I am really excited to write about this last event my partner Fariq (QZ Photography) and I were so fortunate enough to cover over the weekend: Rockaway: The Saga Continues.
It was a 12-hour festival on a Saturday with dozens of acts and thousands of rock fans flooding the Xtition Paintball Park at Bukit Jalil. No wonder the organizers got RedBull to sponsor the event - it was truly needed to stay energized for the duration of the festival.
The festival featured three stages for a plethora of acts
Now, before I get into my coverage, I do have to be frank and say that I only managed to cover most of the acts at Stage 1 and Stage 2 but none at Stage 3. Stages 1 and 2 were adjacent to each other and made shifting from one to the next very easy, but Stage 3 was on the other side of the festival and I did not bring along another journalist to cover that stage for me. Therefore, all of my Rockaway experience will be revolving around Stage 1 and Stage 2. I'm sorry if you were looking forward to read about Stage 3. Hopefully I'll get a bigger team to come with me on my next festival.
The beautiful day started off with Dirgahayu, playing their hearts out to the growing crowd of fans. Then came bands such as WTNSS, Toko Kilat, and Lyme before local band Oh Chentaku took the stage.
Electric performance from Oh Chentaku
Oh Chentaku was brilliant in getting the crowd pumped for the string of stellar local bands that were lined up. Their stage presence was undeniable and their crowd interactions were warm and natural. The die-hard fans that came to see their set were surely fully satisfied with their performance.
Frontman Myo working the crowd
Some lucky fans got to take a selfie with guitarist Amber
After Oh Chentaku, it was a step back in time to old-school indie rock with an awesome collaboration between Hujan and Radhi from OAG. They started off their set with an explosive medley of both Hujan and OAG songs, generating immense energy and reaction from the audience.
Their performance was a spectacle to watch, where the familiar reggae-induced rock tunes of OAG mixed with hard-hitting Hujan hits was simply ear-gasmic.
Oh, but the trip down memory lane didn't stop there. It was time for major leap into the past with ultra legendary act, Alleycats.
David Arumugam, standing tall, even after all these years
A gust of nostalgia swept across the festival, beckoning a hymn of sing-alongs to songs everyones' parents use to play on ye olde boombox. The songs by Alleycats were like a shared inheritance for Malaysian rock lovers, and with the late Loganathan in mind, Rockaway was awash with sweet memories of the distant past.
Just three acts in the pit and Fariq & I were already feeling the burn. It was an intense few hours and we took a break during The Changcuters' performance. But even watching from the media area behind the crowd, we could see how high octane and dynamic the band was. Their last song was especially memorable, where they instructed the crowd to a series of stop-and-go exercises. Even frontman Noh of Hujan joined in on the fun, jumping into the crowd and hyping up the stage.
Then came the next act; a band I have loved since back during my school days, and I was ecstatic to see them again after almost a decade!
Time for the old school rocka
Pop Shuvit, a name synonymous with the local rock scene in its early days. They were a band that experimented with hard rock influences, nu-metal and also rap rock. There was an immediate response to the sight of frontman Moots, guitarist JD and the ever-present DJ Uno. Everyone was super hyped from the previous bands and the looming dark clouds didn't faze the crowd one bit.
A few songs in and it started to pour on the grounds of the Rockaway festival. The crowd mounted their ponchos while the equipment technicians scrambled to water-proof all the equipment. It caused a 10 to 15-minute delay.
The show still went on and supported by friends from Angles & Airwaves and Bunkface, with Project EAR-mate Dandee, Pop Shuvit ended their set on a high with timeless favorites, including the epic anthem Marabahaya.
Dandee of Silksounds graces the stage alongside Pop Shuvit
Moots, still vigilant
"The angels of Rockaway have blessed us"
The Get Up Kids and Zainal Abidin were next in the roster, both putting exceptional sets for the crowd that has stuck through rain and shine. Fariq and I took our break during this time as we were prepping for an interview with Taking Back Sunday. We did hear from a friend that Zainal's set was cut short due to time constraints, which must have been a real bummer to those who were anticipating his set all day.
The interview with Taking Back Sunday took about 15 minutes. Taking Back Sunday was a band that I had idolized for a long time as well, and it was truly a privilege to be talking to them in person. They were so bright and friendly, making the interview session more like a personal dialogue session, where they added in their jokes and references to movies and TV shows.
Taking Back Sunday talking to the good media
Taking Back Sunday now consist of the original line-up after some changes over the years
When asked about their opinion on being seen as a role model or mentor to new and upcoming bands, frontman Adam Lazzara had this to say (with paraphrasing):
"We don't really see ourselves as anything like a role model. I don't think we're in a position to be seen as such. We are just a band doing its thing and are happy if anyone looks up to us,"
I then asked if there were any bands that did ask for advice or tips, what would they say.
"I would say just keep going,"
How refreshing it was to hear such modest words come from a band that has been through so much since their establishment in 1999. My respect and admiration for the band rose to an all-time high and it made me even more excited and honored to shoot their set come the night.
There were two bands that performed after the prayer break at 7:00PM. The organizers of Rockaway not only allocated a strict gap time for Muslim festival goers to conduct their prayer, but had also provided a special prayer room. It was such a thoughtful gesture from the organizers and a great way to promote good practice of faith at music events.
One Buck Short and Deja Voodoo Spells rocked Stage 1 and Stage 2, respectively once the festival recommenced. Both bands displayed their prowess as representatives of the local rock scene, as they were performing right before Taking Back Sunday and Third Eye Blind. I remember seeing One Buck Short live back in 2007 (along with Pop Shuvit) as an opening act for My Chemical Romance, and even after 9 years, they still had the same energy as they did back then. Deja Voodoo Spells also received great applause from the crowd, especially after their covers of Sweet Child O' Mine and Bohemian Rhapsody.
Then came the climax of the night: Taking Back Sunday, Third Eye Blind and Butterfingers.
Taking Back Sunday took the stage in Malaysia for the first time
Words cannot describe how jaw-dropping Taking Back Sunday's set was. It was a mix of classic hits such as Cute Without The E and A Decade Under Influence with current songs such as Tidal Wave and You Can't Look Back. Adam Lazzara was a wild man on stage with his iconic mic-swinging and entertaining stage antics. The crowd went insane once the band started performing hits from their breakthrough album Louder Now, including Liar and What's It Feel Like To Be A Ghost.
One hour proved to be too short for all the fans who had waited for years for Taking Back Sunday to appear in Malaysia. The band ended their set on a high with MakeDamnSure, which saw the best showcase of mic-swinging and upside-down hanging of Adam on the rafters, like he always does.
What a treat. What a tease
For Third Eye Blind, all the photographers weren't allowed back into the pit after we were ushered out after Taking Back Sunday's third song. It didn't matter, as it gave Fariq and I a chance to truly appreciate their performance.
Third Eye Blind, despite their melodramatic tone and gut-wrenching lyrics, breathed life back into the already 10th hour of the festival. It was a rollercoaster ride, or rather, a Motorcycle Driveby, when they performed. There was so much emotion emanating from the performance. The simple backdrop mixed with the bright light show complemented the whole feel. Watching from afar, it was easy to see why the band had lasted this long, with fans still as loyal as ever.
The band had put on a mix of their older, more familiar songs with their new tracks from their new record, We Are Drugs. The crowd did their best to sing along and exploded in joy when legendary tracks Jumper and Semi-Charmed Life were played. I still get goosebumps sometimes recollecting the atmosphere surrounding Third Eye Blind's set.
The last act to end the night was Butterfingers. Unfortunately, we (Fariq and I) were already tired out of our minds and had to leave the venue while the crowd was still contained within the festival area. It would have been chaos to leave as everyone left at the end of the last set, so we decided it was best to get out early.
Rockaway: The Saga Continues was indeed one of the best concerts/events I had ever covered. It was an awesome and much needed injection of good music back into the veins of the youth. It must have been a daunting and exhausting task for the organizers to hold such a huge event, but they managed to do it without any major incidents. Typical setbacks such as rain and rescheduling did happen, but not to the point that the event had to be abruptly ended or cancelled.
Two mics are better than one
A little rain never hurt anyone
I, for one, felt a great sense of rejoice. I was able to see the bands that I had grown up with like OAG, Pop Shuvit, and Taking Back Sunday; and I was also given the opportunity to document the concert alongside my partner after more than a year of covering concerts alone. Rock has always been a huge part of my divulgence into music. Much of my teen years were spent listening to bands and to have been able to attend such an enormous gathering of fellow rockers was an unforgettable experience.
Once again, The Livescape Group has outdone themselves in pulling off yet another great feat. Much appreciation goes to them for inviting THE FEAR and QZ Photography to cover Rockaway: The Saga Continues.
Till the next one. Take care, everyone.
All photos are by QZ Photography.
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