baby like online casino face, the cheeky trio was definitely an entertaining act. From Danny replying himself when professing “Terima Kasih” (Thank you) with “Sama-Sama” (You’re welcome) and exclaiming “WE LOVE VAGINA!” on their last song to the tech crew throwing paper balls on stage, it really felt like an outgoing garage gig.

With an instant change of air after the interval, “Satellites” played over the speakers introducing Last Dinosaurs on stage. The four-piece teenage heartthrob band kicked off their set with “Weekend”, setting a joyful mood for everyone to shake their hips to. After gracing the crowd with a new unreleased track “Zero”, the half Japanese lead, Sean Caskey asked a favor from the crowd for more tequila shots. With his charming voice, it only took minutes before shots came casino online their way. One each, a toast was given as thanks to their fans.

The show became all the more interactive afterwards, with a guitar solo inserted version of “Time & Place” and upbeat “Honolulu”, Last Dinosaurs definitely took back the stage with their self assured confidence jumping their way around the stage, dropping smiles and inviting the crowd to reciprocate their energy. Took only a note before everyone started getting them selves into a groovy dance off. They even took a minute to give tribute to Australia’s rock legends, AC/DC. Having a small pool of songs up their sleeve, it was made clear that they have no encore to give, no wonder they saved their two banger songs “Andy” and “Zoom” for the finale, leaving the crowd wanting more but ending the night with nothing short of sheer amusement. Letting us into their relaxed rehearsal style performance, there couldn’t be more that they could’ve done to make the show a better one. (Photos : Adeline Hong)

Dream pop trio Postiljonen hails from the land that gave us ABBA, The Cardigans and flat-packed furniture: Sweden. Much of Postiljonen’s essence and sound can be described by the title of their debut album, “Skyer”; which means clouds in Norwegian. A band that is able to craft music that’s equal parts dreamy and atmospheric; giving listeners the effect of floating on clouds; with dashes of M83 and Sigur Rós in their soundscape.

A quick look around revealed that the venue was rather surprisingly packed to the brim — an impressive feat for a band that has only released one full length LP. Joel Nyström Holm was first to grace the stage, and was met by an outburst of cheers; with many girls pointing out how good-looking he was. Joel kicked the show off with an intro sample of what seemed to be a Martin Luther King-esque speech. Band mate Daniel Sjörs followed suit and laid on atmospheric chords over the speech with a slow burning beat that gained momentum. Finally, the crowd went into a frenzy cheering as lead singer Mia Brox Bøe joined the band on stage.

In the now dimmed venue, the band kicked things of with the song “Help”, accompanied by dreamy 8mm filtered video snippets playing in the background and strobing lights accentuated the hard hitting points of the song. This created an ambience likened to an art-performance of sorts, using various media to further enhance the overall experience of the audience. As lead singer Mia sang through her reverb drenched microphone, the crowd couldn’t help but to sway to the slow grooves of the song.

The band then invited the crowd to clap along as they entered into the song “Plastic Panorama”. The enthusiastic audience gladly complied with the request and soon the whole venue was united as one, clapping along as they swayed to the rhythm. At the end of the song, the band gratefully thanked the crowd, as they did not expect this many people to turn up; to which the crowd loudly cheered to. Up next was their crowd favourite hit “Supreme”, whose upbeat tune got everybody breaking out into dance as hardcore fans sang along to every word of the song.

Before playing their next song “All that we had is lost”, they took the time to tell the story behind it. The song was in fact a tribute to the late great Whitney Houston. When the news of her passing broke, the band was devastated and wanted to make something in her memory; resulting in this song which contains samples and lyrics of her hit “How Will I Know”.

As the last song drew near, the band ripped into their sax-laden hit “Atlantis” which once again got the crowd moving and grooving. Postiljonen wrapped up their set and thanked the audience once again, but the crowd was hungry for more. Lead singer Mia shyly apologized that with only one LP under their belt they don’t have that many songs. But after much coaxing from the audience, the band returned one last time for an encore of their song “Atlantis”. Ending the night with the crowd swaying and dancing the night away—filled with the joy that their thirst has finally been quenched. (Othniel T / Adeline H)

Postiljonen

This Scandinavian trio is composed of Norwegian vocalist Mia Boe alongside Swedish multi-­‐ instrumentalists Daniel Sjors and Joel Nystrom Holm. After releasing a handful of online only singles in their native Scandinavia (including the heartbreaking interpretation of Whitney Houston’s classic, ‘ How Will I Know’, renamed here to ‘All That We Had is Lost’ ) the trio have managed to create a highly characteristic sound, where ethereal and alluring vocals are interwoven in a mystical, ambient, dreamy and lovable expression. They have been compared to the likes of M83, Air France, Sigur Ros, JJ and Cocteau Twins.

Taking inspiration from old black and white movies, the golden 80s, Balearic scenery, daydreamers, all of which mirrors beautifully within their latest album, ‘Skyer’s’ 10 songs. ‘Skyer’ is summery pop music at its best, made for lazy days and dreamy nights.

Select Press Quotes

‘Gorgeous, mood-­‐lifting beach pop. Air France meets M83’ – The Fader ‘Perfect’ – Gorilla vs Bear
‘Postiljonen take you above the sky and beyond’ – Disco Naivete

‘Expansive and colourful. Frontrunner for song of the summer’-­‐ Pretty Much Amazing ‘Expertly crafted electronic dream pop wih a distinct Scandinavian twist’ – This is Fake DIY

Last Dinosaurs and Dune Rats

Last Dinosaurs produce eclectic indie-­‐rock tunes with a unique blend of tropical beats and ambient guitar riffs. Comprised of brothers Sean and Lachlan Caskey, Dan Koyama and Michael

Sloane, the group has been playing together since late 2007.

“In A Million Years” is the band’s debut album, recorded in Sydney at BJB Studios with JP Funk. Producer Elliot James (Kaiser Chiefs, Does It Offend You Yeah?, Two Door Cinema Club) mixed the album.

Since the release of “In A Million Years”, the band have embarked on successful tours including a sold out Australian tour, performing their first shows in the UK and Europe and coveted festival slots at festivals such as Field Day (UK), Reeperbahn (GER), Splendour In The Grass, Falls Festival, Groovin The Moo (AUS) and Java Rocklin’land (ID).

Brisbane’s Dune Rats debut EP, ‘Sexy Beach’ received praise both nationally and internationally, capturing the minds and hearts of music bloggers around the world. The momentum continued with constant touring, gaining them a reputation for a raucous and energetic live show, gaining them a spot on the Big Day Out Festival and national tours with bands such as The Drums, Best Coast, The Vines, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graphitti and Cults.

Tickets and Show Details

Postiljonen : 15th May 2014, RM 48 (presale), RM 68 (at the door) 8pm, The Bee, Publika.

Last Dinosaurs and Dune Rats : 20th May 2014, RM 108 (presale), RM 128 (at the door), 8pm, The Bee, Publika.

Tickets can be purchased at both outlets of The Bee in Publika and Jaya One and Rock Corner, Bangsar Village. All shows are 18+ and above only events.

The Bee

The Bee is a food and drink hang out space with two outlets in Jaya One and Publika, Solaris Dutamas. The Bee is far from just a conventional eatery joint, it is also a space for the local arts and lifestyle communities to converge, share and promote their passion and work. Regular events include Comedy Kao Kao -­‐an open mic for local comedians, Feedback Open Mic with Reza Salleh, Lot 36 showcasing local and international musicians, and Coffee and Wine Appreciation nights.

Upfront

Upfront is a series of intimate live music shows created by The Bee to bring fans closer to their

Upfront ends the year 2013 with exciting acts lined up for KL indie music lovers, starting in October : Ra Ra Riot from New York on 26th October, UK’s The Cribs on 11th November and Canadian multi-­‐instrumentalist and multimedia artist, Mac Demarco on 9th December.

The Cribs are an English three-­piece indie rock band originally from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-­‐The Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr who was made a formal member of the group in 2008. Marr would remain as part of the band until

In 2008, Q magazine described the band as “The biggest cult band in the UK”. In 2012, the bands 10th anniversary year, they were honored with the ‘Spirit of Independence’ award at the annual Q Awards. Several months later, they received the prestigious ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ award at the annual NME Awards.

The Cribs :8pm, 11th November 2013, RM 98 ( presale ), RM 128 at The Bee, Publika

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at both outlets of The Bee in Publika and Jaya One and Rock Corner, Bangsar Village.

Upfront is a series of intimate live music shows created by The Bee to bring fans closer to their favourite bands on stage. As the name implies, it is as exclusive and up close as one can get during a live performance. Upfront will feature artists and bands from an eclectic range of genres, from the indie to the mainstream, establishing The Bee as a hub for the music and creative arts scene.

Tenderfist, a local band who have made quite the impression on the international indie society, opened the night faultlessly. The band brought seven of their songs, including “Nightshift”, “Kicking and Screaming“, “Somewhere” and “Postcards” that undoubtedly electrified the audience. In contrast to how awkwardly still the members of the band are onstage, it was impossible for the crowd to not to tap along with the dreamy toy-like beats, even for the first-listeners. The ambience of the venue was engineered precisely with the night’s shoegazers (kudos to the new lighting effects and fog machine at The Bee!), the music daze was drumbeats away to begin.

As the triad enters the stage with a start of their first song, there was an instant chemistry captivated by the music, the band and the audience. “I Don’t Like It Like This” was next, and being the opposite of the song title, the crowd appears to be in favor of how static and nonchalant the band was onstage, with the constantly changing backlights that outlines the silhouettes of the members. Two other songs were played after, including their new one, “Good Cop, Gay Cop“. Duncanson later thanked for the night’s enthusiasm, along with some repent that the band couldn’t stay in Kuala Lumpur where he described it as “a really nice place, and I’m not just saying it”. Frankly, the band was not so much into crowd interaction, despite how humble they seem to be, seen from the thank you’s after each song, the only connection made between the band and the crowd was the ecstatic euphoria from the bass, guitar reverbs and the mighty amplifiers.

“Token of Gratitude” hit the nighttime’s pinnacle, with the song’s heart-piercing strums and the venue’s massive audio, people seemed to be completely in the zone. A personal favorite, “The New Improved Hypocrisy“, was played next, followed by three other songs including the single “Liebling” and the ultimate crowd-pleaser, “I Want You To Feel The Same“. The mass was enjoying the night in different ways, some were mouthing the words quietly, couples were cuddling, a few were dancing with a beer in hand and some were even closing their eyes and nodding along to each beat. The Radio Dept.’s trance-like, shoegazing flair seemed to speak to people diversely, each having an unexplored dimension yet, and with confidence, a lot of people were enjoying. Another new song was played, now with the drums added, and clearly the band was working on yet another anticipating music. The three finale felt eternal, with “Never Follow Suit“, “Heaven’s on Fire” and their most recent single, “David”.

With thirteen tracks that have been played tremendously, people were nowhere near jaded and kept on screaming for encore. Although the band was known to not play for encores, it was our lucky night indeed that they played another song from “Lesser Matters, 1995“. It was an easy A for the band’s performance that night, no shenanigans, no hassle, a truly tranquil night out.

Having five members by that time, (Johan Duncanson (guitar & vocals), Martin Carlberg (guitar), Daniel Tjäder (keyboard & synths), Lisa Carlberg (bass) and Per Blomgren (drums), The Radio Dept. had their first big break when their music was sent to Sonic magazine and got signed by Labrador Records who discovered the talents. Categorized as indie pop, the band has a sound of its own, a laid-back garage sound type of music, so-called shoegazing genre, where the music is deeply influenced by distorted rhythm guitars with introspective live performance (most likely uses effect pedals, that’s why it’s called shoe gazing!).

In 2003, Lesser Matters was released and the band gained new audience with a top nine rank from NME’s 50 top albums of 2004. The song “Keen on Boys” and “Pulling Our Weight” got a foremost attention and became the soundtrack of Coppola’s adaptation of Marie Antoinette. The thirteen-tracks album were a good kick start for the band’s initial career. Unfortunately, three of the members bailed leaving a threesome formation of Duncanson, Carlberg and Tjäder. The second album, Pet Grief, did not get ratings as good as their first album, rated a 7 at best by NME.
Clinging to a Scheme, however, changed the critics mind, having a righteous 8 star rating by most music media, with singles from their third studio album, David, Heaven’s on Fire and Never Follow Suit. The third album certainly changes the perception of the band’s sound, from a low-profile indie noise into a more lively and bright music, despite of the melancholic lyrics of an unsung love.

It will certainly be another to-go event of the month, a delightful way to spend Friday nights with good friends, good drinks and most importantly, good music.

Date                 Thursday, April 25^th 2013

Venue             The Bee, Publika, Kuala Lumpur

Tickets             RM 98 (presale)

                        RM 128 (on the spot)

Tickets on sale at The Bee Outlets (Jaya One and Publika) and Rock Corner, Bangsar Village 1. Entrance opens at 8 pm. Fair warning that this intimate event is 18+.

Unlike most gigs presented by Upfront at The Bee, the Grimes performance was more of a tall tale to tell. Having no clue of how the night would end up being (12/03), the concert goers at first seemed to be in hype to catch a glimpse of the magical being, Claire Boucher, and her sensational sounds. The place was quickly filled with crowd dressed in bizarre and deviant fashion to the extent of seeing a mash of neon-colored hair, clashing colors and odd headdresses,was not a new sight to see. There were spotted a few of whom appears to be below 18 fans that came to the venue on purpose, to have a chance to meet Claire even though the signs outside the entrance showed that it is a strict 18+ show. Claire Boucher is very concerned about this sort of regulation, in her tweets, she was eager to be fair to the fans. From her previous twitter updates, it even showed that she put up a guest list for those who couldn’t attend the concert, especially those who are below 18. Judging from Claire’s enthusiasm and hospitality, there were high expectations from the fans for an intimate meet & greet after the show finishes. Needless to say, people were definitely ready to paint the town in red.

The doors were open at 8 pm, although not all of the people were eager to seek frontrow, and for a good reason, since Grimes’ opening started an hour later than it was supposed to. After tediously waiting for a sign of when the concert will start, Ami Dang, a Hindi-influenced dancepop musician (or she calls it as “Bollywave”), made an attempt to start up the longing crowd with her songs that had an ethnic delicacy of its own. Although the music itself was contagiously alluring, the sitar and the Indian lyrics appeared to be out of place in the type of venue it was held in.

Having to think that Grimes was up next shortly, the crowd was unfortunately left to wait (again) for another hour or so. The place turned dead during those times, tired feets started to tap impatiently and people were starting to find a spot to sit and settle while waiting for the magical Elf to appear. The lightings of the venue were starting to ache the eyes, along with the repeated playlist that turned lifeless and people were getting wearier by the minute. In the midst of all the misfortunes, a climax calamity emerged with Claire’s tweet about her getting food poisoning. Clouded with disappointments yet couldn’t help but feel bad about Boucher’s trip to Kuala Lumpur was welcomed with an ill-fated case of food poisoning, there was nothing to do but wait. Again.

It was about 11 pm, when Claire finally arrived to the venue filled with anticipating fans. The crowd was instantly reenergized once a glimpse of Grimes was seen. Claire went up the stage along with a sincere apology of how messed up the night was and that she was given a shot to somewhat help her with the food poisoning. Wearing an 80’s inspired headdress with floral print skirt and slippers, Claire appeared to be bubbly as ever and fit as a fiddle then started the night with her first song, ”Symphonia IX“. Vanessa was up next, and the recently enliven crowd was cheering in amusement, amongst of them were singing along to the lyrics. Claire’s jigglypuff-ish voice radiated the place as the song was being performed exquisitely. A song from her album “Visions“, Circumambient, was played with a very distinct tune that sounded futuristic and escalated the mood. In contrast with how it may give the idea that Claire was just “pushing buttons”, seeing her energy and how she glows in the live performance, it was without a doubt that Claire is a radiant musical prodigy.

“Oblivion” was the fourth song chosen, with Claire’s energy that seemed to be infinite and her dance moves that were enchanting in a peculiar way, it felt that the long hours were worth the wait. Nevertheless, the performance was not exactly candy for the eye, since the stage’s lighting was poorly lit, making it hard to enjoy at its full dimension. “Nightmusic” was played next, before “Be A Body”, where poor Claire had to run backstage to disgorge. Going back and forth with a bin in hand, Claire’s enthusiasm and drive to give the people a good show made it even easier to adore. Another crowd-pleaser, “Genesis“, was performed flawlessly with bubbles being blown above. “Phonesex” was chosen to be the finale, it was very unfortunate that the show is cut short due to the glitch that took place. Realizing the whole shenanigan with Claire’s health condition, encore was definitely out of the question; still, with the given situation, Grimes’ performance was beyond expectation.

With cancelled meet & greets, a fairly short setlist and a bad case of food poisoning, still, Claire Boucher did not fail to make us elves head over heels for her and her music. Eventhough she was not in her best condition, she gave us all. We are sure if She was being really well on that night, she would be giving a two-fold magical show to her fans in Kuala Lumpur. (Made Sania)

Enterprise, a local band, was chosen to fill in the opening for the night, steaming up the tragically condensed crowd with a percussion/electronic-influenced genre. The music was tremendously upbeat; it was obvious that the five men dressed in plaid shirts surely knew how to pull off their songs, of those including LHFT, On a Mission, and the crowd’s favorite, Raindance.

As soon as the set was ready, Tom Krell paced his way to the stage, with the company of Aaron as the backing musician and Nick as the projectionist. It was a nice surprise that it almost felt like a lonely one-man show, with Krell standing on the spotlight along with the visuals playing in the background, but it seemed to be the perfect touch for the show he was about to bring. Before it started, Krell expressed his gratitude for being at Malaysia and his thoughts about how love should be celebrated and be graced upon no matter what orientation was involved, which was fairly an eerie intro but the crowd’s cheer and applaud were inevitable. The first song played was “Suicide Dream 1“, although it sounded a tad bit too devastating for an appetizer, the crowd was almost instantly beguiled by the heavenly falsetto voice and the ambience created.

“Running Back” and “Cold Nites“, were played whole-heartedly, with a crystal-clear flow of emotions that not all musicians can afford; Krell was definitely one of those who can. His performances were very autobiographical; it showed that the songs he brought were from a personal perspective that gives out a one-of-a-kind persona. Unlike the title of the single, the set was in fact warm and welcoming, Krell’s attempt to befriend the crowd was noted. A new song was played next called “No More Death“; which was quite a treat for the ears, strummed by thrashes of loud beats, bringing a fresh change of the music’s radiance. “Suicide Dream 2“was then performed, followed by a more enlivening vocals through & “It Was You”. The brief minutes of bright optimistic music ended swiftly when “Talking To You” was about to be played, opened by a short intro saying that the song was specifically written when Krell was in a state of confusion, described it as a “duet that I wrote with myself”. Most of the songs performed were from the second album, Total Loss, including “Ready for the World” and “Ocean Floor for Everything“, that appeared to fit precisely with the a cappella setting. The crowd was drawn but unlike in most concerts, there were very few sing-alongs, and for a good reason, thus the performance was delivered in the utmost capacity that intently captivated them. It was impossible to witness Tom Krell sing his heart out without a set of Bambi eyes.

“Set it Right” was a spot-on parting song, both the kaleidoscopic visuals projected on the background and the lyrics orchestrated flawlessly. It was a very short one-hour set, that was concluded with an encore of  “Blue“, sung a cappella, that basically summed up the theme of the night. Despite the fact that How to Dress Well’s performance was a bit distant and hasty, it was definitely worth to see. The performance was beyond melancholic that it measures up to be called as a work of art rather than just another gig. (Erlangga Primaputra)

How To Dress Well :

Another diamond in the ceaseless pool of self-recording and lo-fi indie musicians who wants to make it big in the real world, How to Dress Well has definitely caught the hearts of many music enthusiasts with his ethereal/R&B sounds, embraced in a distant falsetto vocals. Fellow indie music fanatics in Kuala Lumpur will have the chance to watch Tom Krell perform his faultless tunes in a live intimate setting brought by The Bee at Publika.

As a philosophy graduate from Brooklyn, Tom Krell started his music career by uploading free EPs from The Eternal Love in a blog project that has captured the attention of the online audience and gained fans along the way. How to Dress Well finally released an official album debut, Love Remains, in the fall of 2010, with some tracks that were released in the very first EP. Being described as ambient yet cryptic and melancholic; almost to the point of being devastating, How to Dress Well have turned heads of the music reviewers, giving very positive response towards his first album. Love Remains was also rated as 19th in Pitchfork Media’s list of The Top 50 Albums of 2010.

Continuing his emerging eminence, How to Dress Well released Just Once EP in 2011 and Total Loss in 2012 as his second studio album. Though having undergone a slightly risky change of music style, progressing from being emotional with the intentionally static audio effect into a more synth, radiant and refined aesthetic, How to Dress Well has successfully satisfied the listeners and reviewers, including singles such as Cold Nites and & It Was You. The second album, which has also received mostly a four-star rating from renowned critics, was listed as 33rd Top 50 Album by Stereogums.
Upfront Series by The Bee at Publika is kindly inviting us to live-witness the ambient How to Dress Well on the first of March of 2013. Judging from previous gigs from the Upfront, it is undeniable that Tom Krell’s performance will be just as tempting and heart-throbbing, so don’t miss it!

Date : Friday, March 1st, 2013
Venue: The Bee, Publika, Kuala Lumpur
Tickets: RM 78
Tickets on sale at The Bee Outlets (Jaya One and Publika) and Rock Corner, Bangsar Village 1. Entrance opens at 8 pm. Fair warning that this intimate event is 18+.

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Grimes :

Kuala Lumpur’s music enthusiasts are indeed lucky in these premature weeks of a new year. Upfront, a series of intimate live-show brought by The Bee, Publika, will be presenting another indie sensation, Grimes, as the next star after previously holding both successful gigs of 65daysofstatic and The Vaccines.
Claire Boucher, or popularly known as Grimes, will be touring around Asia starting from early March 2013, radiating her psychedelic-pop sound to countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

Harmonized in a fluctuating way between contemporary synths and classic baby-voice vocals, Grimes have proven to create a musical genre of its own, described by Boucher herself as “ADD music”, adapting its frequently changing characteristics. Her live performance does not only have the sense of musical escalation, but more of a visual art performance as Grimes herself is not only a talented musician but a visual artist/director.
Debuting with her first album, Geidi Primes, in 2010, followed by her second album, Halfaxa in the same year, Grimes continues to stun indie-tronic fans with her out-of-the-world music with her newest album, Visions, released in the January 2012. Visions has received a great deal of attention and successfully listed amongst the Best Album of the Year, which The Guardian described it as “a masterpiece in gonzo pop that is weird, original and derivative at the same time.”

Influenced by quite a few drastically distinct music styles, starting from electronic, pop, goth, R&B, and even medieval, Grimes ascends with Vanessa and continues to impress the musical industry with two of her hypnotizing songs Oblivion and Genesis, from her album Visions. Her sense of visual and self-directing music videos is also one of the charms of Claire Boucher, as being very different and unpredictable in the current music scene.

Upfront presents Grimes
Date  :    March 12th, 2013
Venue  :    The Bee, Publika, Kuala Lumpur
Tickets :
 Presale tickets – RM108 (sold out)
 Regular sale tickets – RM128
Tickets on sale from December 15th, 2012 at The Bee Outlets (Jaya One and Publika) and Rock Corner, Bangsar Village 1. Entrance opens at 8 pm. Fair warning that this intimate event is 18+.
So are you already fired up for a psychedelic and alien-influenced sound of the enigmatic Grimes? Then go and get the tickets, pronto, as it will be one of Upfront’s yet another not-to-miss live events.