There are many things I have, of late, realized I could be thankful for. Yet, I walk mostly under the shadows, afraid of what the world may think of me. Fear has kept me tame for a long time and when I first saw the ad for the competition at The Storytellers, I had my doubts.

Even with the support of all 65+ of you who came to the first round (someone called it asian invasion) and with all my passion singing like it was the last time ever, I still had doubts. I had doubts even when they announced my name as the winner of the night. Even when I collected the cash and stuffed it into my pockets (no, actually took some pictures with it first, LOL), I was, still in doubt.

It is of little surprise that even a week away I am feeling vulnerable. Again.

I remember right after the show, two kind souls brought me out to supper as I hadn't had a thing to eat the whole evening.

Performance anxiety.

Maybe I was high but I launched into a speech that said something about the fact that an artist literally experiences death when he performs because he literally has to die to himself and take on the character of the story he is telling. Even if autobiographical, it takes the artist away from the present ...

So, it's crunch week. I'm listening to Joshua Radin. Amazing recording quality, voice and writing. I'm gleaning heaps. Have tickets to go see him soon. Wishing I wrote like he did. He's my new benchmark for lyrical sensitivity.

Practice, practice, practice. It's the one thing in my head. I tend to think more than I actually put my hands to the wood and steel. Thing is I just managed to move all of my personal boxes of stuff and then some, to my new room. Yes I have a room now! Skylight to wake me in the morning and space for me to go nuts, fight my demons and write. It's still a mess, like all boys' room should be.


this boy's room with unpacking to do...


I'm grateful for the silence and walls and walls of boxes surrounding me. The chaos and the mess got me on my feet into album making. Pre-production has started with a friend I made recently. A friend who has surprised me both professionally and relationally in our budding journey as co-producers. It humbles me to walk this road and find someone else understanding the intricacies of making a record. Let's see where this takes us.

Funny thing. Life is a circle. Takes you back to where you started. All alone again like it was in 2006, the dream apartment on Bourke Street, tucked away in a continuum to create. Except this year, the number's flipped and I'm the wiser for it. No debt agreement and bankrupt papers in the mail. No unnerving phone calls from creditors to the home office. I'm savouring slowly the freedom I've earned, the semi charmed life I am blessed to live. Though pills and ashes remain, I know I have something more to look forward to, to keep me alive.

So, friend, I'll see you next week at The Semi's for another milestone, another pitstop...

For your friendly face in the crowd,
Charles J Tan

Get tickets here




To those who RSVP'd, thank you. Will be in touch to organize tickets! =)

Hey guys,

It's been a while since I wrote to you guys. Many things are happening at the moment... in just two days I will be moving out of my current apartment saying goodbye to my studio/living room which became the character of The Common Couch...

But old things go and new things usher in as we roll with the punches...

Been playing much around town, mainly at the Spleen Bar on 41 Bourke Street. Met a whole bunch of cool musicians! Recently recorded a vocal track with a producer friend who has entered the same song into a competition in the US. Fingers crossed!

BUT more importantly, there is a showcase coming up...

The Storytellers @ Chaise Lounge.

I have registered myself for this competition. Basically it will put me in front of booking agents who run tours for aussie acts like The Whitlams, Jon Stevens (once frontman of INXS), Ash Grunwald, Little Birdy and etc... They are looking for acoustic acts to play support for future tours.

For more info, please visit
http://myspace.com/mlgpresents

If you are an acoustic singer songwriter, it might be worth giving this a go yourself =)

So here's the thing. I will be given pre-sale tickets to the event - the first showcase night will be 5th August 2009 - Wednesday. They are going at $12.00. One of the criteria of the competition also looks at how many tickets I manage to sell to my base of listeners, so this is rather crucial.

I will play the showcase on 5th August and would want you to be there for this coming out party! Winning or not is not the heart of the matter but the opportunity to meet people who are doing the same thing as I am doing...

So, send me an email to bookings@charlesjtan.com to register your interest and as soon as I get the tickets you will get first priority.

When times change, opportunity knocks...

for the acoustic symphony in all of us...
Charles J Tan

For those in Australia, particularly Melbourne, this Sunday, 19th April, presents a milestone in the community of indie local music. Lionel & Kev from Full Valve Entertainment will be hosting a music festival THIS SUNDAY, right in the middle of the city - 18 acts, over 5 hours of live music. Songwriters, rockers, songbirds, storytellers, you name it, will take The Limelight stage at Miss Libertine. I will be playing a set, along with my friends on a rockbox, midi keyboard and bass... and that cover I am learning, by an artist from Tel Aviv recently making waves on youtube with a great video, I hope to do the song justice... Check out the poster for this event... Doors 12pm.

"It's already 1.40am!" quipped my friend, Sarah, Maroon 5 playing in the background. I am tired and almost exhausted from the marathon of meeting old friends, playing the small gig at OOOM3. Great experience and made some notable mentions in Andie Francoeur who opened the night with her elegance and poetry. I miss piano laden music.

Carol from Class 95FM hooked me up with an acoustic gig at Love The World Soul Rock Bar & Bistro. Try saying that 20 times fast. It's a brand new bar situated at Singapore Flyer, 30 Raffles Avenue. I have to do a bit of trekking the next few days to make sure I find the place ok on Sunday. 8pm it is, with resident band opening. I'm looking forward to playing with the Taylor.

So much I've taken with me this trip so far. One thing i realise, Singapore is a very wordy country. Every signage, poster, public announcement comes in 4 different languages. With very directive instructions found mostly in idiot proof manuals. You get the sense that a lot of thought went into the designing and assembling. But more than that, it is a country full of brands and slogans. Some, a little over creative on the edges, overstating the obvious, as if the obvious was not enough. And i shudder to realise I tend to overstate my point in my writing, songs, poems alike. Shudder, indeed, even if on repeat. Countless repeat. Ok, better be ahead and stop now.

My left arm is aching with alarm bells of possible paralyzing going off. Perhaps the heavy laptop. The lack of blood flow. I shall see if tomorrow brings some recovery or I shall worry.

Or maybe I'm just really exhausted. Gotta rest for Sunday. But not for a few days holidaying in JB. Here I come.

It's been more than 48 hours since arriving here in Singapore and the sniffles are still a stubborn stew. I've fallen ill since leaving and i've held off bingeing on all the goodness of oil and gladness in the land flowing with deep fried manna. It's been health decisions so far. With lots of walking, mostly hunting for free WIFI and getting in touch with friends.

Mum's place has no internet connection, you see. Thank God the island has a vested interest in providing free access to it's citizens.

I'm out and about, full from a marathon of catch ups and late night conversations. i found myself almost scripting the same things to 3 different people groups. The wilderness years, the present reality of living life without conventional wisdom and the to do lists. There's so many songs to be written just because each encounter leaves me with that fuzzy warmth, reminding me why I live the life i now live. I'm even surprised there's been no pressure from my folks to do 'get a life'. Perhaps somehow they can see the fire, since, in my eyes.

So I'm rest stopping. At a franchise bad coffee joint. Planning what to do next. In the days past, three degrees of separation has worked so well for me. Friend knows a friend whose partner works at The Esplanade, Singapore's Arts Hub by the bay, and currently looking for acoustic acts to fill the stage for later part of the year. A call back from said partner came within an hour. Then another friend knows a friend who knows the people who run Timbre, a live music venue and will be in touch to make connections.

I dropped by IndoChine, with recommendations from friends regarding playing at their supposed Open Mic nights. Funny thing, I hesitated like a 10 year old, procrastinating, whether i should ask the staff. But I decided I wasn't 10 and what's the worse that could happen? "No we don't have open mics"

And so a browse through GAP and to my seat at this corner with free WIFI and power supply. Back to the drawing board.

For now, my only performance is still at OOOM3. Check out the listings & details of the gig. 4th Feb. Emily Hill. Told a few friends here about the gig and realise there could be an entourage and their friends for support.

Sweet.

It's been a frustrating month. It ain't the packing, ain't the work at the cafe, ain't the lack of time to edit the backlog of podcasts. How do you represent yourself in the truest and most honest form, with ones and zeros on a digital scape? Thing is, I have been trying to get in touch with whatever scraps of contacts I have left in the country I called home. To get a slice of something to play once again to my countrymen. Maybe I have been knocking on all the wrong doors, for, the response has been lacklustre.

How do you get a foot in the door? Is this distance really the point of it all? Or maybe there isn't enough content on these pages to reflect the live performances that have been the bread and butter of my trade here down south. And with all the little bits and pieces I have, it seems, it's not enough to fully present the full story of the sound, the experience and what you might call it. I'm desperate enough as it is, to simply play in a lounge room, borrowing from social graces of whoever.

OOOM3 seems to be the only platform so far. Now do I have enough faith to bring my Taylor on the plane with me, that, is the question.