I was shocked when I read the article posted in one of my favorite website, Junkonline.net It was on the header with the link to an article called Song Smackdown at Anugerah Juara Lagu 24. I just knew that AJL 24 will be held on 10th of January 2010 which is today(the day I start to write this post) and it will start at 9 p.m. Damn. Three minutes left. I rush and grab few junk foods so I can eat while watching AJL. Cun 9 p.m, the show starts.

I was very excited waiting for the opening of ceremony. I bet they will present something special. At first I didn’t gave any attention to the opening ceremony. But then, when Datuk Siti Nurhaliza had throw out her voice, I was in a total shocked. She’s the one who open the event. The best part was, she sang the song from Malaysia Indie Band called Meet Uncle Hussain a.k.a MUH. Datuk Siti Nurhaliza sang the song called Lagu Untukmu. She even remix to her own version of Etnik Malaysia genre in the song. Climax is the best thing when it come to Live performances. Azlan, join the show when he duet with Datuk Siti Nurhaliza. It was the best opening so far I can see for AJL. Azlan now is no more with Meet Uncle Hussain due to personal matters. Lan now is singing for his new band call Azlan & The Typewriter. Their hit song ‘Syair Si Pari-pari’ is sing with sad, emotional melodic sound...

..Okay, I’m not going to review the whole event. But for this article, I will only write about the achievement by the local independent band and I will also gives some comments for the Event. Hey, everyone have their opinion right. So, this is the time for me to speak out. You can speak it out at the comment box after finish reading this post k. :)

Recall the bands performing during AJL are Hujan, Estranged, Meet Uncle Hussain, Bunkface and finally Yuna (I’m not sure if now, she called her band Yuna, but I think it’s cute if that is the name of the band :p). Okay, let me start with…

Hujan for me is the biggest reason why the local music scene have become a very important industry in Malaysia now. We might see the ‘reason’ of local music scene from other countries such as Indonesia or the U.K. Once upon a time in Britain, a band called The Beatles had skyrocket the music industry in the U.K. Named the popular bands from the U.K such as Suede, Duran Duran, Supergrass then the world is blown by creative music experiment by the band which is popular with the song called ‘Time is running out’; MUSE. Along the way exploring new bands, U.K once again bombed by a super dooper band called Arctic Monkeys. Popular songs such as Fake Tales of San Fransisco and I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor is the ticket for Arctic Monkeys or A.M to go further in U.K music industries. Now they have The Kooks ‘Ohh Laa’ling the music scene. So that’s just some of the example from other country. And Indonesia, I can say the best band are Dewa 19. Thank god it was lead by a very good leader, Ahmad Dhani.

So, that’s the explanation I can tell you as I stated why ‘Hujan for me is the biggest reason why the local music scene have become a very important industry in Malaysia’ Hujan on AJL 24 had shown the best performance so far for their Live show. Performing the popular single called Aku Skandal but with a different version. Started with Jazz tune and in the middle the rock it the Punk Ska way(marked me if I got this wrong, thanks :p) and finally maintain with Jazz sound. The arrangement of the music is so intelligence.

2-3 years ago, this band was nothing. No one realize that they are a very successful band now. With fans all over the country and also from Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia. Hmm…did you see the calligraphy done by a group of teenagers in front of the stage during Hujan performances. Do you think it’s a surprise for the band or it’s one of the show in this live performances? Cus I can see the movement and the situation is similar with one of the Black Eyed Peas dance ‘I got a feeling’ during The Oprahshow. Might be coincidence?

Orite, so that is Hujan. Now we gonna move to the next local independent band called Bunkface. Bunkface is popular with Punk Rock music and their song is played almost everyday in local radio station. The most favorite song from Bunkface are Situasi and Revolusi. I bang my head the first time I listen to this song. But when it come to live show, Sam’s voice just not like the one he recorded in Bunkface cd. The one which had been record sounds more energetic. That’s all for Bunkface I guess. I prefer Pesawat to be in AJL 24. But too bad, they can’t manage to join the club. Bunkface performed Situasi on that night.

Next band I’m gonna talk about is Estranged. At AJL 24, this band is 100% different. What I mean is the look and the dress up of the band members. One of them which is the lead guitarist, is wearing a mask covering his whole face. Move the crowd with their song called Aurora, I was proud and amazed with Estranged. They had improve a lot. Not only the dress up getting matured, the voice of the vocalist is also getting better and better. I still love the song called ‘Itu Kamu’ and ‘Yang Pernah’. But Aurora is awesome! :D

Yes Yes Yes! I know what’s in your mind. It’s Yuna right?! OMG, she was damn gorgeous on AJL 24. With yellow trench coat, and a purple scarf covering her hair. Fashionable skinny jeans and a boot(or might be sneaker, but for sure it’s not her purple Puma shoe). She’s in Fashion! Yuna looking great! At AJL 24, Yuna had gave the coolest performances for the crowd. She sang with cool looking face. Relax and ‘Dan Sebenarnya’ had rest the mind of the attendees. Her voice? Ho Liau! Yes she won an award on that night.

So finally, too bad to be true, haha. It’s Meet Uncle Hussain. Since Azlan left MUH, the band members had to struggle looking for new vocalist. But for sure, they had to choose it wisely as the songs by MUH mostly need a high note voice. It’s the first live show I watch from MUH together with their new vocalist. I’m just giving my opinion. I can say that Black is much better that the current vocalist. I mean in the context of high note voice, the current vocalist of MUH just can’t attempt to reach. But what I can say is, the performances by MUH is still cool. MUH bah…

Talking about Black and Faizal Tahir, both of them should be in a band. I’m not sure about your opinion. But for me, Black and Faizal Tahir should have one. But Faizal Tahir show was too Micheal Jackson. Not so original. Black nang cun mena lah jadi vocalist band. And one more thing, the host for that night, Ally Iskandar, Faizal Ismail and Cheryl Samad was great. Keep it up guys! Boh kecik ati slalu gilak Ally. Keke. Faizal kaki selak.

I guess that’s all for the local indie band review at AJL 24. Total show of AJL 24 was great. But some of the performer need to put more afford in creating the originality during their live show. Let see Stacy. She’s too Rihanna on that night. Faizal Tahir, his show is too Micheal Jackson. Finally someone won two award. Why not the people who decide the winner give one of the award to other performer who performed well too on that night. I don’t have word for this. Depends on you people to discuss. Thanks for reading my post. Reporting from ‘Ruang Tamu Rumah’, haha. :D Cheers guys!

Photo credit: http://ajl.tv3.com.my/images/ajl24-winner.jpg..