Sidetrips in TW

While our main purpose during this trip was to watch the Opus Jay, we had some side trips during the morning, brought my cousins to a Jay-themed field trip!!!

Went to Hua Shan Creative Park and dropped by 一间茶屋 (A place for Tea)

During our August 2012 visit

During our September 2013 visit

Deja Vu Restaurant: A French-Italian Cuisine in a big warehouse where the batmobile is located.  Magic show at 7pm onwards!!!

The newly opened Rooftop Cafe: Chinese cuisine at 东区。Food is great, 70s themed restaurant with the whole Rooftop movie relics on display.  

The other Mr. J Takumi Tofu Store at 公馆。 An Initial D themed restaurant with the AE-86 parked at the Resto's entrance.  THe Mr. J Stick Rice is edible, but since it's Jay's face, it's hard to decide where to take the first bite! haha!

Last but not the least... Le Office~ Awww you know Le Office, right? :)

Fortunately met Darren & Gary, on their way to rehearsal!

That's all we've gone to so far, I have yet to see the Phantaci stores! I've been to one branch at Xi Men Ding along E Mei Street inside Eslite.  Also, Darren's Continued is beside Mayday's Stay Real right along E Mei Street as well. :)


Yanaliao
Signing Off~

Opus Jay: My 3 days in TW- Late Post

I had the privilege to watch Jay Chou again in Taiwan for 3 days in a row.  It was a decision I pounded on for a long time since after watching "THe Era" in Taipei for 1 night only.  I thought the Taiwan fans are as crazy as me in terms of shouting, screaming and putting the roof on fire!

Our first night was a bit of a surprise coz Jielun surprised us with a live guesting from the living-- Sun Yan Zi (Stephanie Sun) and from the dead-- Teresa Teng.  He always love to surprise his fans and this one is a bit scary since you can see on the big screen that Teresa Teng is singing, but when you take a look at the stage, only Jay's singing. lol. Funny but scary, right?

Second night, my place was quite elevated, I was able to witness the superb performance of Coco Lee!  She teased Jay about getting a partner and some other funny stuff.  Nothing special on the 2nd day except for the guest.

Third night, the last night. OMG I saw Tao Zi on the artists' seat with Li Li Ren and their kids.  I was so star struck that I wanted to say Hi!  This time, there were more chances of getting an upclose look on Jielun coz it was indeed the last night. I felt a bit sad coz I really enjoyed watching Jay perform.  He can't perfect his showmanship like Jacky Cheung does but there's something in him that you'd want to watch him even in repeat performances.  I know compared to the Hong KOng singers, especially those who were famous during the 90s, their performances are of utmost perfection.  It's too perfect you will notice if they danced a wrong step or sang the lyrics wrong but with Jay, everything is spontaneous and honestly the result is better than expected.

Anyway, my third night was really special.  During encore, as the fans went to the "moshpit" or "fanzone" area.  Jay started singing "安静" (An Jing) then comes 麦各我真爱你你无爱我！(Taiwanese language). I thought, where did that come from? What was that song again? It sounds familiar but it does not belong to this concert at all.  I got dumbfounded then my sis nudged me while she kept screaming "Ano ka ba! Mayday!!! Anyare???" (What are you doing, it's Mayday! What happened to you?) I was "Shit di nga???" I can't believe my eyes, my ears as Mayday ascended from the "elevator".  OMG my screams, their screams, the whole stadium was so loud! It was like all hell breaks loose, and someone from below just emerged and almost went up to the roof! I was screaming so much and kept saying: "Oh my god omg omg omg omg..." My sis again reminded me not to scream OMG coz Mayday also has a song entitled "Oh My God" haha.  After singing 志明与春娇, Jay and Ah Shin were talking.  They were saying that for years they've been in this business but they never really got to perform onstage together.  Ahshin said: "今晚大家应该赚到了" (Tonight, I believe everyone profited with this performance!) Yes of course, it was like hitting 2 birds in 1 stone.  I kept shouting "Thank you Jay!!!" like several times and he kept looking at the opposite side.  I think he heard me but he doesn't want to be distracted.  But I sincerely thank him, for guesting Mayday that night.  After the talk, they sang a mashed song of Jay's and Mayday's: 听妈妈的话 (Listen to your mom)+干杯（cheers)+ 晴天(One Fine Day) and 离开地球表面 (Jump) + 双截棍 (Nunchucks).

It was one helluva night! We were so thankful and happy.  I owe everything wonderful that has happened to this show to a benefactor and with that, I will be forever indebted.

You can't buy happiness, seek and you shall find it.

Thank you Jay for 3 wonderful nights!

If I spend a part of my earnings just to see you, it was all worth it because everything you do makes me more proud as a fan.  I am proud that I am a Jay Chou fan.  I support you for your music, talent and sensibility. You're 独一无二。

PH stands for Philippines :) 

Yanaliao
signing off

See you November 2014!

Rock of a Lifetime: Rock of Ages

"Take me down to the paradise city, where the grass is green and the girls are pretty, 
TAKE ME HOME, yeah"

After watching Rock of Ages last year, July, 2012, I vowed that I'm going to watch it again.  On our way to dinner, with a "suntok sa buwan" hope that by 2013, ROA will be rockin' Carlos P. Romulo Theatre again-- a year after, it did!

This year's Rock of Ages still supersedes my last year's expectation.  I was able to really feel how hard it is to be in a play.  The cast just pulled it off like it's a part of a daily routine.  Perfect, I should say! Being in 3rd row has a great difference than sitting back at top, watching them from afar.  They interact with audiences and the last song just really made me want to purchase another ticket for the last day's show-- but I didn't.  I just shouted "Encore". Couldn't help it. V^^V


"I can't fight this feeling any longer.  And yet I'm still afraid to let it flow.  What started out as friendship, Has grown stronger.  I only wish I had the strength to let it show."
                                       

I started admiring Jett Pangan when he took the role of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I was amazed on how easily he turned himself into the characters of those guys one after the other.  He was a musician not an actor, but it was an amazing transformation.  One big reason I enjoyed this show was because of Jett's performance as Lonny. He is one hilarious guy/narrator. OMG.  His tandem with Mr. Jaime Wilson as Dennis Dupree while singing "I can't fight this feeling anymore".  First time watching, I cursed like "@*)!#*)(*!, shit!" while during the second time, I was whispering to my sister (who was a first timer) "Don't turn your attention to anybody else, watch Jett, watch Jett!" Then when they started singing, I lost control and laughed so hard I was afraid I'd be my seatmate's annoying-laughing-lady-seated-next-to-me.  They're both oh so gay!


"Say you don't know me or recognize my face  Say you don't care who goes to that kind of place 
Knee deep in the hoopla sinking in your fight  Too many runaways eating up the night"

Aiza Seguerra was just one good artist.  She pulled it off with her one-piece scenes.  People were really amazed and shouting "whooohooo" whenever she wears her sexy piece.  Apart from the sexy piece, the voice box was just oh-so-to-die-for.  She loves singing acoustics and it really gave me goosebumps when she hit the high notes during "We Built This City".  What is notable with Aiza's performance was that she was able to leave out her own personality and immensely dived into Regina's (pronounced as: re-jai-na) groove.  


"I'm gonna harden my heart I'm gonna swallow my tears I'm gonna harden my heart I'm gonna swallow my tears I'm gonna turn and leave you here..."

Miss Rachel Alejandro's hair is so prim and proper I kept thinking it's almost not like a wig.  Her dress is oh-so-sexy! Love the pink-black lace combi. mwahugs!

"In my life there's been heartache and pain I don't know if I can face it again Can't stop now, I've traveled so far To change this lonely life"

                                   

One thing remarkable with Miss Vina Morales apart from her amazing voice is her toned abs and the sexy tattoo she has when she took off her dress to portray a stripper.  It wasn't easy to wear such two-piece with live audience just too near the stage-- or maybe she's used to it.  I super love the scene between her and Drew (Nyoy Volante) when they dated with the car ride and flashy car lights singing "Waiting for a Girl Like You". 

"Maybe I'm wrong, won't you tell me if I'm coming on too strong This heart of mine has been hurt before, this time I wanna be sure, I've been waiting for a girl like you to come into my life I've been waiting for a girl like you, and a love that will survive"

Nyoy Volante as Drew surprised me again with his high-hit notes plus the denim jacket he wore in the play, he looked "aspiring".  In a way, you won't see the rocker in him until you hear him sing, agree? He caught me at: "My manager made me wear this!" I died laughing.  

"The bitch is hungry  She needs to tell  So give her inches  And feed her well "

Mig Ayesa, with his hair and all, I mistook him before as part of the Guns & Roses, though I had a second thought coz I just paid 700php (during the 2012 show) for my balcony seat, it doesn't make sense they're getting someone foreign.  Now I was up close, I can't believe how perfect his abs were, I mean I was wondering while he was performing if those were prosthetic and make-up! Sorry! v^^v I mean well, he looks awesome.  His performance? SUPER AWESOME. Rock on~

The rest of the cast especially Mr. Dupree and effeminate Franz, two thumbs up!!!

Facepalm moment: It was when Drew & Sherrie were just starting to like each other and both were singing "More than words", then came the disco-wardrobed choir consisting of the rest of the cast who sang "Heaven isn't too far away". Way too hilarious, direk pwede take 2? 

"I don't need to be the king of the world As long as I'm the hero of this little girl Heaven isn't too far away.  Closer to it every day No matter what your friends might say... More than words, is all you have to do to make it real, then you wouldn't have to say that you love me, coz I'd already know"

Last but not the least, the end of first act.  It was amusing. The palm shake.  It's a funny end to Act 1.  Jett really cracks me up.

"An' here I go again on my own Goin' down the only road I've ever known, Like a drifter I was born to walk alone An' I've made up my mind  I ain't wasting no more time "

Can't believe I've just watched this twice... but Don't Stop Believin'!!! Next year-- keepin' 4 sets of fingers/toes crossed! I'm counting on you, Atlantis Productions!

The final scene was just entertaining as they sang their closing song.  Front audience started clapping and some of us rose from our seats, and the whole cast signaled for everyone to dance with them, I can feel the "concert rush" under my skin, that's why I can't help but shout Encore in the end.

"Strangers, waiting, up and down the boulevard, Their shadows searching in the night

Streetlights people, living just to find emotion, Hiding, somewhere in the night..."

After show bonus!

'til my next Jett Pangan adventure!!!

P.S. I do not have claims to these pictures except for the "After Show Bonus" and the "4 show tickets". Credits to Atlantis Productions for the pics and from blog owners.  

Rooftop: Where there's heaven above, and a rooftop below

                  

 Disclaimer: I don't encourage fans to watch pirated copy of this movie.  I would like to apologize for downloading it as I cannot contain myself as the torrent is already flashing in front of my screen.  This movie won't be shown in our country so just to be able to keep up with the discussion of the movie, I watched a downloaded unclear copy.  As proof of my unintentional use of piracy, I will not share the downloaded copy and will post my original DVD of this movie when it releases.

The Poster

 Almost six years after "Secret", Jay's second directorial movie came out last July 11, 2013.  I was hoping to catch it in Macau but unfortunately, the movie won't be showing until August 1, 2013.  Instead, I searched every small street just to find a record store to buy the OST. It's hard to find a record store in Macau, all you can see are casino establishments everywhere!  I haven't listened to the OST 'coz Jay wanted us fans to watch the movie first before listening to the OST. So that's what I did. :)  

The movie is obviously marked with the "Jay Chou Style" in it.  The story line is quite simple, your ordinary chick flick movie plus the well-choreographed "concert" style musical which has a real touch of Jay's choreographer and his music.  There are also some out of the blue added scene like the "Swan Lake" song which had me thinking that he wanted to insert that scene just because.  Another trademark of his is that paparazzi scene which rooted from his hate with the reporters.  The dialogue between his back-up buddies (Alan Ke, Huang Jun Lang and Devon) are quite the normal conversational lines Jay uses with his buddies everyday, which has a touch of his own quirkiness and slapstick punchlines.  The leading lady Jay chose is just perfect for the role as she looks like an ordinary girl without any pretenses while getting into the mainstream and acting beside a Heavenly King-- Jay.  If some other well-known artist was paired with Jay,  it might not come out as natural as this one.








                   
                    The rooftop.  This place looks familiar to me. Remember Kungfu Hustle?  It looks so the same yet different.  The difference is that there's no "Grouchy Landlady" who turns off the faucet when rent is not paid.  Instead of fighting and brawling, the rooftop portrays a peaceful ambiance and folks who love music rather than kung-fu.  But I know Jay would've inspired himself with a touch of Stephen Chow movie resemblance.  Just a thought while watching this movie, it's because we were born of the same year and probably watched the same bunch of movies during our teens-- HK Movies. These movies had a great impact on Chinese entertainment industry during the 90s and are already called "classic" nowadays.  With the age group growing up, having their own careers, the influence from it will never be gone.  I believe some bits and pieces of those HK movies are present in this movie as well.  
  

            The car chase was another nail biter. I was almost at the edge of my seat, he was able to shoot something similar with Kato's Black Beauty but with a touch of another HK movie that I've watched before due to the 2nd to the last scene where he asked Xin Ai to get off the car.  It was so much like "War of the Underworld" (洪興仔之江湖大風暴) starring Carman Lee & Tony Leung but with a different ending that got me soooo teary-eyed that I forgot I was watching in our pantry.                     




There was a scene that I felt awkward after watching, I thought Lang Zi Gao (Jay Chou) could've thought of a better line before starting to sing and swing his arms hitting the people inside the bath house.  The punchlines were really crazy 'coz it was blurted out naturally, but there are some scenes I cannot connect with each other and some which lacks character development like the villains.  Maybe because the Director himself said that he cut some of them just to be able to fit and not drag the movie.  

Lastly, as one of my fave musical is Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge, it came into my mind when I saw this poster, minus the violence and the "red light district" feel of the set.

All in all, I commend this movie to those who just want to watch a typical love story which doesn't have much twists in it.  It's not as complicated as Romeo & Juliet, as dark as Moulin Rouge, nor as drastic as Les Miserables.  There's a touch of Jay Chou Style in it, as I've said earlier, and if you're used to watching his MVs, you'll know what I mean.  

I enjoyed the movie but will surely enjoy it when I watch it again in clear copy.  

P.S. The walking in the rain part with the song "You're there everywhere I go" (哪里都是你) is really good ^^

This deserves a special post :)

One-off from my bucket list, here's to more album signing events! Cheers to cold weather, HK and steel legs!

Mr. J: Aiyo, that's not bad (pointing at the Ukelele)
Me: Hi Jielun, this is for you and we're from Feilvbin :)
Mr. J: Thank you, thank you!
Me: (goes down...and forgets the signature card... too bad)

The Jay Choy Batchoy's a few seconds of moment with Jay Chou ♥

Meeting Mr. J

Two weeks before everything else, I was decided on watching the last day for HK Leg of Noah's Ark Tour of Mayday.  That was before APM and Sony Music Entertainment HK announced that they're having Jay Chou over for album signing in HK as well.  Major decisions have to be made, moved a few hills just to set everything straight, then I called the pinkrabbit.  She told me eventually while we were in line for Jay's album signing that she was in the middle of a meeting when I called.  Knowing I called, it means it's urgent.  Instantly she agreed to go on a quick trip to HK. So is another vaklush of mine whom I enjoy confiding my senseless life story with.  There's Chinggu, another ripe member of our Jay Choy Batchoy convo coz she's just never into Jay Chou.  

Day 1: Arrival-- Kiss the floor, we're back in HKIA!!!

Everything went smoothly, from a tight budget to a Taisan Guesthouse Branch hopping.  We even got lost on our way to the yuckiest named Airport I've ever been, let's just call it DMIA. Flight was smooth, noticed that Airasia's Flight Attendants are rather grouchy, didn't get paid well I suppose.

Landed in HKIA, felt nostalgic as I passed every gate in the airport.  We got off at the 510th gate so it was a very looooonnngggg walk.  We savored the HK air, the good ride, the excitement on seeing Mr. J and the good company. 

First meal at Yuen Kee, Granville Street, TST 

After our meal, we met up with Kuya Mike (Miguel Inot, sax player of Mr. Jacky Cheung during the 1/2 Century World Tour) for a quick conversation and went back to the Guesthouse for a good night's sleep. It was 1AM in the morning :).

Day 2 at Junk Bay- APM Mall

For the love of Jay Chou. We queued around 9:30AM as we talked under the cold weather at "Junk Bay". Around 12PM the queue started moving and finally around 2PM we were able to get inside the mall.

Long queue at 9:30 am

9:30 am temperature

3 p.m. Jay Chou entered the venue :)

For Jielun ;)

30 minutes passed, it was our turn to go up the stage, we were so amazed at how fast the queue was moving... and then my 5-second interaction with Mr. J

He noticed the Ukelele that I was holding and he said: "Aiyo, Bu cuo o"

Vaklush said he was staring so much at the Ukelele and he was really amazed/happy? to see it.  His skin was so flawless I've never seen Jay super "handsome" this way.  I always retorted to my friends when they find Jay "not handsome": "I know he's not, he's just talented."  After I descend from the stage, I suddenly forgot the signature post card that I handed the PA, I was a bit disappointed but something cheered me up... Pinkrabbit also forgot her postcard and she even forgot to hand over the gift for Jay. (lol)

In the end I had to find my cousin who was at the back of the line and asked her to hand the gift to Jay herself.  I was debating if I should still hand it over but the thought of my short letter for him which was left unhanded urged me to do so.

5:30PM the signing session ended and we left as Jay left the mall.  We had to rest our very very tired abused legs as we stood from 9:30a.m. to 5:30p.m. While in the guesthouse, my cousin headed off with my aunt to Harbor City.  As we, the Batchoys headed to have our first decent meal for the day.  While eating, my cousin sent me an SMS saying: "Shet, si Jielun".  I wanted to cry but I didn't, I thought the event this afternoon was enough for me to see Jay upclose.  I called her up:

Cousin: Si Jielun nasa harapan ko

Me: Then talk to him, tell him we're from the PHilippines, take a pic with him! Do something!

Cousin: I don't want to disturb him during his private time.

Me: Just tell him our presence and then leave... if there's a bonus, try to take a pic with him coz he does that with other fans as well.

In the end, my cousin wasn't brave enough to go near him.  While my aunt, she was happily taking video footages, yes footage with an "s", as they walked with Jay through the front door of Harbor City.  

Going back to the Guesthouse, my aunt happily showed us her stalking footage.  It was funny I thought she wasn't also brave enough to go near Jay, but in the end I heard her and my cousin arguing. 

Aunt: Why didn't you tell me Jay Chou was the one in blue jacket and not the chubby one with a leather jacket

Cousin: That was the bodyguard!!!!

MAJOR FAIL.

Last Day in HK

We just had fun and went to Mr. Jacky Cheung's office and relaxed for the rest of the day.  Talked more and ate less, shopped more and walked less. 

The trip was a blast, had good friends with me and the experience was a one off from my bucket list. Hoping next time, more of my closest friends would go through this fangirl-ing experience with me.