This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on February 9, 2018

5 musical standouts

Little Taiwan Calling Music Festival

Immerse yourself in Taiwanese indie music at the Little Taiwan Calling Music Festival. Born in 2011 as a platform for emerging artists, the festival now makes its way to Kuala Lumpur with seven young acts, namely Hello Nico, Frande, Jade Eyes, Zooey Wonder, Crispy, Riva Jan, and Arvan. The Little Taiwan Calling Music Festival takes place from 5pm to 11.30pm tomorrow. Head over to the Bentley Music Auditorium, which is located on the fourth floor of Wisma Bently Music, Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Presale tickets are priced at RM188, whereas tickets at the door are RM208. For bookings or more information, visit taiwancallingkl.peatix.com. 

Jumpa Dalam Reban: On The Malaysian Vinyl Trail

Go on an auditory journey through history at the Ilham Gallery this weekend. Paul Augustin, director of the Penang House of Music, brings us through his mission to seek out and preserve our story through various vinyl records from the past. These long forgotten records were retrieved from junk stores, old houses, and even abandoned chicken coops. The event will be moderated by DJ, journalist and music lover Daryl Goh, and will be held from 3pm to 4.30pm tomorrow. Ilham Gallery is located on Levels 3 and 5 of the Ilham Tower, on Jalan Binjai, off Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur. For more details, call (03) 2181 3003.

Fools In Deed

Catch rock band Fools In Deed at The Bee. In their debut performance, the Petaling Jaya-based band presents their 2017 EP, Meander, with acoustic soul quartet Crinkle Cut opening the show. Comprised of members from various other bands, Fools In Deed features Josh Maran, Melina William, Ian Linga, Shakey.Shakey, Emmett Ishak, Julian Lim, Ali Aiman, and Alena Murang. Join them today from 8pm to 11pm, at The Bee in Publika Shopping Gallery, Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur. Admission is priced at RM15 at the door. For more information, call (03) 7960 2160.

Nita Aartsen Trio

Indonesian musician Nita Aartsen visits No Black Tie this weekend. The pianist, singer, and composer studied contemporary jazz at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, and has performed all around the world, even sang for the former US president Bill Clinton, and for Prince Bernard of Holland. Her first album in 2009, all nite out, features Latin Jazz tracks which merge the stylistic aspects of both classical and jazz music, garnering widespread acclaim. Nita Aartsen and her band play today and tomorrow night at 10pm, at No Black Tie on Jalan Mesui, Off Jalan Nagasari, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Admission is priced at RM53. For more information, call (03) 2142 3737.

Welcome 2 Heartbreak

Monthly festival Raising the Bar has just the right thing for all the Valentine’s Grinches out there. Welcome 2 Heartbreak features a line-up of six artists, namely Airliftz, Confucius, Sasha Ningkan, Lunadira, Allester Shaun, and XYX. Get ready to have your heart broken and mended again in this emotional whirlwind of a concert, taking place on Sunday from 8pm onwards. Head over to The Bee, in Publika Shopping Gallery, Jalan Hartamas 1, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur. Tickets can be purchased at the door for RM40, or online for RM25, and a special Third Wheel Package gives you three tickets at RM20 each. For bookings or more information, visit www.rtb.my.

2 festive bazaars

Gong Xi Riuh!

Riuh gets into the festive mood with a Chinese New Year edition of the monthly market. Alongside the usual fare of local brands and enterprises selling artisanal goods and homemade goodies, Gong Xi Riuh features workshops for lunar paper art and watercolour brush lettering. Look forward to exciting performances as well — there will be lion and dragon dances, Chinese fan and handkerchief dances, mask changing performances, and many more. Gong Xi Riuh takes place from 10am to 9pm tomorrow and on Sunday, at APW, Jalan Riong, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. Entry to the bazaar is free, whereas admission to the paper art and lettering workshops are RM30 and RM25 respectively. For more information, visit www.riuh.com.my.

Valentine’s Special Bazaar

There’s no reason not to celebrate Valentine’s Day in advance this weekend. Makers & Co and The School by Jaya One teamed up to bring you a whirl of fun and romance, starting with a bazaar hosting 40 vendors selling various trinkets to delight your partner with. LindyKL gives couples a taste of the dance parties of the old days, while local singers Fabian Mark Peter, Beverly Matujal, and Alia Michele Elkine set the mood with their serenades. If you’re over 35 and single, fear not, for Life Reset’s speed dating event will prove it’s never too late for love. It’s all set out to be a flirty Saturday at The School by Jaya One, on Jalan Universiti, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The event takes place from 11am to 7pm for one day only. For more information, email [email protected].

1 hearty dose of laughter

Crackhouse presents Gina Yashere

Debuted in the 1997 Edinburgh Fringe Festival to a full house, Yashere has since gone on to tickle funny bones across Europe, the US, Australia, and Asia. Bagging the Best Comedian award at the UK’s Black Entertainment & Comedy Awards for four years in a row, she has been named among the top 10 rising talents by the Hollywood Reporter. She can be seen frequently on many talk shows, including The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Catch her today and tomorrow night at 9pm, at Crackhouse Comedy Club, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, TTDI, Kuala Lumpur. Tickets are priced at RM40 online, and RM50 at the door. For bookings or more details, visit www.crackhousecomedy.asia.

2 fabulous phones

Huawei Mate 10 Pro in Pink Gold

This Valentine’s Day, remind your partner of how special they are with the limited edition Huawei Mate 10 Pro in pink gold. More than just a pretty device, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro puts the “smart” in smartphone with the use of the Kirin 970, the world’s first artificial intelligence processor. It is also designed for speed and durability, with a battery capacity measuring 4000mAh. Customers purchasing their Huawei Mate 10 Pro in pink gold by Feb 12 stand a chance to win a Huawei Watch Swarovski edition worth RM2299. The phone is available in store and online, at a retail price of RM3099, with two other colour options of Mocha Brown and Midnight Blue. To purchase, or for further details, visit consumer.huawei.com/my.

Honor View10 in Crush Red

With Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year in such close proximity this year, you would be on the lookout for something that rises to both occasions. The new Honor View10 in Crush Red is just that, in just the right shade of red to match the romance of the 14th and the fortune of the 16th. The phone utilises the Kirin 970 AI processor, making for a smoother performance that suits your personal needs. The Honor View10 is available instore and online at a retail price of RM2099, and also comes in blue or black. To purchase, or for more information, visit www.vmall.my.