Post by Skip on Apr 10, 2004 15:37:45 GMT 10
Entertainment: Golden Gates
Adly Syairi Ramly
IF Backstreet Boys and Blue are this millennium's New Kids on the Block and Take That, then UK's Pop Idol runner-up, Gareth Gates is this millennium's Tommy Page.
This was clearly proven at his maiden Malaysian concert at Bukit Kiara Indoor Arena on Thursday night.
The girls were screaming thanks to his good looks, that piercing dimple and engaging voice, while the boys were screaming because Gates is the man that most of the boys would love to be.
If you have just entered adulthood or been an adult for quite a while, you might think the first two paragraphs sound ridiculous but to the more than 3,000 crowd that evening, that was the reality.
Outside the arena, fans were everywhere with their Gareth Gates posters, placards and gifts.
In one corner, people were selling Gareth Gates memorabilia in the form of backstage passes and in another corner, a group of girls were monitoring all the cars that drove into the arena, hoping that Gates would be in one of them.
Groupies? Nah! They were too young and decent for such things. Die-hard fans would be the more appropriate term. Inside the arena, the crowd was divided into three sections, with the middle area, for the RM98 ticket holders, being the most packed.
The stage had a huge and high platform at the centre and two large screens. The stage lights changed from cool to warm tones. Nothing fancy but that was clearly not an issue.
At exactly at 8.30pm, the opening act of that evening, Australian Idol inaugural winner Guy Sebastian, stepped onto the stage.
Clad in a white shirt, black jacket and denim pants, Sebastian thanked the crowd for being there that night and told them that he felt good to be able to perform in his ‘hometown'.
Not wasting much time, he went straight into his first number, his rendition of Prince's When Doves Cry followed by All I Need is You.
Despite all the screaming and cheering, the crowd didn't look like they were particularly taken with Sebastian. But when he performed his hit single, Angels Brought Me Here, the crowd certainly took notice of him. But hey! The crowds came for Gates, thus when Sebastian took off, they started to scream Gates' name.
He didn't disappoint. When he appeared on top of the platform sporting a grey jacket on top of a greenish, hooded sweatshirt and a white top matched with torn jeans, the crowd went wild.
Backed by a keyboardist, a drummer, a guitarist and a bassist, he delivered his first number, Unchained Melody.
After a short greeting, he went on to sing Foolish and Bring My Baby.
Apparently, Malaysian air was too hot for the singer. And when he took off his jacket and sweatshirt, the screaming girls definitely felt the heat.
This idol knew how to work his fans, teasing them with hand waves and flying kisses! And yup, the girls went crazy especially when he put one of the roses thrown at him in between his teeth, while still singing.
Just when you thought Gates would soon run out of tricks, he would come back with more, assuring fans that it would be a night to remember.
That was one promise that he delivered with flying colours.
Not only did Gates woo his fans with his singing, he also impressed them with his skill in playing the electric guitar and keyboard. On keyboard, he performed a medley of That's When You Know and the Chicago classic Hard to Say I'm Sorry.
Not satisfied with playing two instruments, he even ‘argued' with his drummer and told him that he could do a better job behind the drum set. Which set him up nicely to show his percussive skills.
When one lucky girl was invited on stage, the audience went crazy.
The girl, a die-hard Gates fan, simply had the most memorable time of her life as she sang Anyone Of Us, with her idol.
Saving the best for last, the singer performed two hit songs – Spirit Of The Sky and Say It Isn't So – before he wrapped up his one hour and 45-minute concert.
No doubt, the concert was a dream come true for not only the fans but Gates too.
©New Straits Times (M) Berhad
www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/MM/Saturday/Entertainment/20040410104515
Adly Syairi Ramly
IF Backstreet Boys and Blue are this millennium's New Kids on the Block and Take That, then UK's Pop Idol runner-up, Gareth Gates is this millennium's Tommy Page.
This was clearly proven at his maiden Malaysian concert at Bukit Kiara Indoor Arena on Thursday night.
The girls were screaming thanks to his good looks, that piercing dimple and engaging voice, while the boys were screaming because Gates is the man that most of the boys would love to be.
If you have just entered adulthood or been an adult for quite a while, you might think the first two paragraphs sound ridiculous but to the more than 3,000 crowd that evening, that was the reality.
Outside the arena, fans were everywhere with their Gareth Gates posters, placards and gifts.
In one corner, people were selling Gareth Gates memorabilia in the form of backstage passes and in another corner, a group of girls were monitoring all the cars that drove into the arena, hoping that Gates would be in one of them.
Groupies? Nah! They were too young and decent for such things. Die-hard fans would be the more appropriate term. Inside the arena, the crowd was divided into three sections, with the middle area, for the RM98 ticket holders, being the most packed.
The stage had a huge and high platform at the centre and two large screens. The stage lights changed from cool to warm tones. Nothing fancy but that was clearly not an issue.
At exactly at 8.30pm, the opening act of that evening, Australian Idol inaugural winner Guy Sebastian, stepped onto the stage.
Clad in a white shirt, black jacket and denim pants, Sebastian thanked the crowd for being there that night and told them that he felt good to be able to perform in his ‘hometown'.
Not wasting much time, he went straight into his first number, his rendition of Prince's When Doves Cry followed by All I Need is You.
Despite all the screaming and cheering, the crowd didn't look like they were particularly taken with Sebastian. But when he performed his hit single, Angels Brought Me Here, the crowd certainly took notice of him. But hey! The crowds came for Gates, thus when Sebastian took off, they started to scream Gates' name.
He didn't disappoint. When he appeared on top of the platform sporting a grey jacket on top of a greenish, hooded sweatshirt and a white top matched with torn jeans, the crowd went wild.
Backed by a keyboardist, a drummer, a guitarist and a bassist, he delivered his first number, Unchained Melody.
After a short greeting, he went on to sing Foolish and Bring My Baby.
Apparently, Malaysian air was too hot for the singer. And when he took off his jacket and sweatshirt, the screaming girls definitely felt the heat.
This idol knew how to work his fans, teasing them with hand waves and flying kisses! And yup, the girls went crazy especially when he put one of the roses thrown at him in between his teeth, while still singing.
Just when you thought Gates would soon run out of tricks, he would come back with more, assuring fans that it would be a night to remember.
That was one promise that he delivered with flying colours.
Not only did Gates woo his fans with his singing, he also impressed them with his skill in playing the electric guitar and keyboard. On keyboard, he performed a medley of That's When You Know and the Chicago classic Hard to Say I'm Sorry.
Not satisfied with playing two instruments, he even ‘argued' with his drummer and told him that he could do a better job behind the drum set. Which set him up nicely to show his percussive skills.
When one lucky girl was invited on stage, the audience went crazy.
The girl, a die-hard Gates fan, simply had the most memorable time of her life as she sang Anyone Of Us, with her idol.
Saving the best for last, the singer performed two hit songs – Spirit Of The Sky and Say It Isn't So – before he wrapped up his one hour and 45-minute concert.
No doubt, the concert was a dream come true for not only the fans but Gates too.
©New Straits Times (M) Berhad
www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/MM/Saturday/Entertainment/20040410104515
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