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Bon Jovi in KL 2015


On September 19th 2015, my sister, my parents and their friends and I all pushed our way onto a two-carriage train to get to Stadium Merdeka, where the legendary Bon Jovi would be performing. Let's be honest, not everyone in this generation knows who Bon Jovi is. My parents and their friends though, were very much excited about watching a band they grew up with perform live.

I've never been to a rock concert with my parents before. Ballets, symphonies, and plays don't count. I didn't know what to expect from my folks.

We parked in Pavilion and walked to the Bukit Bintang monorail station (I was already tired from all the laziness I had achieved that day) and got off three stops later, right outside Stadium Merdeka. I'd done a case study about this stadium but nobody around me really cared about the architecture and history of the building so I told myself all the interesting things and quietly followed the folks into the stadium.

It was already filling up fast and the good seats were all taken. We groaned and glared but moved on to find another place for all eight of us to sit. My sister and I were seated together, while the older ladies were in another row--front row.

My sister and I know a handful of Bon Jovi's songs. The important ones anyway. Even if we didn't know any of the songs, the concert was good. There was just a good vibe in the stadium. The drums were relatable and the music was good. If it was my first time listening to Bon Jovi play, I'd probably be pretty stoked just being in that environment. Lots of people from many different places, local and foreign, all gathered, clapped, danced, screamed and sang together in a shared love for rock music.



Of course performing the classics like "It's My Life", "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name", and "Wanted Dead or Alive", Bon Jovi also honored us with their newest single, "We Don't Run". It's quite catchy, and it's already on Spotify, so do check it out if you have the chance.

My mum was dancing with her pals like it was her first night out in forever (which it probably was) and I'm so glad my parents had fun. Watching a lot of my parents generation sing and dance their hearts out was almost as entertaining as Bon Jovi's performance.

What made everyone feel good was also how much fun the band seemed to have on stage performing for KL. Their energy was truly contagious and their passion was visible in their performance. They even heard our cries and came back in the end for two extra songs! I can't imagine how much energy they had for us. I would have passed out in a pool of my own sweat after the 4th or 5th song with all the jumping around they were doing on stage.

10/10 would definitely go again. Humidity, sweat and all. 

Finally Presenting, KL International Arts Festival, DiverseCity 2015


Having celebrated the grand opening of Kuala Lumpur’s very first International Arts Festival, DiverseCity 2015 will be taking place throughout the whole of September. Composed of six major arts segments, comedy, traditional arts, dance, literature, music and visual arts, DiverseCity is bringing you some of the best acts Kuala Lumpur and the world have to offer.

Starting on September 16th is the week-long Kuala Lumpur International Comedy Festival, KLICFest. Curated by Malaysia’s very own Harith Iskander, KLICFest is set to present over 60 comedians from 14 different countries. Although comedy is not always viewed as what we perceive to be mainstream art, the ability to walk an audience through an experience and to feel and appreciate the act is what I see that relates to art. One of the acts, named Ongals, is flying in from South Korea to perform in KLICFest. They are quickly climbing the world comedy ladder for their performance. In case you’re concerned about not being able to understand what they’re trying to say, have no fear; the comedy of the act itself is supposedly in their toddler-like behavior. Unintentionally funny children have been making their rounds all around the internet, making everyone laugh like idiots while staring at their phones or laptop screens. Perhaps it might be nice for all of us (myself included) to start laughing at a real performance comedy performance instead.

The KL International Dance festival is curated by UNESCO Living Human Treasure, Datuk Ramli Ibrahim. He has commissioned a total of 12 dance productions for this festival, including his own Sutra Dance Company. There are few Malaysians who have the same fervor and dedication for the arts and culture in Malaysia, and Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, like many artists, has struggled long and hard to get to where he is today. I think all the acts are worth watching, but perhaps the ones I personally would like to see would be the Chinese contemporary opera titled “Young Curtain”, by award-winning GuoGuang Opera Company. Having lived in Beijing for many years, I know and appreciate the history, traditions and culture that the Chinese opera represents, and how significant it is that Chinese culture is being represented in this festival. And of course, I am greatly anticipating the Odissi dance production “Ganjam” by Sutra Foundation, which is being performed for the very first time, and was choreographed specifically for this festival.

Eddin Khoo, the founder of cultural center Pusaka, is the curator for the traditional arts segment of DiverseCity 2015. His passion for the arts burns hotter than many artists in Malaysia, and his cultural centre fights hard to preserve the country’s traditional Malay culture and traditions. He is bringing in, all the way from Azerbaijan, award-winning Alim Qasimov. Qasimov was awarded the International Music Council-UNESCO Music Prize for his performance of the traditional Mugham singing. He will be performing with his daughter, Fargana, to bring Malaysia a taste of the true culture of Azerbaijan.

And of course, everyone loves music. DiverseCity Music is curated by Malaysian jazz guru, Michael Veerapen. I’ll be most looking forward to the Pub Festival, largely because I enjoy the environment of the experience almost as much as the music itself. There will be performances in No Black Tie and Alexis, both already popular places for drinks (not juice or soda) and music.

Of course, it is impossible to forget about the visual arts. What kind of arts festival would leave out such a large component of the arts? Malaysian photographer SoonHoe will have his black and white photography series titled “Momentum” featured in an exhibition as part of DiverseCity 2015. Coming from a private collection in Penang is an exhibition titled “Penang Art: Then and Now”, an artistic insight from 41 paintings and sculptures sure to make Penangites proud.

I’ve always loved the literary arts. Communication through words is common, but turning it into an art is not. Curated by ITBM (Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia) brings you monologists and poets, all performing in Bahasa Melayu in the Literature segment of DiverseCity 2015.


For a first-time festival, DiverseCity has gained a lot of momentum, specifically for KLICFest, KLIDance, and the traditional arts segment. The curators have shown great dedication for their work, and I think it is incredibly exciting that they are working alongside each other to bring the arts to the forefront of Kuala Lumpur today. With all the negativity and realism that is causing tension among the people right now, I hope the KL International Arts Festival will bring color, movement and harmony through the arts aligning with the festival’s theme of “Rediscovering our Heritage”.


For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit http://diversecity.my

Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur

A small pond at the Lake Gardens
Water feature by the pavement
Greenery in the Lake Gardens
Officially named the Perdana Botanical Gardens, is an amazing, and Kuala Lumpur's very first large-scale recreational park. Occupying over 266 acres in land, it is surrounded by the city's high urban skyline. However, inside the park boundaries are lush green gardens, with lots of different activities. 

The attractions and activities include a deer park, an orchid garden, a topiary collection, a conservatory, a herb garden, an amphitheater, a hibiscus park, and many more. If you're not keen on walking too much, you can always drive around and park nearer to the activity you intend on heading to. 

While walking through the park on a beautiful and sunny Sunday afternoon, I was pleased to see many joggers taking a run through the park, admiring the view and sweating it out. During my short adventure to the park, I also learned that many couples have their wedding photos taken in the park, among the lively greenery. In fact, I even saw a wedding take place! 

By the lake, there was a bright architectural structure, a modern steel structure, painted bright yellow, to provide shelter and shade for visitors. The floor of the structure was molded to create a few seating areas, some around the hollow columns. I thought it was a wonderful addition to the park, and created a sense of modernity in nature. Triangular shapes, some transparent, some translucent and some opaque, make for a youthful and lively vibe. 
Architectural installation by the lake
Architectural installation by the lake
Not too far away, is another architectural installation, titled the 'Bamboo Playhouse'. Made entirely of bamboo and tied together with string, the Bamboo Playhouse is composed of several wooden platforms, some with vertical boundaries, also made with bamboo. With seemingly Japanese influence, it is situated by the side of a small river, and near another small garden with bamboo plants.

Perfect for young children, not-so-young children, and adults who act like children, the Bamboo Playhouse is a great place to hang out and chat. Some of the platforms are raised, with bamboo ladders to climb up above, making small tree house-like structures. It truly is a vision of the perfect childhood getaway from the loud city. 
Bamboo Playhouse in Lake Gardens, KL
Bamboo Playhouse in Lake Gardens, KL
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