Where Words Fail, Music Speaks: Taylor’s Open Mic 2022 | by Caleb Ng Kah Lok
It was certainly no small setlist! From Iskandar and ‘Dandos performing Aku Skandal by Hujan, to Bethany with an original song Benned, and Carmen and Ethan singing Comethru by Jeremy Zucker, it was packed with talent. Set to last from 8 pm to 10.20 pm, ticket holders would get their entry wristbands from the ticketing booth around 7 pm, and for those eager for photos, a photo booth with mask props were provided too!
The emcee, Bernice, kickstarted the event at 8 pm with her lively personality, as she introduced the members of the ‘Dandos: Job behind the drum kit, Afiq as the lead guitar, Iskandar on the rhythm guitar, Joshua as the king of the keys, and myself on the bass guitar. We were set to perform a sultry jazz rendition of Aku Skandal by Hujan.
The first set began with dimmed lights, and Iskandar’s smooth vocals on a sultry jazz rendition of Aku Skandal by Hujan. The audience was caught up in the cool, repetitive rhythm, and the second half of the song threw syncopated musical attacks and dead silences in between verses, building up to Job’s thrilling drum solo.
“I was so pumped to play my all-time favourite song,” Iskandar expressed after the set. “It was great to play with some of my favorite people to shake off the nerves while performing.” By the end of the set, there was nothing holding us back from playing our final note with confidence.
After that, Afiq, the lead guitarist, picked up the acoustic guitar to join Rayhana on Paramore’s Decode. Rayhana’s thunderous vocals dominated the room and raised plenty of heads.
“It was really cool performing a familiar song with Afiq,” said Rayhana, “It was a fun and hectic experience as a newbie to TMC. I’d love to do some more covers, and maybe even some of my originals too!”
After that electrifying performance, Taylor’s Symphony Orchestra (TSO)’s five-piece saxophone team took the stage with Zainul Firdaus, Tan Yu Xuan, Aidan Tan, Isaac Yaw, and Tan Wen Hans, when they began by introducing their instruments.
With a flurry of notes, they grabbed our attention with some familiar melodies, such as Beauty and the Beast and It’s a Small World. Then, building up to a great crescendo, they arrived at the chorus of Viva la Vida, driving a sound that many in the audience had never heard before.
“Performing as an ensemble after being stuck at home for two years was very… surreal,” said Tan Wen Hans, the Sultan of the soprano saxophone. “We’d even rented a baritone saxophone for the week! Overall, I’m glad we were able to perform.”
After TSO’s riveting performance, Bethany, a student of the Bachelors of Performing Arts, came armed with her acoustic guitar and her original song, Benned. Within minutes, the audience was captured by her poetic lyrics and enchanting melody.
Up next, Nafeez and Andrea graced the stage with the ‘Dandos band, featuring Arthur as the lead guitarist. Starting slow, but entering the chorus with a powerful punch, their performance of Need You Now by Lady Antebellum was one not to be missed.
For Alicia’s performance, it was equal parts lovely as it was bittersweet, as it marked her last performance with TMC before her resignation as TMC’s President. Nevertheless, she delivered her performance with the same strength and tenacity as Olivia Rodrigo on Driver’s License, her vocals demanding attention from every audience member in the room. She was accompanied by Renee and Andrea on backing vocals, Ryuji on the guitar, and Joshua leading the song with his keys.
By the time her set was done, it transitioned to the intermission. Audience members were encouraged to use the photo booth, rest their ears, or use the bathroom before the second half of the show.
Though the performers could have used the intermission to rest, I and the rest of the ‘Dandos started a groove with Bruno Mars’ Runaway Baby, and within moments, we had the half-empty venue lit with house lights and music. All we needed was a singer. Luckily, we had four on call!
DJ, Carmen, Renee, and Ethan hopped up to the stage, microphones in hand. We adapted to play in time with their singing, and the song came alive. I think, at that moment, we embodied the spirit of the Music Club as musicians doing what they love with other musicians: performing.
“It was really surreal…” said Renee, a key backing vocalist, and one of the impromptu intermission singers. “It was fun to loosen up and play a familiar song to get the nerves out before the second half.”
It was then that Iman, project manager and performer, passed the stage and gave us a look.
Afiq glanced back at Iman and suggested a familiar song.
Iman picked up the microphone for his tireless rendition of Best Friend by Rex Orange County, which he’d already performed for countless other events with the ‘Dandos. The band, like a well-oiled machine, played along to an all-too-familiar arrangement.
So the lights dimmed again, and the second half of the Open Mic began.
The L.I.V.E Club introduced their song, Royals by Lorde. Immediately, one of them laid down a beatboxing rhythm, and everyone started layering their harmonies on top. With nothing but five microphones, the small team created the atmosphere of an entire band.
“The acapella really made their vocals and beatboxing shine,” said Xin Yan, a member of the audience, “It was really cool!” She punctuated her sentence with a thumbs up.
Up next, Carmen from TMC and Ethan from Sunway College were to play Comethru by Jeremy Zucker. This song would mark Ethan’s first ever performance in front of a crowd, my first time on stage with the acoustic guitar, and Carmen’s rare performance with another vocalist, rather than solo.
Ethan had left early, so I had caught his opinion over the phone.
“Initially, I was really nervous!” he laughed, “But as soon as I started to sing, I got into a flow, and just started enjoying it. Choosing to do the auditions from a different university was a big step out of my comfort zone, and easily one of the best decisions I’ve made this week.”
I laid out my guitar parts, and let them take control of the audience.
DJ’s song, Cupid’s Mistake, was a heart wrenching original song. Her resolute voice as she recounted her tale of unrequited love had a few audience members fighting back tears. I had the pleasure of catching up with DJ after the Open Mic for a few questions.
“What were your thoughts about performing Cupid’s Mistake for the first time?”
DJ: It was very… overwhelming. And so very emotional. I feel like this definitely was a milestone in my journey as a songwriter.
“How long have you been writing songs?”
DJ: For about… three to four years.
“Besides this performance, you’d also joined in the impromptu performance of Runaway Baby for the intermission. How did you feel?”
DJ: I think, for me, it was a pretty impulsive decision, an ‘in the moment’ thing. It was an… escape from the nerves! [laughs] Overall, nothing makes me happier than performing for an audience.
The L.I.V.E Club introduced their song, Royals by Lorde. Immediately, one of them laid down a beatboxing rhythm, and everyone started layering their harmonies on top. With nothing but five microphones, the small team created the atmosphere of an entire band.
“The acapella really made their vocals and beatboxing shine,” said Xin Yan, a member of the audience, “It was really cool!” She punctuated her sentence with a thumbs up.
Up next, Carmen from TMC and Ethan from Sunway College were to play Comethru by Jeremy Zucker. This song would mark Ethan’s first ever performance in front of a crowd, my first time on stage with the acoustic guitar, and Carmen’s rare performance with another vocalist, rather than solo.
Ethan had left early, so I had caught his opinion over the phone.
“Initially, I was really nervous!” he laughed, “But as soon as I started to sing, I got into a flow, and just started enjoying it. Choosing to do the auditions from a different university was a big step out of my comfort zone, and easily one of the best decisions I’ve made this week.”
I laid out my guitar parts, and let them take control of the audience.
DJ’s song, Cupid’s Mistake, was a heart wrenching original song. Her resolute voice as she recounted her tale of unrequited love had a few audience members fighting back tears. I had the pleasure of catching up with DJ after the Open Mic for a few questions.
“What were your thoughts about performing Cupid’s Mistake for the first time?”
DJ: It was very… overwhelming. And so very emotional. I feel like this definitely was a milestone in my journey as a songwriter.
“How long have you been writing songs?”
DJ: For about… three to four years.
“Besides this performance, you’d also joined in the impromptu performance of Runaway Baby for the intermission. How did you feel?”
DJ: I think, for me, it was a pretty impulsive decision, an ‘in the moment’ thing. It was an… escape from the nerves! [laughs] Overall, nothing makes me happier than performing for an audience.
"Thank you so much for your time, DJ!"
After this, Ryuji replaced DJ on stage to play a classical piece, Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2 by Chopin. Choosing to let his music speak for him, he played without hesitation. Joshua, the pianist for the ‘Dandos, was certainly impressed.
“Very graceful playing, and it really brought a nice contrast to the event as the only classical piece performed,” said Joshua. “Not to mention that this is one of my favorite pieces, too!”
The final act was Iman and the ‘Dandos, with the song Always Been You by Shawn Mendes. Accompanied by some of the most powerful vocalists of TMC, Renee, John, and Andrea, this song would have shaken half-hearted listeners from their seats.
But for you, dear reader, I will tell you only the truth.
This song was simple, but relied heavily on a musical linchpin: the first chorus begins with a thunderous symphony of guitar, bass, keys, and drums, all coming together in one powerful moment for Iman to chant his line, “It’s always been you, always been you”. The ‘Dandos and I had relentlessly practiced in the music room to get our timing near perfect. We knew this was the song to close the Open Mic.
On stage, in front of an expecting audience, the unthinkable happened.
The moment came. The lights dimmed. The clock inside our heads ticked one, two…
The drums hit. But the rest of the ‘Dandos were silent. In horror, we kept our performer’s confidence on, looking at each other. What was going on?
Iman sang his line, and we tried again. Silence.
Iman continued to sing, but he’d realised something was wrong. He stopped the song, apologised to the audience, and we watched the crew members throw themselves backstage trying to fix this grave technical error. Thanks to the experience of the TMC crew, it was an easy fix.
We got the green light, and we sheepishly restarted the song. All of us held our breath.
When the first chorus hit, it seemed like time stopped. Nothing but the band, the backing vocalists, and a single shadowed silhouette, singing under a spotlight.
After this, Ryuji replaced DJ on stage to play a classical piece, Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2 by Chopin. Choosing to let his music speak for him, he played without hesitation. Joshua, the pianist for the ‘Dandos, was certainly impressed.
“Very graceful playing, and it really brought a nice contrast to the event as the only classical piece performed,” said Joshua. “Not to mention that this is one of my favorite pieces, too!”
The final act was Iman and the ‘Dandos, with the song Always Been You by Shawn Mendes. Accompanied by some of the most powerful vocalists of TMC, Renee, John, and Andrea, this song would have shaken half-hearted listeners from their seats.
But for you, dear reader, I will tell you only the truth.
This song was simple, but relied heavily on a musical linchpin: the first chorus begins with a thunderous symphony of guitar, bass, keys, and drums, all coming together in one powerful moment for Iman to chant his line, “It’s always been you, always been you”. The ‘Dandos and I had relentlessly practiced in the music room to get our timing near perfect. We knew this was the song to close the Open Mic.
On stage, in front of an expecting audience, the unthinkable happened.
The moment came. The lights dimmed. The clock inside our heads ticked one, two…
The drums hit. But the rest of the ‘Dandos were silent. In horror, we kept our performer’s confidence on, looking at each other. What was going on?
Iman sang his line, and we tried again. Silence.
Iman continued to sing, but he’d realised something was wrong. He stopped the song, apologised to the audience, and we watched the crew members throw themselves backstage trying to fix this grave technical error. Thanks to the experience of the TMC crew, it was an easy fix.
We got the green light, and we sheepishly restarted the song. All of us held our breath.
When the first chorus hit, it seemed like time stopped. Nothing but the band, the backing vocalists, and a single shadowed silhouette, singing under a spotlight.
By the time the song was over, we felt like we’d just begun. It was just our luck that we still had five minutes left!
We had removed a song from the Open Mic setlist because of practice time restrictions. Our vocalist, John, would have sung Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by John Mayer. The song would have Job on drums, Afiq on electric guitar, Joshua on the keys, and myself on the bass. Bernice knew the audience wanted an encore.
So we gave the audience an encore.
“Before this, I’d already performed as a backup singer for Iman,” said John, “Performing Slow Dancing was a super spontaneous decision, and I’m glad it didn’t seem too unprepared!”
This final song was a testimony to the band, to how we could play a song together with nothing but intuition and a silent prayer. John lit the stage with his stage presence and voice. We played to lift him higher.
By the end of the set, the Open Mic was well and truly over.
Soon after, I got the chance to speak with Alicia, the President of TMC, about her thoughts on performing and organising the Open Mic.
"How did you feel performing for the Open Mic?"
Alicia: I’m really glad for the opportunity to share the stage with talented musicians, and perform again after the pandemic!
"Is there anything about the event that really stands out to you?"
Alicia: This was, sadly, my last chance to perform in a TMC Taylor’s event, but it was definitely super memorable. Someone had mentioned during debriefing that TMC was “a club that felt like home”, which was one of the best compliments I could have ever received.
"Is there anything else you’d like to say to the people reading this?"
Alicia: I am so grateful for the amount of work and practice time our team and crew put in to make the night a success! I hope that the club’s activities will bring more joy and opportunities to all music lovers. Thank you for your time, Alicia!
The Open Mic would undoubtedly never have happened without our crew members and BODs, with Iman (Project Manager), Khor Pei Shin (Assistant Project Manager), Ada and June (Secretary and Ticketing), Beck Kem (Treasurer), Afiq, Job, John, and Alicia (Logistics), Sinyuan, Jaynee, Amiel (Backstage Crew), Cedric (Head of Media), Lynn, Won Pui Ern, Carmen, Audry, Safrina, Eiman (Photographers), Ryuji, Immanuel, Gwen, Natalie (PR and Designs). As irreplaceable parts of an efficient team, this event would have not made it off the ground without them.
As the stage lights went down, and the band packed away, the adrenaline of performing began to fade. After putting away the equipment and props, it hit me; this really felt like home.
When I inevitably graduate, this event will be one that I’ll always remember this way.
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