Thursday, December 13, 2012

The Christmas Shoes

It's December already... Only around a week before Christmas!
Well, Christmas, since few years back for me is nothing more than just another celebration. Yeah, I know what does it meas, and on and on, but somehow.... I could tell.. It just becomes another national Holiday and hurray Nice family time!

On marketing group in my office, everyday we always play songs through one of our playlists. One day it could be my playlist, tomorrow could be another's. And for today, we decided to start playing the Christmas songs. And of course we set the Office's Christmas Tree. It was fun tho.

I love music, and I love to sing, so any song could really hit my mind and urge to sing as long as it suits me :) One time, just a few minutes ago before I wrote this post. I was getting ready to eat my snack and wandered around the marketing desk when my ear caught a nice lyrics from my friend's Christmas song's playlist. I wasn't familiar with the song, but the lyrics really caught a glimpse.

The story of the song was one kinda familiar touching story about a nice poor buy with all of his pureness heart wanted to buy something for his mom/dad who is dying, and somehow he didn't have much money even tho the money on his hand is worth long time saving. And someone there become his Santa Claus at that time. It is a song for a movie with the same title, The Christmas Shoes.

I, nowadays become very skeptical about almost everything. And I live my life like it should and as it flows on. But the song, the lyrics, and supported by beautiful melody made me realize again the meaning of Christmas. And of course to imply it in our daily life.

Please enjoy the lyrics below. I'll give you the link to download the song.

THE CHRISTMAS SHOES - NEWSONG

It was almost Christmas time, there I stood in another line
Trying to buy that last gift or two, not really in the Christmas mood
Standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing 'round like little boys do
And in his hands he held a pair of shoes

His clothes were worn and old, he was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn't believe what I heard him say

 

Chorus:
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

He counted pennies for what seemed like years
Then the cashier said, "Son, there's not enough here"
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me

He said Mama made Christmas good at our house
Though most years she just did without
Tell me Sir, what am I going to do,
Somehow I've got to buy her these Christmas shoes

So I laid the money down, I just had to help him out
I'll never forget the look on his face when he said
Mama's gonna look so great

Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

 

Bridge:
I knew I'd caught a glimpse of heaven's love
As he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy
To remind me just what Christmas is all about

 

Repeat Chorus

Download MP3 HERE
Or HERE
enjoy the video HERE

So, quoting from John Lennon and Yoko Ono's  So This Is Christmas (War Is Over):
So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Another year's over, a new one just begun.....

I really wish to have a better life, for me and everybody. Everybody loves everybody in this good ol' EARTH!
:)

Thursday, December 06, 2012

Michael Learns To Rock LIVE IN INDONESIA Concert

"I won't forget, the way you're kissing, the feeling's so strong, were lasting for so long. But I'm not the man, your heart is missing. That's why you go away, I know..."

That part of lyric above seriously must be very familiar in our beloved ears. And I was one of among hundreds people last night (Dec 4th, 2012) who fortunately able to watched and listened to Michael learns To Rock (MLTR) LIVE! :D

The Tickets. - Eva Tarida Pict
It's not their first concert in Indonesia. In 2005, they already held a concert here in 6 cities, including Surabaya. For 2012, they held the concert in 3 cities only: Balikpapan (Nov 29th), Jogjakarta (Dec 1st), and last but not least, Surabaya (Dec 4th). :D. 

I wasn't able to attend their concert back then in 2005, so then when one of my MLTR freak, San-San informed about MLTR around 2 months ago, I immediately search for any news! And Bought the ticket if available! At that time, the ticket wasn't available yet, so we just planned to go. but unfortunately, when we found out the concert date was on Dec 4th, San-San couldn't attend it. She was expecting, and Mid Dec 2012 is her due date. On October, one of my best friends, who also Oldies Maniac, Arlitaria suddenly sent me a message, that one of her friend was went to bought MLTR ticket! Do I need time to think?? NO!! I even ordered for 2 tickets (one for my BF, without his permission! hahahaha - but I believed he'd be just happy! Haha).

For short, here we come in to Dec 4th, 2012. 
I permitted myself to go home earlier. Got prepared, and drove to Gramedia Expo, Surabaya with my BF. The line wasn't that long, so we just had to waited for Arlita and her friends, then we joined the line to came in. Our tickets were in Festival B class (the cheapest :p). But, it won't hold us from enjoying today's concert.

Greeting Screen which Appeared for About an Hour. - Eva Tarida Pict
MLTR's Stage After Black Out Just Before They Entered The Stage. - Eva Tarida Pict

We waited for almost an hour before the concert started. Because they didn't provide us with the opening band, it was a bit uncomfortable to waited for an hour there. Then around 8 PM, suddenly the room was blackout, and some Lights-form on stage's LCD were playing, and there they were entering the stage! Jascha Richter (vocalist), Mikkel Lentz (guitarist) dan Kåre Wanscher (drummer), and additional bassist who replaced their former bassist, Soren Madsen, started to play their song from their Scandinavia album. The song called Renovate My Life. Thank God I already bought their CD few months back, so I was a bit familiar with this song.

MLTR's Stage during Love Will Never Lie. - Eva Tarida Pict

MLTR's Stage during Love Will Never Lie. - Eva Tarida Pict

Right after Renovate My Life finished, they greeted us! "Hello Surabaya!! Finally we've got to see you guys again!," greeted Jascha which gained the screams from us as a response! :D
Then, not much talking, the Sleeping Child intro was filling the air!! Whoaa!! the crowd went crazy!! :D

MLTR really didn't waste our time during their concert. After 1 song finished, they always said "Thank You...." and then continued to gave us brief description about the next song.

MLTR's Stage During The Actor. - Eva Tarida Pict
One of their Big Hit, The Actor was sung on 7th song on their list. Jascha gave a brief entrance that he wrote this song while he still had nothing, and by then if you wanted to had a GF, you need to had a car to impressed them. So then, The Actor was on the air!! Of course, everybody cheered and sang along!! Then, suddenly they walked out of the stage, and the crowd went crazy because we wanted more! OF COURSE! And they kept us waiting for a minute or two, suddenly mikkel came out with acoustic guitar and played the intro of my FAVE MLTR song, I'M GONNA BE AROUND!! And the crowd (ME of course) screamed out loud! We sang along together with Jascha!

MLTR's Stage During Naked Like The Moon. - Eva Tarida Pict

What envied us was, on some slow-romance song, Jascha would stepped down the stage, and greeted the VIP guests personally!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!! I WANTED IT!! No, WE WANTED IT!!! XD

They also sang some New songs from their new Album, Scandinavia. :)
MLTR's Stage During Blue Night. - Eva Tarida Pict

MLTR's Stage During Blue Night. - Eva Tarida Pict
MLTR's Stage During Take me To Your Heart. - Eva Tarida Pict
MLTR's Stage During Take me To Your Heart. - Eva Tarida Pict
MLTR's Stage During Take me To Your Heart. - Eva Tarida Pict


Just 1 thing, on some great songs like Complicated Heart, Blue Night, Wild Women, 25 Minutes, not everybody seemed familiar with those song. Perhaps, they only noticed MLTR by MLTR's greatest Hits such as "That's Why You Go Away" "Sleeping Child" "The Actor". Even Someday, which video made in Bali, wasn't familiar for most of the attendances.. But NOT including Me, My BF, My Bestfriend, Arlita, and 2 other women we met there :D We can sang around 20-21 of 23 songs that night!!

MLTR's Stage - Eva Tarida Pict

MLTR's Stage - Eva Tarida Pict


When they played You Took My Heart Away, almost all of us could sang it. And then Mikkel made a comment "Wow, It's like karaoke you know" :D

Awesome super awesome! After about 20 songs, they said goodbye.. but hey, we're not that amateur on Concert attending! So we knew exactly that was just a teaser for another 2 or 3 songs. So, I started to yelled "WE WANT MORE" and the crowd yelled WE WANT MORE together! And there the 3 of them played the intro of Bryan Adam's Everything I Do to jumped in to "That's Why You Go Away" whoooaaaaa!!!!! We went craaaaaazzzyy again!! ;):)
Over all, they ended thonight's concert with Paint My Love and Scandinavia ;)

MLTR's Stage During Anything You Want It. - Eva Tarida Pict

MLTR's Stage During Anything You Want It. - Eva Tarida Pict
MLTR's Stage During Anything You Want It. - Eva Tarida Pict
MLTR's Stage During Anything You Want It. - Eva Tarida Pict

It was reaalllyy awesome! :):):) I was satisfied! Really!

AH! One again I forgot to mention! When they sang 25 Minutes, suddenly after the bridge, they inserted the refrain part of All Out Of Love from Air Supply! Can you imagine it?? Whoaaaa!! Don't! just come to their concerts!!! I guarantee your satisfaction!! Their voice and performance just as great as the cassettes, CDs, VCDs, etc, etc!!! Really good voice and music performance! :D

Around 10.20 PM the show was over, and we went home, Of course with special slide on the stage from MLTR! :)
MLTR's Goodbye Screen to Surabaya's People! - Eva Tarida Pict
Please enjoy some of the Videos I've taped during the show:
                      MLTR - 25 Minutes - Eva Tarida


MLTR - I'm Gonna Be Around - Eva Tarida

MLTR - Sleeping Child - Eva Tarida


 MLTR - Scandinavia - Eva Tarida


And Many more Videos.. :P :D

List of their songs:

Renovate My Life (Scandinavia - 2012)
Sleeping Child (3rd Album - 1996)
Hanging On (Scandinavia - 2012)
Love Will Never Lie (Played on Pepper - 1995)
It's Gonna Make Sense (Eternity - 2008)
Heaven is My Alibi (Scandinavia - 2012)
The Actor (1991)
Naked Like The Moon -- Jascha Solo (Played on Pepper - 1995)
I'm Gonna Be Around
Animal (Nothing To Lose - 1997)
Complicated Heart (1996)
Blue Night (2000)
You Took My Heart Away (2000)
Take Me To Your Heart (2004) -- remake of Jacky Cheung's Goodbye Kiss
Final Destination (2004)
Breaking My Heart
Any Way YOu Want It (Scandinavia - 2012)
Wild Woman
25 Minutes - insert All Out Of Love reffrain
Someday (1996)
Paint My Love (1996)
Scandinavia (Scandinavia - 2012)
That's Why (You Go Away) (1996) -- with Everything I Do's Intro

NB: All Pictures and Videos are courtesy of Eva Tarida Sitompul (evatarida.blogspot.com). You may grab it, but please mention the source. Message me for the real resolution. Thanks.