A-Forking-mazing

Bought a ticket a couple of weeks ago to see FORK's Rockapella at PJ Live Arts in Jaya One, brought in by Gardner & Wife Theatre. Thanks to the LIVE Card, I paid RM85 for a RM105 seat. Because it's PJ Live Arts, you still get a great view no matter which seat you're in... unless a giraffe is in front of you. Like most people, I haven't heard of them, so why not go and be enlightened.

Gardner & Wife Theatre presents Scandinavian a cappella powerhouse FORK to blow us away with their world-class voices, theatrical stagecraft and up-to-the-fingernails-styled aesthetic!

The four singers – actors Mia Hafrén and Jonte Ramsten, former police cadet Kasper Ramström and vocalist Anna Asunta – perform contemporary covers with clever arrangements, which include their rousing Lady Gaga medley, the angelic harmonies of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” and an immaculate rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Every sound heard by the audience, from pristine vocals to rock guitar riffs and powerful bass lines, is produced live on stage; there are no backing tapes or hidden singers!  The whole package is wrapped up in a glamorous presentation, delivered with FORK’s trademark wit and humour.

It’s no wonder that FORK regularly sells out concerts back home in Finland and rapidly became the talk of the town at last year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, winning rave reviews and standing ovations galore. Don’t miss this chance to see what the fuss is all about and judge for yourself if FORK does to a cappella what Jimi Hendrix did to guitar music and what Viagra does to a man!

Even with the dessert pitstop at The Bee (hot chocolate and pavlova) around 8 p.m., I was still on time. At least I didn't spend the awkward time waiting around the upstairs foyer like an idiot. It was nice to see the newly redone PJ Live Arts - it still had the new smell... Was a little sad to see that it wasn't a full house, but at the same time also glad that no one was blocking my view.

Show started around 8.35 p.m., and kicked off with Coldplay's Paradise, which I have to say affected me even more than the original ever did. There's also banter in between songs, which is where the humour comes in.

Along the way they covered a wide range of recognisable English songs over the decades, like Madonna's Like a Prayer and Ray of Light, a very excellent and convincing rendition of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song (that you must see to believe), and more recent songs like from Gaga (in a medley with Queen), Usher (they were great playing David Guetta's part :P) and some Rihanna too (too long to list every song; neither could I remember them all now). If you count the songs in the medley, they probably did over a dozen songs in nearly two hours (with a 15 minute intermission) and everyone got to be lead vocal at some point. You also can't attend without some participation - my hands were red and sore from clapping along. They also injected some horse-riding Gangnam dancing that cracked people up. The audience I was with appear to be mostly the expat crowd. I also give that one guy props for actually getting off his seat to dance along when the rest of us didn't :P

They also did a meet and greet session after the show, where you could take pictures with them and have CDs and posters (conveniently sold outside) to be signed. I had them sign my ticket. 

I don't know if they'll be back again after this, but in case they don't, you have until next Sunday to catch the show. I heartily recommend it for rock and pop fans alike.

PS. Grab the Fierce Curry House flyers that entitle you to 10% off their biryanis on the seats. I also got a "Two for One" coupon on the way out that you got to show them with a previously used ticket when you buy your own tickets.

PPS. Check out Mia's backstage blog here.

Tickets are RM85, RM105, RM125, RM145 that you can buy online at tix.my if you don't want to buy in person beforehand.