Wednesday 29 May 2013

The Rooftop 天台: Jay unveils female lead

Heh....His Royal DIAOness looks quite self-satisfied in the pic below, I must say. :)




And so he should as he finally put to rest all the speculation about the female lead for The Rooftop and unveiled Li Xinai in style on 27 May 2013 at the third press conference in Beijing.

Don't they look soooo cute like that??
(Hehe...she had to be cajoled into putting her hands on Jay's arm at the photo-taking.)
And *ahem*.....I do so like him in tight-fitting pants like these! He has such nice lower limbs.
The pants look like the pair he wore at the Exclamation Mark press con in 2011....just saying...

 


The first photo was like this (looking a little stiff...lol!)



I like this one...DIMPLE ALERT!



Here are two links about the event, taken from Jay Chou Studio:

http://jaychoustudio.com/archives/female-lead-for-jay-chous-new-movie-revealed-many-point-out-here-resemblance-to-hannah-director-chou-declines-to-comment/1595


http://jaychoustudio.com/archives/director-chou-takes-care-of-li-xin-ai-not-taking-hannahs-place/1596


A short article from my local paper:





Another beautiful poster was also revealed....it's VERY NICE!!!!!
She has such a sweet smile and Jay, as usual, just looks cool. Of course, he loves his wheels too, so the motorbike will figure prominently, I'm sure.




Vids from the event (all in Chinese, no subtitles but the essential points are all in the two articles from Jay Chou Studio):


1. Jay on stage, explaining about the movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbBcCA5QmXk&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5EI0bZ49ChDiEhZpT0VByR&index=3


2. News clip with the fans telling off the reporter for asking about Hannah and then telling Jay he doesn't have to answer those questions (gotta love his fans for supporting him like that!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dUQFfEJ_tY&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5EI0bZ49ChDiEhZpT0VByR


3. Jay's interview with Sina:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkjxk-RYFsc&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5EI0bZ49ChDiEhZpT0VByR


4. Jay's interview with Sina:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYSggvUGX0Q&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5EI0bZ49ChDiEhZpT0VByR


5. About Xinai, the female lead whose character's name in the movie is also Xinai...lol!
(Now why couldn't he have chosen a more imaginative name??)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TJYm2x57og&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5EI0bZ49ChDiEhZpT0VByR


My thoughts


I say again:

I'M FREAKING EXCITED ABOUT THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jay has done a wonderful job with executing his vision of a 'musical-cum-martial-arts' flick and face it, can you imagine any other artiste even conceptualising anything like this at all???
Acting, directing, composing and carefully-planned press conferences to reveal the actors over the past six months....all very smoothly done!
The chemistry between not just Xinai and Lang Zhi Gao but the rest of the talented cast looks excellent and the movie promises to be an extremely entertaining ride.
I also love that Jay is sticking to his 'no-need-for-bed-scenes-in-a-love-story' stand, which goes against many other movie-makers' take.
And I'm pretty sure it will do better than Secret.
Trust me, when it's released in Singapore, I shall be going more than once.
The soundtrack is scheduled to be released in June; of course this fangirl will be first in line to get a copy of the album. ;)

A final picture to round off this post....can you guess why I chose it?? ;)



And....omg....time has certainly flown by incredibly.....

JAY ROCKS SINGAPORE NEXT WEEK!!!!!

Toodles!










Tuesday 28 May 2013

Chords for Red Dust Inn 红尘客栈 (Hong Chen Ke Zhan)





I'm posting the chords for Red Dust Inn for reader Livia and any others who might find it useful.
I played all the OPUS 12 piano covers by ear and putting everything in a music score is quite a daunting task.
However, if like Livia, you guys can play the melody in the right hand on the piano, then you can use these chords to play the accompaniment and improvise accordingly, like what I played in the vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCFXLtsYMS8

Besides pianists, guitarists will also be able to use these chords.
I played it in C major and in 4/4 time.
Each dash is one beat.
Play your melody and the accompaniment should fall into place.
Here are the chords for the verse and chorus:
 
Verse:

C---/Am---/F---/G---/
F---/Em-Am/Dm---/G-G7?
C---/Am---/F---/G---/
F---/Em-Am-/Dm-G-/C---/C7---/

Chorus:
F---/Fm---/Em---/Am---/
Dm---/G7---/C---/C7---/
F---/Fm---/Em---/Am---/
Dm---/G7---/C---/


Hope that was okay!

The next post should be about the latest Rooftop press con.
Watch for it!

Oh...and Jay will be in Singapore next week for his concerts!!!
Gosh...time has certainly flown and I can't quite believe I'll be seeing him again after F1...but who's complaining???

Can't wait!!!

Monday 27 May 2013

OPUS JAY in Beijing: Highlights

OPUS JAY moved on to Beijing after  three wildly successful opening shows in Shanghai. His Royal DIAOness had another three concerts in the capital city from 24 to 26 May 2013 and man....he rocked totally! (nothing new there!)

Doesn't he look so cool yet so HAWT in that pic below?? That smirk, the dimple, the shades, the teeshirt with his name on it, the clenched fist....all scream DIAO!



The Beijing concerts more or less followed the same format as the ones in Shanghai, naturally. But Jay being Jay, he always knows how to tailor his performances to the place and fans wherever he may be. 





Who do you suppose these crowds of crew members are waiting for??



Here are some highlights from the concerts, including different songs, quotable Jay-isms, backstage scenes, merchandise and more.


First up, some beautiful flower arrangements from Song Zuying and Li Yundi; I believe Ms Song also attended the third night's concert!




There were also other notable guests in attendance! 
Recognise Wang Xueqi, his co-star in The Rooftop? 
Also Chinese actresses Fan Weiqi (I think). 

 Jay even sang East Wind Breaks specially for Wang Xueqi who asked him if he would be doing that song, whereupon Jay immediately took out Qing Hua Ci and did Dong Feng Po instead, making his musicians scurry a little...lol! 



Another two different songs he sang were Listen To Mama's Words and Snail, both of which have not been heard much in concerts for a long time. 



Jay said his Mum had 'complained' that he did not sing that song the first night, so for the second night, he would do so and also dedicated it to all mothers in the world!



He also gave Silence the auto-tune twist (I wish he hadn't though!):



Ming ming jiu:


I can't get enough of his Sign Language:



And here's a fancam of the entire concert, albeit somewhat shaky so be prepared to get nauseous for those of you who are susceptible.



Freebies for the concert included a free album, paperbag and pink lightstick:








Some quotable Jay-isms (gotta love this guy!):

"哥弹的不是吉他,哥弹的是时光机;哥唱的不是歌,哥唱的是回忆;哥练的不是肌肉,哥练的是毅力~ 只要努力,你就可以变第一。我的动力就是歌迷!"

"It's not a guitar; it's a time machine."

"It's not just a song; it's a memory."

"It's not abs I'm developing; it's perseverance."

"As long as you work hard, you can become No 1."

"My fans are my motivation."





The 8-pack checking out the 1-pack...lol! Jay is soooo cheeky!




There was also an announcment about why Jay had decided to use smaller indoor venues for OPUS JAY instead of huge football stadiums which could hold more people.
The special 4D effects notwithstanding, Jay also expressed that in previous concerts at the humongous outdoor arenas, he could hear the fans from the stage but could not see them properly. After a while, that was not satisfying enough for him, as he wanted very much to be able to see their faces and have more of a connection with them
He is also not into competing with other artistes about who has the best ticket sales for concerts, so a big venue is not his priority.

I say...good on you, Jay!
The quality of the concert experience for both you and your fans should be the most important things.
Although I think many of the fans may not actually mind going to a big venue, as long as it means they are attending your concert, even if they cannot see you clearly or at all. Your presence is what matters to them. :)




Jay also went for a nice dinner at a Really Love Fantasy restaurant...what a great day for the staff there, ya? :)






To end off, here are more HAWT pics to make you drool helplessly...






I'm going to bed now....to dream of Mr DIAO and look forward to his concerts in Singapore in less than two weeks' time!!!

Tra la la!!!

Sunday 26 May 2013

DIAOness Updates: Xi'an, GMA noms, Europe tour petition, hot mag pics, Rooftop in USA!

Jay attended the 13th anniversary of the Xi'an KTV club on 20 May 2013, of which he is now a boss:







Four Golden Melody Award nominations for Jay!

Yup! They are as follows:

1. Best Mandarin Singer
2. Best Mandarin Album
3. Best Album Producer (I think)
4. Best Music Arrangement (with Huang Yudong for A Larger Cello)

The awards ceremony will be held on 6 July 2013 in Taipei.
You go, Jay! Even if you don't win, you're still Numero Uno in my heart!


One of my readers, Jenni has started a petition for Jay to have an Europe tour!
Please support her efforts!

http://www.petitions24.com/jay_chou_to_european_tour


Beijing magazine pics!

I personally don't care too much for the clothes he's wearing but man....Jay is HAWT!







The Rooftop will be the closing film in the New York Asian Film Festival!

http://jaychoustudio.com/archives/the-rooftop-goes-to-new-york-jay-chou-overjoyed/1594


http://movies.broadwayworld.com/article/THE-ROOFTOP-Named-as-New-York-Asian-Film-Festival-Closing-Night-Selection-20130524











So all my readers in the US...watch out for Jay!!!




Beijing concert highlights in my next post!
Stay tuned!



Tuesday 21 May 2013

Jay Chou Facebook Pages

I think Jay needs to know that he has many international fans who do not understand Chinese, yet love him very much.

As such, I'm going to provide links here to pages on Facebook which are related to him; I know most of them are in Chinese but they have really good pics and you can always use Google Translate to try and understand. You guys can also bombard them with comments and requests in English.  Hopefully, Jay will see and be spurred on to improve his command of this language. ;)
I'll also share pages from other Asian countries.


The official Jay Chou page from JVR; in Chinese:
https://www.facebook.com/jay?fref=ts

Jay Chou Studio (linked to English Jay Chou website/forum)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jay-Chou-Studio/260819037281303?fref=ts

Jay Chou International Fandom (in English):
https://www.facebook.com/Jay.Chou.International.Fandom?fref=ts

Jay Chou Fans Association Overseas (English):
https://www.facebook.com/jaychouoverseas?fref=ts

Jay Chou Malaysia and Singapore: (mostly Chinese):
https://www.facebook.com/jaychoums?fref=ts


Jay Chou page (Chinese)
https://www.facebook.com/0118jay?fref=ts

Jay Chou page (Chinese); very current:
https://www.facebook.com/JayChouNo1?fref=ts

Jay Chou USA (English):
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jay-Chou-USA/169729463123211?fref=ts


Jay Chou Thailand:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jay-Chou-Thailand/170602052130?fref=ts

Jay Chou Vietnam:
https://www.facebook.com/jayvietnamfc?fref=ts


Official The Rooftop page:
https://www.facebook.com/rooftop2013


Sunsun Jay is from either Indonesia or Malaysia and has loads of great photos!
https://www.facebook.com/sunsun.jay.3?fref=ts



Sunday 19 May 2013

OPUS JAY in Shanghai (updated)

The long-awaited OPUS JAY WORLD TOUR officially kicked off in Shanghai on 17 May 2013 at 7:30pm sharp as eager fans filled up the Mercedes-Benz Arena for His Royal DIAOness' highly-anticipated opening concert. Jay was taking no chances and had already been rehearsing for three days prior to that, working himself and his faithful crew through their paces. As usual, they had to put up with his sudden flights of inspiration but as expected, what Jay wants, Jay gets and the results are almost always awesome.
Being the very first show of the tour, it was obviously imperative that everything should go smoothly according to Mr Chou's exacting standards. :)

There was a HUGE level of excitement for this concert and the fans were getting tweets from weibo and posting loads of pics and comments on Facebook for all to share. Most fortuitiously, I was at home by myself that Friday night, as the rest of the family were all occupied in their own activities. I could only thank God for that as I was thus able sit by my laptop and follow the updates as they came in....which turned out to be a really fantastic experience, second only to watching a live stream of the concert. :)
The fancam vids soon appeared as well and lots of thanks are due to the youtubers who were uploading them continuously the whole time, especially Dragon Rider from Jay Vietnam.
I shall be posting these vids and also loads of pics below for this entry, and they come from both the first and second night, depending on the quality. And also links to relevant news articles.
As Jay still has one night to go, this post might be a work in progress so do check back in a couple of days' time for any updates after tonight's concert.


Here goes!

Just look at him with his characteristic smile in that pic below with all the congratulatory bouquets...ooh...hint of bare chest showing already!




The Mercedes-Benz Arena:


Backstage:



Jay Scissorhands putting his hairstyling prowess to good use...lol!




With Darren, who designed the OPUS JAY stuff:




Jay and his brotherhood:



Lovely lightsticks and luminous wristbands for the concert, courtesy of JVR! Hope we get these at our Singapore concert too!!







 The sea of PINK! Bloody awesome!




I shall post the fancam vids and pics, following the order as much as possible. 
Warning: as these are fancams, be prepared for not-so-great audio quality and also to hear fans singing too loudly in the background, at times obliterating Jay's voice. :P



The concert started off with a video footage and exploded in his rendition of Exclamation Mark. Jay had already promised that he would show off his 8-pack in this concert and he did not disappoint! (He is a man of his word, as we know!) 
Prepare your senses for a feast and let me reassure you: he is HAWT to the MAX!!! I was breathless (and still am, whilst writing this!) and you'll soon see why! 
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any fainting spells, hyperventilation episodes or heart attacks whilst reading this post. You have been warned!

Opening and Exclamation Mark:


Dragon Fist:



He spoke to the audience, saying:
"Thank you everyone for attending the first night of my concert! No matter what happens today, I will do my best performance. Actually, I have already been here in Shanghai since the 13th and have rehearsed for 3 days so that counts as me already holding 3 concerts. But it was only me listening to my own concert and I think that concerts need to be shared with my fans. Actually, while I was rehearsing, there was no one offstage but I could feel your presence, so I want to thank all my fans who have never left or gave up on me. This is my song for you...Final Battle."



 Final Battle:





Can those pants go any lower??





This one is the KILLER!





The next set consisted of songs from Tian Tai, with the requisite backdrop, performed in the style of a live musical! It was really captivating and once again, something different from previous concerts and gosh, I'm now even more excited for the movie as the music is really good!
A Larger Cello also figured here. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bhMLV3qILw&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc&index=6


You Are Everywhere:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh21bZQjq5M&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Pics:





Another set with him playing piano....the vid below is from the second night, with Ming Ming Jiu, Run Aground, Mine Mine, Silence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOEMCDAAanc&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Mine Mine only:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGwvsvGXtk&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Silence only:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uHtslm8p58&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Qing Hua Ci:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVVhQxJmyr8&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

Pics...I'm overwhelmed by that piano! Typical Jay!! :)








Next set involved acapella versions of Hydrophobic Sailor and Big Ben...yet another different touch!
Lyrics also changed to include Shanghai, to the delight of the fans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfl-HN66SH4&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

He played guitar for an accoustic and unplugged medley of songs....just listen and enjoy! There were some unexpected numbers! He was wearing shirt and suspenders here, a la Incomparable concert and I just love his pink shirt!

Two vids here, the first one is more complete but different views:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNKDM3bRTEA&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLe-Dgw_n3A&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Fine Day with guitar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbIWcEg0rtY&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Pics:







Gong Gong Pian Tou Tong, done in yet another style...love it!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlgpKl_z3Dk&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Now for Red Dust Inn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMH2BKtnCCw&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Pics:








Okay....this next set is going to KILL you! His performance of Sign Language....omg...I was and still am breathless watching this...so beautifully and creatively done in 4D and special effects which just BOWLED the audience (and me!) totally over....omg....watch it and faint!
I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!!
(Audio quality is not that great but just watching him is enough!)

Sign Language (shou yu):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh_5M8M3r04&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc&index=23


Cannot Speak:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8B71jQRrKM&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc









Another guitar set with him looking so snazzy in shiny blue pants:

Secret!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFog2pjSKsE&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


All The Way North, with two fancams. The first one has better visual but poorer audio; the second is vice versa:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYxOf0dW8lM&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6qTWFjNrDI&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


I think he went into Nunchucks after that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKjdKhERBP0&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

Pics:





Ukulele with giant balls! (think this was an encore):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHsMpzpuA8g&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc




"Get your hands off OUR Jay!!!" *rage*








Another encore...Qi Li Xiang!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zynymd7geU&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc




His third encore cost him, though, 'cos he went beyond the stipulated time limit and was fined! He also confirmed that he would pay for some broken chairs, no doubt caused by enthusiastic fans stomping or climbing on them!


He sang Wu Ding (Rooftop) for the second night's encore!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEkpc3mDOrA


NB:
There's one last concert tonight and knowing Jay, there are likely to be more surprises in store.
But I shall publish what I have so far and update tomorrow accordingly.
So do check back here in a couple of days!



My thoughts on OPUS JAY

WOW! JUST. WOW!!!!!

Jay Chou does it again!
There were so many new and interesting aspects in this concert that my mind is still boggled!
And gosh...he looked SOOOOOO HANDSOME!!!!!!!!!  *le swoon*

Most standout aspects?

1. His FABULOUS ABS!!!
2. The Rooftop musical
3. The unplugged medley of his songs
4. The acapella singing
5. The cute intro to Gong Gong

And of course, the BEST, the most DIAO (overshadowing even his abs) was....

SIGN LANGUAGE!!!!!

His smooth moves, especially in the beginning...loved the way he pushed against the piano and then hopped on and off soooo coolly! *faint*
And the tracing out of the J*heart*U....omg...that just took my breath away!
Along with the shadow clones effect and more dancing....gosh, his use of 4D technology blew me away!
Loved his suit too!


Sorry for my raving...but that's what fangirls do, right??

I can't wait to see him here in Singapore in June!
And no, I will not stop watching these vids, unlike some fans who said they're keeping away from them so as to keep a fresh feel and not get spoiled.
For me, every performance of his never gets old and I love every minute of these vids and will love every minute of his three concerts here....yup, I'm maxing out Singapore 'cos I'm not going to KL or Taipei...I'm too lazy to travel.
Besides, I would not be able to stand it if he performed in Singapore and I'm not there to watch him...so there!
No expenses spared for His Royal DIAOness!

Just less than three weeks to go!!!!

And of course, this beautiful piece of equipment will be here too!



Updates on 20 May 2013

Nice clear vid of the highlights, including the unplugged segment....with Rainbow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t29E69XdYg4&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc&index=10



A marriage proposal happened on the second night when Jay was singing Secret! His sharp eyes spotted the happy couple and he immediately wished them well viz "You guys in the third row! I can see you! Blessings to you both!" :)




Highlights from the third and final night included:

Nice compilation vid with Jay teasing the fans, saying he'll talk more and sing less, to which they protest of course! He then agrees to talk more AND sing more too! Cheeky fella!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KIT1X_a-KGs#!


Iron Box Of An Island!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cVcLqb1f-TY


And of course, Shanghai 1943!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z4SDZLiBL5s



Another vid comprising Tornado, Black Humour, Shanghai 1943 and Iron Box Of An Island:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VWol7-c210
 


More nice pics:




He looks soooo cute here!!



His Royal DIAOness and his royally DIAO piano!



And of course, that PINK microphone and to top it all off, that DIMPLE!!!!!





Finally, what concert would be complete without the attendance of this VVVVVIP and Jay's biggest fan???



Cheers, all!

I'm going to catch up on more news of Jay, who at this moment is in Xi'an where his karaoke club is for an event.

Ta!