Concert: Tinh Khuc Mua Thu
Maybe a beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon was not the right time for an intimate listening experience. Ngo Thuy Mien and Thanh Trang’s Tinh Khuc Mua Thu—a fundraising concert for veterans living in Viet Nam— took place in VNCC’s auditorium at two o’clock was not a great success. I was hoping for a big rain to boost up the atmosphere, but the sky was bright and clear.
Besides the timing, the sleepy arrangements and the poor sound quality didn’t help either. Quang Tuan didn’t impress me much. His rendition of Thanh Trang’s “Huyen” was simply long and he didn’t have the stage performance. During the break (keyboard solo), he simply stood there looking at the audience and just waiting to sing again. Although Thien Kim could turn her back to the audience during the break to reveal her naked back, she was even more disappointed. She had to sing with the music sheet even on a well-known ballad like Ngo Thuy Mien’s “Ban Tinh Cuoi,” in which her short vocals took the bridge to nowhere. Diem Liem was the only one that could weather the quiet storm. Despite the snoozing accompaniment, she poured her heart out on “Tra Lai Cho Em,” a new tune from Ngo Thuy Mien that will guarantee to be a big hit. She also soared like a songbird in the afternoon on “Tu Giong Hat Em.”
After intermission, a PowerPoint-like video clip of the handicap veterans who are being ignored by the Vietnamese government was shown on a big screen to encourage donations. The best part of the show was the interview with Ngo Thuy Mien and Thanh Trang conducted by Duong Nguyet Anh, but it was rushed through because of time. Thanh Trang was quite hilarious in his answers even though he only had time for two questions.
Mênh mang đường phố vắng bước chân lẻ loi,
Người hỡi em có nghe lá vàng rơi rơi
Em có hay khi mùa Thu (show khác) tới
…ta mất nhau một đời – NTM :=)
Off topic: Have you experienced the latest CD Kiếp nào có yêu nhau (Đức Tuấn)?
Mình biết SadValley hỏi han Doanh nhưng mình cũng xin ý kiến nhé!
Thiết kế: 8.2/10 (chắc là do Từ Phương Thảo vì bìa không ghi rõ), đơn giản và đẹp! Tuy nhiên, Cty Phương Nam phát hành nên không có đột phá mấy trong thiết kế!
Hòa âm: 6/10 – Mặc dù mình thích cách nhún nhảy và nhè nhẹ trong hòa âm của Việt Anh, nhưng để đi sâu hơn trong dòng nhạc Phạm, dường như mình đã quen rồi (lại cảm tính) với người hòa âm nhạc Phạm Duy tuyệt vời nhất: con trai ông ấy – Duy Cường! Xin lỗi Việt Anh, cần cố gắng!
Giọng hát: Có thể nói trong CD này, Đức Tuấn xứng đáng đạt điểm 5 đúng nghĩa – không khen, không chê nhé! (Tự nhiên để cho Mai Khôi và Ngọc Tuyền hát song ca). Ngọc Tuyền thì nhàn nhạt không nói, nhưng trường hợp Mai Khôi hát Cỏ Hồng của Phạm y chang như kiểu Lâm Nhật Tiến hát Anh Đến Thăm Em Đêm 30 vậy!
Mảy may Tuấn đọc (vì mình biết Tuấn đọc) comment này: cứ từ từ kết nạp thêm chất liệu sống, cảm xúc và luyện tập, Tuấn sẽ cho cuộc đời này thêm một tác phẩm đẹp tương tự album Phạm Đình Chương “Đôi Mắt Người Sơn Tây” xem nào! Đấy, đó mới là một Đức Tuấn luôn ngạo mạn và tự hào vì là một giọng hát trong hiếm các giọng tri thức (có bằng ĐH) ở Việt Nam (mà người ta hay gắn liền với Tuấn)!
Các bạn: Hãy nghe lại BS Bích Liên hát Kiếp Nào Có Yêu Nhau (hòa âm Duy Cường), Phạm Duy đã là Phạm Duy trong ấy!
@Phạm Thiên Nhiên: I had very much expected the song Cây đàn bỏ quên, but it turned out boring. Even Hương Lan sang that with deeper emotion. Does Tuan play any instrument?
Dear SadValley:
Thưa không ạ, Đức Tuấn chỉ đoạt giải tiếng hát truyền hình, đi hát phòng trà, rồi luẩn quẩn giữa những dòng nhạc. Khi tìm ra được dòng nhạc thích hợp, Tuấn năng nổ học luyện thanh!
Sound quality is a big issue in concerts.
Vietnamese bands in general don’t have good
sounds system because because they are mostly just amateurs who likes to set up sounds and play on stage.
Unless I know the people who do the sounds/and the band well, I wouldn’t waste my precious time going to the concerts because of this reasons. Another reason is
that I don’t care to watch singers lipsynch!
TK has a very lazez-faire attitude towards her gigs/concerts. I ‘ve worked with her twice and both times she was ill-prepared
as a result TK didn’t get much appreciation from the audience. The guys in the band however, was half-stunned during TK ’s performance because of her “sexy” outfit!
I am surprised people still booking her. There is a huge shortage of singers though
if you look at the ratio of performers/singers over seas. There isn’t that many singers out there.
Word is bond. Thien Kim was definitely ill-prepared. She showed up an hour before the gig and drunk her ass out, yet she requested a shot of cognac in order to sing. The organizer said he would not book her again.
I remember TK flipping through my song book and asking me if she can borrow a music sheet so she can pick some songs. I remember she sang “tra no tinh xa” and “mot thoi da xa” and the audience didn’t like it very much because she sounded weak. TK was very nice to me after my performance and asked me for my email to keep in touch. It was bad because the audience didn’t like her very much but she was the famous name and she didn’t perform her part so our band have to really work harder. Luckily, our band rocked it and the audience had a good time. It’s just so unfair these singers get paid so much more than the band and the “local singer ” (TH ! ) did most of the work but get paid very little ! So far I only impress with Vu Khanh, Y Lan, Khanh Ly, Tuan Ngoc & Bang Kieu live. I have not seen MyLinh, ThuPhuong,HongNhung or ThanhLam live but from the live video they are very good too. Of course I never go to any concerts unless I am in it :) because I don’t have too many weekend off. This Sat is the only night I have off since February! I hope you guys are having a good time at the show. I was invited to the Philly show but I don’t like MC VietThaO hehehe so I decided not to go to that show plus I need a break from music.
Thu Phuong is a fantastic live singer. Her show, “Say Thu,” a year ago still remains one of the best Vietnamese concerts I have ever been to. Of course, my wedding concert was also memorable. Thien Kim and Hoang Tiep (unknown to me) killed Ngo Thuy Mien’s “Niem Khuc Cuoi.” Your version is still my favorite.
Donny! Did you go to the show tonight?
You know our band did a fund raising event
featured just TH and the band and they collected over 10K that night. We did it without any big name singers .. zip..
I am so proud of the band and the audience was the key.. they rocks.. they love us and it gave us so much more stamina.
I did saw that clip with TK and Hoang Tiep
and you are right TK sounded so tired and weak. that’s too bad, I think she must be smoking and drinking alot and not taking care of herself. In order for me to sing well, I have to rest and keep in shape physically so I have best stamina. That means I have to keep working out and no booze no drugs :) Diem Lien have been improving since I last saw her. Hahaha when I first started singing, I think I also caught her attention when I sang “Ban tinh cuoi”. I remembered Diem Lien came out of the dressing room when I rehearsed with the band. She told me I should go to Calfornia :)
Oh I have a question about singer “Thanh Tuyen” Is she older woman with dark skin?
I think she used to play for anh Hinh’s old band way back when. I think she befriended me couple years ago when she heard me performed somewhere in Philly. She used to sing really well but when I asked her to try with our band, my keyboard felt she was too old to be in our group :(
Is she chu Binh (Ngothuymien) ’s niece?
She usually wears long hair with a bang.
Holy shit, I completely forgot about the show tonight. I thought I was in November. Oh man. You were there, Thu Hoai? Damn.
Yeah, Trần Ngọc Thanh Tuyền is from NJ and she has a big, powerful voice, but somehow doesn’t carry the tunes well.
Oh that must be her then. I thought her full name is Doan Thanh Tuyen. Her best song was ” I who have nothing” when she sang with us. Back then, our old band ’s name was “HaTrang” and Thu Hoai was very shy mama of three young babies and didn’t really care too much about singing ! My keyboard wanted a young cute looking chic who has stage presence and can sing so he didn’t want to ask her to join. So far our band have not found any young cute chic yet hehehhe :)
They always want me to do most of the songs no matter which girl singer I bring into the band. I guess they just not used to anyone
else besides me.
Yes, Donny you forgot about the show !
oh well, anh Hai will tell you about it.
I got 6 free tickets for Philly show tonight and no one in my family wants to go LOL.
And no I didn’t go because I am sick with a bad case of cold plus my whole clan here is sick and I have to be their nurse this weekend ! Not fair, I am sick I have no nurse to take care of me. They have it made in the shade .